Christmas comes early to many SBS fans with returns of favourites like Romulus, Letterkenny along with new shows like Latecomers and Tokyo Vice to watch during the silly season.
British comedy drama
Ralph And Katie (series one)
Australian Premiere
Thursday, 1 December 2022 SBS On Demand
All six episodes available to stream.
Ralph and Katie is a spin-off of The A-Word, following young couple Ralph (Leon Harrop) and Katie (Sarah Gordy) as they face the domestic challenges all newlyweds are up against, but with the added fact that they have Down’s Syndrome. The pair embark on an emotional rollercoaster, supported by some new faces and the odd familiar but overbearing parent.
Joining showrunner Peter Bowker and five of the UK’s best emerging disabled and neurodivergent writers – Genevieve Barr, Annalisa Dinnella, Amy Trigg, Lizzie Watson and Tom Wentworth.
Ralph And Katie will also air on SBS at a later date.
Italian crime drama
Blanca (series one)
Australian Premiere
Thursday, 1 December 2022 on SBS On Demand
All twelve episodes available to stream.
Blanca is the self-titled story of a young woman (Maria Chiara Giannetta) who was blinded and lost her sister in a tragic fire at a young age. Now, Blanca works with the police force and specialises in decodage – the highly sensitive analytical use of audio materials, such as interceptions and interrogations in investigations. She is accompanied in her adventures by her close friend Stella (Federica Cacciola), an exuberant and charming beautician, as well as her guide dog, Linnaeus, a protective and soulful female bulldog.
Stars Giuseppe Zeno, Enzo Paci, Pierpaolo Spollon, and Antonio Zavatteri.
In Italian with English subtitles. Blanca is an SBS On Demand exclusive.
Australian comedy/drama
Latecomers (series one)
SBS Commission
Saturday, 3 December 2022 on SBS, SBS Viceland and SBS On Demand
All six episodes available to stream.
When their able-bodied friends hook up at a bar, lovelorn Frank (Angus Thompson) and Sarah (Hannah Diviney) are thrust together and form a reluctant bond over their shared disability and its impact on their romantic lives – or lack thereof. Bold, hilarious, and at times heart wrenching, the new SBS and Screen Australia Digital Originals series, Latecomers, is both an expression and representation of the intricacies of sex and disability.
Influential writer, and disability and women’s rights advocate Hannah Diviney shines in one of the lead roles – her first ever acting role – alongside actor and co-creator Angus Thompson (The Angus Project). Earlier this year, Diviney made headlines for holding pop stars Lizzo and Beyoncé accountable for their ableist lyrics. She is also founder of the global ‘Create a Disney Princess with Disabilities’ campaign, Editor in Chief of social impact publication Missing Perspectives, and was recently named Winner of 2022 “Voice of Now” at the Marie Claire Women Of the Year Awards.
Alongside Diviney and Thompson, title roles are also played by New Zealand actor Miriama Smith (Filthy Rich, Harrow) and rising star Patrick Jhanur (Sea Patrol, Troppo), and featuring Tracy Mann (Top End Wedding), Emily Havea (Wentworth), Tom Wilson (Heartbreak High), Brittany Santariga (Fighting Season), Amy Kersey (The Twelve), Piper Brown and Liam Greinke. Written and created by Emma Myers, Angus Thompson, and acclaimed comedian, actor, and writer Nina Oyama (The Angus Project, Tonightly with Tom Ballard, Utopia), Latecomers draws from the trio’s lived experiences, from both Nina’s perspective as a carer and Emma and Angus as individuals with cerebral palsy. Latecomers is directed by Madeleine Gottlieb (You and Me, Before and After) and Alistair Baldwin (writer on The Weekly, Hard Quiz) and produced by Hannah Ngo (Iggy & Ace, Tribunal) and Liam Heyen (Top End Wedding, New Gold Mountain).
The series premieres on the International Day of People with Disability on SBS Viceland and SBS On Demand – Saturday, 3 December at 8.30pm. Latecomers will be open captioned and subtitled on SBS On Demand in five different languages including Simplified Chinese, Arabic, Vietnamese, Traditional Chinese and Korean.
Danish Documentary
Alone Denmark (season five)
Australian Premiere – SBS On Demand Box-set
Monday, 5 December 2022 on SBS On Demand
All seven episodes available to stream.
In this extreme survival experiment, ten Danes are dropped off in the Norwegian wilderness to test how long people can survive on their own. In total isolation and with a minimum of aids, they must film their own fight against hunger, the cold, the rugged nature and not the least themselves! Last person standing wins…
Alone Denmark is an SBS On Demand exclusive. In Danish with English subtitles.
S1-4 are currently available on SBS On Demand.
Japanese & American Crime Drama
Tokyo Vice (series one)
New Series Premiere
From Wednesday, 7 December 2022 on SBS and SBS On Demand
New episodes coming weekly.
Loosely inspired by Jake Adelstein’s non-fiction account, the crime drama series Tokyo Vice follows the young American journalist’s (Ansel Elgort) rapid descent into Tokyo’s neon-soaked underbelly in the late ‘90s. Hired as prestigious newspaper Meicho Shimbun’s first American crime reporter, Adelstein soon finds himself covering seemingly unrelated cases – but quickly grows suspicious that more nefarious forces are at play. After embedding himself into the Tokyo Metro PD, alongside Detective Hiroto Katagiri (Ken Watanabe), Adelstein is thrust into a seedy, fast-paced world of corruption, crime,
and deception, where nothing and no one are what they seem.
In Japanese and English with English subtitles. Tokyo Vice will air on SBS on
Wednesday, 7 December at 8.30pm, with later episodes airing weekly.
German Crime Drama
Marnow Murders (series one)
Australian Premiere
Thursday, 8 December 2022 on SBS and SBS On Demand
All eight episodes available to stream.
The city of Schwerin is melting – it is the hottest summer in years. Detectives Lona Mendt
(Petra Schmidt-Schaller) and Frank Elling (Sascha Alexander Geršak) are on the trail of a serial murderer, who seems to choose his victims randomly. But nothing is as it seems. The detectives have apparently made some powerful enemies that will do everything in their power to keep the truth from coming to light. The further along with their investigation Frank, a devoted husband and father, and the aloof Lona get, the bigger the obstacles become.
In German with English subtitles. Marnow Murders is an SBS On Demand exclusive.
Swedish Crime Drama
Huss (series one)
Australian Premiere
Thursday, 8 December 2022 on SBS On Demand
All seven episodes available to stream.
Katarina Huss (Karin Franz Körlof) follows in her mother’s footsteps and becomes a detective with the Göteburg police force. As a newcomer to the force, she must now
contend not only with the difficulties of working with crime, but also her suspicious
colleagues and at times sceptic mother, Irene (Kajsa Ernst).
In Swedish with English subtitles. Huss is an SBS On Demand exclusive.
British Documentary
Reel Britannia, Series one
Australian Premier
Monday, 12 December 2022 on World Movies and SBS On Demand
All four episodes available to stream.
Reel Britannia is a lively and colourful dive into the modern history of British cinema as
told through a patchwork of brand-new exclusive interviews, archival interviews and
behind-the-scenes footage from both classics and cult-favourites. Comedian Nick Helm
leads viewers through the dramatic developments which held up a mirror to society from
the youth revolution of the 1960s, the grit of the 1970s, the social divide of the 1980s, the
new hope of the 1990s and the social disillusionment of the 2000s.
Reel Britannia will also air on World Movies throughout January 2023.
Italian period drama
Romulus, Season two
Australian Premiere – SBS On-Demand Box Set
Thursday, 15 December 2022 on SBS On Demand
All eight episodes available to stream.
Romulus follows the tale of Romulus and his twin brother Remus, as seen through the
eyes of three protagonists marked by death, loneliness and violence.
In the latest season, Yemos (Andrea Arcangeli), Wiros (Francesco Di Napoli), and the
ones loyal to them have settled in what was once Velia, consecrating it as a free and
independent kingdom named Ruma. Following a series of battles, thrillingly narrow
escapes and the dawn of a war, the fate of Ruma, which can only have one king,
becomes increasingly uncertain. Who will take the name of Romulus?
Stars Marianna Fontana, Marlon Joubert, Demetra Avincola and Sergio Romano.
In Latin with English subtitles. Romulus S2 is an SBS On Demand exclusive. S1 is
currently available on SBS On Demand.
Australian Food Series
Strait to the Plate, Season 2
NITV Commission – SBS On-Demand Box Set
From Thursday, 15 December on NITV, SBS Food and SBS On
Demand. New episodes airing weekly.
Season 2 will follow the return of host Aaron Fa’aoso as he travels throughout the three
western regions of the Torres Strait Islands. We explore rich Asian cultural fusions and
the strong Torres Strait Islander and Papua New Guinean kinship connections that have
not only influenced food, but language, culture and way of life.
Strait To The Plate S2 will simulcast on NITV and SBS Food on Thursdays at
8.00pm from Thursday, 15 December. The series will be subtitled on SBS On
Demand in Arabic and Simplified Chinese. S1 is now available on SBS On Demand.
Swedish Crime Drama
Agatha Christie’s Hjerson, Series 1
Australian Premiere
Thursday, 15 December 2022 on SBS On Demand
All eight episodes available to stream.
A modern-day Agatha Christie spinoff about Sven Hjerson (Johan Rheborg), a once
renowned criminal profiler who suddenly chose to retire from the spotlight, and Klara
Sandberg (Hanna Alström) a trash TV producer who wants to reset her career with a
true crime show that stars him. When a young journalist is murdered on a ship they are
both travelling on, a reluctant Hjerson and a zealous Klara start to solve a string of
murder mysteries.
In Swedish with English subtitles. Agatha Christie’s Hjerson is an SBS On Demand
exclusive.
Danish Comedy
Big Lars, series 1
Australian Premiere
Thursday, 15 December on SBS On Demand
All eight episodes available to stream.
The recently divorced Lars (Lars Hjortshøj) is ready for change, especially in his career
as a newcomer comedian. But when he falls in love with Julie (Julie Agnete Vang),
events begin to take increasingly unexpected turns. Big Lars is tenderly funny, with a
tender approach to understated love and finding yourself.
In Danish with English subtitles. Big Lars is an SBS On Demand exclusive.
American Documentary
Secrets of Playboy, series 1
Australian Premiere
From Monday, 19 December 2022 on SBS and SBS On Demand.
New episodes coming weekly.
Hugh Hefner sold himself as a champion of free speech who created the Playboy brand
to set off a sexual revolution that would liberate men and women alike. However, over the
years he used Playboy to manipulate women to compete for his favour while he silenced
whistleblowers.
In this series, former Playmates, girlfriends, and employees come together to share their
experiences and struggles alongside sex and trauma therapist Dr. Kate Balestrieri,
revealing shocking stories, and uncovering that beneath the Playboy mansion fantasy lay
a dark world run by Hefner, with increasingly strict rules designed to control the women.
Secrets Of Playboy will begin airing on SBS weekly from Monday, 19 December at
8.30pm. Secrets Of Playboy is an SBS and SBS On Demand exclusive.
Scottish crime drama
Guilt, season 2
New Season Premiere – SBS On Demand Box Set
Thursday, 22 December 2022 on SBS On Demand
All four episodes available to stream.
The twisting and twisted, cool and compelling Scottish thriller is back – drenched in black
humour and smouldering with intrigue. Guilt has been absolved by punishment. Now
revenge takes over. When Max (Mark Bonnar) steps out of prison on licence, his fate is
in the shaky hands of an undercover cop who offers him freedom, at a very high price:
informing on his dangerous enemy, Roy Lynch (Stuart Bowman).
This time things are even more dangerous. And even less predictable. Stars Emun
Elliott, Ruth Bradley, Henry Pettigrew and Jamie Sives.
S1 of Guilt is now available on SBS On Demand.
Israeli thriller
Manayek, season 2
Australian Premiere – SBS On Demand Box Set
From Thursday, 22 December 2022 on SBS On Demand
All ten episodes available to stream.
Season two continues the story of Izzy Bachar (Shalom Asayag), a police internal affairs
investigator, who discovers that his long-time friend Barak Harel (Amos Tamam), a
senior police officer, is accused of corruption.
The discovery of a body sends Tal Ben Harush (Liraz Chamami) investigating and Barak
scrambling to cover up his and his men’s tracks. Barak utilizes his ties with the newly
appointed police commissioner, Dudu Eini (Sasi Samucha), to squash Tal’s efforts.
In Hebrew and English with English subtitles. Manayek will begin airing on SBS at
a later date. S1 is now available on SBS On Demand.
Swedish contemporary drama
Thunder In My Heart, Series 1
Australian Premiere
Thursday, 22 December 2022 on SBS On Demand.
All eight episodes available to stream.
22-year-old Sigrid (Amy Deasismont) and her group of friends struggle as they come of
age and strive to meet the unexpected demands of adult life. At the same time, they
attempt to come to terms with their own identities, pasts, and passions.
Stars Alexander Abdallah, Gustaf Hammarsten and Julia Lyskova Juhlin.
In Swedish with English subtitles. Thunder In My Heart is an SBS On Demand
exclusive.
Canadian Comedy
Letterkenny, season 8
Australian Premiere – SBS On Demand Box Set
From Wednesday, 28 December 2022 on SBS On Demand
All six episodes available to stream.
Letterkenny returns as quick-witted as ever with an eighth season. This fast-paced
snappy comedy showcases the antics of the residents of Letterkenny, a small rural
community in Canada. Siblings Wayne (Jared Keeso) and Katy (Michelle Mylett) run a
small farm and produce stand, with Wayne’s friends Daryl (Nathan Dales) and “Squirrely”
Dan (K. Trevor Wilson) helping out.
Letterkenny will also begin airing on SBS Viceland in early 2023. S1-7 now
available on SBS On Demand.
French contemporary drama
l’Opera, season 2
Australian Premiere – SBS On Demand BoxSet
Thursday, 29 December 2022 on SBS On Demand
All eight episodes available to stream.
Set in the shrine of French dance – the Garnier Opera house, this series follows
characters whose dreams at times clash with reality, whose ambitions collide with
expectations and whose purity faces corruption.
Season two also marks a new season at the Opera. It’s a fresh start for Zoé (Ariane
Labed) who has just returned to the Company and is trying to win her place again, but
when a serious accident upsets her plans, she must attempt to reinvent herself.
Meanwhile, Flora (Suzy Bemba) officially joins the Corps de Ballet.
Stars Anne Alvaro, Maud Jurez, Raphaël Personnaz, and Brigitte Sy.
French crime drama
Vise Le Coeur, Series 1
Australian Premiere
Thursday, 29 December 2022 on SBS On Demand.
All six episodes available to stream.
Julia Scola (Claire Keim), a respected and experienced police commander, faces
hostility of her squad after her decisive testimony in a rape case involves some of her
former colleagues. In this electric atmosphere, she and her team also begin investigating
the disturbing case of a missing woman – whose suburban house was covered in blood
and containing a wolf in the garage. Between past and present, their investigations
explore childish terrors and adult nightmares – and reveal that the monsters are not
always what we think they are.
Stars Noémie Chicheportiche, Zinedine Soualem, Waly Dia, Lannick Gautry and
Nicolas Cazalé.
In French with English subtitles. Vise Le Coeur is an SBS On Demand exclusive.
American Documentary
The Curse of Oak Island, season 9
Australian Premiere – SBS On Demand Box Set
From Thursday, 29 December 2022 on SBS Viceland and On
Demand.
New episodes coming weekly.
Off the coast of Nova Scotia sits a small island that is a riddle wrapped in enigma. In the
1700s, people noticed strange lights there at night, and the person sent to investigate
them disappeared. Eventually, a couple of kids who rowed out to the island found a
strange indentation in the ground. This discovery began a quest that goes on until this
day and has involved everyone from FDR to John Wayne. What lies beneath Oak Island?
After last season’s incredible revelation that huge quantities of silver lie buried beneath
the Money Pit, Matty Blake journeys to Oak Island once again to get the inside scoop on
the team’s efforts to dig it up and solve the 226-year-old mystery.
Double episodes of The Curse of Oakland will also begin air on SBS Viceland from
Thursday, 29 December. S1-8 now available on SBS On Demand.
