Mr Bates vs the Post Office (ITV)
If Toby Jones is in it, you know it will be good. Still, few could have foreseen the impact this ITV series depicting the injustice of the Post Office scandal would go on to have, nor that “subpostmaster” would become one of the most commonly used nouns in the British media for months to come. Issue drama at its best.
Truelove (Channel 4)
This series is about assisted dying, but is saved from feeling bleak by dark humour, a magnificent older cast, and an essential grounding in 21st-century Britishness. Our critic said it “does so many good things at once, it fairly restores my faith in TV drama”.
The Miners Strike 1984 (Channel 4)
In three films, director Tom Barrow combines archive footage with moving new footage of former minors to explore the grim, lingering impacts of the year-long dispute. As our reviewer observed, “The feeling is of a patchwork quilt, oral and visual history patiently stitched together in a manner that allows the tracing of complex patterns.”
Baby Reindeer (Netflix)
The media storm of interviews and reports of lawsuits came to dominate discussion of this series: but the power of the show itself was its brutally honest depiction of abuse and its devastating consequences. Our writer called it “an important and shattering thing”.
Rebus (BBC)
Taggart meets Happy Valley in this adaptation of Ian Rankin’s novels, starring Richard Rankin (no relation) as the titular detective. He makes for a compelling Rebus, even in greasy jeans.
Eric (Netflix)
Not many missing child stories also involve a giant, walking, talking puppet. But that’s the mind of Abi Morgan for you – and this might just be the best thing she’s ever done.
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Sherwood (BBC)
The long shadow of the miner’s strike also falls over this gripping series set in a Nottinghamshire village still suffering its after-effects. The specificity of James Graham’s script and a stellar cast elevate it above the usual crime drama fare. Our critic writes: “As I watched, I thought all the time of where I grew up… In Sherwood, I recognise everything. Its universality – the holy grail of any decent writer – lies in its very detail.”
Colin From Accounts (BBC)
The return of the Australian romcom featuring flirtatious flashing, bad driving, and an oddly-named dog on wheels! Good news: it’s just as funny the second time around.
Rivals (Disney+)
Naked tennis! Handlebar moustaches! Plane sex! Power ballads! What’s not to enjoy about this gloriously silly adaptation of Jilly Cooper’s 1988 novel? The cast is impeccable and the story – of bonking, betrayal and broadcast journalism – absurd. Finally, TV is fun again.
Wolf Hall: The Mirror and the Light (BBC)
It’s been nine years since the first series of this Hilary Mantel adaptation was on screens, but it’s worth the wait. Voices whisper, candles and expressions flicker, and every gesture signifies something more. It’s a masterclass in subtlety and subtext.
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