A new prequel series exploring the origins of the infamous horror character Pamela Voorhees premiered on Sky Atlantic, delivering a graphic and intense introduction to the storied “Friday the 13th” franchise. Set several years before the events that made Jason Voorhees a household name, the show centers on the character portrayed by Linda Cardellini, who embodies Pamela as she grapples with the trauma of losing her son at a summer camp. The opening episode quickly establishes a dark and unsettling tone, featuring scenes of intense violence and psychological distress. One particularly disturbing moment involves the death of a character who suffers suffocation under a blood-filled plastic bag tightly secured to their head. The storyline suggests that Pamela’s grief and instability drive her toward deadly confrontations with individuals probing her mysterious past, setting the stage for the horror that unfolds. The series is expected to appeal strongly to fans of the genre, blending visceral gore with character-driven drama.

In a different vein, BBC Two aired a documentary revisiting the Aberfan disaster of 1966, a tragic event that devastated a Welsh village when a coal waste tip collapsed onto the community below. The catastrophe resulted in the deaths of 144 people, including 116 children, after a primary school and nearby homes were engulfed by more than 100,000 tons of coal sludge. The documentary offers an emotional recounting of the disaster, highlighting personal testimonies from survivors and the families of the deceased. It further examines the role of the National Coal Board, which had been warned about the instability of the waste tip but failed to act on community concerns, exacerbating public grief and outrage. By revisiting these harrowing events, the program sheds light on the community’s resilience and the enduring impact of the disaster on Aberfan’s residents.