Film, TV + Theatre

Buro TV Guide: 7 Must-watch shows in December 2019

13.12.2019

By Zoe Yang

Buro TV Guide: 7 Must-watch shows in December 2019

Kopitiam: Double Shot

When: Now on Viu

Starring: Sharifah Amani, Melissa Campbell, Rashid Salleh, Douglas Lim, Harvinth Skin and Charles Robert

The 1998 Malaysian sitcom, Kopitiam, is the first Malaysian-English series that many audiences’ loved watching then. Touted as Malaysians’ favourite local TV show, Viu rebooted the iconic series and named it Kopitiam: Double Shot. In the new series, Steven (played by Douglas Lim) owns the kopitiam but has no interest to maintain the business. A few regulars, Alia (played by Sharifah Amani), Seleb (played by Melissa Campbell) and Tim (Harvinth Skin), who regularly visit the eatery decide to take over the business. Alia and Seleb want to become young entrepreneurs, and as they attempt to be one, they also go through a series of struggles to keep the business running, with the restaurant’s chef, Tim. It’s been awhile since Malaysia had an English-speaking TV programme, so change up your usual American and UK television shows, and give this a try! This comedy drama is definitely an opportunity for people to laugh, connect with their Malaysian roots and feel a sense of pride for our multicultural identity.


Travel Man: 48 Hours in… Christmas Special Series 4

Premiere date: 23 December 2019 on BBC Earth (Unifi Ch 501) and BBC Player

Starring: Richard Ayoade and Rebel Wilson

The Christmas special for this series includes English comedian Richard Ayoade and a celebrity guest—Hollywood’s favourite funny actress, Rebel Wilson, who will be travelling around Florence, visiting the Uffizi Gallery, coffee and gelato places, truffle walk, and more. As they embark on an adventure, the two unleash their witty, deadpan humour and funny commentaries while keeping a straight face. This Christmas special also features a truffle collecting assistant, Eda, an adorable, friendly dog who goes truffling with the owner. After the hunt, the tour guide, Rebel, and Richard relax in the garden as they eat a hot plate of gnocchi, served with freshly shaved black truffles on the spot.


The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel (Season 3)

When: Now on Amazon Prime

Starring: Rachel Brosnahan, Tony Shalhoub, Marin Hinkle, Alex Borstein, Sterling K. Brown, Michael Zegen and Zachary Levi

Fortunately, for us, the wait is officially over. After two successful seasons, the Emmy-award winning show is back with its third season this month. As seen in the trailer above, Midge (played by Rachel Brosnahan) is already on tour, performing her comedy acts, and her career seems to be kicking off. Not only that, Midge’s father, Abe (played by Tony Shalhoub) and her mother, Rose (played by Marin Hinkle), might have more screen time this season (which also means fans get to see some interesting character development)Abe made the decision to quit his job that comes with a comfortable house they’re living in, hence audiences will get to see something different in this season. As the series follows Midge’s determination to pursue her dream as a female stand-up comic in the 50s, it also touches on a few important elements such as women empowerment, gender issues, the courage to rise and be better, and more. Therefore, despite the drama’s 1950s setting, the show still manages to bring relevance to the screen in this modern age and time, allowing audiences to relate to the show’s character(s) more than ever. The show’s production team also pulled off the 1950s theme, convincing audiences to fall in love with Midge’s to-die for fashionable outfits, soundtracks and set designs. It’s the little, intricate details that helped personify the era really well. Having said that, this show is just too marvelous to miss out on!


Truth Be Told

When: Now on Apple TV+ (New episodes out every Friday)

Starring: Octavia Spencer, Aaron Paul, Lizzy Caplan, Elizabeth Perkins and Michael Beach

Truth Be Told is a series based on the novel, Are You Sleeping by Kathleen Barber. Poppy Parnell (played by Oscar winner Octavia Spencer) is a true crime podcaster who may have mistakenly helped put Warren Cave (played by Emmy Award winner Aaron Paul) into prison. He was accused and found guilty for the murder of his neighbour, a father of a pair of identical twins. The high profile murder case made Poppy a national sensationa tragedy that made her career. After 19 years, she finds new evidence and is determined to reopen the case to seek the truth. The results of her investigation led her to concerns related to privacy, media and race. Aside from the thrilling and mysterious plot, don’t miss out on the incredible acting performances by Octavia Spencer and Aaron Paul, too!


Dickinson

When: Now on Apple TV+

Starring: Hailee Steinfeld, Wiz Khalifa, Jane Krakowski and Adrian Enscoe

Dickinson is a coming-of-age film that follows an aspiring writer, Emily Dickinson (played by Hailee Steinfeld), dealing with the constraints of gender, family and society in her daily life. Set in the 19th century, her character is everything she’s “not” supposed to beher blunt and straightforward attitude is deemed unladylike, embarrassing and rude. In an era where girls are taught to focus on securing marriages and learn “how” to be a lady, Emily, on the other hand, is the type who marches to the beat of her own drumbold, curious, smart, hilarious, fluent in sarcasm, and wild. This show is definitely not your typical historical period drama! Also, the See You Again rapper Wiz Khalifa plays the role of Death in the series. Can this show get any cooler?


Agatha and The Truth of Murder

Premiere date: 20 December 2019 on BBC Player

Starring: Ruth Bradley, Pippa Haywood, Ralph Ineson, Blake Harrison and Samantha Spiro

Florence Nightingale was bludgeoned on the train, and her killer is on the loose. To make things worse, the police works too slow and failed to find the culprit. Florence’s partner of 26 years, Mabel Rogers (played by Pippa Haywood), decided to find the killer on her own. Despite having found some evidence and suspects in mind, Mabel is unable to gather substantial proof to pinpoint the murderer. She approaches Agatha Christie (played by Ruth Bradley) who is a crime novelist of Poirot and Miss Marple. Agatha agrees to help Mabel, and both of them set out to catch the killer. The film is fictional but is also inspired by real-life events from the 1920s.


Black

When: Now on Viu

Starring: Kamal Adli, Rashidi Ishak, Nabila Huda and Siti Saleha

An adaptation of a popular Korean drama with the same title, this series revolves around Black (played by Kamal Adli), a supernatural being who is in search of his fugitive partner in the human world. To blend in the human world, he inhabits the body of a deceased cop in order to conduct his investigation. While on Earth, he also meets Sofia (played by Siti Saleha) who has a special ability to foresee death; an eccentric skill that also plays an important role in the completion of Black’s mission. Together, they unsolve the mystery of an old murder case from 20 years ago which also involves their shared past.

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If not, you might also be interested in: Buro Christmas Villagea guide for all your festive needs

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