With Eid holidays and March 23 joining up to provide a long weekend, these are some of the trending shows to catch up on after the guests leave…

Young Sherlock (Amazon Prime, 2026)

At the time of writing this review, Young Sherlock was trending at #2 on Amazon Prime in Pakistan. This limited series is a stylish origin story that imagines the legendary detective Sherlock Holmes long before he becomes the cool, calculating mastermind of Baker Street we all know.

Set in 1870s Oxford, the series follows a rebellious 19-year-old Sherlock (Hero Fiennes Tiffin), who finds himself entangled in a murder mystery that threatens his freedom. As he investigates it further, his raw instincts and budding deductive skills slowly begin to resemble the genius investigator readers know from Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s original Sherlock Holmes books.

Produced by Guy Ritchie, the eight-episode series mixes Victorian intrigue with fast-paced action and a lot of beautifully filmed drama. We see how Holmes forms an uneasy friendship with a young James Moriarty, who we know is later to become a rival — and villain — who will define his future. It is a trope borrowed from other stories adapted for the big screen, such as the friendship and rivalry between Albus Dumbledore and Gellert Grindelwald in the Fantastic Beasts series.

From the rebellious origins of Sherlock Holmes to prehistoric creatures brought back to life and the latest heartbreak in the Regency era universe, this week’s streaming Eid watchlist offers spectacle, intrigue and romance…

This version of Sherlock is inspired by the Young Sherlock Holmes novels by Andrew Lane, although viewers of the show have complained that the portrayal of Holmes strays too far from the character portrayed in Doyle’s books. However, the show’s blend of mystery, adventure and character-building makes it an entertaining look at how a brilliant but reckless teenager begins his transformation into the world’s greatest detective.

Young Sherlock is an entertaining watch, especially with the family. We are in the age of action-heavy adaptations and, in that department, Young Sherlock does not disappoint.

The Dinosaurs (Netflix, 2026)

From the director of the iconic Jurassic Park (1993), Steven Spielberg, The Dinosaurs on Netflix is a visually spectacular four-part docuseries that brings the prehistoric world roaring back to life.

Narrated in the unmistakable voice of Morgan Freeman and executive-produced by Spielberg, the series traces the rise and fall of dinosaurs across roughly 170 million years — from their small beginnings in the Triassic era to their dramatic extinction 66 million years ago.

Using cutting-edge CGI, the show recreates ancient ecosystems populated by creatures both iconic and obscure, from the towering Tyrannosaurus rex and armoured Ankylosaurus to early proto-dinosaurs like Marasuchus. I was completely taken aback by how Spielberg and his team managed to weave together an engaging narrative, making us sympathise with the dinosaurs, beings that existed millions of years ago.

Each episode unfolds like a prehistoric drama: predators stalk through dense jungles, herds migrate across volcanic plains and fragile species evolve in a rapidly changing world.

What makes the series engaging is its storytelling: rather than simply listing facts, it follows dramatic moments of migration, hunting and survival, almost like a wildlife film set in deep time. Dinosaurs ruled Earth for over 165 million years, far longer than humans have existed. Had it not been for the asteroid that hit the Earth, wiping them out, they would still be here today. The Earth was their planet.

The Dinosaurs is an epic, cinematic reminder of how strange, violent and awe-inspiring our planet once was.

Bridgerton, Season 4 (Netflix, 2026)

The latest season of Bridgerton on Netflix is dripping with scandal, secrets and swoon-worthy romance — exactly the kind Lady Whistledown would approve of — and also heartbreak.

Season Four finally shines the spotlight on free-spirited artist Benedict Bridgerton (Luke Thompson), whose world turns upside down when he meets the mysterious “Lady in Silver” at a dazzling masquerade ball. The woman behind the mask is Sophie Baek, played by breakout newcomer Yerin Ha, whose Cinderella-like story quickly becomes the talk of the “ton”.

But the real gossip surrounds one of the season’s deliciously formidable newcomers: Katie Leung. Fans of the Harry Potter films will recognise her as Cho Chang — Potter’s love interest, at least for a bit. (It’s hard to believe so much time has passed since the Harry Potter films came out!) In Bridgerton, Leung plays the icy and calculating Lady Araminta Gun and fans online have been buzzing about her scene-stealing performance. According to Leung’s interviews, she absolutely loved playing the villain and that “it came surprisingly naturally.”

One of the most devastating moments in Season Four is spoiler alert the sudden loss of John Stirling (Victor Alli), although readers of the Bridgerton books would not be surprised by this. John’s storyline and, in particular, his loving relationship with Francesca Bridgerton (Hannah Dodd), had become a fan favourite for its tenderness and sincerity. How the series shows the loss is through muted scenes of grief and lingering silences. Francesca’s heartbreak is especially moving, as the loss reshapes her journey and leaves one reflecting on how fragile happiness can be, even in a story built around love.

One of the critiques that the show has received online is that, while the season has cameo appearances by Anthony Bridgerton (Johnathon Bailey) and his wife Kate Sharma (Simone Ashely) at Anthony’s wedding and John’s funeral, we haven’t seen the eldest daughter Daphne (Phoebe Dynevor) or her husband, the Duke of Hastings (Regé-Jean Page), since they appeared in the first season (although there was a brief appearance of Dynevor in Season Two). Dynevor has given interviews in which they have said they won’t just return for a quick cameo, but rather only when they are offered meatier roles.

Still, it’s just so unrealistic that Daphne wouldn’t attend the wedding of at least three of her siblings and the death of her brother-in-law (Seasons Three and Four). That’s a glaring hole in the filmed Bridgerton universe that is hard to overlook.

The series, nevertheless, remains an entertaining watch, with the internet already gifting us memes and reels from this season. Early reactions praised the chemistry between Thompson and Ha, while social media was abuzz with Leung’s deliciously villainous turn.

The writer is a former member of staff. She can be reached atsyed.madeeha@gmail.com

Published in Dawn, ICON, March 19th, 2026

THE WEEK THAT WAS

Kafeel | ARY, Mon-Tues 8.00pm

Zeba (Sanam Saeed) may have moved forward with khula [a wife’s dissolution of her marriage] to start a new life independent of her good-for-nothing husband Jamshed/Jami (Emmad Irfani), but the world still continues to judge her.

Meanwhile, although Asma (Rukhma Akhtar) is happily married to the wealthy Pakistani American her father preferred, she still enjoys Jami’s company whenever she visits him every year. During this year’s visit, she confronts Zeba and accuses her of ruining her own marriage because of her “small friendship” with Jami. Zeba points out that they are having an affair — even if it is only an emotional one.

Director Meesam Naqvi has tried to paper over some of the story’s weak points by ginning up the Gen Z romance angle, with mixed results. For older generations, Zeba’s story is important and resonates with many people struggling with society’s expectations. However, unlike Umera Ahmed’s usually incisive writing, much of Kafeel feels glossed over. After all, there can be depth and humour in a drama rather than turning it into a complete festival of misery, or forcing a bubbly romcom frame into a difficult scene. Despite this, the dynamic between Sanam Saeed, Emmad Irfani and Rukhma Akhtar makes for fascinating viewing, bringing a level of focus to a show that seemed to be losing its way in subplots.

Meri Zindagi Hai Tu | ARY, Fri-Sat 8.00pm

In an attempt to garner even higher ratings for their top-rated show, ARY has reduced its episodes to one a week and stretched the story with nonsensical subplots.

Kaamyar (Bilal Abbas Khan) is still acting in an arrogant and abusive manner towards his wife, Ayra (Hania Aamir), over a leaked video. Meanwhile, his relationship with the maker of the video, Fariha (Vardah Aziz), continues unabated and he spends a lot of time partying with drugs and alcohol in her company — behaviour that is presented and justified as harmless, performative angst.

Fariha now tries trapping Ayra in an embarrassing situation. In a desperate effort to give his hero some kind of return to decency after dragging him to the bottom of the moral barrel for ratings, writer Radain Shah polishes Kaamyar’s halo by having him save Ayra’s father. While the contrivance is painfully obvious, those viewers hooked to the show are still tuning in — and probably will until it ends. Bilal Abbas Khan has done his best to hold this untenable plot together. However, Vardah Aziz is hard to believe as an arch-villain.

Dekh Zara Pyar Se | Hum TV, Daily 9.00pm

This light comedy makes a serious point about forced marriages and consent — something that seems to have been lost amid the recent wave of super-hit, obsessive and toxic love stories.

The audience holds their breath, waiting to see if Romi (Yumna Zaidi) will take her revenge on Zoraiz (Hamza Sohail), the groom who unknowingly abandoned her, and she does not disappoint. Surprisingly, she conveniently forgets that he was coerced into the relationship by his grandfather, Akmal Dawood (Arshad Mahmud).

Writer Saima Akram Chaudhry breathes fresh, progressive life into this old trope. This is easy Ramazan viewing, but the plot wears a little thin at times. There are some good dialogues, but the lack of chemistry between the two leads, Hamza Sohail and Yumna Zaidi, is quite disappointing. However, the hilarious rivalry between their grandparents is entertaining.

What To Watch Out For (Or Not)

Dr Bahu | ARY, Coming soon

The first teasers for Dr Bahu have arrived, featuring Shuja Asad and Kubra Khan and Sanam Mehdi’s script promising a serial that tackles relevant and contemporary social issues. Chosen as a trophy wife, a young doctor (Kubra Khan) finds herself struggling with her husband’s (Shuja Asad) jealousy and past traumas. The serial is directed by Mehreen Jabbar.

Published in Dawn, ICON, March 19th, 2026

“If younger women act with older men in Hollywood or Bollywood, we don’t have a problem with it. However, if this happens in a Pakistani drama, people go up in arms.”

— Aijaz Aslam, actor

“Directors of TV dramas have made all the heroes look the same. Whether it is Danish Taimoor, Wahaj Ali or Imran Ashraf, they all seem to have identical styling: the same beard, puffed-up hair and serious expressions even though they are good-looking and intelligent.”

— Fiza Ali, talk show host

“I believe that it is possible for women to fall in love with two men at the same time. We don’t show such stories for fear of negative feedback.”

— Ali Ansari, actor

“Models have a limited shelf life. As they grow older, their bodies change and they cannot model after a certain age. Acting is something you can do even when you are older.”

— Amna Ilyas, actor

Published in Dawn, ICON, March 19th, 2026