Watch this: Nicola Walker at Annika Abbott Elementary School
Quinta Brunson's irresistible mockumentary-style sitcom follows the beleaguered teachers of an underfunded Philadelphia school . The entire cast is great, but Janelle James as the self-obsessed, social media-savvy host Ava is simply amazing. (Where to watch: seasons 1-2 on Disney+)
Acapulco
Roughly inspired by the comic film How to be a Latino Lover, Acapulco falls into the sweet spot of Ted Lasso/Schitta Creek. Set in a luxury Mexican resort in the 1980s, staffer Maximo is wide-eyed in pursuit of wealth and the girl of his dreams. (Where to watch: Season 1 on Apple TV+)
The Afterparty
After a murder at a high school reunion, different characters share their perspectives — in the form of genre parodies of each episode of this inventive detective, from action movie to cartoon, musical and thriller. The brilliant cast included Tiffany Haddish and Dave Franco. (Where to watch: Season 1 on Apple TV+)
Annika
Originally a Radio 4 drama set in Oslo, this crime drama about a maritime homicide unit has been moved to Glasgow, although Annika Strandhead, played by Nicola Walker, is still Norwegian and still looks crooked, whether she's dealing with corpses or her flighty teenage daughter. (Where to watch: Season 1 NOW)
Arcane
In the «discourse» about whether HBO's The Last Of Us is the best video game adaptation, Arcane has been unfairly ignored. Based on the online beat 'em up game League of Legends, this is an animated steampunk thriller about two sisters, Jinx and Vi, who find themselves on opposite sides of a power struggle in a richly fictionalized fantasy universe. (Where to watch: Season 1 on Netflix)
Barry
This Bill Hader-starring black comedy gets even darker in three thrilling seasons (the fourth and final season starts April 16). Hader plays a dissatisfied hitman who finds a new purpose in an acting class (taught by Henry Winkler's eccentric coach), but who cannot escape his violent past. (Where to watch: Seasons 1-3 on Amazon Prime Video, Sky)
Behind her eyes
You'll have to go far and wide to find a wacky drama like this mesmerizing adaptation of Sarah Pinborough's supernatural thriller. Simone Brown plays a single mother entangled in a web of forbidden love with her new boss (Tom Bateman) and his terribly passive wife (Eve Hewson). Silly fun worth staying with for a twist that will make you scream out loud. (Where to watch: Season 1 on Netflix)
The Chair
Sandra Oh from Killing Eve trades killers for infighting and identity politics in academia. She plays the newly appointed head of the English department at a prestigious university, but when her colleague mimics a Nazi salute during a lecture, a cultural scandal erupts. (Where to watch: Season 1 on Netflix)
Scammers
After Josh (Joshua McGuire) and Fola (Susan Wokoma) succumb to a hasty one-night stand when their flight is delayed, they return home to find they are now neighbors — and each has a longtime partner. Will they be able to resist the temptation? Luckily, this fun rom-com is made up of 10-minute episodes. (Where to watch: BBC iPlayer)
Chef's Table
David Gelb's mouth-watering documentary series takes us into the kitchens of the world's greatest culinary talents. It's a true feast of food porn and also offers authentic insight into what drives the likes of Massimo Bottura, Alain Passard and Asma Khan. (Where to watch: Seasons 1-6 on Netflix)
Double
Cold War spy games meet futuristic science fiction. J.K. Simmons is Howard's lowly bureaucrat who relays messages between two parallel Earths — at least until his alternate world self shows up, on the trail of a deadly assassin and with a secret about Howard's wife. (Where to watch: Seasons 1-2 on Amazon Prime Video)
J.K. Simmons in Counterpart. Author: Alami Dalglish
The ever-versatile Bertie Carvel delivers a compelling tale of humble poetic detective P.D. James in this cool new adaptation with a detailed 1970s setting. If you missed the Channel 5 premiere, you can now find it on Amazon. (Where to watch: Season 1 on Amazon Prime Video)
Detroiters
Singing with incredible energy and a devotion to surrealism that would impress a Monty Python crew, Tim Robinson and Sam Richardson play a pair of low-rent advertisers whose strike rate is inversely proportional to their mistakes. It's breathtaking — but damn it's fun. (Where to watch: Seasons 1-2 on Amazon Prime Video)
Difficult People
Billie Eichner and Julie Klausner play aspiring comedians and caustic best friends in this deliberately edgy comedy. It's like a feline version of Curb Your Enthusiasm, with an equally impressive list of guest stars and close-to-the-bones, pop culture-savvy gags. (Where to watch: seasons 1-3 NOW)
Documentaries now!
An unparalleled mockumentary series featuring a different genre in each episode, assisted by big-name guests. Highlights include a wonderful parody of Sondheim, where John Mulaney plays the demanding composer and Cate Blanchett plays the tortured entertainer. (Where to watch: Seasons 1-3 on Amazon Prime Video)
Cate Blanchett in Documentary! Credit: Alami Dry
Aptly titled dry Irish comedy, written from an impeccable screenplay by playwright Nancy Harris and produced by Normal People's Element Pictures, a recovering alcoholic Shiv returns home to her dysfunctional family. Ciarán Hinds plays her depraved father. (Where to watch: Season 1 NOW)
The Empress
The Crown meets silence on the Western Front in this German-language dramatization of the life of Empress Elisabeth of Austria. Elisabeth — or «Sisi» — falls in love with her sister's fiancé, Emperor Franz Joseph, and becomes embroiled in court intrigues in Vienna. She could have picked a better time: the Empire has never been more unstable, and now Russia and England want Franz to join their side in the Crimean War. (Where to watch: Season 1 on Netflix)
Evil
Delightfully blending laughter with a real streak of horror wickedness, three seasons of Evil star Mike Colter as a trainee Catholic priest who teams up with psychologist Katie Herbert to investigate supernatural phenomena. This is «The Exorcist» as it came through the National Lampoon press release. (Where to watch: seasons 1-3 on Paramount+)
The Exorcist
Speaking of Walter Peter's original horror Blatty, this series is about a pair of psychic researchers working on the aftermath of the original 1973 film. It's also a direct sequel, so you can safely ignore the more and more wobbly successors to the films. (Where to watch: Season 1 on Amazon Prime Video)
Fauda
Israeli TV is responsible for a number of imported gems and this spy thriller is one of the best. Three seasons follow an IDF operative on the hunt for a ruthless Palestinian killer. Based on the writers' own time in the military, it's dark and disorienting, like a sudden sandstorm. (Where to watch: Seasons 1-4 on Netflix)
Foundation
There has been a galactic backlash against David S. Goyer — author of Christopher Nolan's Batman trilogy — and his adaptation of Isaac Asimov's iconic novels on the non-traitor grounds of his Foundation with little to no relation to the source material. Doesn't matter. On its own, Founding is a compelling OTT portrait of a utopian society in decline — it's worth watching the feverish Lee Pace as an emperor who can't die but sometimes wishes he did. (Where to watch: Season 1, Apple TV+)
For All Mankind
«Alternative history» is usually a code word for «what if the Nazis won the war and Big Ben was redesigned to resemble Hitler's face? «. This Apple series from Battlestar Galactica showrunner Ronald D. Moore is more subtle: it gives us a reimagining of the Cold War space race when the Soviets first landed on the moon. (Where to watch: Seasons 1-3 Apple TV+)
Gazlit
Inspired by the acclaimed Slate Slow Burn podcast, this political thriller tells the story of Watergate from the perspective of those around Nixon. It focuses on Martha Mitchell, the wife of Attorney General Nixon, played by Julia Roberts, who was the first to expose the case. (Where to watch: Lionsgate+)
Sean Penn and Julia Roberts in Gaslit. Photo: Starzplay Girls5eva
The Tina Fey-produced sitcom about a girl group reuniting in middle age has a ridiculously great cast (Sarah Bareille, Busy Philipps, Paula Pell and Renee Elise Goldsberry), a number of head-turning gags, and a set of slyly satirical yet heartfelt catchy original songs. (Where to watch: Seasons 1-2 on Netflix)
Godless
A hilarious interweaving of Deadwood with Lysistrata, this western from King's Gambit creator Scott Frank has a 10-gallon hat of acting talent, starring Jack O'Connell as a murderous outlaw seeking revenge in a border town almost entirely populated by women. — thanks to the accident at the mine that destroyed the men. Jeff Daniels, Michelle Dockery and Thomas Brodie-Sangster also star. (Where to watch: Season 1 on Netflix)
The Good Fight
No other series captures the rage, frustration, and surrealism of the Trump era so perfectly. Christine Baranski stars in this stylish legal drama (The Good Wife spin-off); decoration-munching guests include Mandy Patinkin and Michael Sheen. (Where to watch: Seasons 1-6 on Amazon Prime Video and Virgin Go)
Christine Baranski on The Good Fight Credit: CBS Kunstkammer Guillermo del Toro
If you like horror but don't want to be scared to death, del Toro's hockey anthology series is the perfect treat. Lovecraft was one of the inspirations for the enjoyable mature show in which del Toro introduces every horror story, taking a cue from Alfred Hitchcock in Alfred Hitchcock Presents. (Where to watch: Season 1 on Netflix)
Guilt
This dark comedy crime series about two brothers who cover up a hit-and-run accident in Edinburgh is similar to the Coen brothers' Caledonian escapade. Mark Bonnar is at his best as the snarky and immoral lawyer Max, and there are many twists and turns in this gripping story. (Where to watch: Seasons 1-2 on Amazon Prime Video; Season 2 on BBC iPlayer)
Heels
Sweat, spandex and brotherly rivalry make for a heady drink in this wrestling drama. Two brothers try to resurrect their father's (somewhat incredible) wrestling business in small town Georgia. But who will be the hero, and who will be the «heel» and fall? (Where to watch: Season 1 on Lionsgate+ or Virgin Go)
Home Before Dark
Inspired by real-life nine-year-old reporter Hilda Lysiak, our little newspaper clerk is on the trail of an important cold case in her father's secretive hometown in this gripping crime drama inspired by real-life nine-year-old reporter Hilda Lysiak. Brooklyn Prince plays the precocious Hilda, while Jim Sturgess plays her father. (Where to watch: Seasons 1-2 on Apple TV+)
In My Skin
This underrated Welsh gem is worth looking for on iPlayer. Teenager Bethan has a rocky home life — her father is a drunk, her mother is bipolar — but she also finds moments of hope through an exquisitely tender teen romance. (Where to watch: Seasons 1-2 on BBC iPlayer)
Invincible
Did The Boys make you crave more foul language and super-powerful violence? Then sink your teeth into this — very adult-only — animated film about a boy who discovers his father, the superhero Omni-Man, may not be as pure as it sounds. (Where to watch: Season 1 on Amazon Prime Video)
Julia
We've already had Meryl Streep's version of 1960s television chef Julia Child on the big screen, but Happy Valley star Sarah Lancashire's portrayal is just as delightful — and includes some Mad Men-style social commentary. David Hyde Pierce, Bebe Neuwirth and Judith Light are great support. (Where to watch: Season 1 on Sky)
The Knick
Picture House set in turn-of-the-century New York, with added racial tension. Steven Soderbergh directed the first season of this action-packed medical drama set in the Knickerbocker Hospital, which follows its brilliant but opium-addicted chief of surgical staff (Clive Owen) and a pioneering black doctor (Andre Holland). Barry Jenkins of Moonlight is reportedly working on a third season. (Where to watch: Seasons 1-2 on NOW, Sky)
Last Chance.
You don't have to be a sports fan to appreciate the pure human drama in this gripping docu-series about American college football teams under siege. Will they be able to unite to win? Not always. Remember Friday Night Lights, but really. (Where to watch: seasons 1-5 on Netflix)
The Lazarus Project
In this compelling Joe Burton (Giri/Hadji) sci-fi thriller, George Paapa Essiedu discovers that he is part of an elite group that can turn back time to prevent extinction, but also erase everything that happened. , adding an agonizing emotional element. (Where to watch: Season 1 on Sky)
The Lazarus Project Credit & Copyright: Simon Ridgway, Mick
In It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, Caitlin Olson plays Mickey, a filthy drifter who ends up taking care of her rich, pampered sister's children in Los Angeles after her sister and husband are jailed for fraud. It has Always Sunny's malicious pleasure in insults and the same tomfoolery energy. Dirty Uncle's Modern Family. (Where to watch: Season 1-2 on Disney+)
Midnight Mass
Created by Mike Flanagan of The Haunting of Hill House, this slow-burn horror film centers around an isolated American fishing community that is a new Catholic priest who seems to be able to work miracles. As always, the payoff is less appealing than the premise, but it's still a chillingly fascinating exploration of faith. (Where to watch: Season 1 on Netflix)
Miracle Workers
This imaginative anthology comedy series has the same amazing cast, but moved into different settings, from bureaucratic paradise to the dark ages and then the Oregon trail. Starring Daniel Radcliffe, Steve Buscemi and Geraldine Viswanathan. (Where to watch: seasons 1-3 on NOW, Sky)
Mosquito Coast
«Middle Age Man Has a Crisis» has been a key element of some of the best prestige TV shows, from The Sopranos to Breaking Bad and Mad Men. But as outdated as that premise may seem these days, you have to give Justin Theroux's adaptation of the 1981 bestseller The Mosquito Coast (his uncle Paul Theroux) credit for diving head first. It's a heavily overcooked portrait of a midlife crisis in which Theroux grows layers of unsettling stubble to portray an eccentric inventor on the run from the US government and taking his increasingly reluctant family to Central America. (Where to watch: Seasons 1-2, Apple TV+)
Mythic Quest
This brilliantly detailed workplace sitcom is fueled by a power struggle between selfish video game creator Ian (It's Always Sunny in Rob McElhenney's Philadelphia). and talented engineer Poppy (Charlotte Nicdao). F. Murray Abraham is an amazing science fiction writer. (Where to watch: Seasons 1-3 on Apple TV+)
Nathan for You
Canadian comedian Nathan Fielder plays a socially awkward version of himself in this documentary-style reality show. It's the perfect, mind-bending spoof of management consultants and commercialization, with both a petting zoo and a renamed Dumb Starbucks coffee shop as victims. (Where to watch: Seasons 1-4 on Amazon Prime Video)
In-building murders only
Steve Martin, Martin Short and Selena Gomez are crime podcast fanatics who team up when a murder occurs in their own New York City apartment building. Blissfully silly skits and generational gap jokes are balanced by thrilling revelations of mystery stories. (Where to watch: seasons 1-2 on Disney Plus)
Selena Gomez, Steve Martin and Martin Short in Only Murder» in Building Credit: AP Pacific Rim: The Black
Anime has become one of the most popular genres on Steam, but it can be hard for newbies to know where to start. One good starting point is the Netflix spin-off about Guillermo del Toro's giant robots vs monsters playing in the Pacific. In fact, Black owes as much to Frank Herbert's Dune as it does to Godzilla's tale of crazy Australian desert cults and a pale-faced child with strange powers and a shocking fate. (Where to watch: seasons 1 and 2, Netflix)
Paper Girls, Amazon
What if Stranger Things was a solid reflection on friendship, the aging process, and the melancholy of middle age — with giant robots? Such is the case with Paper Girls, a touching adaptation of Brian K. Vaughn's graphic novel about four young girls who, during their newspaper rounds, find themselves blinking ahead from 1988 to 2022. (Where to watch: Episode 1 on Amazon Prime Video)< /p>Tales from the Loop
Based on sci-fi in the style of retro-future Swedish artist Simon Stålenhag, Tales from the Loop is a melancholy slow motion television series set in the fictional city of Mercer, Ohio, where cutting-edge empirical physics has quietly reshaped the contours of reality. Rebecca Hall and Jonathan Pryce lead the cast, although Philip Glass's hypnotic score is the real star. (Where to watch: Season 1 on Prime Video)
The Outsider
The supernatural crime horror based on the Stephen King novel has the quivering touches of True Detective. It follows detective Ben Mendelsohn as he struggles with his rationality while investigating the murder of a child by what appears to be a decent, perfectly decent family man (Jason Bateman). (Where to watch: Season 1 on Amazon Prime Video)
Perry Mason
Set in sinful 1930s Los Angeles, Perry Mason is a penniless, drunken private detective haunted by his wartime experience in this origin story of a great TV lawyer. It's visually opulent Old Hollywood noir, complete with quirky cops, quirky evangelists, and hard-boiled dialogue. (Where to watch: Season 1 on Sky and Amazon Prime Video; UK date for Season 2 unconfirmed)
Quarry
Black as night in Mississippi, this neo-noir is about a Vietnam War veteran, who returns to Memphis and becomes a bandit and hitman. Infused with the atmosphere of the Deep South, it is a finger-licking dose of delicious immorality. (Where to watch: Season 1 on Amazon Prime Video, Sky, Virgin Go)
Reservation Dogs
Taika Waititi (of the more goofy Thor movies) and Sterlyn Harjo delivered a cute original Tarantino-style comedy about a group of Native American teenagers and hapless petty criminals who yearn to escape their Oklahoma community and head to California. (Where to watch: Season 1 on Disney+)
Shiny Girls
Elisabeth Moss, always excellent, is Kirby, who barely survived a brutal attack and is now hunting her attacker (the downright creepy Jamie Bell). But there's a supernatural twist to this serial killer thriller: Kirby's reality is ever-changing, and the convoluted plot involves time travel. (Where to watch: Season 1 on Apple TV+)
Slow Horses
Mick Herron's series of novels about misfits in MI5 who fall into the trap of a dangerous spy game is now a compelling drama. Gary Oldman, who plays the white-haired but still shrewd Jackson Lamb, sparred brilliantly with the icy Kristin Scott Thomas. (Where to watch: Seasons 1-2 on Apple TV+)
The Spy
Try to put Borat out of your mind as Sacha Baron Cohen plays an Israeli spy sent to infiltrate the Syrian government. It is based on the amazing true story of Eli Cohen (no relation). (Where to watch: Season 1 on Netflix)
Ladder
Not a mediocre drama starring Colin Firth, but an original documentary — a classic of the true crime genre. Michael Peterson is accused of killing his wife, and there are surprises in this bizarre case like a creepy cold case, bisexuality revelation and, yes, the infamous owl theory. (Where to watch: Season 1 on Netflix)
Star Trek: Strange New Worlds
The creaking interstellar franchise boldly returns to its core values with a thrilling prequel set just before the original Captain Kirk saga. Anson Mount gives him the full «William Shatner» as Christopher Pike, Kirk's predecessor as the Enterprise spaceship. Recently, Star Trek shows have tried to «reinvent» the brand for a modern audience. This one goes back to basics and makes phasers have fun. (Where to watch: Season 1 at Paramount +)
Treadstone
For Bourne fans, Operation Treadstone will have a chilling resonance. It was a secret CIA program that created super-killers through behavior modification, and from which Jason Bourne (Matt Damon) tried his best to escape. This prequel series traces the program's origins and explores the backstories of some of its other alumni. (Where to watch: Season 1 on Amazon Prime Video)
The Try
Rafe Spall and Esther Smith play a couple who discover they can't conceive and begin the process of adopting a child in this successful comedy-drama. The fantastic ensemble includes Imelda Staunton, Ophelia Lovibond, Oliver Chris, Darren Boyd, Phil Davis and Kush Jumbo. (Where to watch: Seasons 1-3 on Apple TV+)
Upload
Greg Daniels of Parks and Recreation wrote this concept sci-fi comedy about a programmer who, after Death finds his mind being uploaded into a virtual afterlife — complete with in-app purchases. Like a more fun, shiny Black Mirror. (Where to watch: Seasons 1-2 on Amazon Prime Video)
Yellowstone
Taylor Sheridan's series about a timeless Wyoming cattle rancher (Kevin Costner) is all-conquering in the US, but is somewhat overlooked here. It's long past time for a change, as this ultra-violent neo-western is well worth the ride. (Where to watch: seasons 1-5 on Paramount+)
You don't know me
The hero is about to go to jail for murder, but is he really guilty? Written by Vigil creator Tom Edge, this adaptation of lawyer Imran Mahmood's novel cleverly dramatizes the racial prejudice and social problems the Hero faces while keeping us guessing about his ultimate guilt. (Where to watch: Season 1 on BBC iPlayer, Netflix)
ZeroZeroZero
Based on the book of the same name by Gomorrah writer Roberto Saviano, this drama revolves around a family that smuggles drugs and smuggles cocaine around the world. globe. Luxurious production values scream big bucks, and there's a harsh presence in the depiction of crime. (Where to watch: Season 1 on Amazon Prime Video, Sky)
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