14 TV Series The Whole Family Will Enjoy
FOR 5-8 YEAR OLDS
Hilda, Netflix
Based on the graphic novels by Luke Pearson, Hilda follows the journey of a fearless blue-haired girl as she travels from her home in a vast magical wilderness full of elves and giants to the bustling city of Trolberg, where she makes new friends and discovers mysterious creatures who are stranger – and sometimes more dangerous – than she ever expected.
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Jane's Animal Adventures, Apple TV
This new ten-part series is inspired by the work of world-renowned ethologist and conservationist, Dr. Jane Goodall. Ava Louise Murchison stars as Jane Garcia, a nine-year-old budding environmentalist on a quest to save endangered animals. Using her powerful imagination, Jane takes her best friends David and Greybeard the chimpanzee on epic adventures to help protect wild animals all around the world because, according to her idol Dr. Jane Goodall: “Only if we understand, will we care. Only if we care, will we help. Only if we help, can they be saved.”
Visit AppleTV.com
Malory Towers, BBC iPlayer
The series is set in post-war Britain on the sun-drenched cliffs of the Cornish coast and explores a nostalgic world of midnight feasts, lacrosse, pranks, a mystery ghost and lasting friendships. The first series opens with 12-year-old Darrell Rivers settling into her first day at Malory Towers. She is always in the thick of things and her hot temper causes her lots of problems. But she is also a responsible, hard-working girl and very popular, much to the annoyance of Gwen, who is also new to the school and jealous of Darrell’s popularity and friendships. In awe of Malory Towers, Darrell keeps her past at her old school, St. Hilda’s, a closely guarded secret but with Gwen on the case will it come back to haunt her?
Visit BBC.co.uk
Here We Are: Notes for Living on Planet Earth, Apple TV
Based on the book by Oliver Jeffers, this animated production features a star-studded voice cast including Meryl Streep, Chris O'Dowd, Jacob Tremblay and Ruth Negga. It follows a precocious seven-year-old (voiced by Tremblay) who, over the course of Earth Day, learns about the wonders of the planet from his parents – and from a mysterious exhibit at the aptly titled Museum of Everything. Meryl Streep narrates.
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FOR 9-12 YEAR OLDS
The Mysterious Benedict Society, Disney+
Round up the family to watch two seasons of this adventure series. After winning a scholarship competition, four gifted orphans are recruited by the peculiar Mr Benedict for a dangerous mission to save the world from a global crisis known as ‘The Emergency’. Reynie, Sticky, Kate, and Constance must infiltrate the mysterious L.I.V.E. Institute to discover the truth behind the crisis. When the headmaster, the sophisticated Dr Curtain appears to be behind this worldwide panic, the kids of ‘The Mysterious Benedict Society’ must devise a plan to defeat him.
Visit DisneyPlus.com
Physical 100, Netflix
Adrenaline junkies, this one’s for you. If you enjoy watching BBC’s Total Wipeout, add Netflix’s Physical 100 to your list. 100 contestants in top physical shape compete to claim the honour of the ultimate physique in this intense survival reality series. Set in Korea, some of the country’s top amateur athletes go head-to-head to claim a huge cash prize and the glory of being crowned the fittest person in the country.
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His Dark Materials, BBC iPlayer
Philip Pullman’s fantasy trilogy was turned into an epic three-series BBC drama. It tells the story of Lyra, the young protagonist who lives in Jordan College, Oxford. Placed there at the request of her Uncle, Lord Asriel, she lives a sheltered life amongst the scholars and college staff while under the watchful protection of The Master and Librarian Scholar Charles. When the mesmeric Mrs Coulter enters Lyra’s life she embarks upon a dangerous journey of discovery from Oxford to London. Here she meets Father Macphail, Lord Boreal and journalist Adele Starminster at a glittering society party where she first hears about the sinister General Oblation Board. Lyra is subsequently thrown into the nomadic world of the boat dwelling Gyptians, figuring out who is an ally and who is an enemy.
Visit BBC.co.uk
Circuit Breakers, Apple TV
In this sci-fi anthology series, curiosity leads to chaos when students in the near future experience mysterious events. Jacob is desperate to make the school athletics team, but his height is holding him back. Can a medical experiment lab help him grow faster? Aspiring dancer Jesse can’t balance his responsibilities, so he asks his friend to build him a robotic duplicate to help with chores. After her parents’ divorce, Emily uses a memory therapy device to relive happier times – before her parents divorced. As the kids and their friends’ ambitions spiral out of control, there are devastating consequences.
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FOR TEENS
Outer Banks, Netflix
On an island of haves and have-nots, teenager John B enlists his three best friends to hunt for legendary treasure linked to his father’s death – $400 million to be exact. Set in North Carolina, John is convinced the death isn’t an accident, but he hasn’t been able to prove it. When he and his friends (known as the Pogues) venture into the sea to claim it, they discover they aren’t the only ones on the hunt for the treasure. Will they bring home the bounty or venture into deep and dark waters?
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Formula 1: Drive To Survive, Netflix
Offering unprecedented access, this series takes fans behind the scenes, to witness first-hand how the drivers and teams prepare to battle it out for the 2022 FIA Formula 1 World Championship. The series will offer never-before-seen footage and interviews from the sport’s biggest names. In the racing world the highs are high and the lows are low, but when there’s huge amount at stake – both glory and money – who will come out on top?
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Cheer, Netflix
From the team behind brilliant American football series Last Chance U, Cheer follows the competitive cheerleaders of Navarro College in Corsicana, Texas. Led by Monica Aldama, the small junior college has won 14 National Championships since 2000. The stakes on the mat are high, but for these athletes, the only thing more brutal than their workouts and more exceptional than their performances are the stories of adversity and triumph behind the team members themselves. Over the course of two series, viewers join the Navarro College cheerleaders as they face injuries, sacrifice, personal setbacks and triumphs, all leading up to one nail-biting final competition.
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Atypical, Netflix
Atypical is a coming-of-age story that follows Sam, a 19-year-old on the autism spectrum as he searches for love and independence. While Sam is on his funny and emotional journey of self-discovery, the rest of his family must grapple with change in their own lives as they all struggle with the ongoing central theme of the series: what does it really mean to be normal? In season three, Sam starts his first year of college and is faced with the challenge of figuring out what success means for him, while adjusting to the changes that come with growing up.
Visit Netflix.com
Heartstopper, Netflix
This teen drama on Netflix hit screens last year, became an instant hit and has already been confirmed for a second series. When gentle Charlie and rugby-loving Nick meet at secondary school, they quickly discover their unlikely friendship is blossoming into an unexpected romance. Charlie, Nick and their circle of friends must navigate the ever-relatable journey of self-discovery and acceptance, supporting each other as they learn to find their most authentic selves.
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Race Across The World, BBC iPlayer
Series three of this adventure series has just landed on iPlayer. Ideal for teens thinking about a gap year, the show follows five pairs who must race across Canada without smartphones, internet access or credit cards, armed only with the cash equivalent of the airfare to fly the route. Their skill, ingenuity and determination will be tested to the extreme as they travel through some of the world’s most remote regions, where they must also rely on the kindness of strangers in order to reach the finish line. This series takes viewers on the trip of a lifetime, following the racers as they embark on an epic and adrenaline-fuelled adventure, travelling into the unknown without the trappings of modern life.
Visit BBC.co.uk
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