Patricia Highsmith’s thrilling novel “The Talented Mr. Ripley” has been adapted for the screen multiple times since its publication in 1955, most notably in the 1999 film of the same name starring Matt Damon and Jude Law. But now the story of a con man taking over the life of the wealthy playboy he’s been sent to bring home is being given the limited series treatment, and it’s must-see TV.
Initially developed for Showtime by Oscar winner Steven Zaillian, the eight-episode “Ripley” has moved to Netflix, where the highly bingeable but tense series is able to be devoured all at once, just as it should be. Andrew Scott’s portrayal of the titular character is less charming than it is full-on sociopath, but it really works, while Johnny Flynn steps into the shoes of rich boy Dickie Greenleaf. One might quibble about the ages of the actors versus the ages of the novel’s characters, but it’s hard to deny that the show, which also stars Dakota Fanning as Dickie’s friend Marge and has adopted a striking black-and-white color palette, is a creatively fulfilling adaptation, making “Ripley” the awards contender to watch this weekend.
SEE Experts slugfest: Will ‘Ripley’ and ‘Sugar’ put Andrew Scott and Colin Farrell in the Emmy race?
However, if you prefer more color in your life, other contenders include:
- “Sugar”: It’s not exaggerating to say you’ve never seen anything like Apple TV+’s newest drama, which pays homage to film noir. Oscar nominee Colin Farrell stars as John Sugar, a private investigator and film buff whose expertise is locating missing persons. When he’s contacted by a legendary producer and asked to find his granddaughter, Sugar can’t say no. But that’s only half the story, and to say more would probably trigger the kill switch Apple has surely placed in all of us by now. Just trust me when I say you don’t want to be late to this party. The first two episodes are now streaming on Apple TV+.
- “Tokyo Vice”: You won’t find any shocking cliffhangers at the end of the Season 2 finale of Max’s addictive crime drama. The 63-minute outing puts a bow on its seasons-long narrative, neatly concluding the story of American crime reporter Jake Adelstein (Ansel Elgort) and his thrilling but dangerous investigation into Tozawa (Ayumi Tanida), a calculating yakuza leader trying to take over Tokyo, with the assistance of organized crime detective Hiroto Katagiri (Ken Watanabe). The finale is now streaming on Max.
- “Shōgun”: Speaking of major developments in Japan, big moves are also happening on FX’s mesmerizing historical drama. In this week’s “A Stick of Time,” Lord Toranaga’s (Hiroyuki Sanada) egotistical half-brother Saeki (Eita Okuno) arrives to potentially forge an alliance against the scheming Ishido (Takehiro Hira). But things don’t go as planned, leading to devastating consequences. The episode is now streaming on Hulu.
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