A new Agatha Raisin movie, a new season of the hit Aussie dramedy The Heart Guy and a new Swedish crime drama, The Simple Heist, headline the Acorn TV November 2018 streaming calendar.
Emmy-nominated actress Ashley Jensen returns as London public relations pro-turned-amateur sleuth Agatha Raisin, who becomes entangled in murder mysteries after she leaves the hustle of the big city for the countryside.
“Agatha Raisin and the Wizard of Evesham” is the first of three new feature-length adaptations of MC Beaton’s best-selling novels. The other two will premiere in December and January, respectively.
In the third season of “The Heart Guy,” former playboy heart surgeon Hugh Knight (Rodger Corser) can return to Sydney after his probation ends, but family matters keep him in his hometown.
“The Simple Heist” follows a doctor and a teacher approaching retirement who decide to secure their futures by robbing a bank. The Swedish series is the first of the three premieres. See the rest of the Acorn TV November schedule below.
Acorn TV November 2018 Calendar
Monday, Nov. 5
The Simple Heist (Enkelstöten)
Series 1, 6 episodes; U.S. premiere
Jenny Bengtsson is a teacher living in Kalmar, Sweden, struggling to stay afloat during her divorce. Her best friend, Dr. Cecilia Stensson, has financial problems after failed investments in the stock market. Every day they’re forced to take rudeness from students, parents, patients and bosses who all expect them to give more than they’re able. They’re tired of women always being the ones stuck between family and career and constantly having to struggle to make ends meet. When they both realize that the future is anything other than bright, they decide to do something drastic — insane actually; they plan to rob the Stockholm Bank.
Questions arise as they work toward their goal. How are they supposed to drive a getaway car with a drunk teenager in the backseat? What’s the best way to commit breaking-and-entering when you have your grandkids with you? And how do you poison an entire biker gang?
Elizabeth I and Her Enemies
3 episodes, docu-drama
From her first breath, Elizabeth I had enemies. She fought hard for her crown and even harder to keep it, as Catholics, Protestants, foreign powers and scheming nobles sought to topple her. She spent much of her life looking over her shoulder for the next assault on her throne. Historians Suzannah Lipscomb and Dan Jones lead us through this heady tale of jealousy, treachery, ambition and tragedy as Lily Cole plays Elizabeth in the key clashes that shaped Britain’s greatest queen. The series aired on Ovation in the U.S. and Channel 4 in the U.K. in 2017.
The Story of Women & Power
3 episodes, documentary
BBC documentary focuses on the fascinating heroines who fought for women’s equality. Historian Amanda Vickery takes viewers on a journey to uncover the centuries-long struggle for women’s equality in Britain. From Queen Victoria and her progressive views on women’s rights to Emmeline Pankhurst and her suffragettes, Vickery reveals the long-forgotten heroes and heroines who dedicated their lives to the cause of equality for men and women.
Monday, Nov. 12
The Heart Guy
Series 3, 10 episodes; exclusive U.S./Canada premiere
Called “Doctor Doctor” in Australia and akin to an Aussie “Doc Martin” with its fish-out-of-water premise and eccentric characters, the series follows a charming and genius doctor (Rodger Corser) forced to return to his hometown and become a local doctor after his personal life spins out of control. In Series 3, the doctor’s probation is up so he can return to Sydney, but a tragedy strikes the Knight family, making it harder for him to abandon Whyhope than ever.
The Trench
movie, 1999
Daniel Craig stars in this riveting drama that follows a group of young British soldiers stationed on the Western Front during World War I. Directed by novelist William Boyd and featuring an outstanding supporting cast including James D Arcy, Cillian Murphy and Ben Whishaw, “The Trench” is set on the eve of the devastating Battle of the Somme.
Wire in the Blood
Series 6, 8 episodes; 2009
The final season of the popular British crime drama starring Robson Green as a psychologist who gets inside of the minds of both killers and victims to aid the police in solving gruesome serial killings in Northern England. Simone Lahbib co-stars.
Monday, Nov. 19
Agatha Raisin and the Wizard of Evesham
2018; exclusive world premiere of Acorn TV’s first sole commission
“The Wizard of Evesham” follows Agatha Raisin (Ashley Jensen) as she returns from Cyprus with a broken heart, a frizz from hell and in need of a renewing pick-me-up. The local ladies all deem Jonny Shawpat (James Lance), the handsome Evesham hairdresser, a to-die-for wizard, so Agatha makes a beeline for him to sort out her hair — and more. The charming man also has designs on her heart, but their future together is cut short when a murderer strikes at the busy salon. Agatha places her life in jeopardy to bring the killer to justice, and once again Agatha finds herself embroiled in a murder case. Was it one of Jonny’s many customers, all of whom divulged to him their darkest secrets? The 2016 pilot and 8-episode Series 1 also stream on Acorn TV.
Penelope Keith’s Hidden Coastal Villages
2017, 3 episodes
Renowned British actress Dame Penelope Keith travels through Britain’s charming villages to uncover what makes these places so unique and special. Armed with her beloved vintage “Batsford” travel books, Keith explores the rich artistic, literary and royal histories of each region, discovers how time has changed village communities, and seeks out quirky local traditions which continue to this day. From county shows and village fairs to fertility dances and ancient ceremonial gatherings, she seeks out the community heartbeat of each village.
Monday, Nov. 26
Line of Duty
Series 4, 2017, 6 episodes
From creator Jed Mercurio, one of BBC’s highest-rated series features 2018 Emmy winner Thandie Newton along with series regulars Martin Compston, Vicky McClure and Adrian Dunbar. Under the intense scrutiny of her superiors, Roz (Newton) and her team track down and charge a suspected serial murderer. But when the chief forensic investigator (Jason Watkins) begins to doubt the young man’s guilt, he seeks the help of a police anti-corruption squad AC-12, believing that Roz could be ignoring key evidence in order to close the career-defining case. As suspicions against Roz mount and the case becomes ever more complex, AC-12 itself comes under threat.
Run
2013, 4 episodes
Painting a compelling picture of modern-day life, Run is an original four-part drama that weaves together the stories of four seemingly unconnected people facing life-changing decisions in a world where every choice is a luxury. Raw and uncompromising, but full of humanity and hope, “Run” is a powerful take on inner city life and how every choice we make has consequences for those around us. The series stars Olivia Colman, Katie Leung, Lennie James and Katharina Schüttler.