Autumn iPlayer Recommendations Part 2

Hello friends and welcome back to my new fave kind of post which pretty much consists of me gushing about the TV I've been bingeing lately. 

If you haven't already, check out my previous posts 4 Must-Watch iPlayer Recommendations Autumn 2020 and 5 TV Shows You Should Watch on BBC iPlayer.

By the way, it has dawned on me - now I'm 3 posts deep in iPlayer recommendations - that you may be getting concerned that I don't know other channels or streaming services exist. To be honest, I just really like the fact there's no adverts and it's free. No shame in my game.

The Bridge

From the show's premise, this is the last thing I'd expect to be obsessed with. It's a subtitled police drama based between Sweden and Denmark. When a body is found on the bridge, one half in Sweden and one half in Denmark, two police officers, Saga and Martin, have to work together to figure out why.

This is the first entirely subtitled programme I've watched and surprisingly I can't even tell. It doesn't detract from anything at all. In fact, I'm even learning a couple Swedish words along the way - so it adds to it!

Here's what's great about the bridge:

• Saga - she is ICONIC - incredibly clever but absolutely zero social skills
• Constantine from Killing Eve plays Martin
• you get a great insight into nordic life and culture
• the storylines are fantastic
• it's completely gripping
• it's something different

This is the only show I've recommended so far which I'm not actually finished yet. It's been great so far so let's hope the end doesn't disappoint or I'll have to eat my praise.

Brilliant, thrilling, unique.

The Salisbury Poisonings

This 3-part drama depicts the true story of how one city became the epicentre of an international incident. It follows the normal people who were affected by and dealt with the novichok attack in Salisbury back in 2018.

I found this programme incredibly interesting because I only knew parts of the story - the headlines. This drama does an amazing job of humanising the incident and filling in the gaps the news leaves out.

This programme was insightful and extremely interesting. I was in floods of tears because it does something really powerful at the end to remind you it's a true story showing the lives of real people.

Moving, thoughtful, excellent storytelling.

Thirteen

This programme is wild. To be honest, almost to the point of absurd. A couple of times I was like 'yeah right like that would happen'. Well, more specifically, I was thinking 'that would never happen if Steve Arnott was on the case' - see my last post re Line of Duty. 

But anyhoo, if you can suspend your disbelieve and just accept the sheer ineptitude of the police in this show, you'll love it.

Made back in 2016, Jodie Comer plays Ivy, a 26 year old who has just escaped a 13 year kidnapping. The 5-part series follows her as she tries to adapt and reconcile the life she was snatched from with the life she has now. All the while, the police are trying to hunt down her kidnapper.

It's another intense psychological thriller. We constantly question who to trust and what went on all those years Ivy was imprisoned. Jodie Comer plays an absolute blinder in this show, it's no wonder she went on to Killing Eve.

Thirteen is great for a bit of escapism.

Gripping, intriguing, entertaining. 

The Cry

I do tend to choose shows based on who stars in them (can you tell?) and this was no different. Jenna Coleman plays a new mother who's spin-doctor husband flies the family to Australia to try and get custody of his daughter. 

Long before Victoria, Doctor Who and Waterloo Road, I watched Jenna Coleman in Emmerdale. How wild is that? I was like 7. I've always liked her as an actress and this latest drama didn't disappoint. It's the psychological element she brings to her performance. Her facial expression can convey more than screeds and screeds of dialogue. 

Told in flashbacks across 4 episodes, Jenna's character Joanna takes the stand to defend herself. We don't know what she's court for. We follow her through what lead her there. Meeting her husband, having a baby, going to Australia, the horrific ordeal she goes through there, the subsequent media attention, therapy and eventually, court. What happened to Joanna's baby and why is she in court? These are the questions which propel us through the episodes.

This is well worth a watch for the mystery and eventual reveal. It was also a nice surprise that half is filmed in Glasgow. I love seeing my city on screen. 

Crafted, compelling, surprising.

And that wraps up my top iPlayer recommendations for now. I wish you all a lovely season of great tv and being cosy.