Sara Baalla

I'm an entertainment news reporter based in London, who covers all things TV, film and showbiz.

Check out my recent work here.

My Recent Work

Digital Spy •

Big Mood's bipolar representation is spot on

In the first episode of Channel 4's Big Mood, we are introduced to protagonist Maggie (Nicola Coughlan) as she rides a scooter through Dalston, donning red velour sweats and snazzy sunglasses.

The impulsive playwright arrives at her best friend Eddie's (Lydia West) bar and urges her to bunk off work to chase after her former teacher and lifelong crush.

After an eventful return to her old stomping ground, which involved a particularly awkward run-in in the headteacher's office, Maggie is faced
Empoword Journalism •

'Sex Education' Season 4: An Emotional Goodbye

Spoiler warning: This review contains spoilers for the fourth and final season of Netfix’s Sex Education.

When Sex Education first aired on Netflix back in 2019, no one quite anticipated how big it would become. The candid nature of the British teen comedy-drama garnered millions of fans worldwide. As we say goodbye to the sex-crazed students of Moordale School, it’s even more apparent just how pivotal this show has been for television.

Praised for its trademark humour and well-rounded charact
The Indiependent •

Jodie Comer: How The Scouse Powerhouse Has Cemented Herself As The Actress Of Our Generation

Since her breakout performance as the hilariously lovable Russian assassin Villanelle in the BBC’s spy-thriller series Killing Eve, British actress Jodie Comer has taken the acting world by storm. Now a two-time BAFTA, Emmy, Olivier and most recently Tony award winner, there’s just nothing this scouse powerhouse can’t do.

Comer began her career as a small screen actress with minor parts in the likes of Waterloo Road and Holby City in 2010. Comer soon found herself dominating British television
The Indiependent •

New Trailer Released For Final Season Of 'Sex Education'

The official trailer for the fourth and final season of Netflix’s teen sex comedy drama Sex Education has been released ahead of its premiere this week.

The fan-favourite series primarily follows Otis (played by Asa Butterfield) who decides to become a makeshift sex therapist at his school, Moordale Secondary. After reading his mum Jean’s (Gillian Anderson) notes from her career as a professional sex therapist, Otis quickly earns a reputation amongst his peers.

The show’s supporting cast are f
Empoword Journalism •

Katarina Johnson-Thompson Regains Her World Heptathlon Title

After regaining her world title at the World Athletics Championships in Budapest last month, British heptathlete Katarina Johnson-Thompson has proved that roadblocks make for an even more deserving victory.

With injury troubles, changes in coaching and the devastating loss of her father, she has overcome her fair share of obstacles.

After clinching the gold medal by 20 points, ahead of the American world leader Anna Hall, Katarina Johnson-Thompson acknowledged that her unexpected comeback was
The Indiependent •

Hulu Releases Trailer For Thriller Series 'The Other Black Girl'

The official trailer for Hulu’s upcoming psychological thriller The Other Black Girl has been released ahead of its premiere next month.

Based on the 2021 bestselling novel of the same name by Zakiya Dalila Harris, The Other Black Girl centres around aspiring book publisher Nella Rogers (played by Sinclair Daniel). Stuck in an editorial assistant role at a shockingly White publishing house in New York City, Nella is sick of the microaggressions that come with being the only Black girl at Wagner
The Indiependent •

TV Review: 'The Lincoln Lawyer' Season Two Is A Thrilling Masterpiece

Spoiler warning: This review contains spoilers for season two of the Netflix series The Lincoln Lawyer.

When season one of the legal drama series The Lincoln Lawyer first premiered, the overwhelmingly positive response from audiences and critics was an unexpected one: “A bingable, highly enthralling piece of entertainment,” wrote one review. Debuting on Netflix in 2022, a decade after the film of the same name starring Matthew McConaughey was released, it was unlikely the story’s reprise would
The Indiependent •

Feminism In Film: How Female-Led Films Have Changed The Face Of Cinema

Feminism in film is so on-brand right now. With blockbuster movies like the topical Barbie (2023) and the timeless classic Bridesmaids (2011) boosting the power of female-led films, cinema has truly enhanced its representation of women on the big screen—and it’s about time.

It’s been a long time coming. A lack of diverse female representation in Hollywood films dominated most of my childhood. It was only until the female-led classics of the early 2010’s that brought a new wave of female empower
The Indiependent •

New Trailer Released For Third Season Of 'Only Murders In The Building'

The official trailer for season three of the popular mystery series Only Murders in the Building has been released ahead of its debut next week.

The fan favourite comedy-drama series follows Charles (Steve Martin), Oliver (Martin Short) and Mabel (Selena Gomez). They are three true crime fanatics who form an unlikely friendship when they are embroiled in a murder that takes place in their luxury apartment building. Their shared love of true crime podcasts soon leads to them creating their own,
The Indiependent •

TV Review: Tom Holland Steals The Show In New Drama 'The Crowded Room'

Spoiler warning: This review contains spoilers for the ten-part Apple TV series The Crowded Room.

It’s an undeniable fact that Tom Holland’s acting career knows no bounds. He just keeps getting better and better. Since his breakout performances in Wolf Hall and as Peter Parker in the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s Spider-Man franchise, the English actor has fast become a household name. With legions of adoring fans under his belt, it’s clear that any of his future projects are going to be met with
Empoword Journalism •

Novak Djokovic: The Road To A Record 35th Grand Slam Final

In June, Novak Djokovic made history when he won The French Open for the third time, reaching a milestone 23rd Grand Slam singles title. Though a new generation of stars is paving the way for the future of tennis, there is certainly no slowing down for this record-breaking champion.

Defeating the fourth seed — Norway’s Casper Ruud — in straight sets, Djokovic acknowledged the pinnacle moment of his career: “Every single player dreams of being on this stage and winning the trophy at least once i
The Indiependent •

Netflix Releases Trailer For Season Two Part Two Of 'The Lincoln Lawyer'

Spoiler warning: This article contains spoilers for the second season of the Netflix series The Lincoln Lawyer.

Netflix has dropped the official trailer for part two of the second series of the hit courtroom series The Lincoln Lawyer.

Based on the books by Michael Connelly, The Lincoln Lawyer centres around hotshot lawyer Mickey Haller (played by Manuel Garcia-Rulfo) whose found behind the wheel of his beloved Lincoln (though he’s usually located in the backseat whilst his driver Izzy takes th
The Indiependent •

Prime Video Releases First Trailer For Drama Series 'The Lost Flowers Of Alice Hart'

Prime Video has dropped the first official trailer for its upcoming original series The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart starring Alien actress Sigourney Weaver.

Based on the best-selling novel by Holly Ringland, the series will centre around Alice Hart (Alycia Debnam-Carey) who goes to live on her grandmother’s flower farm in the Australian outback after the tragic death of her parents. Sporting an Australian accent in the trailer, Weaver is set to play Alice’s enigmatic grandmother June who is harb
The Indiependent •

Sky And FX Comedy 'Breeders' To End With Season Four

The critically acclaimed dark comedy Breeders starring Martin Freeman and Daisy Haggard is drawing to a close with the release of its fourth and final season, Sky has announced.

The popular series follows Freeman and Haggard as husband and wife Paul and Ally Worsley who are struggling to navigate the many aspects of modern parenting to their now teenage children Luke and Ally. Since debuting on Sky and FX back in 2020, the show’s unflinchingly funny account of parenthood resonated with a lot of
Empoword Journalism •

How Knitting Saved My Life

I remember the first time I saw someone knitting, during one of the darkest periods of my mental health. Fate, it’s a funny thing. The hobby that saved my life just so happened to find me exactly when I needed it—when my life really needed saving.

If I were to say the word illness to you, what would you think of? Days in bed with a hot water bottle, a cup of tea, and a good Netflix series? Your loved ones waiting on you, hand and foot? When I was younger and home from school, I remember being t
The Indiependent •

'High School Musical: The Musical: The Series' To End With Season Four

Disney + has announced the fan-favourite High School Musical: The Musical: The Series will end its successful run with season four, which is set to premiere this summer.

The series follows a group of teenagers with a passion for musical theatre (with casting including Joshua Bassett, Sofia Wylie, and Dara Reneé). Throughout the season, they put on productions of the High School Musical movies, as well as other well-known musicals. Set in the familiar location of East High, the high school that
The Indiependent •

Cast Of Netflix's 'Wednesday' Have Teased An Additional Cast Member For Season Two

The cast of Netflix’s most watched series Wednesday have officially revealed we will be seeing a new member of the Addams family joining the show for season two.

Fans went wild as Jenna Ortega (Wednesday Addams), Emma Myers (Enid Sinclair), Joy Sunday (Bianca Barclay) and Hunter Doohan (Tyler Galpin) made a surprise video appearance at Netflix’s annual Tudum global fan event in São Paulo. Discussing fan theories following the mind-blowing season one finale, the cast addressed the speculation su
Empoword Journalism •

Love Island Week One: Steamy Kisses, Awkward First Dates and a Load of Flirting

The summer of love has officially begun!

After wrapping up the winter series in South Africa back in March, Love Island has packed up and moved back to Mallorca for its tenth series. Here’s all the action you may have missed from the first week.

Let’s be honest, week one of Love Island isn’t always the most exciting affair. The public seem to agree, with only 1.3 million people tuning in to watch the launch episode on 5 June – over a million down on last year’s figures.

It’s early days. The f
The Indiependent •

Apple TV Set Premiere Date For Limited Series 'Lessons in Chemistry'

Apple TV has set a premiere date for the highly anticipated limited drama series Lessons in Chemistry, which will star Brie Larson. The first two episodes of the series will debut on the 13 October, with new episodes dropping weekly until 24 November.

Adapted from Bonnie Garmus’ bestselling debut novel, Lessons in Chemistry follows Elizabeth Zott (Larson), an extraordinary scientist whose dreams of excelling in chemistry are met with various challenges. Set in the patriarchal society of 1960s C
The Indiependent •

Phillip Schofield Announces Departure from 'This Morning'

After more than 20 years presenting ITV’s flagship daytime programme, Phillip Schofield has announced his departure from This Morning.

In a statement released on Saturday, Schofield revealed his intentions to leave the show: “I have always been proud to cover fascinating stories on This Morning. But recently, This Morning itself has become the story. I understand that ITV have decided the current situation can’t go on, and I want to do what I can to protect the show that I love. So, I have agre
The Indiependent •

Apple TV's 'Physical' To End With Season Three

Apple TV’s acclaimed dramedy Physical is set to end with its upcoming ten-episode third season, debuting this summer.

Set in the beach utopia of 1980s San Diego, the dark comedy stars Australian actress Rose Byrne as Sheila Rubin, who is a seemingly fulfilled housewife supporting her husband’s campaign for State Assembly. But not all is as it seems, as we soon discover Sheila’s hilariously dark impression of the world around her.

As she battles her inner demons, Sheila is introduced to the wor
Evening Standard •

Christmas Carole on Sky review: this contemporary retread lacks spirit

On paper, and especially with an actress as talented as Suranne Jones in the lead role, Christmas Carole should be a refreshingly avant garde take on a festive staple. Sadly, however, it falls well short of the brilliance of Dickens’ original spooky story. There are funny moments here and there, in particular the arrival of the ghosts, but becomes overloaded with dialogue and starts to drag.

We begin with a clip reminiscent of a John Lewis Christmas ad. A young girl befriends a lonely old man t
Evening Standard •

The Kingdom Exodus: cast, plot, where to watch Lars von Trier’s new series

Given its barmy premise (it’s about a very strange hospital and its eccentric staff and patients), the recent medical diagnosis of its often controversial director (in August Von Trier’s production company, Zentropa, announced that he had been diagnosed with Parkinson’s), and the series’ two-decades-late release, it made sense that the show made waves when it debuted on Mubi in November.

But if you’re new to Von Trier, or you haven’t caught up with The Kingdom Exodus yet, here’s everything ther