Gef Box: A Futuristic Sci-Fi and Celebrities on the Run for Charity

My recommendations this week will suit those who enjoy a good reality show and people looking to marvel at something a bit more futuristic.

Rain Dogs

A single mum and her daughter struggle to find housing before the night creeps in as they face eviction from their flat. The return of Selby, a privileged gay man, inspires mixed reaction.

This comedy drama stars Daisy May Cooper doing what she does best – making us laugh and then cry in a matter of minutes.

The series starts on BBC One on Tuesday night at 10.40pm. If you don’t want to stay up that late, you can find it on iPlayer.

Celebrity Hunted

A group of celebrities go on the run for Stand Up To Cancer. As they are chased by an elite team of hunters, they must hide and survive for 14 days in any way they can.

This year’s competitors are comedians James Acaster and Ed Gamble, Strictly Come Dancing star Katya Jones, snowboarder Aimee Fuller, actors Nicola Thorp and Nikesh Patel, broadcaster Bobby Seagull, YouTuber Saffron Barker, and therapists Nik and Eva Speakman turn fugitive.

Watch it every Tuesday at 9pm on Channel 4.

Here’s one of my favourite escapes…

Binge-worthy box sets

Lost in Space

A reboot of the 1965 series of the same name, Lost in Space depicts a family’s struggle to escape from a strange, unknown planet.

When the Robinson family’s ship veers off course on their way to colonise the Alpha Centauri planetary system in 2046, they crash on a nearby habitable planet. There they must contend with an unusual environment and battle their own personal demons as they search for a way back to their mission and spacecraft, Resolute.

This series is a must-watch. The relationship between Will, the family’s youngest, and an unusual robot he discovers on the planet is wonderful. Not to mention, they’ve crafted the landscape gorgeously, creating that awe-inspiring wonder you’d hope for in a sci-fi.

What’s so great about it is the fact it’s a family drama disguised as a sci-fi, so while we get those usual tropes with a few new brilliant ideas thrown in, we also get love and conflict.

The cast are magnificent too. I first saw Toby Stephens in BBC’s Vexed and thought he was brilliant, so when I saw he was a part of this, I had to give it a try.

Catch it on Netflix.

Specials

Roman Kemp: Our Silent Emergency

Radio host Roman Kemp documents his exploration of the mental health and suicide crisis affecting young men in the UK.

Kemp endeavors to find out what can be done to encourage people to seek help, what preventative action we need to be taking, and the lasting impact mental health issues and suicide can have on friends and families.

It came after the death of his best friend, radio producer Joe Lyons. For Kemp, this is an incredibly candid and raw look at his grieving process and adds to a dialogue that might help those who are struggling in silence.

It’s available on BBC iPlayer.