‘Silence’ Is Golden on BritBox, Deconstructing ‘Jaws,’ Heart-to-Heart(break) in the City, ‘Sandman’ Finale

Code of Silence

Silence speaks volumes in a suspenseful British crime drama with an unusually engaging heroine: Alison Brooks (deaf actress Rose Ayling-Ellis), a working-class gal plucked from the police precinct’s cafeteria to help detectives by lip-reading during their surveillance of a dangerous burglary gang. Despite her new bosses’ warnings not to put herself in danger, the headstrong Alison does exactly that when she takes a job at the pub where the crooks hang out, becoming involved with Liam (Keiron Moore), a soulful hacker who’s helping the gang plot their next big heist. Playing a dangerous game of informant and spy, Alison risks not only her vulnerable heart but her life. (See the full review.) 

Surviving Jaws

Is skinny dipping at night a surefire way to attract a hungry great white shark? This and other questions are addressed by marine biologist Tom “Blowfish” Hird and predator ecologist Michelle Jewell in a Shark Week special that explores the facts beyond the fiction of Steven Spielberg’s blockbuster Jaws, currently celebrating its 50th anniversary. Followed by Caught! Sharks Strike Back (9/8c), a collection of wild shark videos, and Frankenshark (10/9c), in which shark expert Tristan Guttridge leads a team in a CGI experiment to create an ultimate apex predator.

And Just Like That…

Trust can feel like a four-letter word when it becomes an issue in a troubled romance. And so it goes when Carrie (Sarah Jessica Parker) confronts Aidan (John Corbett), her often-absentee boyfriend, after he crosses the line regarding her working relationship with downstairs neighbor Duncan (Jonathan Cake), a fellow writer. How to cool off when things get heated? Shoe shopping, of course (cue the celebrity cameo). The comic highlight of the episode features Broadway diva Patti LuPone as Guiseppe’s (Sebastiano Pigazzi) ferocious mama Gia, who breaks bread — and that’s not all — while dining at Anthony’s (Mario Cantone) to come to terms with her precious son’s older lover. 

The Sandman

The fantasy based on Neil Gaiman’s legendary comics comes to an end with Lord Dream of the Endless (Tom Sturridge) making amends with friends and foes alike, as well as the usual array of gods and monsters, in one last attempt to save himself, his kingdom and the waking world from the consequences of his actions. Though Netflix regards this as a true conclusion to Dream’s story, a special standalone episode from the Sandman world drops next Thursday, suggesting there may be more life left in the franchise. Fans can dream.

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds

The latest strange new world beckoning the crew of the Enterprise is Kenfori, which houses a rare space blossom that might cure the Gorn-infected Capt. Batel (Melanie Scrofano). One complication: the planet is in a no-fly restricted zone, so the mission stays off the books to avoid violating multiple treaties. Another hitch: Kenfori may not be as abandoned as it looks, with signs of Klingon interference and a zombie outbreak. 

INSIDE THURSDAY TV:

• Celebrity Family Feud (8/7c, ABC): Divas Patti LaBelle and American Idol winner Fantasia lead teams in one celebrity battle, but first, the Arquette family faces a team led by Martina McBride.
• Revival (10/9c, Syfy): Martial law is declared in Wausau, the town of the awakened dead, where deputy Dana (Melanie Scrofano) and her sheriff dad Wayne (David James Elliott) discover a conspiracy afoot. 
• Hitmakers (streaming on Netflix): A six-part musical docuseries follows a dozen top-shelf songwriters and producers as they create the next chart-toppers for talents including John Legend, Shaboozey and Lisa of Blackpink. 
• All the Queen’s Men (streaming on BET+): The Tyler Perry-produced melodrama resumes its fourth season with male-nightclub queenpin Madam (Eva Marcille) trying to stay one step ahead of the DA’s investigation into her empire. 
• The Congregation: The Bride of Christ (streaming on Viaplay): The disturbing docudrama based on a controversial Swedish Pentecostal cult (featured in the HBO docuseries Pray, Obey, Kill) returns for a second season.