Is it just us, or is television experiencing an extraordinary golden age right now? From gripping medical dramas to biting satires, the small screen is delivering one masterpiece after another. Here are the shows you would be mad to miss.
The Pitt
Weekly on HBO Max. Last year, I was telling everyone who would listen about The Pitt, a breathless medical drama that tracks a 15-hour stint in a busy Pittsburgh emergency room. Each episode focuses on one hour in the lives of doctors and nurses pushed to their limits. That show is now the biggest series on TV, and it truly deserves that moniker. With razor-sharp attention to detail and a wealth of well-rounded characters to root for, it is a cultural phenomenon. Thank heavens lead star Noah Wyle's original plans to make this a pure ER reboot fell through.
Beef
Out now on Netflix. Back for a second season, Beef remains one of the most brilliantly conceived shows on Netflix. Season one followed the escalating fallout from a road-rage incident; season two relocates to a swanky Montecito country club. Two cash-strapped young staff members film their bosses having a massive domestic row and start wondering what that video might be worth. What follows is thrilling and unpredictable: a vicious, subversive class war, with Carey Mulligan and Oscar Isaac superb as the crumbling couple at its centre.
Margo's Got Money Troubles
Out now on Apple TV+. I could not get enough of this show. Adapted from the 2024 novel by Rufi Thorpe, it is hard to define: a show about OnlyFans, motherhood, power imbalances, and money, all set in a candy-coloured world. Elle Fanning is effervescent at the story's glittering core, surrounded by a note-perfect ensemble of Nick Offerman, Michelle Pfeiffer, Nicole Kidman, and Thaddea Graham. Perfect, joyous TV that, like the sun on your skin, you will miss when it is over.
The Other Bennet Sister
Out now on BBC iPlayer. As soon as I finished watching The Other Bennet Sister, in which plain, put-upon Mary from Pride & Prejudice gets her moment as an Austen heroine, I wanted to start again. Nostalgic, silly, but incredibly important, full of heart and big feelings, stacked with brilliant British actors having the time of their lives. The best bit? Mary Bennet looking like the cock of the walk in a rowing boat, her two warring suitors heaving her to shore in Darcy-esque white wet shirts.
Dirty Business
Out now on All 4. Channel 4 delivered the greatest piece of British campaigning television since Mr Bates vs The Post Office with Dirty Business, a deep dive into the murky raw sewage scandal. Starring Jason Watkins and David Thewlis as two real-life neighbours who noticed a lack of wildlife in their filthy local river, the three-parter follows them as they uncover how water companies allowed raw sewage to contaminate England's rivers and seas over 10 years. Darkly comic yet heartbreaking, prepare to laugh and cry, but most of all, feel incredibly angry.
Legends
7 May on Netflix. In the early Nineties, a group of bored customs officers got a promotion that changed their lives. Heroin was flowing into Britain at an unprecedented rate, leaving thousands dead. A small group were asked to go undercover and take down the gangs. This rip-roaring drama stars Tom Burke, Steve Coogan, and Hayley Squires. I challenge you not to finish all six episodes in one go.
Waiting for the Out
Out now on BBC iPlayer. This tender drama arrived without fanfare in early January. Josh Finan is strange and captivating as Dan, a man who teaches philosophy in prisons and comes from a family of men who have spent time behind bars. Based on a true story and adapted from Andy West's memoir A Life Inside, this is delicate, thoughtful television that leaves a mark on your heart.
Last One Laughing
Out now on Prime. The person who came up with Last One Laughing is a genius. A cruel genius. Get a bunch of comedians in a room and force them to keep a straight face for six hours; if you laugh, you are out. This year's second UK series pulled in hilarious British heavyweights from Alan Carr to David Mitchell to returning champ Bob Mortimer. I laughed myself silly watching Diane Morgan read poetry while making intermittent fart noises.
SNL UK
Weekly on Sky and NOW. Sketch shows are hit-and-miss, but SNL UK is appointment viewing. Each 75-minute episode delivers an electric cocktail of live comedy hosted by a celebrity guest, showcasing its impressive cast of up-and-comers. Riz Ahmed's stellar turn as guest host has been a highlight. With sitcom upstarts Nicola Coughlan and Aimee Lou Wood on board, the second half shows comedic promise.
Big Mistakes
Out now on Netflix. Comedy-crime dramas might be associated with winter, but Big Mistakes, Dan Levy's new drama for Netflix, is one to stay in for even during sunnier climes. Levy stars as closeted pastor Nicky, while Taylor Ortega is his sister Morgan. The bickering duo find themselves accidentally embroiled in a world of dark criminality. Big Mistakes perfectly balances big laughs and pacy, dramatic plotting.
For All Mankind
Out now on Apple TV+. For All Mankind might just be TV's best-kept secret. It presents an alternate history where the space race never ended and has found its way to Mars. Sci-fi fans will be astounded by space-set sequences that rival any film. Season five is back on track, better than ever, and a spin-off, Star City, is coming later this year.
The Capture
Out now on BBC iPlayer. The Capture has concluded its chaotic third season. Now is the perfect time to go back and watch the whole thing. It is a terrifyingly prescient exploration of deepfake tech and how shadowy figures can tweak what we see. It has more twists than Line of Duty and Luther combined. If there is any justice, The Capture will endure as a classic.
