From a meta-human who could give Superman a run for his money to the horrors of a War that tore friends, family and communities apart, our third volume of box set binge recommendations is packed full of bingable TV treats
1. GENERATION WAR
“Unsere Mütter, Unsere Väter” or “Generation War” sparked more than a sprinkling of controversy upon its release. Some criticised Philipp 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.
2. AMERICAN HORROR STORY
Long before the MCU claimed to have invented the cinematic universe, Ryan Murphy’s American Horror Story was building a bloody universe all of its own.
American Horror Story would transform TV horror in the same way Game of Thrones transformed medieval fantasy. Unlike its brutal fantasy counterpart on HBO, every season of American Horror Story was a standalone story with a clear beginning, middle, and end, wrapped in a genre-defining theme from horror history.
Each perfectly formed season was interlinked, not just through a fantastic ensemble of returning actors, including Sarah Paulson, Evan Peters, Jessica Lange and Kathy Bates, but through timelines, places and people. Murphy’s horror universe was big, bold and otherworldly. While embracing the history of horror, Murphy also rejected and reworked the horror template of the monster, the serial killer, the witch, the alien and the vampire. He asked us to empathise with the exact figures we had been taught to fear and fear. Murphy’s horror world was unlike anything we had seen in its beauty, complexity, humour and scale, and it remains a tapestry of bloody, brilliant terror.
Box Set Binge (Volume 3)
3. KILLING EVE
Killing Eve is a masterclass in storytelling, beautifully building suspense through a blend of dark comedy and violence. The cat-and-mouse relationship between Eve and Villanelle is a dance of manipulation, with each character constantly testing the other’s limits as the show skillfully balances intrigue with the darkest humour.
Premiering in 2018 and created by Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Killing Eve is a truly groundbreaking exploration of obsession, identity, and the blurred lines between good and evil. With exquisite performances from Sandra Oh and Jody Comer, Killing Eve boldly challenges gender roles and stereotypes, presenting us with complex, empowered female characters who shine from the opening scene to the end.
4. BREAKING BAD
If Oz gave birth to a new, challenging, gritty drama on HBO, Breaking Bad changed how we viewed TV forever. Launched on cable TV in the USA in 2008 to rave reviews, Breaking Bad struggled to find an audience. But with the arrival of Netflix, Breaking Bad was about to take off stratospherically and usher in a new era of TV: the binge-watch.
From a mere million viewers on its premiere to over ten million on its finale, Breaking Bad embraced the classic cliffhanger while Netflix allowed you to watch it all day. It was a marriage made in heaven and one that changed TV forever. But make no mistake, this is a show built on the back of its fantastic cast. Watching Bryan Cranston, Aaron Paul, Dean Norris, Anna Gunn, and Co. weave their magic is nothing short of TV heaven.
5. LINE OF DUTY
From the low-level crime of Dixon of Dock Green to the heat of The Bill and the bravery of Juliet Bravo, British police dramas have been a mainstay of evening entertainment for decades. However, few police dramas, with the exception of Prime Suspect, have had the cultural impact of Jed Mercurio’s Line of Duty.
Mercurio would reinvent the police drama for a new age by wrapping his audience in high-energy tales of deceit and corruption that, while unique in season structure, created a far larger web of corruption. From the first episode to the last, Line of Duty grabbed its audience by the collar and didn’t let go, offering electric drama, intrigue and exquisite cliffhangers. It was appointment TV that demanded to be watched live, and millions heard its call.
6. MR ROBOT
TV dramas that manage to captivate and enthral their audience within the first episode are rare, but that is precisely what Mr Robot achieves. Owing much to Fight Club in style and tone, Mr Robot would lace its homage with bold discussions on modern media, mental health and technology. The result was a dystopian thriller that reflected the absurdities and dangers of 21st-century life. Here, we watch as the demons of capitalism unfurl through the eyes of a lead character, Elliot (Rami Malek), who is as mysterious as he is enthralling.
Box Set Binge (Volume 3)
7. THE FLASH
There was no shortage of DC outings following the success of Arrow in 2012, but none reached the heights of The Flash. Like Smallville, another fabulous DC show, The Flash should have hung up its boots five seasons in, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t one of the very best the CW has offered us. The Flash remains the gold standard in modern DC Comics TV, aimed squarely at a family audience, as Grant Gustin became the definitive Barry Allen for a whole new generation. The Flash was a hero we could believe in, and a show that captured the bygone energy and charm of classics like The Incredible Hulk and Wonder Woman.
8. BEING HUMAN
Long before we sank our teeth into the divine TV adaptation of Interview with the Vampire, the equally fabulous Being Human had us enthralled with its twisty, funny, emotional and damn right beautiful tale of a vampire, a ghost and a werewolf trying to navigate the human world from a shared house in Bristol.
Toby Whithouse’s supernatural comedy/horror placed BBC Three on the map with a cast including the fabulous Aidan Turner, Lenora Crichlow, Russell Tovey, Jason Watkins, Michael Socha, Sinéad Keenan, Annabel Scholey and Damien Molony, to name just a few. Running for five deliciously dark, fun, and always engaging seasons, Being Human remains one of the best shows to have come from BBC Three.
9. GREAT EXPECTATIONS
Great Expectations may be one of Dickens’ bleakest novels, almost verging on horror as fates collide, class conflict clouds hope, and manipulation and deceit hide around every corner. Brian Kirk’s 2011 adaptation, written by Sarah Phelps, captures the atmosphere of Dickens’ story in exquisite detail as we follow Pip (Oscar Kennedy/Douglas Booth) from his childhood to his twenties.
Given the darkness of Dickens’ story, you may wonder why Great Expectations should be on your BBC iPlayer watchlist. The answer is simple: Great Expectations is about the complexity of love, its unspoken dimensions, and how easily it can become toxic.
From Joe’s (Shaun Dooley) love and protection of Pip to Miss Havisham’s (Gillian Anderson) twisted love for Estella (Izzy Meikle-Small/Vanessa Kirby) and Pip’s unrequited love, Great Expectations is a story about the fragility of love in an ocean of manipulation, lies and class conflict.
10. RIPLEY
Those familiar with the book and Minghella’s adaptation will know what to expect from the plot; therefore, delivering the story in a new and fresh way was always going to be a challenge. But Zaillian pulls it off by turning Highsmith’s story into a gloriously lit 1930s-inspired film noir, where Scott’s Ripley is our queer homme fatale. Here, Robert Elswit’s cinematography is genuinely something to behold, as each scene is drenched in sumptuous chiaroscuro lighting, from the streets of Manhattan to the splendour of Rome and the winding alleyways of Capri and Atrani.
Like the best noirs, malice, mistrust, paranoia, and manipulation seep into every glorious scene, further enhanced by Jeff Russo’s fantastic score. At the same time, Scott’s calculating yet quiet performance sends shivers down the spine as his opportunistic Ripley enacts his haphazard and deadly plan. There are also problems, and the most significant of these is the coldness of Scott’s character and the strange decision not to further build on the homoeroticism of Minghella’s movie when offering us a clearly queer homme fatale. Age is also a barrier; after all, Ripley was twenty-five in Highsmith’s first book, a mere trainee sociopath, one could say, whereas Scott is clearly older and far more experienced. But for all its flaws, Ripley is a deliciously dark slice of modern noir that is as addictive as it is beautiful.
11. HOLLYWOOD
There is always a risk in merging fantasy with reality as the audience attempts to navigate and unpick the truth from a series of ideas and concepts. However, in Hollywood, Ryan Murphy pulls off this mix of fantasy and history to great effect as he carves up the institutionalised discrimination at the heart of Hollywood’s golden age with a “what could have been” story.
The 1940s studio system is placed front and centre as we explore the emerging careers of bright young actors and filmmakers seeking to break into the industry after World War II. Murphy places fictional characters, such as Darren Criss’ director Raymond Ainsley and David Corenswet’s actor Jack Costello, alongside a range of characters based squarely on real-life icons of the time, including Rock Hudson and Hattie McDaniel.
Hollywood presents us with a nuanced portrait of the creative drive and talent of those who often hid their true selves to achieve success in the industry.
Box Set Binge (Volume 3)
12. YOUNG ROYALS
Long before Red, White & Royal Blue graced our screens, Young Royals was to explore first love through the eyes of Prince Wilhelm, who had just arrived at a prestigious Swedish boarding school called Hillerska.
Far from the day-to-day pressures and media interest in royal life, Wilhelm’s only wish was to avoid the spotlight. But it’s not long before he meets gay scholarship student Simon, a non-boarder who doesn’t fit the image the other boys hold onto at any cost. But their connection is far more than a friendship, as Wilhelm and Simon tentatively touch hands in the dark and gaze into each other’s eyes when nobody is looking. However, love is never straightforward when you are a part of the royal bloodline, and gay love is even more complicated.
Over three seasons on Netflix, Young Royals has captured the imagination and hearts of a whole generation of kids, proving that queer stories about young love are now mainstream.
13. GENTLEMAN JACK
Created by Sally Wainwright (Happy Valley), it took a long time to bring Gentleman Jack to the screen. Set in Halifax, West Yorkshire, in 1832, Suranne Jones’ sublime portrayal of Miss Anne Lister, a diarist who is often called “the first modern Lesbian”, is not only utterly captivating but also incredibly fun. With an ensemble that includes Sophie Rundle, Joe Armstrong, and Gemma Whelan, Gentleman Jack is a 19th-century delight and a beautiful exploration of lesbian love and social oppression at the height of the Industrial Revolution.
14. 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.
Box Set Binge (Volume 3)
15. THE MUPPET SHOW
Fun fact: I once electrocuted myself while watching The Muppet Show! I was five or six and staying at my grandma’s house when I stuck my finger in a socket while playing with my Star Wars figures! Thankfully, the shock wasn’t all that bad, and I watched the rest of The Muppets on my grandma’s lap with what seemed like a giant slice of chocolate cake.
But I digress! The Muppet Show was one of the highlights of my TV week as a kid, with each episode transporting me into the wondrous world of Jim Henson’s misfit creations. The opening credits were enough to make the outside world evaporate as The Muppets took me under their wing.
Henson’s Muppet Show was pure escapism, joy, and innocence — a family show that would appeal to audiences of all ages through its humour, intelligence, and colourful parade of unique characters. So dive into Henson’s glorious world because, whether you are new to The Muppet Show or an adult who grew up with its wondrous creations, Jim Henson’s sublime TV show has something for everyone.
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