Screen Queen TV reviews: It’s Florida, Man! The Pasta Queen, Plum, Territory and Fisk

It’s Florida, Man

Streaming now on Binge

Last week, while Hurricane Milton raged in the Gulf Coast, I went down a TikTok rabbit hole, doing a deep dive on a one-legged man named Joe Malinowski, or Lieutenant Dan, as the internet had nicknamed him.

This fellow, named for that Forrest Gump character, had decided to wait out the super storm aboard his tiny yacht, tethered to a jetty in Tampa, Florida — bonkers.

Call it morbid curiosity, but I became obsessed with checking social media regularly to find out if he had, quite literally, ridden out the storm and survived.

Turns out, this kind of nut-baggery is par for the course in Florida — so much so that there’s a hashtag (FloridaMan) and an entire TV series dedicated to detailing the wild-but-true exploits of such people.

Remember True Story With Hamish & Andy? This show is essentially that, but without the hosts, dialled up to a bazillion, and featuring some truly off-the-wall stories of Florida natives.

Ep one has a (seemingly very normal) man who answered a Craig’s List ad and decided to chop off and eat a man’s toes (consensually) for $4000.

I know — what?

Ep two details the true tale of a man who lost his arm to an alligator then survived (one-armed), buck naked in a swamp for three days before being found alive.

The tales are re-enacted by some top-shelf comedy talent, and narrated by the actual people — it takes a LOT for me to laugh uncontrollably, but this had me roaring.

But wait? What of Lt Dan? Did he survive, I hear you say?

I’m pleased to report, he did.

Something for series two?

Territory

Thursday, streaming on Netflix

Yellowstone — but make it Aussie! That’s essentially the gist of this big-budget, bells-and-whistles series from Netflix, which features some excellent local acting talent, including Anna Torv, Michael Dorman, Sam Corlett and Robert Taylor.

Unfortunately I can’t tell you more yet, but if a series set in the Top End and filmed on a real-life cattle station that’s bigger than some European countries tickles your fancy, you may want to check it out. It details the exploits of a family of cattle barons in the wilds of Central Australia.

I have thoughts, people. THOUGHTS.

Stay tuned for my verdict.

Plum

Sunday, 8.30pm, ABC

This is the TV adaptation of Brendan Cowell’s novel of the same name, and sees the Avatar and Love My Way star stepping in to play a retired NRL legend who’s battling an acquired brain injury. Asher Keddie and Jemaine Clement also star.

Fisk

Sunday, 8pm, ABC

We bow down to our brown-suited queen! Helen Tudor-Fisk and her ragtag bunch of colleagues are back for a third season — and this time Helen is a partner at the firm. And no, she hasn’t said goodbye to those brown suits. Consistency, people!

The Pasta Queen

Thursday, streaming on Prime Video

This series features Nadia Caterina Munno, “descendant of an Italian pasta dynasty” (whatever that means), who is something of a sensation on social media. If you love pasta as much as I do, you’ll want to check this out. Bellissima!