Crave’s three-part, one-hour re-examination of nine-year-old Christine Jessop’s death sees the story told by her family for the first time.Crave/Supplied
The Christine Jessop Story (Crave)
In October, 1984, nine-year-old Christine Jessop went missing in Queensville, Ont. Three months later, on New Year’s Eve, her body was found. She had been sexually assaulted and stabbed to death, leading to public outcry and rage. It was a tragic case that didn’t wrap easily. Over the next 35 years there was a false conviction and eventual acquittal, corrupt policing and an advanced DNA test that finally solved the mystery. This weekend Crave presents a three-part, one-hour re-examination of the events, told for the first time by Christine’s family. The Canadian project captures the anguish and horror these parents went through, but it also holds underlying themes of resilience and determination by those who never gave up.
Plan B Season 3 (CBC Gem)
Award-winning Canadian anthology series Plan B returns for a third season on Aug. 8.DANNY TAILLON/CBC/Supplied
If you could go back in time to stop a monumental, life-changing event, would you? That’s the core premise behind this award-winning Canadian anthology series, back for a third season on the national streamer Aug. 8. This instalment follows Abigail Walker (Carolina Bartczak), a celebrity morning show host and women’s rights activist whose world is turned upside down when her daughter Lucy (Arianna Shannon) takes her own life. But when Abigail uses the Plan B agency to travel back in time and prevent the same thing from happening twice, she alters the lives of everyone around her. Like the first two installments, this season makes you think about the consequences of altering the past and what you would give up for a second chance. It’s compelling subject matter grounded by a strong cast, including Arnold Pinnock, Ennis Esmer, Jaeden Noel, Carolyn Taylor and Grace Lynn Kung.
Wednesday Season 2 (Netflix)
Jenna Ortega is back at Nevermore Academy for a second season of ghastly fun in Netflix’s Wednesday.Netflix/Supplied
If you have a preteen in the house you’re probably well aware of Wednesday Addams (Jenna Ortega) returning to streaming screens this week, but for those who don’t, she’s back at Nevermore Academy for a second season of ghastly fun. Tim Burton returns to executive produce and direct the first half of the eight-episode run, putting his signature stamp on this new world of legendary monsters and normies. This season features Steve Buscemi as the academy’s new headmaster, and a handful of notable guest stars such as Christopher Lloyd, Thandiwe Newton, Haley Joel Osment and Lady Gaga. This season features a new mystery for Wednesday to crack but expect more involvement from her family members as she does it, particularly from her younger brother Pugsley (Isaac Ordonez) when he arrives on campus. The first four episodes deliver more morbid laughs and a twisty premise, but fans will need to hold onto their heads before watching the back four, which don’t drop until Sept. 3.
Outlander: Blood of My Blood (Crave)
Outlander prequel Blood of My Blood traces the lives of Claire Randall’s parents, Julia Moriston and Henry Beauchamp.Sanne Gault/Crave/Supplied
If you’re trying to figure out where to watch the new Outlander prequel in Canada, shift your focus from Corus to Bell Media thanks to Crave’s partnership with Starz. That’s the official home for the historical romance that offers new origins stories for many fan-favourite characters from the original series. Blood of My Blood traces the lives of Claire Randall’s parents, Julia Moriston (Hermione Corfield) and Henry Beauchamp (Jeremy Irvine), along with those of Jamie Fraser, Ellen MacKenzie (Harriet Slater) and Brian Fraser (Jamie Roy). To do so, there are two timelines with historic events that threaten to rip lives apart in true Outlander fashion: an earlier Jacobite rebellion in the Highlands of 18th-century Scotland, and the battlefields of the Second World War. It’s the same mix of history, war and romance fans can’t seem to get enough of, with new episodes dropping every Friday.
The Kennedys (Tubi)
Whether you missed this 2011 Canadian miniseries when it first aired or you want to watch the Emmy-nominated performances all over again, The Kennedys’ debut on free streaming service Tubi is a good excuse to settle in. The political drama follows the ups and downs of one the most popular families in political history, with Greg Kinnear and Katie Holmes tackling the iconic roles of “Jack” and Jackie. It begins with the family campaign to get Jack in the White House, follows through to the Bay of Pigs and wraps with family tragedy. The dramatized tale hits on all of the important historical notes while pulling the humanity out of this highly publicized family.