Ten of the Best Series To Watch Now

Are you looking for something to watch tonight, binge watch tomorrow, for the rest of lockdown or before the end of the year? I’ve put together ten of my favourite series that you can watch on Sky or Netflix now.

Get cosied up with a hot chocolate and a blanket and watch these:

1. Dead To Me

This is one of my absolute favourites, I’ve watched up to series 2 on Netflix, I can’t wait for series 3 , the final series to start. Jen’s husband recently died in a hit and run, she determined to find out who did it. Judy recently suffered a loss of her own and both meet at a support group. They become good friends and bond over many bottles of wine! This dark comedy, set in California, explores the funny sides of grief and loss. Jen is so angry and full of resentment where Judy is positive and optimistic, they become as close as sisters. I loved watching them bond and being there for each other, they are funny to watch and I cant wait to see what happens in the final series.

2. Designated Survivor

An explosion kills the president of America and the entire government, Thomas Kirkman (Kiefer Sutherland) had been named Designated Survivor. Kirkman goes from US Secretary of Housing to President of the United States overnight and faces many challenges, including those of being seen as a legitimate president by his colleagues. There have been 3 seasons on Netflix and they follow the stories of the people employed at the presidential office. From what I know there wont be a fourth season but the story seems to conclude at the end of season three. The characters are all so likeable, especially Emily (Stephanie Ricci, Immigration officer in House 2009) and Seth (Kal Penn, Dr Kutner in House). Kal actually left House to work for Obama at The White House.

3. White Lines

Zoe leaves her life in Manchester behind to solve the mysterious disappearance of her brother Axel, a famous DJ who disappeared from Ibiza many years ago. There has been one season so far on Netflix, I really enjoyed it. I loved the Ibiza setting full of white sandy beaches and sunshine. Its shows their relationship as children, a close sibling bond and a very young Zoe as she watches her brother leave for Ibiza. The part of the story how the characters change from what they were 20 years ago to who they are now as adults is fascinating. A story of loss, relationships, deceit and love. Unfortunately, season two was cancelled but I don’t think there needed to be a season two as it was wrapped up at the end of season one.

4. Emily In Paris

The series stars Lily Collins as Emily, an American who moves to Paris to provide an American point of view to a French marketing firm. There has been one season so far on Netflix and another has been confirmed, yay! If you love fashion, Paris and its boutique cafe’s you’ll love this. Emily embraces her new life whilst juggling work, friends and romance. I basically lived my dream job through her, organising marketing for fashion weeks and chic red carpet events with fashion designers. Emily in Paris has a Sex and the City feel to it, though not surprising as its by the same creators. It has been criticised, particularly in France, for promoting stereotypical images of the city and its residents. It just adds to the warmness of Emily in Paris.

5. Killing Eve

Sandra Oh (Cristina Yang, Greys Anatomy) plays Eve Polastri, an agent with MI5 who becomes obsessed with a notorious assassin and is recruited on an off-the-books basis to MI6. Jodie Comer plays Villanelle, a psychopathic assassin who becomes obsessed with Eve, the MI6 officer who is tracking her. There are three seasons to watch on Sky and I hope there are more! The first two seasons were amazing and I wanted to watch more and more. Unfortunately season three seemed slightly disjointed from the other two and didn’t give me quite the same obsessive need to watch more. I was obsessed by Villanelles fashion style and wardrobe, some of the clothes were nothing like I’ve seen before and Jodie is beautiful. I find it fascinating that Villanelle is Russian in Killing Eve but Jodie who plays her is from Liverpool. Killing Eve is filmed across various locations including Barcelona, Paris, Amsterdam, Italy and the UK which adds to the chase. The two characters chase each other round the world coming head to head a few times, but not as you think, they are totally obsessed with each other to the point of being in love with each other and THAT kiss!

6. Riviera

I watched the whole of season three yesterday on Sky, the first two seasons were brilliant. Riviera follows the story of Georgina Clios (Julia Stiles) set in the glamorous French Riviera, which is a sun soaked playground to the super rich, and the perfect place to hide dangerous secrets. With locations such as St Tropez, the stunning yachts and where the rich party all day long, it takes you to another world. The first two seasons show Georgina with her art collector husband and his family getting into all sorts of trouble with money laundering and paintings worth millions. In Series 3, Georgina has abandoned the cursed Riviera and started her life over, leaving behind all the damage and devastation, only to be thrown headlong into a dark and dangerous conspiracy. After season 2 I didn’t think there was anything left for Georgina, but season 3 was the darkest yet. Now working in art restitution, Georgina is looking for stolen artworks around the world, escaping the Riviera and taking her to locations such as Venice and Argentina. The season also introduces Gabriel Hirsch (Rupert Graves, Sherlock) who accompanies Georgina on her adventures.

7. Greys Anatomy

Greys is a medical based drama centred around Meredith Grey, an aspiring surgeon and daughter of one of the best surgeons, Dr. Ellis Grey. There have been 16 seasons on Sky and I think 14 are on Amazon Prime, season 17 is out next year on Sky in the UK. This drama shows the personal and professional lives of surgeons at Seattle Grace hospital. I have loved all the seasons but the early ones were the best with my favourite characters, Meredith, Derek, George, Izzy, Alex, Cristina, Callie and Arizona. I feel like I’ve grown up with this, its been around so long. I’ve laughed and cried and been through many ups and downs with them including my own personal ones. Its so cleverly done and made with lots of heart-wrenching stories and many life-changing decisions in order for them to become the best doctors they can be. It felt like it was nearly done around the end of season 15 but from what I’ve heard about season 17 they are far from over.

8. Penny Dreadful

This was on Sky back in 2014-2016 so its quite an old one, a fascinating three seasons following Vanessa Ives (Eva Green, Miss Peregrines Home for Peculiar Children, Casino Royale and Dumbo). The story finds Eva in a supernatural mystery that brings them into conflict and connection with a number of famous literary figures from 19^thcentury Gothic fiction. This includes Victor Frankenstein, Dorian Gray, Henry Jekyll, and much of the cast of Bram Stoker’s Dracula. A penny dreadful is a Victorian slang term for a lurid piece of sensational or supernatural fiction, often sold, loosely bound, for a penny. There are scenes of murderess gore, sexual references (ladies of the Victorian night), and frequent misconception of the savageries and mysteries of the none white world. Though it sounds like episodes from the gutter there is a certain level of guilty pleasure with this well written mystery. If you’re thinking its just a load of Victorian prostitutes fighting monsters then sorry to disappoint, this may actually be one of the most interesting historical story of things you have never seen anything like before.

9. My Brilliant Friend

A story of two children born and growing up in a poor neighbourhood in Italy, they want to carve out a life and future for themselves within Naples, a city which is undergoing lots of major historical changes. The bright and close friendship of Lila and Elena is interesting and gives an insight into the complexity of female friendship, as they grow from small children into their teenage years and beyond into adulthood. The story, across two seasons on Sky, looks at the way a women is constantly under threat. As her identity becomes submerged in marriage or lost in motherhood, unfulfilled desires and how it affects those close female friendships. I loved these two seasons, they make you feel all the feelings, some you can relate to and I’m looking forward to the third when it is released. I also have the book which I’m looking forward to reading, see image below.

10. Normal People

Another coming of age drama series on BBC, this one shows the relationship between first loves Marianne and Connell as they go from secondary school to college in Ireland. I watched this within a few days and it would be interesting to see another series when they are much older. Not sure if I’d read the book it was based on, see image below, as the series was so good! Though both characters are so likeable and you really get to care for them and what happens to them, Marianne is very outspoken and Connell is very shy, its interesting to see how they relate to each other when they are from very different backgrounds. See what happens with this one.

Have you watched any of these, what did you think to them? Would you recommend any others?