LEGO STAR WARS HOLIDAY SPECIAL
Disney+
FOR all the sins committed by Disney since acquiring the Star Wars universe - namely the The Last Jedi and The Rise Of Skywalker - The Mandalorian and Lego Star Wars spin-off series has been a breath of fresh air.
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The Lego Star Wars Holiday Special might be released in time for Christmas, but you won't hear the "c" word mentioned here. In a galaxy far far away it's called Life Day.
Set after The Rise Of Skywalker, the sith are destroyed and the galaxy is at peace. Rey is desperate to teach Finn the ways of the force. She goes in search of an ancient Jedi artefact, which sends her travelling through time to pivotal moments in the Star Wars saga.
Rey witnesses Yoda training Luke Skywalker, the destruction of the original Death Star and even the Emperor's throne room in Return Of The Jedi. But when Darth Vader follows Rey back to the future it leads to comical consequences involving all of the most beloved Star Wars characters.
Lego Star Wars is cute and the kids will love it, but adult fans will also enjoy the comical references to past films and the banter between Darth Vader, the Emperor and Kylo Ren is highly entertaining.
INTERNATIONAL CRICKET
Kayo Sports
FOR most cricket-loving Australians the idea that 50-over and Twenty20 home internationals are locked behind a paywall remains as sore a point as copping a Mitchell Starc bouncer.
Last summer was the first time that anyone wanting to watch the Aussie men's team don the canary yellow had to sign up for a Foxtel or Kayo Sports subscription. Thankfully Seven had the Test matches on free-to-air.
Games against the hapless Pakistan and New Zealand failed to convert the cricket public en masse to Fox, but India will be a far bigger draw card this summer. Indian skipper Virat Kohli and his support cast of Jasprit Bumrah and Rohit Sharma will ensure far greater interest when the season kicks off on Friday afternoon with a ODI day-night game at the SCG.
AFTER THE NIGHT
Stan
TRUE crime documentaries have been a natural fit for streaming services ever since Netflix delivered the engrossing Making A Murderer series about Steven Avery in 2015.
Australia is about to have their own tale of murder, injustice and controversy played out in the four-part series After The Night, which explores the spate of murders and attempted killings that terrorised Perth from 1959 to 1963.
The story of the "The Night Caller" or "Nedlands Monster" murders committed by Eric Edgar Cooke is well known and has been covered in various books, including Tim Winton's beloved novel Cloud Street.
What After The Night does is analyse the impact the crimes had on the then sleepy isolated city of Perth, where people regularly left their doors and windows unlocked. It's about how Perth, especially the well-heeled western suburbs community, lost their innocence and unwavering faith in the police.
The series is a mix of archival and fresh footage, including interviews with falsely-accused murderer John Button and Cooke's elderly widow Sally.