The Beast in Me to Caroline Flack: Search for the Truth – the seven best shows to stream this week

Pick of the weekThe Beast in Me This psychological thriller stars Claire Danes as Aggie Wiggs, a prickly author traumatised by the death of her son. What she really doesn’t need is a difficult new neighbour. Then real estate magnate Nile Jarvis (Matthew Rhys) arrives, with plans to pave over a nearby wood. Worse still, Jarvis may or may not be a killer – the disappearance of his wife hangs over him. But their relationship becomes surprisingly complex. They sort of hate each other but a counterintuitive frenemy vibe develops too. Before long, Jarvis is intervening in Wiggs’s life in disturbing ways. The show is melodramatic and overripe but undeniably gripping – and Danes does nervy, self-destructive anguish quite brilliantly. Phil Harrison Netflix, from Thursday 13 November *** Caroline Flack: Search for the Truth This two-part documentary follows Caroline Flack’s mother, Christine, as she fights to clear her daughter’s name after her death in 2020. What she finds is disturbing: the domestic incident that took place between Caroline and her partner Lewis Burton in December 2019 would, suggests former CPS prosecutor Nazir Afzal, not normally have merited more than a caution. Why did a police officer appeal against the initial decision to throw out the case? What unfolds is inevitably emotionally raw – we’re given full access to Caroline’s family and the absence at the heart of their battle for transparency is inescapably sad. PHDisney+, from Monday 10 November *** Sesame Street It seemed unconscionable that this beloved children’s show should be without a TV home. But Donald Trump pulled the plug on PBS funding earlier this year. Fortunately, Netflix has stepped in. Alongside a new season, the streamer will also offer about 90 hours of previous episodes. The new ones feature animated segments and a slightly more story-driven approach – Cookie Monster’s Cookie Cart is open for business, as is Abby’s Fairy Garden. But the show’s philosophical underpinnings are intact: the emphasis remains on fun, learning and tolerance. PHNetflix, from Monday 10 November *** Palm Royale Kristen Wiig continues to be the best thing about this comedy drama following the social-climbing adventures of Maxine Dellacorte, a working-class outsider infiltrating Palm Beach high society. As the second season begins, Maxine is on the back foot, recovering from her public breakdown. But it’s late 1960s America and external turbulence is threatening these gilded lives. Could Maxine’s worldliness offer her a way back in, and what will she have to sacrifice along the way? Palm Royale remains a tasty confection but without enough substance to feel truly nourishing. PHApple TV+, from Wednesday 12 November *** The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives A third season for this reality series which makes Mormonism resemble an only slightly more faith-based branch of the Selling Sunset franchise. This time round, there’s a scandal on the horizon in the shape of a leak in MomTok (for the uninitiated, the TikTok community that creates lifestyle content). At the heart of the issue is a personality clash between two of the alpha members of the group – but beyond that, is it possible that a man is turning the sisterhood against each other? In defiance of the doctrines, latter-day saints seem in short supply. PHDisney+, from Thursday 13 November *** Malice Does Jack Whitehall really have it in him to play the lead in a sinister thriller? It’s actually a less ludicrous proposition than you might think; Whitehall’s customary posh bumbling is put to disarmingly good use here as his nanny Adam charms his way to the heart of the Tanner family. But, as he makes himself an essential presence on their beautiful Greek island, it becomes clear that there is history between him and David Duchovny’s slick, slimy venture capitalist and family patriarch Jamie. How far does Adam’s taste for revenge stretch? PH Prime Video, from Friday 14 November *** Mademoiselle Holmes A new spin on the Sherlock Holmes story is one of the most reliable drama staples in existence. This French take on Arthur Conan Doyle’s fictional detective sees cop – and Sherlock’s great-granddaughter – Charlie Holmes inexplicably assume her relative’s remarkable deductive powers after a car accident. The trouble is, Charlie (Lola Dewaere) is habitually meek and timid and her colleagues are accustomed to ignoring her. Can she persuade them that she’s worth listening to? The frantic search for a missing six-year-old gives her the perfect opportunity. PH Channel 4, from Friday 14 November