Every year TV gets better and better. But this year, tv channels and broadcasters are pulling out all the stops to compete with streaming services such as Netflix or Prime.
This year some great tv has really stood out from the crowd and there are shows coming back to rock the boat too. Whether you’re into your period drama or contemporary thrillers, there’s a lot on offer to suit all the family.
At the moment, it’s good to see some happiness and laughter now that Britain’s got talent is back. I love that show and don’t care what anyone has to say about it. Show makes me smile, cry, laugh and it’s always a talking point with friends and family.
But, if that isn’t something that rocks your boat, there are plenty of shows on offer the suit every taste. Whilst I won’t be watching games of throne’s this year, as I’m not a fan, there are some things that I’ve seen, enjoyed, didn’t enjoy, expected too much, can’t wait for, loving, watching eagerly – that I think you might like too.
So this blog post is about some of the great shows that have already happened this year, some shows that I’m watching now, and the shows I’m eagerly awaiting for those that are yet to be released. I’ll be interested to hear what your thoughts are on any of the shows I’ve written about. Please comment, I wanna know!
What I’ve seen…
Tin Star
I watched this as a box set, thank to Sky Atlantic’s pre-download service when the series premiered on Sky Atlantic. For me, whilst season one was amazing from start to finish, I feel that this season lacked the same grit, black comedy feel that it did before. For me, the writers seemed to either have got drunk with Tim Roths character and forgot how to write or just lost their way. Admittedly like many other tweeters, I was going to give it up mid season, but I stuck with it and now want to see if there’s a season three to hopefully find out what exactly just happened in the last 9 episodes. I won’t say what happened, or what shocks, plot twists and more are in store for the town of Little Big Bear, but I would love to hear your thoughts if you have watched it.
Last season, we saw how Jim Worth (Roth), a former British detective now small town police chief, of the tranquil town of Little Big Bear, looking for a better, quieter life. When a vast new oil refinery, fronted by corporate liaison Elizabeth Bradshaw, played by Christina Hendricks, opens nearby, Little Big Bear.
Escape at Dannemora
The small sleepy town of Dannemora is home to the Clinton Correctional Facility, A maximum security prison. Emmy winner Ben Stiller was executive producer and director of this miniseries shown on sky Atlantic earlier this year. Two inmates, Richard Matt and David Sweat become entangled in the life of a married female prison employee in the summer of 2015. Tilly Mitchell, an employee at Clinton Correctional Facility becomes romantically entangled with both convicts and aids in their escape from the facility.
With a superb cast – Benicio Del Toro, Paul Dano, and Patricia Arquette, to name just a few, this miniseries meets film meets tv show is excellent, awkward, terrifying and more in every way.
The Victim
Scottish actors Kelly Macdonald and John Hannah lead the cast of this new legal thriller which is told from the perspective of the plaintiff and the accused, and promises to offer “a constantly surprising and twisting perspective on who is really ‘the victim.’
It’s a real case of who’s telling the truth and who isn’t and the constant twists will play havoc of your mind. Who do you believe, who should you believe?
The Widow – ITV
A woman’s search to uncover the mysterious disappearance of her husband leads her to the Congo, where she’s forced to seek the truth about what happened to the man she loved. Starring Kate Beckinsale, Alex Kingston, Babs Olusanmokun and Charles Dance.
What I’m currently watching:
Chernobyl – Sky
The Chernobyl disaster, also referred to as the Chernobyl accident, was a catastrophic nuclear accident that occurred on 25–26 April 1986 in the No. 4 nuclear reactor of the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant, near the now-abandoned town of Pripyat, in northern Ukrainian SSR. This five-part British-American historical drama television miniseries created and written by Craig Mazin and directed by Johan Renck. It was a co-production between the American cable network HBO and the British television network Sky.
Cast lineup includes Jared Harris, Emily Watson, Stellan Skarsgård, Jessie Buckley and Paul Ritter. It’ll send ultimate chills down your spine, but this mini series is heartbreaking, shocking and remarkable.
Gentleman Jack – BBC
The new BBC1 series from Sally Wainwright focuses on Anne Lister, a woman often labelled “the first modern lesbian.” “Gentleman Jack” examines Lister’s relationships with her family, servants, tenants and industrial rivals, and would-be wife. The real-life Anne Lister’s story was recorded in her diaries, and the most intimate details of her life are revealed for the series.
What’s still to come….
The Luminaries – BBC2
Casino Royale’s Eva Green is starring in the TV adaptation of Eleanor Catton’s Man Booker Prize-winning novel The Luminaries. The drama promises to be “an epic story of love, murder and revenge” and is set on the Wild West Coast of New Zealand’s South Island during the boom years of the 1860s gold rush.
Riveira – Sky Atlantic
It’s back!
I’m already a few episodes in after downloading all the episode last Thursday and so far, so deliciously good. I won’t spoil anything but there are a lot of surprises and how will it end? Riviera season two is on Sky Atlantic and NOW TV. Julia Stiles is yet again leading the Riviera cast, which included Adrian Lester and Iwan Rheon in the first series.
I can’t wait for…
Handmaids Tale – C4
It’s back, again. Praise be.
If you watched the second season last year, you would have shared my anger at the seasons finale. I was annoyed that June, played by the amazing Elisabeth Moss, decided not to flee Gilead’s oppressive hellhole when offered with one heck of a way to escape, instead, walking back into the hellmouth, with sheer determination. I’m pretty sure I was screaming at the tv over that moment.
The series, based on real-life events and Margaret Atwood’s 1985 novel of the same name, has been a topic of conversation with so many. Some watch it with the same amount of nerves of what’s to come and others refuse to. My sister just won’t watch it. The thought of it ever becoming a reality freaks her out. Fair dos.
So what’s to happen now? I have so many questions, there’s not enough space to write them all. But whatever will happen, I’m scared to see the result.
Happy Valley – BBC 1
Although the release date hasn’t been confirmed yet, I can’t wait for season three to start. No-nonsense police officer Catherine Cawood, Played by the amazing Sarah Lancashire, is coming back for the long-awaited third series of Sally Wainwright’s BAFTA winning crime drama. If you’ve never seen this program before, I’m telling you right now you need to catch up with season one and season two. Well worth the long wait.
Killing Eve – BBC
Although America luckily have already started watching season two of Killing Eve, there is no official date yet here in the UK as to when it will be aired.
Sadly, for all us Tom Hardy fans, production hasn’t even started on Taboo’s second series yet, with creator Steven Knight saying in May 2017 that they expected to start shooting in early 2018. So we’re guessing we won’t get to watch it until early 2019. Soz.
Liar series 2 ITV
Joanne Froggatt and Ioan Gruffudd will both return for the second series of Liar to answer the many questions we had after the shock series one ending.
Good Omens – Amazon Prime
An angel and a demon must join forces to find a way to save the world as the end of time grows near with the approaching Armageddon. Good Omens is an upcoming television serial based on the 1990 novel Good Omens: The Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter, Witch by Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman.
Cast includes, including David Tennant, Michael Sheen, Jack Whitehall, Anna Maxwell Martin, John Hamm, Derek Jacobi, Mark Gatiss and many more.
Adult Material – C4
Adult Material, which is set in modern Britain, sees Smith take on the role of Jolene Dollar, mum of three and leading British porn star for two decades.
Sheridan Smith stars as a leading British porn star in a drama examining the adult film industry. It promises to be a timely look at how porn’s influence on mainstream culture has affected society’s ideas of consent.
What are you watching?
Missy, Me & Him 