Love Story: John F. Kennedy Jr. & Carolyn Bessette (Disney+)
Love Story: John F. Kennedy Jr. & Carolyn Bessette stars Sarah Pidgeon as fashion publicist Bessette and Paul Anthony Kelly as the son of a beloved president.Courtesy of FX Networks and Disney+”/Supplied
Creator Ryan Murphy loves himself a good anthology series, and this time around he’s forgoing feuds and crime for something even more timeless: love. The goal with Love Story is to capture classic, biographical romances and bring them to life for a new audience. So what better couple to begin with than JFK Jr. (Paul Anthony Kelly) and fashion publicist Carolyn Bessette (Sarah Pidgeon)? Besides being one of the most iconic couples of the 20th century, the pair’s story of social worlds colliding amid public scrutiny makes for one salacious drama, filled with nineties references and culture. Sure, we all know how this story ends, but it’s the moments in between that make this an epic tale for the next generation, especially around Valentine’s Day.
Love Me Love Me (Prime)
Love Me Love Me is set in Milan, and combines coming-of-age themes with slow-burn love.Amazon Prime
There are increasing conversations in TV circles about adult viewers, especially women, “watching down” in age when it comes to soapy stories. That anecdotal evidence makes sense when you consider the recent boom in young-adult romance on television. So, if you’ve already exhausted yourself debating who Belly should have ended up with in The Summer I Turned Pretty and you’re caught up on such shows as My Life With the Walter Boys, Outer Banks and Finding Her Edge, this new Italy-set film is probably for you. It’s based on the Wattpad series by Stefania S. and follows a young girl rerouting her life in Milan. There, she becomes caught up between the straight-A student and a troubled bad boy. Come for the international locations, stay for the coming-of-age story and slow-burn love.
Like Water for Chocolate (Crave)
Salma Hayek’s Like Water For Chocolate returns with a six-episode conclusion to the 2024 series starring Azul Guaita, left, and Andres Baida.HBO/Crave
In 2024, Salma Hayek reimagined Laura Esquivel’s Mexican novel about romance and magical realism for the small screen. Over six episodes the series explored the relationship between star-crossed lovers Tita (Azul Guaita) and Pedro (Andres Baida) and the familial expectations and traditions that kept them apart. The second and final six-episode instalment returns this Sunday to wrap the back half of that story, set against the Mexican Revolution, while diving deeper into the consequences of the characters’ actions. It’s a deep and passionate story that’s perfect Valentine’s viewing, with thoughtful links between food, emotion and desire. “It makes you wanna eat and makes you wanna make love,” Hayek herself once told Harper’s Bazaar about the show.
Joan Chen breathes sensual life into Canadian drama Montreal, My Beautiful
Honey Bunch (Shudder)
As a counter to love-themed programming, Honey Bunch provides a Canadian gothic horror film backdropped by a particularly awful marriage.Cat People/Elevation Pictures
If you aren’t feeling the love this holiday, perhaps you’d prefer turning to the horrors of marriage instead? This Canadian gothic psychological horror film screened at last year’s Toronto International Film Festival and makes its debut on AMC’s horror streaming service, Shudder, this weekend. The story revolves around a woman who wakes from a coma with memory loss, and agrees to let her husband take her to a remote facility to undergo experimental treatments. Soon, she begins to suspect her husband’s true motives and a series of twists, jump scares and mind-benders follow. It’s a unique story that makes for fun alternative viewing to the same-old love stories populating screens this weekend.
The ’Burbs (STACK TV)
The ’Burbs returns viewers to the strange tones of the 1989 film of the same name.Elizabeth Morris/PEACOCK/Supplied
Remember that 1989 Joe Dante film starring Tom Hanks, Bruce Dern and Carrie Fisher? It’s back, in TV form, with a hot new take. This series captures the strange tone of the original film with plenty of homages and twists, while highlighting a new mysterious neighbour. It stars Keke Palmer and Jack Whitehall as a couple who move back to the husband’s childhood cul-de-sac in the fictional town of Hinckley Hills. There, they discover that the residents on the street aren’t what they seem. It’s a fun and updated take on the original that’s worth watching if you’re in the mood for a little camp, with supporting characters played by the likes of Julia Duffy and Paula Pell. More importantly, there’s a strong marriage centring it all, proving that sometimes true love is about embracing your partner and all of their weirdness for what it is.