Box Set Binge – a smorgasbord of binge-worthy TV and streaming treats

MY SO-CALLED LIFE

Not every groundbreaking LGBTQIA+ story comes from a TV show dedicated to that theme. Sometimes, it’s a single episode or a lone character who changes everything and ushers in a new age of representation. My So-Called Life would be axed by ABC before its influence and merit were considered, and it remains one of the most influential teenage TV dramas ever to be cancelled after a single season.

The bravery and innovation at the heart of My So-Called Life were vast. However, it was a young Hispanic-Black character named Rickie Vasquez (played by Wilson Cruz) and a single Christmas episode, ‘So-called Angels,’ that would take LGBTQIA+ representation and storytelling in a brave new direction within teenage drama, changing the landscape of young adult TV forever. 

EUPHORIA

Created by Sam Levinson and lauded for its bold storytelling, striking visuals, and unflinching exploration of complex issues, Euphoria has become a cultural touchstone in contemporary television. The show delves deep into the lives of a group of high school students as they grapple with identity, trauma, addiction, relationships, and the pressures of growing up in the digital age. Through its raw honesty and artistic innovation, Euphoria has helped to redefine the teen drama genre.

Rue (Zendaya) is a recovering teenage drug addict who serves as both the protagonist and narrator of the series, guiding viewers through her tumultuous journey of self-destruction and recovery. Rue’s struggles with addiction, mental health, and identity form the emotional core of the show, offering an unvarnished and deeply empathetic portrayal of substance abuse and its ripple effects on relationships and family. At the same time, each fully-formed character offers a distinct and compelling perspective on the challenges of adolescence, from Jules Vaughn’s (Hunter Schafer) transgender journey to Nate Jacobs’ (Jacob Elordi) toxicity and hyper-masculine destruction.

ZERO ZERO ZERO

Based on the sweeping novel of the same name by Roberto Saviano, ZeroZeroZero is nothing short of epic in its construct. Its dark, brooding, tension-laden story of family, deception, and betrayal shines with nail-biting brilliance, knocking its TV competition out of the park due to its sheer cinematic scale and bravery.

With an enviable cast featuring,
Andrea Riseborough, Dane DeHaan, Harold Torres, Nika Perrone, Giuseppe De Domenico and Gabriel Byrne, ZeroZeroZero explores the international drug trade from three perspectives: the suppliers in Mexico, the buyers in Italy, and the New Orleans dealmakers. Here, we are asked a simple question: What happens when a deadly global machine built on cocaine hits the rocks? The answer is found in a series of interlinked episodes and a heart-pounding conclusion.

With the opening episodes directed by Stefano Sollima (Sicario 2: Soldado and Gomorrah), ZeroZeroZero sets out its uncompromising stall from the first scenes as it dissects an illegal drug industry built on pain, death and addiction. 

COLUMBO

Television series have long captivated audiences with intriguing storylines and unforgettable characters. One such iconic show that has left an indelible mark on the detective genre is Columbo.

Premiering in 1968, this beloved series, created by Richard Levinson and William Link, featured the unassuming yet astute Lieutenant Columbo, brilliantly portrayed by Peter Falk. With its distinctive formula and a unique protagonist, Columbo has etched its place in television history as one of the most influential and enduring detective series of the 20th Century.

Unlike traditional detective shows, Columbo boldly revealed the murderer’s identity from the start, allowing the viewer to engage in a game of cat and mouse as Columbo slowly but surely outmanoeuvred the killer.

The result is a show that is near-perfection, as you can get, taking us from 1968 to 2003 alongside the masterful Peter Falk and a host of celebrity cameos, including Leonard Nimoy, William Shatner, Faye Dunaway, Janet Leigh, Vincent Price, and yes, Johnny Cash!

SKINS

Channel 4’s groundbreaking teen drama Skins, created by Bryan Elsley and Jamie Brittain, really doesn’t get the attention or praise it deserves. Debuting on the new E4 in 2007, Skins’ unapologetic portrayal of the trials and tribulations of adolescence set the template for shows like Euphoria. Over its seven seasons, following three different groups of friends in Bristol, Skins redefined the teen drama genre and became a cultural phenomenon while introducing us to Dev Patel, Nicholas Hoult, Jack O’Connell and Kaya Scodelario, to name just a few.

Skins was notable for tackling difficult and often taboo subjects. Mental health, addiction, sexuality, eating disorders, and grief are all explored with an unflinching honesty that is rare in teen-focused media. While the show’s frank depictions of these issues sparked controversy, they also earned praise for shedding light on the challenges faced by young people in a way that felt genuine and unvarnished.

The show’s creators worked with young writers to ensure that the stories reflected the real experiences and voices of its target audience, lending authenticity that set it apart from more sanitised portrayals of teenage life.

TALES OF THE CITY

It may seem quaint and gentle now, but the 1993 Channel 4 and PBS drama, based on Armistad Maupin’s fictitious Barbary Lane, was unlike anything else on TV in the early ’90s.

Tales of the City would celebrate and reflect a time before AIDS brought a newly emerging ‘70s sexual liberation to an end. As a result, there is a wistful beauty to Maupin’s story and an undercurrent of sadness at what was lost. Yet, simultaneously, Tales of the City is joyous, bright and bold, a true trailblazer in every sense of the word.

In the United States, the show sparked debate about defunding PBS, and the public service broadcaster quickly withdrew it despite its strong ratings.

INDUSTRY

Industry is the equivalent of The Apprentice on steroids as we enter central London’s banking world post-2008 financial crash.

Industry initially follows a group of graduate interns through their first placement at a fictional ‘big bank,’ where their future careers depend on their performance as they are encouraged to compete for attention. But there is also life beyond the trading room floor, as our young hopefuls deal with the pressures of work, sex, friendships and drugs in seasons that transition from the fiery end of adolescence to the beginning of career-focused young adulthood and beyond. 

Industry isn’t afraid to tackle some big themes, from class-based discrimination to racism, sexism, corruption and self-harm, in a show that unpicks the “go big or go home” mentality of the financial sector. Here, the bright lights of London’s financial district dovetail with a much darker exploration of the slippery ladder to success, as the gloss and glitz of London’s ever-growing skyscrapers are coupled with post-crash politics, greed, and unchangeable trading behaviours.

While Industry is fiction, that doesn’t mean this intoxicating mix of Wall Street and Skins does not reflect some uncomfortable home truths through a haze of drugs, booze and sex. From greed and corruption to the pursuit of wealth and status at any cost, this show shines a light on the grubbier corners of finance, business, and the drive for wealth and success. So get ready for a wild, unrestrained, bumpy ride through the bright lights of London’s financial powerhouse. It’s bold, abrasive and utterly compelling, and, without a doubt, your next box set binge.

EERIE INDIANA

Eerie Indiana’s legendary status was established over just 19 episodes. By blending enthralling science fiction, fun fantasy, and classic monster horror, Eerie pays homage to Tales from the Crypt and The Twilight Zone. Here, each gloriously dark and delicious tale is set in a world of weirdness and wonder created by Jose Rivera, Karl Schaefer, and the indomitable Joe Dante.

The result is one of the shortest-lived but most innovative children’s TV shows ever made.

GENERATION WAR

“Unsere Mütter, Unsere Väter” or “Generation War” sparked more than a sprinkling of controversy upon its release. Some criticised Philip Kadelbach’s epic drama for not focusing enough on the atrocities at the Eastern Front, while others pointed to oversimplified narrative paths, particularly in the final episode. But these criticisms, while all fair in their own right, ignore the sheer power and bravery of Generation War in the landscape of wartime drama. 

Kadelbach’s three-part series sparked an important debate about the power and influence of political ideology. Generation War posed two simple questions that remain extremely difficult to answer: How did an intelligent and cultured society fall for the lure of Nazism? And why did some reject and stand up against this ideology, risking their own lives, while others accepted it without question?

It may not provide all the answers, but Generation War remains a poignant and important exploration of a profound European wound.

WORLD ON FIRE

Some TV dramas never receive the praise they deserve on their release, and World on Fire is one of those TV gems.

Peter Bowker’s BBC Second World War drama is a stunning and urgent exploration of the gradual descent into European and then World conflict. By weaving together multiple stories from across Europe as the abject horror of war took hold, World on Fire immerses its audience in the choices, decisions, bravery and resilience of individuals, groups and families against a rising tide of hate, political control, fascism and orchestrated murder.

World on Fire aimed to give voice to the ordinary people whose lives were transformed by an impending and unavoidable War as a rising tide of politically fueled hate swept across Europe.

A second series has now arrived, following a major pause due to COVID-19. While the second run is strong, it never quite matches the first’s power, largely due to the unavoidable gap in filming. But taken as a whole, World on Fire is a stunning slice of TV drama.