Looking for some thrilling dramas to sink you're teeth into this autumn? Look no further.
Since my previous post, 5 TV Shows You Should Watch on BBC iPlayer, I've been searching for even more great content. And let me tell you, I've found it. So much so that this is actually going to be a 2 part post. Expect another 4 incredible recommendations next week. I'm mixing it up a bit too so whether you're looking for dozens of episodes to keep you going or just a one-off fix, I've got you covered.
I've worked my way through the good, the bad and - let's face it - the awful, to find the absolute gems on BBC iPlayer. I'm talking truly mindblowing tele you can't turn off. Because as the evenings draw in and restrictions tighten again, one thing I really look forward to is sitting down to an episode of my current fave programme every night with some tasty treats.
Also, since iPlayer is free, I find more people tend to be watching the same thing at the same time. That means even more enjoyment because you can talk about it and gasp at the same parts.
I May Destroy You
Without a word of exaggeration, this is the best TV show of 2020.
Millennial writer Arabella pulls an all nighter to finish a creative project she's working on. She breaks to get something to eat and meet friends. Then blank. She comes to, back at her desk writing, with no idea what just happened. The series follows Arabella as she pieces together the horror of sexual assault, and how she begins to deal with it.
The show deals with issues of consent from multiple angles. Angles I hadn't even thought of, let alone understood before.
It also depicts our hustling, swiping, validation seeking, woke, hedonistic generation and it's vulnerable underbelly. And it's not just the issue of sexual assault which is explored, but the fine line we all tread in maintaining our mental health and relationships.
It seems contradictory to write, but this show is also light. It's about 3 twenty-somethings living in London, having fun and finding their way in life. I think that's what makes the dark stuff so poignant.
Michaela Cole wrote, directed and produced the show loosely based on her own experiences. It's the sharpest, most compelling drama I've ever watched. I think this is mainly down to the fact Michaela had full creative control from start to finish. I was so obsessed I listened to and read several interviews with her afterwards. What a cool human. So intelligent and powerful.
A word of advice though. However tempted you are, don't binge-watch this. It really is an emotional rollercoaster. I think you'd feel pretty wiped out if you watch it all at once. I'd recommend 2 in one sitting, maximum. I watched 2 per week as they were released and even though I was desperate to see what happened next, it gave me enough time to absorb and reflect on the issues being addressed.
Raw, intense, exceptional.
Extinction: The Facts
The new David Attenborough documentary Extinction: The Facts aired two weeks ago. I can't stress enough - everyone needs to see this. Even if, like myself, you're pretty climate conscious, you'll learn something.
David Attenborough, along with a host of scientists and experts, paint a bleak picture of our world. We're losing biodiversity. Biodiversity is basically all the different living things - animals, plants, humans - and how they interact. Everything in our world is intrinsically linked. Due to many factors - consumption, climate change and deforestation to name a few - we're losing countless plant and animal species every year. This isn't just a loss in itself, but it has potentially devastating consequences on human life. The food we eat, the air we breathe and the land we live on all rely on biodiversity.
The documentary also explains how human manipulation of nature brought about the current pandemic. And if we continue like this, there will be more. My mind was blown, yet it also made complete sense.
I haven't been so affected by a documentary since Stacey Dooley's Fashion's Dirty Secrets.
What I particularly loved about this documentary, and what made it so shocking and uncomfortable, was meeting the last two northern white rhinos left in the world, mother and daughter. Hearing the story of this amazing species, and knowing that when they die that's it, was horrible.
There is hope though. Knowing about a problem is the first step to solving it. Towards the end David Attenborough gives concrete strategies we can all adopt now to help heal the planet.
Powerful, hard-hitting, stirring.
Line of Duty
Besides being into The Bill when I was really young (anyone remember Neil Madison - he was fab), I've never considered police dramas my cup of tea. I was so wrong. The format makes for the exact type of high tension, addictive, thrilling show I'm after.
Line of Duty follows 3 anti-corruption police officers through their various investigations. One of the reasons I started watching it was because I'd just finished The Nest and heard Martin Compston was in it.
What stands out most about this show, besides the high drama and great storylines, is the characters and consistency. You get so hooked on the story of series 1, then it's a bit of a shock when series 2 is about something completely different. But, as actually transpires, across the 5 series there is a larger scheme gradually being uncovered and everything is linked. Because there's only 3 main characters, you're absolutely invested in their professional and private lives. Although at some stages you start wondering who is actually corrupt and who isn't.
The finale of series 4 is the best episode of anything I've ever seen. Whereas usually you'd usually have a few minutes of intense high drama in a show, this episode is wildly exhilarating and explosive, sustained for at least half an hour.
They're currently filming series 6 which I'm beyond excited for. Kelly Macdonald is also starring in it, I think she'll be the person under investigation this time.
Gripping, enjoyable, escapist.
Sitting in Limbo
Inspired by the true story, Sitting in Limbo depicts the Windrush scandal through the eyes of Anthony Bryan, a London man who is wrongly detained as an illegal immigrant. The 90 minute drama is eye opening and disturbing.
Anthony lived his whole life in Britain - school, family, work, the lot. After 50 years, the home office decide he's got no right to be here. They detain him (in a prison) and threaten to deport him.
This programme is so shocking because it lays out how sinister and devious the government were to the Windrush generation. Obviously I saw the scandal on the news, but seeing it from the individual level really brought home how horrifically they were treated. Instead of the government finding his school records and life documents, they made Anthony prove he lived a life here. Can you imagine having to do that? Everything you take for granted and trust is just swiped from under you. Then, having to find money to defend yourself for a crime you haven't committed, and get someone - anyone - to see to the injustice going on right in front of them.
Making and watching programmes like this is really important. They take you out of your own life bubble to realise what's going on under your nose. And the more people who are aware of injustice, the more people can stand up against it.
Urgent, important, moving.
As I mentioned, I've already got more recommendations up my sleeve for next week because iPlayer is great right now, so stay tuned for that.
Let me know in the comments what you're must-watch iPlayer shows are.
No comments:
Post a Comment