TV Report Card: What’s passing and what’s failing on Aussie TV this week

This week we’re forgoing more popular offerings and dipping into some hidden gems, including a documentary about a man who scales the rooftops of Paris, plus revisiting Rick Stein’s excellent Mexican food series.

We’re also catching up on Idol, exploring yet another Walking Dead spinoff and peeking inside a Western Sydney mosque.

A: Vjeran Tomic: The Spider-Man of Paris (Netflix)

I’m late to the party with this one — it’s been doing the rounds for some time — but this French doco, about a modern ‘cat burglar’ who robbed the rich in Paris, is worth seeking out. It focuses on his most audacious crime: the pilfering of five paintings worth €110 million from the Musée d’Art Moderne in Paris. It’s told in his own words, and many of those connected with the heist speak out — truly a fascinating tale.

A: Rick Stein’s Road to Mexico (SBS Food)

I have access to pretty much every TV series in the world, and most nights I spend at least an hour watching a preview of something that’s about to hit screens. But sometimes I just want to settle in for some good old fashioned comfort TV — and they don’t get much better than Rick Stein on SBS Food. In this series, he’s in Mexico and this had me salivating and desperate to visit. A big warm hug of a show.

B: Australian Idol (Seven)

I only ever start connecting with reality singing shows once the live rounds commence — all the rest is just filler. So if you’re like me, now’s the time to catch up on Idol, especially as we have three West Aussies still in the mix. Last week saw two favourites head home, so it’s still very much anyone’s to take out — I’m gunning for Drea. She’s going to be huge, mark my words.

B: The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live (Stan)

I’m no Walking Dead aficionado, but I know the rest of you absolutely lose your minds for star-crossed lovers Rick and Michonne, played by Andrew Lincoln and Danai Gurira. There was a lot to take in during the first episode, and much of it went over my head, but viewers are obviously invested — it’s sitting at 95 percent approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes. One for fans.

B-: House of Gods (ABC)

I had high expectations for this new Aussie drama, tipped as ‘Succession — but set in a Mosque.’ It certainly looks good, and has some great performances, but it didn’t hook me enough to stick around. That said, it’s an interesting world they have created, one which, admittedly, I know very little about. Kamel El Basha’s is great as Sheikh Mohammad.