Here comes Autumn: crispy leaves on the floor, cold mornings, long nights. And time for the good TV to come back on. But what if you can’t be bothered to wait for something good to watch and have seen everything that your friends have recommended on Facebook? Well, here are a bunch of series that cover all kinds of tastes and interests, hopefully most of which are new recommendations. 

Traitors oz – iPlayer

If you haven’t seen the UK version of The Traitors you should do so immediately. And then watch the Australian version after as it’s even better. The premise essentially involves a group of people, the Traitors, removing, or ‘murdering’ other contestants at night and but without being caught to win a stack of gold. It’s relentlessly entertaining and features mind games and twists at every turn, making for an absurdly fun and addictive show. The Australian version is even better though: the games larger and more dramatic, the double-crossing and mind games more intense and the final episode even more shocking. The best, and most compelling game show in decades. 

Halt and Catch Fire – All4

It’s genuinely difficult to express just how brilliant Halt and Catch Fire is, but given that it’s rarely available on streaming in the UK I’d suggest just to start watching now. Across the 4 seasons the show follows a small group of people working in the computer industry attempting to constantly stay one step ahead of the competition and ultimately, each other. Whilst it’s enjoyable to see how the cast start off making PCs in their garage in the early 80s and mature to become pioneers of the internet age, the real drama here are the relationships: tense, loving, fractured, distrustful, cordial, playful, shattered. By the end of season 4 you’ll be doing the same as here: telling everyone you know to watch it but almost unable to explain why. Though the incredible costumes help. 

Love and Death – ITVx

This is a true story. You’ll need to repeat that a few times watching it given how the characters feel like stereotypes or even caricatures, and because of ultimately what happens. The title here is helpfully indicative: a story about a truly repulsive murder and how love, or the lack of it, lead up to the tragic event. To say too much is to numb the shock that the series manages to capture so well, but if you like true crime, you’ll be keen on a story that features deeply religious Americans who spend the first few episodes in Church and worrying about their Church volleyball team. After a few episodes the story seems to take a sharp turn, but nothing will prepare you for the final few episodes and the revelations and explanations of what happened, reminding you that incredibly, this is a true story. 

Hannibal – Netflix

It’s important to state a few things here: this show is absolutely, resolutely not to be watched by anyone below age 18 or those who are squeamish. It is THE goriest and most gruesome show ever broadcast on mainstream TV. The wildly imaginative deaths are shown in full grisly detail and literally dissected and replayed on loop throughout. And without hesitation: Mads Mikkelson’s Hannibal Lecter is the best version of the character so far-deliciously nasty, vastly intelligent and frustratingly, incredibly cool. If you enjoy police procedurals, whodunnit crime shows or the likes of CSI or Criminal Minds, you’ll really like this. If you just like great TV you’ll love this-just don’t watch whilst eating. 

The Bear – Disney+ 

This might not be a ‘new’ recommendation given that it’s been heavily advertised in recent months, but in case you haven’t seen it: The Bear is the best new TV show since, well, Halt and Catch Fire. Or probably Breaking Bad. Yes, it’s that good. There is one issue: the characters are initially genuinely unlikeable and some scenes/episodes are incredibly stressful. But those who stick with it will be rewarded with fist-pumping, cheering and tears of joy as we watch the characters finally make the right choices, succeed, and produce what we all hope they’re capable of. For those not familiar, The Bear initially focuses on Carmy, one of the greatest chefs in the world, who unwittingly becomes the owner of a sandwich shop in Chicago after the death of his brother. Carmy is out of his depth, the restaurant haemorrhaging money, the staff seemingly unwilling to do what’s needed to secure the future of the place that some of them have worked for a decade. As the series evolves we come to know and love each of those involved and marvel at the soundtrack, the clothing, the teamwork and most importantly, drool at the recipes developed and food made. A genuine masterpiece, and mercifully most episodes are only around the 35 minute mark. 

Sharp Objects – Sky Atlantic

Written by Gillian Flynn who wrote Gone Girl, Sharp Objects is a murder mystery with a nasty edge, full of unpleasant people, a menacing tone and an astonishing set of performances, most notably by Amy Adams. She plays Camille Preaker, a journalist who returns to her hometown to report on a series of brutal murders but who is also battling her own issues. As she attempts to reconcile her own past and family feuds, she battles alcoholism, self-harm and toxic relationships that threaten to derail her investigation and career. The further she subsumes herself into her old life though, the more we learn and the clearer the murky picture becomes. As with the best of this genre though, at no point have you ever really got a true grasp of who is to blame for the murders, but it’s clear that there’s a lot of blame to go around for other things instead. An enthralling piece of work. 

Ian Moreno-Melgar