Sonal Pandya

After three and a half years, Stranger Things is back, promising a return to the Upside Down and a conflict with Vecna, the big bad who has been controlling the alternate dimension underneath the fictional town of Hawkins, Indiana. Co-created by the Duffer Brothers, Stranger Things is an ode to the 1980s, with terrific references to its music, movies, and pop culture moments. But at its heart, the Netflix story is about friendship and the lengths they will go to save one another. With the first batch of episodes dropping on November 27, it’s time to check back in with the Hawkins gang.

Raj Kapoor’s daughter Rima Jain proclaims in Dining with the Kapoors, “The entire Kapoor family is a dramatic family.” Several generations of India’s famous film family come together to celebrate their roots, especially Raj and his wife, Krishna Raj Kapoor. The hour-long special brings cousins, siblings, uncles, aunts, nieces, nephews and in-laws together for a chaotic but candid ode to family and the bonds that endure. Directed by Smriti Mundhra and created by Armaan Jain, Dining with the Kapoors is not a deep dive into family history but instead a snapshot into some of their traditions.

The Family Plan, starring Mark Wahlberg and Michelle Monaghan, was a surprise hit of 2023 for Apple TV, so naturally it must be brought back. In the holiday sequel, The Family Plan 2, the Morgan family once again find themselves going on the run. However, changing the setting from the US to Europe lifts the spirit of the feature overall. But director Simon Cellan Jones and writer David Coggeshall have a villain problem on their hands for a second time.

The first season of Apple TV’s Palm Royale, while intriguing, had a shaky narrative. That mainly had to do with its large cast of characters; it was hard to keep up with who’s who. Loosely based on Juliet McDaniel’s 2018 novel, Mr & Mrs American Pie, the series adds a few more characters and ups the melodrama, making for a confusing watch. Despite the complexity, the ensemble cast of the dark comedy plunges on with their stylish costumes and lavish production that takes the action away from 1960s Palm Beach, Florida.

The political series Maharani returns with a big time jump and a new era as it expands beyond the state. Huma Qureshi is joined by several new faces in this latest instalment that sees the politics and the collaborations grow murkier. This next generation of the Bharti clan is more in focus as they begin to grow their political roots as well. Created by Subhash Kapoor, the SonyLIV show manages to inject more intrigue in its fourth season, leaving audiences keen to wonder what will happen next.

Two of Vince Gilligan’s creations likely sit on the list of the best all-time great TV shows of all time. After Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul, all eyes are on Gilligan’s next Pluribus starring Rhea Seehorn, and it does not disappoint. Set in a world where a virus has taken over humanity, one woman fights to save civilization from being taken over. Will she be successful? To find out more about this complacent new world, tune in weekly on Fridays to Pluribus.

After the British series The Stolen Girl, All Her Fault is the second series of the year revolving around a missing child attached to a fake playdate. Sarah Snook plays the mother whose child goes missing, and the Succession star ably headlines this strong drama about hidden secrets and family tragedies. Like The Stolen Girl, All Her Fault is also adapted from a novel, and creator-writer Megan Gallagher does well to hold audience interest episode to episode as the truth behind the kidnapper and their motives is revealed.

The eight-episode series, Down Cemetery Road, has a conspiracy plot that rivals another Apple TV show, Slow Horses. The similarities arise since both are adapted from author Mick Herron’s books. In this current series set in Oxford, a concerned neighbour finds herself being gaslit by those around her and stumbles upon a larger cover-up. Led by stalwart British talents Emma Thompson and Ruth Wilson, the twisty will keep you on the edge until its satisfying finale.