CHLOE
Amazon Prime
ANYONE that's ever "Face-stalked" an ex or perused through the Instagram photos of a long lost friend knows how easily social media can stoke feelings of envy.
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For the majority of people the sensation is fleeting, but for others, it can quickly escalate into obsession.
BBC drama-thriller series Chloe explores how jealousy, grief and obsession can collide into a potent mix of tension and story-telling.
The story follows Becky Green, a lonely young working-class woman who lives with her dementia-suffering mother. When not working in some dead-end office job, where her boss doesn't remember her name, Becky uses aliases to gatecrash stylish art gallery openings and constantly scrolls the social media accounts of Chloe Fairbourne.
The glamorous Chloe appears to have everything Becky desires; money, an attractive husband, well-connected friends and a thriving career. When Chloe commits suicide, it's revealed Becky is the last person she phoned prior to her death.
Becky subsequently becomes even more obsessed with Chloe and, through a combination of lies and serious fraud, she sets about infiltrating the late woman's life under the alias Sasha Myles.
Erin Doherty, who played Princess Anne in seasons three and four of The Crown, is outstanding as Becky. Her ability to seamlessly switch between the downtrodden Becky and the charming and sophisticated Sasha maintains the tension at the centre of Chloe.
Becky is essentially a con artist - and a crafty one at that. But her grief and heartbreak for Chloe is real, which allows the viewer to empathise, despite her increasingly meticulous lies.
Chloe's pacing is superb, giving the viewer just enough to be hooked, yet still craving more.
GOD'S FAVORITE IDIOT
Netflix
PLENTY of people will naturally be checking out God's Favorite Idiot purely for Melissa McCarthy.
In the past year the Bridesmaids and Tammy star has focused on more serious roles in the straight-to-Netflix film, The Starling, and Amazon Prime's Nine Perfect Strangers, so at first glance the return to comedic territory is welcome.
Unfortunately it's not the hilarious romp most would have envisaged.
God's Favorite Idiot also unites McCarthy on screen with her husband Ben Falcone, who doubles as the show's creator and co-producer.
Falcone plays Clark, a well-meaning but overly boring and awkward suburban man, who is struck by lightning.
The lightning causes Clark to glow and it's soon revealed he's been chosen by God to spread his word on Earth to thwart Satan, who is causing major problems in Heaven.
McCarthy plays Amily, Clark's office co-worker and love interest. Amily is your typical McCarthy character. She's manic, lippy and frequently abuses drugs and alcohol, including accidentally "roofie-ing" herself.
The majority of the early episodes revolve around Clark and Amily's office environment and co-workers.
God's Favorite Idiot disappoints due to the over-written dialogue which, at times, tries too hard to fabricate laughs. Much of it is irrelevant and God's Favorite Idiot would have been better served condensed into a film, rather than an eight-part TV series.