Prime Video’s Reacher, Netflix’s World War II: From the Frontlines among great shows to stream this week

The Artful Dodger (Disney+)

Set in 1850s Australia, this eight-part “sequel” to Charles Dickens’ Oliver Twist follows the fortunes of Jack Dawkins (Thomas Brodie-Sangster), aka The Artful Dodger, as he tries to make a new life for himself as a surgeon in the lively colony of Port Victory. However, his past life of crime comes back to haunt him when a familiar face arrives – Fagin (David Thewlis).

Maia Mitchell, Damon Herriman, Tim Minchin, Miranda Tapsell, Kym Gyngell and Albert Latailakepa also feature among the eclectic cast.

“The Artful Dodger’s energy can be downright goofy at times, but always knowingly so, anchored by performers who know just how to fill its heightened period world,” wrote The Daily Beast’s Caroline Siede, while Decider’s Joel Keller thought that “The Artful Dodger doesn’t try to replicate the vibe of Oliver Twist. It has its own vibe, one that moves quickly, is often funny, and is mostly entertaining to watch”.

John Lennon: Murder Without a Trial (Apple TV+)

While the basics about the events of December 8, 1980 and John Lennon’s killer – Mark David Chapman – are well-known, they’ve never been subject to the same forensic detail as similar high-profile murders, because the fallout never played out in court.

Forty-three years on though, and this new, three-part documentary takes a deep dive into what transpired that evening – and the police work that followed.

While sometimes feeling stretched a little thin (key footage and poignant stills often appear more than once), this two-hour series never drags and offers up enlightening and – sometimes – engrossing viewing.

Dividing their time evenly between Lennon’s last day, the investigation and “the trial”, directors Rob Coldstream and Nick Holt do disappointingly deliver the now traditional true-crime docu-series tropes of a sinister, portentous soundtrack and an ominous voice-over (here its Kiefer Sutherland at his gravelly best), but if you can push past such distractions, the detail and interviewees assembled are well worth the effort.

Obliterated (Netflix)

From the creators of Cobra Kai comes this action-dramedy about an elite team assembled from various branches of the US armed forces who unite to stop a deadly terrorist network from blowing up Las Vegas. However, their raucous celebrations are short-lived when they discover that the bomb they neutralised was actually a decoy.

The eclectic supporting cast includes popular 1980s and ‘90s film stars C. Thomas Howell, Virginia Madsen and Lori Petty.

“Obliterated packs a lot of raunchy humour and epic action into its eight hour-long episodes, while also managing to be one of the best counterterrorism thrillers since 24,” wrote Inverse’s Jake Kleinman, while CNN’s Brian Lowry thought that it was “proudly raunchy in a way that recalls Amazon’s The Boys”.

Orphan Black: Echoes (TVNZ+)

Set in 2052 – and the same universe as the original Tatiana Maslany series that first debuted a decade ago – this 10-part sci-fi thriller promises to “take a deep dive into the exploration of the scientific manipulation of human existence”.

Starring Jessica Jones’ Krysten Ritter and The Midwich Cuckoo’s Keeley Hawes, it follows a group of women as they weave their way into each other’s lives and attempt to unravel the mystery of their identity.

“There’s enough tension and uncertainty here to make it interesting to devotees and neophytes alike,” wrote The Age’s Craig Mathieson.

Reacher (Prime Video)

Bad Luck and Trouble, the 11th book in Lee Child’s long-running, best-selling Jack Reacher series, provides this basis for this second, eight-episode season.

It begins when the veteran military police investigator (Alan Ritchson) receives a coded message that the members of his former US Army unit are being mysteriously and brutally murdered one-by-one. Reuniting with three of his former team-mates, he begins to connect the dots as to who has betrayed them – and who is likely to die next.

As with the mega-popular first edition, fans of pyrotechnics, car chases and fist fights will certainly not be disappointed by what’s on offer here, but it is really in the quieter, more introspective moments (of which there are plenty) that Reacher and its star Ritchins really shine.

Scott Pilgrim Takes Off (Netflix)

Based on the graphic novels by Bryan Lee O’Malley, this eight-part anime adventure revisits and reimagines Edgar Wright’s 2010 live-action tale about a young man who has to defeat the girl-of-his- dreams’ seven “evil exes” in order to date her.

On vocal duties – and reprising their movie roles – are everyone from Michael Cera to Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Kieran Culkin, Chris Evans, Anna Kendrick, Brie Larson and Aubrey Plaza.

“Insane fights, sparkling animation and a fresh look at an old story – Scott Pilgrim was born to be an anime hero. What a level-up,” wrote Empire magazine’s John Nugent, while Variety’s Alison Herman thought that it “successfully combines the innovative style and comic charm of its predecessors with a new spin that corrects for the tropes we can now see with hindsight”.

Time (Neon)

Doctor Who’s Jodie Whittaker, The Last of Us’ Bella Ramsey and On Chesil Beach’s Tamara Lawrance team-up for the second, three-part season of Jimmy McGovern’s (Cracker) prison-set anthology drama.

Arriving at Carlingford Prison on the same day, Orla, Abi and Kelsey are thrown together to face an unfamiliar world.

While the pace is sometimes breathless, Time never descends into easy tropes or melodrama.

As well as McGovern’s trademark crisp, insightful and spare writing, that feeling is enhanced by terrific turns from the central trio. Whittaker is particularly compelling as an under-pressure solo mum who suddenly finds herself not only in extremely unfamiliar surroundings, but also that her life outside the prison walls is rapidly unraveling.

“I’m in here, but it’s my kids who are doing the suffering,” she opines early on – to heart-wrenching effect.

World War II: From the Frontlines (Netflix)

Promising to bring the global conflict to life for viewers “like never before”, this six-part docu-series combines “vividly enhanced archival footage” with voices “from all sides”.

Director Rob Coldsteam has also helmed documentaries on Donald Trump, Kim Jong Un and UK reality TV star Jade Goody.

“You won’t learn anything new about World War II by watching World War II: From The Frontlines, but you sure will get a view of the war that you may have never seen before,” wrote Decider’s Joel Keller.