Shows coming to Singapore this June: Hibana: Spark, Squad 38, Barbarians Rising and more
Hibana: Spark. (Netflix)
Marcus Goh is a Singapore television scriptwriter. He’s also a Transformers enthusiast and avid pop culture scholar. He Tweets/Instagrams at Optimarcus and writes at marcusgohmarcusgoh.com. The views expressed are his own.
Every month, we’ll tell you about new television shows to hit terrestrial and cable channels, as well as streaming sites in Singapore! We’ll also highlight shows that you’ve got to be home (or on your phone) to catch every month.
What to catch this June?
Many series are in the middle of their seasons this month, so there are fewer new and upcoming shows to watch on broadcast channels. Streaming services like Viu and Netflix are still going strong though, with new programmes to catch. Of note are some Asian dramas which touch on unique topics and subjects, like “Hibana: Spark” and “Squad 38.”
Hibana: Spark (3 June, Netflix)
A dramatic series about friendship and conflict between two comedians who search for meaning in life and comedy. Based on the prize-winning 2015 novella by comedian, Haiku Poet and scriptwriter, Naoki Matayoshi.
The cinematography here is just gorgeous, with beautiful shots and angles for every scene. The trailer already has you prepared for this tearjerker of a show, which is ironic considering it’s about comedians. It centres around the bromance between the two comedians, who go their separate ways and meet years later. How often do you get a show that promises to blend drama and comedy so well?
Barbarians Rising (6 June, Mondays 10.00 pm, History)
This is not a story about the glory of Rome. It’s the story of the millions who rose and fought for freedom in the shadow of absolute power, and the few who led the charge. The empire calls them… barbarians, tribes beyond the fringe of civilization that live a primitive, brutish and violent existence. But these peoples are also some of the fiercest warriors in history - men and women who refuse to bow to ruthless oppression, launching an epic saga of resistance that ushers in the fall of Rome and shapes the world to come.
If you’ve ever been a fan of “Spartacus” or “Gladiator” then you’ll be stoked to see their real-life re-enactments in this series. It’s a docu-drama, so it’s also part factual, but come on, who doesn’t want to watch barbarians hack each other in their climb to be the masters of the world?
Squad 38 (19 June, Viu)
As a reference to Article 38 which pertains to tax payments, this special police unit utilizes the criminals’ own tactics of scams and deceit to catch rich tax cheats.
It sounds like they’ll be using a former criminal to catch criminals, which has a bit of the “Suicide Squad” vibe to it. It’s a good departure from the overdramatic soap operas which plague Korean dramas, and might actually teach you a thing or two about catching tax evaders.
Channel 5
No Ordinary Family (14 June, Tuesdays 9.30 pm)
Crimewatch (26 June, Sunday 8.30 pm)
Celestial Movies (Starhub Channel 1610, mio TV Channel 585)
Paint My Love (movie) (5 June, Sunday 9.00 pm)
Anniversary (movie) (19 June, Sunday 9.00 pm)
History (Starhub Channel 401)
Barbarians Rising (6 June, Mondays 10.00 pm)
Netflix
Hibana: Spark (3 June)
Lego Friends: The Power of Friendship (second season) (1o June)
Orange is the New Black (fourth season) (17 June)
Fundamentals of Caring (24 June)
A Very Secret Service (30 June)
Viu
Squad 38 (19 June)
Doctors (21 June)
Wanted (23 June)
