"Five Days at Memorial" (eight episodes, each 39-47 minutes, streaming on Apple TV+) Brutal, cruel, often horrifying, and difficult to watch, this amazingly relevant and competently realized miniseries chronicles the impact of Hurricane Katrina and its aftermath on a New Orleans hospital where, when the city's levees break, floodwaters rise, power fails, heat soars, and exhausted caregivers are forced to make decisions that follow them for years to come. Based on the 2013 book of the same name by Sheri Fink. With Cherry Jones, Vera Farmiga, Robert Pine, Cornelius Smith Jr.; developed, written and directed by John Ridley and Carlton Cuse.
"Loot" (10 episodes, each 23-30 minutes, streaming on Apple TV+) This promising sitcom series concerns the seemingly perfect life of billionaire Molly Novak (Maya Rudolph), who falls to pieces when her husband of 20 years betrays her. Rebuilding a life comes about upon learning she has a charity foundation that encourages her to think of others, not herself. With Machaela Jae Rodriguez, Joel Kim Booster, Nat Faxon, Adam Scott, Ron Funches; created by Matt Hubbard and Alan Yang.
"The Swearing Jar" (not rated, 1 hour, 51 minutes, On Demand) A multi-level romantic comedy, screening this week at the Toronto International Film Festival, about a high school music teacher who, while reminiscing with her husband, unearths a long-buried lie about their seemingly perfect relationship. With Adelaide Clemens, Douglas Smith, Kathleen Turner; directed by Lindsay MacKay.
"Out of Office" (Comedy Central) This is an ensemble comedy about the blurring lines between working from home and would-be/should-be private life that centers on a woman (Milana Vayntrub) who finds that keeping her job is somehow tied to helping her boss (Ken Jeong) navigate his fast-failing marriage. With Jason Alexander, Cheri Oteri, Leslie Jones, Jay Pharoah; written and directed by Paul Lieberstein.
"Black Bird" (TV-MA, six episodes, 54-60 minutes each, Apple TV+) High school football star and police officer's son Jimmy Keene (Taron Egerton), who turns to dealing narcotics after college teams show no interest in him, is sentenced to 10 years in a minimum security prison, where he is given the choice of entering a maximum-security prison for the criminally insane and befriending suspected serial killer Larry Hall (Paul Walter Hauser) in an attempt to elicit a confession, which will allow Jimmy to go free, or stay where he is and serve his full sentence. Based on the autobiographical novel "In with the Devil," by James Keene. With Greg Kinnear, Ray Liotta; created by Dennis Lehane.
"Bandit" (R, 2 hours, 6 minutes, On Demand Sept. 23) A career criminal escapes from prison in Michigan and heads for Canada, where he assumes a new identity, falls for a social worker, and exploits his talent for robbing banks and loan-sharking, until a relentless detective decides to stop the crime spree. Based on the true story of the so-called Flying Bandit. With Josh Duhamel, Elisha Cuthbert, Mel Gibson; directed by Allan Ungar.