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10 shows to watch ENTERTAINMENT WRITER SIOBHAN DUCK SHARES HER PICKS FOR THE WEEK AHEAD
Top pick THE REGIME Streaming Monday, Binge When reflecting on the theatrics of The Regime, Martha Plimpton can’t help but be reminded of the famous quote: “Politics is show business for ugly people.” “I mean, not everybody in politics is ugly, that’s a very crude thing to say,” she smiles wryly. “But you get the feeling that there’s a little bit of showbiz in every politician, some more than others.” Certainly, in this dark comedy about a tantrum-inclined tyrant played with camp panache by Kate Winslet, the stage is set for high drama. Winslet is Elena, an increasingly paranoid dictator in a fictional European principality, while Plimpton plays the no-nonsense US Secretary of State deployed to smooth relations in the trouble-prone region. The series is set inside the palace where Elena – who surrounds herself with terrified sycophants and dangerous henchmen – starts to lose her grip on power (and reality). Created by HBO and directed by Stephen Frears, The Regime is an intriguing exploration of corruption and power that once again showcases Winslet’s talent as both an actor and a producer of envelope-pushing content.
HARD QUIZ 8pm, Wednesday, ABC Where else but Hard Quiz could you find a devoted Real Housewives of Beverly Hills fan squaring off against a Victorian fashion enthusiast who’s gussied up like she just came home from working at Sovereign Hill, and a bloke who thinks he knows everything there is to know about Dr No? As usual, Tom Gleeson has plenty of fun at his contestants’ expense. Though I am rather ashamed to admit that I knew...