Capsule’s latest pop culture recommendations on what to watch, read and listen to this weekend!
WATCH
Wellmaina
Netflix
Need a laugh and something light to watch? Swiftly add Wellmania to your watchlist on Netflix and press play – if you haven’t already binged the entire season!
Based on a booked Wellmania: Misadventures in the Search for Wellness by Brigid Delaney, comedian and Instagram sensation Celeste Barber plays Australian food writer Liv who is having a major health crisis, and if she doesn’t get herself better, she won’t be able to land her dream gig in the US – a TV cooking show. So she throws herself into a wellness journey, trying everything from cleanses, colonics and bizarre fads to try claim her life back (and check out our interview with star JJ Fong here!)
Outer Banks
Netflix
I was a little late to the party with Netflix’s Outer Banks, but I have (almost) successfully binge-watched all three seasons and I can’t get enough! It’s giving action, treasure hunt vibes in a small Southern US town, where we follow a group of mates who get up to no good.
There was a lot of hype around season three as lead actors Chase Stokes, who plays John B, and Madelyn Cline, who plays girlfriend Sarah Cameron were revealed to be a real-life couple, and broke up before season 3 was filmed. Fans were quick to notice a difference in their chemistry on screen!
Succession Season 4
Neon
One of the world’s most popular shows, Secession is now in its the final season and we are SAD about it.
The award-winning series, rumoured to be based on Rupert Murdoch’s media empire, centres around a family who own a global media and entertainment conglomerate. Season four sees power struggles and family tensions rise as the sale of the Waystar Royco to a tech visionary is getting closer.
There’s a lot this show show with much to unpack, which is why many recap podcasts exist to fully digest like the HBO original Succession Podcast and Vanity Fair always do show recaps well.
LISTEN
Tom Sainsbury’s Small Town Scandal
On all podcast apps
If Tom Sainsbury’s social content has gotten you through the last few years, you’re going to love his latest project. The talented comedian never fails to make us laugh with his accurate portrayal of familiar Kiwi characters and has translated his parody skills to play all characters in a six-part murder mystery podcast series about a scandal in small town Aotearoa.
In the fictional series set in the farming community of Te Hoiho in the Wairarapa, the richest man in town, Mitch Buchanan, has been found dead. Everyone believes it was an accident until Mitch’s nephew Toby (a disgraced ex-expose journalist) believes something sinister is going on.
The details, I can’t! You need to listen to this cleverly put-together series with our much-loved comedy genius Tom.
Happy Place x How To Fail collaboration episode
On all podcast apps
You may already be familiar with the long-running and successful podcasts ‘Happy Place’ by British Broadcaster Fearne Cotton and ‘How To Fail’ hosted by Author Elizabeth Day – well now the podcast powerhouses have collaborated to host the ultimate mash-up of their respective shows.
Fearne and Elizabeth chat about their favourite moments and interviews – reflecting on conversations with Emily Ratajkowski on feminism and Fleabag star Phoebe-Waller Bridge, as well as their friendship, which was formed through podcasting. It’s special to hear how they’ve supported each other, particularly through dark times and how they navigated being step parents. And I’m not a step parent myself, but I found everything about that conversation really interesting. I want a part two!
If you haven’t listened to these two podcasts before, use this as an introduction and when you feel like listening to thought-provoking conversations that are honest about mental health and make you feel better about life, get stuck into the impressive Happy Place and How To Fail back catalogues.
READ
Friendaholic – Confessions of Friendship Addict
Elizabeth Day
This one is cfficially available in hard copy in New Zealand on April 19th, but it’s already available on Audible if you’d like to listen.
I adored her Sunday Times best-seller How To Fail, which has been added to my list of go-to books to give as presents – along with the Failosophy handbook.
Friendaholic tells the story of growing up wanting everyone to like you (sound familiar fellow people pleasers?) After lacking friends at school, Elizabeth grew up to believe that having lots of friends meant you were loved and safe and was determined to be a good friend. As an adult it came at the cost of her mental health and the b word – boundaries!
