David Farnor | On 31, Aug 2020

Sky is bringing the arts to the UK in style this September, with the transition of Sky Arts to a free-to-air channel for the first time – and the newly extra-accessible channel is getting a bumper-load of content, covering everything from Jimi Hendrix and Dave Grohl to Danny Dyer and Harold Pinter. There’s also Portrait Artist of the Week, a new national initiative, Landmark, and a recording of the English National Opera’s new drive-in production, plus a collaboration with Theatre Royal Stratford East. While the linear channel is free, however, Sky Arts’ on-demand library is exclusive to Sky and NOW.

There’s more than enough on offer elsewhere, meanwhile, including the debut of A Black Lady Sketch Show and Maisie Williams comedy Two Weeks to Live, a new drama starring Jude Law and Naomie Harris and another dose of High Maintenance. And, of course, there are weekly episodes of HBO’s Lovecraft Country to enjoy.

Don’t have Sky? You can stream all of the above live and on-demand through NOW, Sky’s contract-free VOD service, which costs £8.99 a month for an Entertainment Membership. For more information, click here.

Sky Cinema, meanwhile, boasts some of the most notable films of the past year, including Le Mans 66, Terminator: Dark Fate, Judy and Motherless Brooklyn.

Again, if you don’t have Sky, you can stream all of Sky Cinema live and on-demand through NOW, for £11.99 a month. For more information on that, click here. For sports, you can also sign up to NOW’s Sky Sports Pass on a contract-free basis. For more information, click here.

All of these you can stream in HD by adding a NOW Boost to your account, which costs an additional £3 a month. For more information, click here.

Here’s your guide to what’s coming soon in September 2020:
 

Entertainment

A Black Lady Sketch Show (Sky Comedy, 9pm) – 1st September

A narrative series set in a limitless magical reality full of dynamic, hilarious characters and celebrity guests. The show presents sketches performed by a core cast of Black women, including Robin Thede, Ashley Nicole Black, Gabrielle Dennis and Quinta Brunson. All episodes are released at once as a box set.

The Trade: Season 2 (Sky Documentaries, 9pm) – 2nd September

The Trade returns with a four-episode series following Central Americans on an odyssey to the United States (and others heading back home after being deported), while also delving into the shadow industries that prey on them every step of the way. The series sheds light on the smugglers, traffickers, and law enforcement pursuing them at the border, while providing a look at the rarely-seen underbelly of the migrants’ world and their struggle to survive.

Two Weeks to Live (Sky One, 10pm) – 2nd September

Maisie Williams stars in this Sky original comedy as Kim Stokes, a strange young misfit raised in remote isolation by her survivalist mother Tina (Sian Clifford). She’s less like a young woman and more like a great white shark who can strip a Smith & Wesson pistol in 6 seconds. Now all grown up, Kim sets out into the real world for the first time on a secret mission. But after encountering hapless brothers Nicky and Jay at their local pub, a seemingly harmless prank sets in motion a series of events that sees them all on the run from murderous gangsters. All episodes are released at once as a box set.

Metallica: S&M2 (Sky Arts, 9pm) – 5th September

Filmed over the two sold-out shows that opened the new Chase Center arena in San Francisco, S&M2 comprises more than two and a half hours of Metallica joining forces with the nearly 80 member San Francisco Symphony.

The Russell Howard Hour: Season 4 (Sky One, 10pm) – 10th September

One of Britain’s most successful comedians, Russell Howard returns to present his satirical take on global news, politics and stories dominating the cultural zeitgeist.

Portraits from Ground Zero (Sky History, 9pm) – 11th September

Photojournalist and filmmaker Andrea Booher was one of only two photographers allowed unlimited 24-hour access to Ground Zero in the days after the September 11th attacks. This two-hour film features eleven first responders that she met and photographed while working on the pile, and gets them to tell, for the first time, the riveting personal stories behind the photographs.

Hendrix & The Spook (Sky Arts, 9pm) – 12th September

To mark the 50th anniversary of the passing of rock legend Jimi Hendrix, this film investigates the final hours of his life, utilising new first-hand evidence to cut through the many stories that surround his death.

Extreme Animals: One Wild Day (Sky Nature, 8pm) – 13th September

Patrick Aryee narrates this Sky original series following the roller-coaster that is one day in the wild. For some animals 24 hours is the blink of an eye – for others it’s an entire lifetime – but for every creature there’s a moment in its day it must take advantage of to survive.

Pretending I’m Superman (Sky Documentaries, 9pm) – 14th September

The skateboarding industry was going through a major crisis in the early 1990s, with popularity nosediving and the certainty of the skaters’ livelihoods unknown. But that was all about to change with the introduction of the X-Games and the debut of one of the world’s most influential video game franchises. In 1999, the video game Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater shook the world when it sold 9 million copies upon release and changed the skateboarding scene forever.

Battle of Britain 80 (Sky History, 9pm) – 14th September

Sky History commemorates the 80th anniversary of the Battle of Britain with a series of films brand new to the UK.

The Third Day (Sky Atlantic, 9pm) – 15th September

Jude Law and Naomie Harris star in The Third Day, the first original drama to be produced by Sky’s new production house, Sky Studios, in partnership with Plan B Entertainment. This unique story is told over six episodes and in two distinct, but interconnected halves; ‘Summer’, following Sam (Law), after he is drawn to a mysterious island off the British coast inhabited by a group of islanders set on preserving their traditions at any cost; and ‘Winter’, following Helen (Harris), who also comes to the island seeking answers, but whose arrival precipitates a fractious battle to decide its fate.

Room 104: Season 2 (Sky Comedy, 9.35pm) – 15th September

Jay and Mark Duplass’ mind-bending anthology series returns, making its Sky Comedy debut. Set in the eponymous hotel room, each episode features a new collection of guests, each of whom reveal their unique circumstances and quirks. In the season premiere, three friends on a weekend trip to celebrate Grace’s 30th birthday are surprised by the arrival of her uninvited sister. Then in episode two, Jim (Rainn Wilson, The US Office) reunites with his third-grade teacher and challenges him to admit to an incident from the past that left him forever changed.

Brian Johnson Meets Dave Grohl (Sky Arts, 9pm) – 17th September

It’s a meeting of rock legends as AC/DC frontman Brian Johnson meets Foo Fighters lead singer and former Nirvana drummer Dave Grohl at the Foo’s LA studio to share stories about life on the road.

FBI: Most Wanted (Sky Witness, 10pm) – 17th September

From Emmy Award winner Dick Wolf and the team behind FBI and the Law & Order franchise, FBI: Most Wanted is a high-stakes drama focusing on the Fugitive Task Force, which relentlessly tracks and captures the notorious criminals on the Bureau’s Most Wanted list. Seasoned agent Jess LaCroix (Julian McMahon) oversees the highly skilled team that functions as a mobile undercover unit that is always out in the field, pursuing those who are most desperate to elude justice.

Sky Arts Late (Sky Arts, 10.30pm) – 17th September

Design Museum director Tim Marlow presents this new monthly arts and culture show creating a feature-length space for original perspectives, debate, critical discussion, and performance from across the arts.

High Maintenance: Season 4 (Sky Comedy, 9.35pm) – 18th September

The Guy with the supply is back for the fourth season of the eclectic New York-based comedy, following the pot-dealer as he makes the rounds to his diverse clientele.

Guy Garvey: From the Vaults (Sky Arts, 9pm) – 18th September

In this new series for Sky Arts, Elbow frontman and broadcaster Guy Garvey lifts the lid on two decades of TV gold – with era-defining musical performances, long lost studio appearances and revealing interviews that have remained on the shelves for decades.

The Comey Rule (Sky Atlantic) – 30th September

Based on Comey’s No. 1 New York Times bestselling book A Higher Loyalty and more than a year of additional interviews with a number of key principals, The Comey Rules is a behind-the-headlines account of the historically turbulent events surrounding the 2016 presidential election and its aftermath, which divided a nation. Starring Jeff Daniels (The Newsroom) as former FBI Director James Comey and Brendan Gleeson (Mr. Mercedes) as President Donald J Trump, this two-part event series was adapted for the screen and directed by Billy Ray (Captain Phillips, Shattered Glass) and executive produced by Shane Salerno, Alex Kurtzman, Heather Kadin and Ray. Both episodes are released at once.

The Forgotten West Memphis Three (Sky Crime) – Date TBC

Based on the hit podcast Truth & Justice, this series follows the podcast host Bob Ruff as he re-examines the 1993 murders of 8-year-old Stevie Branch, Michael Moore and Christopher Byers, using new technology and investigative insights in the hope of uncovering new information for the victims’ families.

Landmark (Sky Arts) – Date TBC

A bold and ambitious series for 2021 where artists and local communities across the UK will join forces in a quest to create the next great British landmark, in response to the current debate about the meaning of public monuments, and who or what is commemorated.

Portrait Artist of the Week (Sky Arts) – Date TBC

The live-streamed paint-along version of the channel’s flagship series ‘Portrait Artist of the Year’, has been confirmed to return this Autumn both on @SkyTV, Facebook and Sky Arts, following its huge success during lockdown. Complementing this, Portrait Artist of the Year will return at the same time, with new celebrity sitters including Normal People’s Paul Mescal, First Dates front-of-house Fred Sirieux, singer Ray BLK and Sir Trevor McDonald.

English National Opera – Drive & Live (Sky Arts) – Date TBC

Sky Arts presents exclusive world-first coverage of the English National Opera’s return to live performances in front of an audience – albeit in a way that has not been attempted before. The ENO will present a live opera performances of Puccini’s La Bohéme that audiences can safely drive to and enjoy a super-sized live opera performance from their own vehicles.

Urban Myths: Season 4 (Sky Arts) – Date TBC

Urban Myths, the International Emmy Award nominated series, returns to Sky Arts for a fourth instalment, fictionalising some of the most peculiar stories to have ever leaked out of Hollywood, the music industry and the worlds of art and culture. A wealth of talent take on roles of a lifetime this series. Katherine Ryan portrays comedy legend Joan Rivers, Mark Addy steps into the shoes of Les Dawson for a tale from his Parisienne years in the 1950s, and Robbie Coltrane takes on the dulcet tones of Orson Welles in the story of how the great star briefly went missing in Norwich in 1972.

Danny Dyer on Pinter (Sky Arts) – Date TBC

With his prolific media presence and tough cockney geezer persona, it’s easy to forget that EastEnders actor Danny Dyer was once the protégé of Nobel Prize-winning playwright Harold Pinter. Taken under his wing following roles in films like 1997’s Human Traffic, Pinter cast Dyer in a number of his plays, including No Man’s Land and The Homecoming. Now, ten years after Pinter’s death, Danny takes a look back at his mentor’s work and the profound influence he had on his life.

Goldie: The Art that Made Me (Sky Arts) – Date TBC

Renowned visual artist and musician Goldie goes on a personal and passionate journey into the world of graffiti and street art in the UK and the US meeting the originators and key writers from the scene.

No Masks (Sky Arts) – Date TBC

A brand new drama from Theatre Royal Stratford East based on the real-life testimonies of key workers in East London during the pandemic. Inviting local key workers to share the highs and lows of their encounters while working on the front line during the coronavirus pandemic, these monologues will be used to form a virtual play, performed and recorded by professional actors and members of the group’s Young Actors Company

Blindspot: Season 5 (Sky Witness) – Date TBC

The fifth and final season of Blindspot begins in the aftermath of the explosion that left Jane watching as a drone strike on the safe house with the rest of the team inside. Questions to be answered include who made it out alive and whether the team will ever be able to clear their names in the wake of Madeline’s rise to power.

9-1-1: Lone Star (Sky Witness) – Date TBC

Rob Lowe and Liv Tyler star in this new series from the creators of 9-1-1. Nearly 20 years ago, Owen Strand (Lowe) was the lone survivor of his Manhattan firehouse on 9/11. In the wake of the attack, Owen had the unenviable task of rebuilding his station. After a similar tragedy happens to a firehouse in Austin, Owen, along with his troubled firefighter son, T.K., takes his progressive philosophies of life and firefighting down to Texas, where he helps them start anew.

 

Sky Cinema

The Good Liar – 4th September

Sir Ian McKellan and Dame Helen Mirren lock horns in a classic story of cat-and-mouse in this sparky thriller.

Black and Blue – 5th September

Naomie Harris stars in this fast-paced thriller following a rookie cop who captures the murder of a young drug dealer on her body cam. When she realises the murder was committed by crooked cops, she teams up with the one person from her community who is willing to help her (Tyrese Gibson) as she attempts to escape both the criminals looking for revenge and the police who are desperate to destroy the incriminating footage.

Le Mans 66 – 11th September

Matt Damon and Christian Bale star in the remarkable true story of the visionary American car designer Carroll Shelby (Damon) and the fearless British-born driver Ken Miles (Bale), who together battled corporate interference, the laws of physics, and their own personal demons to build a revolutionary race car for Ford Motor Company and take on the dominating race cars of Enzo Ferrari at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in France in 1966.

Don’t Let Go – 12th September

David Oyelowo (Selma) heads this admirably well cast, intelligent, time-bending mystery alongside Euphoria’s Storm Reid. Detective Jack Radcliff (Oyelowo) is shocked to the core when he receives a call from his recently murdered niece Ashley (Reid), but together, they may find a way to change her destiny, and solve her murder before it can even take place.

Darlin’ – 15th September

Darlin’ has been living feral in the woods with her new mother, communicating only in grunts and eating human flesh to survive. But when the local bishop decides to try and civilise her, her mother sets out to bring her back into the fold, unleashing hell on the inhabitants of the local village.

Terminator: Dark Fate – 18th September

The Terminator franchise gets an upgrade, as Linda Hamilton and Arnold Schwarzenegger are reunited in this crunching reset to the series. More than two decades have passed since Sarah Connor prevented Judgment Day, changed the future, and rewrote the fate of the human race. But fate is constantly changing, and when a new, deadly Rev-9 Terminator is sent to eliminate an unsuspecting civilian, battle-hardened Sarah Conner and two warriors from both her past and future are her only chance of survival.

Playing with Fire – 19th September

When straight-laced fire superintendent Jake Carson (John Cena) and his elite team of expert firefighters come to the rescue of three siblings in the path of an encroaching wildfire, they quickly realise that no amount of training could prepare them for their most challenging job yet – babysitters.

Judy – 25th September

Renée Zellweger won the Academy Award for Best Actress for her committed performance as the legendary Hollywood starlet Judy Garland in this biopic set in the days where her star began to wane.

Motherless Brooklyn – 26th September

Ed Norton stars and directs this neo-noir thriller based on the Jonathan Lethem’s 1999 novel about a private detective with Tourette’s syndrome.

Transformers: Collection – 3rd to 6th September

Relive every action-packed moment of the entire Transformers franchise with this curated collection, including the most recent blockbuster adventure Bumblebee. (The whole franchise streams from 1st September.)

Musicals: Collection – 7th to 17th September

Musical classics including Grease, Annie and Funny Girl collide with new favourites like A Star is Born, all of which are already streaming.

The Lord of the Rings: Collection – 18th to 20th September

All three instalments of this epic fantasy saga join together in one place to stream them all. (The whole franchise streams from 31st August.)

Superheroes: Collection – 21st to 24th September

A range of family-friendly superhero movies curated to keep everyone sweet, including Avengers: Endgame, Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse and Shazam!, all of which are already available to stream.

 

Other movies coming soon to Sky Cinema in September 2020:

1st September
Alien Parasite

2nd September
The Battle of Jangsari

3rd September
Villain (2020)

6th September
Corporate Animals

7th September
Behold My Heart

8th September
Brightheart

9th September
Remember Me (2019)

10th September
Primal (2019)

13th September
Dragonheart: Vengeance

14th September
Vic the Viking

16th September
Bulletproof 2: Rematch

17th September
Hell on the Border

20th September
Body Cam

21st September
Spycies

22nd September
The Public

23rd September
Shepherd: Hero Dog

24th September
Sweetheart

27th September
The Jesus Rolls

28th September
Captain Sabertooth

29th September
Open 24 Hours

30th September
3022

Add to Watchlist