Must Watch reviews: Best Medicine, Free Nelson Mandela and Alice and Steve

Every week, the Must Watch podcasters review the biggest TV and streaming shows.

This week, Scott Bryan joins Naga Munchetty to review Best Medicine, Free Nelson Mandela and Alice and Steve.

What does Must Watch Podcaster Scott Bryan make of them?

Free Nelson Mandela is a three‑part documentary directed by award‑winning filmmaker James Rogan, exploring Nelson Mandela’s life, the global movement around him and the role of music in activism.

Scott says this is a Must Watch.

“This is a Must Watch for me.”

He praises the structure and pace,“not a second is wasted in this documentary.”

“I really enjoyed that pacing because it really, I found, gave it an energy to it.”

He highlights the level of detail, “It managed to, in a very short space of time, get into a great amount of detail.”

He also notes its accessibility, “If you know nothing about Nelson Mandela’s story, you will be really informed."

“If you already know his story, you will get an immense amount of detail or insight that you didn’t know before.”

He found it particularly informative, “I have learned an awful lot and I was really taken away very quickly.”

Free Nelson Mandela is available to stream on Channel 4 now.

Best Medicine is a US remake of Doc Martin, following Dr Best, a GP who is brusque with patients, terrified of blood and very much an outsider in a small rural town. Each episode centres on a new medical mishap and the slow thawing of his hard shell.

Scott says this is not a Must Watch.

“I can't say it's a Must Watch because it doesn't have the complexity of character.”

Scott notes how closely the series mirrors the original, “the US version is literally the biggest copy paste job you could hope for. And it works, it really, really works.”

He highlights the show’s straightforward appeal, “It’s unapologetically mainstream and has a lot of charm.”

He also describes it as a form of uncomplicated comfort viewing, “watching this TV show is the equivalent of having a few beers after the pub on a night out and then maybe going for a good kebab.”

“It does fill you up the right way.”

He is impressed by how well the adaptation retains the tone of the British series,“this manages to bottle it and capture it and sell it over and manage to remake it overseas very, very well.”

Best Medicine is available to stream in the UK on NOW and broadcasts on Sky One.

A drama about two long‑standing friends, played by Nicola Walker and Jermaine Clement, whose relationship is tested when Steve begins dating Alice’s twenty‑six‑year‑old daughter. Created by Sophie Goodhart, it explores age gaps, boundaries and shifting loyalties.

Scott says this was not a Must Watch.

Scott describes the tone as intentionally uncomfortable, “this is a show which is so awkward, but how can it not be? And I think that’s kind of the point.”

He praises the central performances, “you believe them as being very close friends. It’s really well acted by both Alice, Nicola Walker and Jermaine.”

He appreciates the approach to the subject matter, “It does not try to impose a view on you, which I think is quite smart.”

However, he finds the series uneven,“some parts felt very fleshed out.”

“Whilst others didn’t feel as fleshed out as the main leads.”

He also notes the emotional intensity, “It does not let up in the agony of it at all.”

“Sometimes it feels a little bit obvious. It's a little bit uneven.”

Alice and Steve is available to stream on Disney+ now.

Listen to the full reviews of all three programmes on BBC Sounds.

But before all that, why not contact Scott and Hayley with the shows you’ve been loving, loathing or both on mustwatch@bbc.co.uk.

We used AI to transcribe and summarise our Must Watch feature. This article was then written and reviewed by a BBC journalist.More on how the BBC uses AI.