Screen Babble #42: Top Boy final season on Netflix, Arrested Development, The Founder, and One Piece

Screen Babble is your essential guide to everything on television, from the mainstream to the marginal. I'm NationalWorld’s podcast producer and joined by news and trends expert Steven Ross, as well as a guest host each week to discuss what is – and what isn’t – worth watching. This week we are joined by Benjamin Jackson, Digital Journalist to talk about American sitcom classic Arrested Development.

As always, we begin by discussing what we’ve been watching recently. Steven has finally finished Derry Girls, despite a couple of shifts in tone he very much enjoyed it. He has also been watching Peep show for the '40th time' before it disappears off Netflix this month. Benji has also been watching it, cramming in as much as possible before it's gone forever...or will it be? Previous plans to remove comedy series such as Friends were abandoned due to the outcry of fans. 

Other than that Benji has been catching up on his anime - yes, mention of anime two weeks in a row on the podcast! One Piece has come to Netflix recently but Benji advises you can't go wrong with the classics such as Akira, listen in for more tips on that front.

I had a false start this week with Disney+ hospital drama The Resident. I really wanted it to work but it didn't. No longer shall I waste my time on non-quality productions. I stated The Tower series 1 on ITV, the second series has just started and that is quite enjoyable to date. Screw is back on Channel 4 which features Jamie Lee O'Donnell of the aforementioned Derry Girls.

I also squeezed in The Founder (Netflix) this weekend, Michael Keaton stars as Ray Kroc, the man who brought McDonald's to the world. Benji and I feel a little discombobulated by Michael Keaton playing an unlikeable character.

On our closer look, the 'deep dive', we hear about Top Boy and the unusual route it's taken to its final series on Netflix, arriving today, Thursday 7th September. With a large chunk of violence and some emotions it's a fairly well received review/preview from Steven.

Benji brings the podcast to a close with a run down on the cult classic that is Arrested Development. The sitcom that spawned maybe an impersonator is to be admired mostly, however, you'll hear on the podcast why Benji was worried a new format nearly did for the whole programme - thankfully there was a rethink.

Don’t forget to check back tomorrow for Steven’s Weekend Watch, previewing all the best TV to watch over the next few days. Plus, join us again next week for episode #43 and a new guest host.

Listen to Screen Babble #42 here

Where can we watch this week’s shows?

• Derry Girls, Peep Show, One Piece, Top Boy, Arrested Development, The Founder are all on Netflix
• The Resident is on Disney+
• Screw is on Channel 4
• The Tower is on ITV

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Do you have a TV question you’d like the Screen Babble team to answer on a future episode, or a recommendation of your own? Send it to [email protected] or [email protected]