SINGAPORE – Pirates, assassins and news anchors – the television slate in September is not just teeming with interesting characters, but also big stars, budgets and franchises. The Straits Times highlights five of the buzziest titles this month.
One Piece
Available on Netflix
Netflix’s latest investment in the vast world of Japanese manga has paid off.
The live-action adaptation of One Piece, the best-selling manga in history, broke the streamer’s record by claiming the top spot on Netflix’s charts in Singapore and 92 other countries since its release on Aug 31, besting a record previously held by Wednesday and season four of Stranger Things, both released in 2022.
The fantasy-adventure series, set in a world of humans, mermen and human-reindeer hybrids, follows a boy named Monkey D. Luffy (Inaki Godoy) and his crew, the Straw Hat Pirates, who explore the world in search of a mythical treasure called One Piece. It garnered over 18.5 million views in just four days on the platform.
It is one of the most expensive television shows ever made, with the budget for each of its eight episodes said to be around US$18 million (S$24.5 million).
Manga creator Eiichiro Oda served as the series’ creative consultant, and the show has been praised for its cast and fun yet faithful adaptation.
And at least one actor – Japanese-American Mackenyu Arata, who plays the green-haired swordsman Zoro – has piqued the Internet’s interest with his boy band-worthy looks and muscular physique.
Why it is worth the watch: Even if you do not know the manga, One Piece is the most popular and expensive television show of the moment, so give it a shot to see what the fuss is all about.
A Time Called You
Premieres on Netflix on Friday
The hit Taiwanese series Someday Or One Day (2019), which shot actor Greg Hsu to fame, has been given the K-drama treatment.
In this time-travelling mystery-romance, Jeon Yeo-been and Ahn Hyo-seop will take over the roles made famous by Alice Ko and Hsu.
Jeon plays Jun-hee, a woman grieving the loss of her boyfriend Yeon-jun (Ahn) in 2023, a year after his death.
A mysterious incident lets her travel back in time to 1998, where she inhabits the body of Min-ju, a schoolgirl who looks exactly like her. One of her classmates is Si-heon, who bears an uncanny resemblance to the dead Yeon-jun.
Why it is worth the watch: Someday Or One Day is one of the most popular Taiwanese dramas in recent years for good reason, drawing audiences with its intricate, creative plot and compelling romance. Will this anticipated adaptation live up to the original and add its own twist?
The Morning Show 3
Premieres on Apple TV+ on Sept 13
Hollywood leading ladies Jennifer Aniston and Reese Witherspoon return as news anchors in Season 3 of Apple TV+’s flagship series The Morning Show.
After the first two seasons of this workplace drama tackled the impact of #MeToo and the pandemic on the newsroom, the network’s future hangs in the air.
But more explosive drama awaits in upcoming episodes, as a cyber attack threatens to reveal secrets long kept hidden.
Why it is worth the watch: While the actors’ strike may be ongoing in Hollywood, audiences can still catch major stars like Aniston and Witherspoon on the small screen.
All That Glitters
Premieres on mewatch and Channel 8 on Sept 18 at 9pm
Mediacorp pulled out all the stops for its major production of the year, All That Glitters, a drama that follows the relationship of three close friends over decades.
Unlike most Mediacorp series filmed entirely in Singapore, this was shot partially in Alor Setar in Malaysia and Hat Yai, Thailand.
It stars Desmond Tan, Ayden Sng and Jeremy Chan as the central trio who begin their journey at the lowest rungs of society, but are determined to find fame, success and fortune.
Over the years, their dreams come true, but resentment breeds between them.
Why it is worth the watch: With the trailer showing gun fights, car chases and action scenes, All That Glitters seems like a return to the ambitious Mediacorp productions of the 1990s like The Unbeatables (1993).
The Continental: From The World Of John Wick
Premieres on Prime Video on Sept 22
The Continental is a prequel to the neo-noir actioner John Wick (2014), which has become a hit franchise with three sequels and a spin-off movie in the making.
John Wick, about Keanu Reeves’ titular retired assassin who returns to the dangerous fray of the underworld to avenge the death of his dog, is set in a fantastical world with a network of crime bosses and assassins governed by its own lingo and cardinal rules.
One of the rules involves The Continental, a hotel chain that is a popular resting place for assassins as killing is barred on its grounds. In the movies, the New York branch is owned by the wily Winston Scott (Ian McShane).
The prequel takes viewers back in time to the 1970s as it follows young Scott’s (Colin Woodell) journey to becoming the top hotelier, while Mel Gibson pops up as the owner of The Continental during that period.
Why it is worth the watch: This series promises to expand the rich and interesting lore of the John Wick movies.
