TV drama

TV has a new ‘most evil serial killer’ and it’s ‘impossible to stop watching him’.

A brand new series which launched on streaming platforms just two days ago is being praised as “impossible to stop watching”. It’s also being labelled “gripping”, “compelling” and featuring “TV’s most evil serial killer”. One prominent critic suggested the character has even supplanted Sir Anthony Hopkins’ Hannibal Lecter as “the screen’s most profoundly unsettling… serial killer”.

Nocturne stars Stephen Graham, Liev Schreiber, Zazie Beetz and Rory Culkin. Graham portrays serial killer Jurek Walter, who is imprisoned for life for torturing and murdering his victims, reports the Express. Yet, he continues manipulating events from behind bars and the show begins with him successfully convincing a fellow prisoner to take his own life.

Walter could prove to be another iconic Stephen Graham role to add to his remarkable repertoire, which already includes Eddie Miller in Adolescence, Andy Jones in Boiling Point, Combo in This is England, Tommy in Snatch and Al Capone in Boardwalk Empire, amongst numerous others.

The storyline revolves around one of Walter’s presumed victims unexpectedly appearing alive, leaving Schreiber’s detective Jonah Lynn to locate the one “victim” still unaccounted for.

Guardian film and TV critic Lucy Mangan declares “Stephen Graham is TV’s most evil serial killer and it’s impossible to stop watching him”, noting that “with his high-pitched giggles and fatal whispers, it is a perfectly terrifying show”. “It has taken a while,” Mangan writes.

“But I think the torch may finally have passed from Anthony Hopkins as the screen’s most profoundly unsettling and instantly-absorbed-by-the-cultural-imagination serial killer. From Hannibal’s hitherto unfailing hands it has been thrown to Stephen Graham. Graham – muscle-bound, preternaturally still and occasionally emitting a high-pitched giggle – is mesmerising and utterly terrifying.”

Adapted from the hugely popular Scandi noir Joona Linna novels, the show has drawn widespread acclaim. Mangan continues: “There is a slight but growing sense as the series wears on that it is just a bit less impressive than it was shaping up to be, a little more hollow than it thinks. Then Graham appears again and the adrenaline that floods your system in the presence of his radiant evil pushes all rational thoughts from your mind, and you are captivated once more.”

Nocturne has already achieved an impressive 85% rating on review-aggregating website Rotten Tomatoes. Writing in Variety, critic Aramide Tinubu describes Nocturne as “thoroughly captivating” and “a wildly entertaining ride that gets better with every episode”, adding that part of its success lies in the fact that “audiences never see the full picture”.

“At any given moment,” she writes. “It’s only clear what Jonah and his team know, and unfortunately, that’s not much. As a result, as the elements of Jurek’s towering and astonishing crimes begin to click together, the plot quickly shifts, leading the narrative into entirely different and ever more haunting directions. It’s a truly breathless and disturbing run of television.”

Randy Myers of The Mercury News declares that “Graham and Culkin give scorched-earth performances that are electrifying to witness”, while noting: ” Apple TV’s gripping serial killer thriller is undeniably twisted, absorbing and suspenseful. It’s also elevated by a superior cast and a dark unsettling moodiness that overshadows the incredulous moments in this 10-episode lightning bolt of a series.”

Yet not everyone has been won over. One Rotten Tomatoes reviewer wrote: “I’m sorry, but I fell asleep. I watched one episode. I will hope that it gets better.”

A second viewer commented: “Pretty boring so far for an Apple show, nothing special. And trust me I’ve watched almost everything Liev has acted in, and also Zazie. Hollywood is dying for new original story lines but they are not getting it.”

Nocturne is available to stream now on Apple TV.

The ITV psychological thriller drama boasts a star-studded cast and concluded on Monday evening

Tensions were high as The Party concluded on Monday evening.

The ITV political thriller is adapted from Elizabeth Day’s bestselling novel and written for the screen by Sarah Solemani, who also stars. Made up of five episodes, The Party also stars Luke Evans as Martin Gilmour, a working-class boy who wins a scholarship to an elite boarding school and forges a lifelong bond with the wealthy, charismatic Ben Fitzmaurice, played by Tom Cullen.

Years on, and married, Martin attends Ben’s lavish birthday party as Ben weighs a run for the Conservative leadership, and fears the attendant publicity could expose secrets from their past, with tragic consequences.

The twisty story moves between the party itself, a police investigation and flashbacks to the pair’s earlier lives. It was revealed that the pair had been involved in a car crash when they were teenagers, which killed Ben’s twin sister.

While Ben was behind the wheel, three times over the limit, Martin took the fall after being coerced by Ben’s father, Lord George Fitzmaurice (Douglas Hodge), resulting in a huge payoff each year. Although this happened decades ago, the tragic event was the catalyst for the shooting, as a journalist revealed she knew the truth and was about to expose Ben after he had shared his plans to run as the next conservative leader.

In the final episode, Martin pulled a gun on Ben as he accused him of ruining his childhood and leaving him broken as an adult. In the end, Ben talked his friend down and took the gun off of him, although after admitting he always loved him, he shot himself in the head.

Ben’s wife, Serena (Lydia Leonard), heard the gunshot and saw Martin holding the gun, which he took from Ben when he fell to the floor. She believed Martin had shot her husband and told the police.

Ben didn’t die, and Martin was arrested before being later released by the police. However, a police detective was adamant that they wanted to investigate the historical car crash further. Martin realised that the time had come to walk away and put some distance between himself and the Fitzmaurice family. After visiting Ben at the hospital, he left and began facing the world with fresh purpose.

As he walked through the park, he saw a male couple with a newborn baby in the park, a smile played around his lips, as though he’d had a glimpse of the happiness that could be his at some point in the future.

Despite the gripping final episode being full of twists and turns, The Party viewers were left questioning the “abrupt” ending and accused the drama of leaving the plot “incomplete”.

Taking to X, one viewer fumed: “Is that it? What a waste of my time… #TheParty”, while a second agreed: “What a waste of 5 nights #theparty.”

A third asked: “#theparty is that it?”, while another chimed in: “What a **** ending. So many unanswered questions and loose ends #TheParty.”

“#TheParty the night went on for weeks and now it’s getting wrapped up quicker than Poirot says no no mon ami !”, joked another

The Party is available to stream on ITVX

Television critic Luke Eccleston is back with three Netflix series he claims are ‘must-watch’ and are worth the cost of your subscription to the streaming service alone

Netflix subscribers are “wasting their accounts” if they’re yet to watch three particular series on the streaming platform, according to one TV critics. Luke Eccleston, who is known for sharing top TV recommendations online, claims the shows are “must-watch” and one is among the “most underrated” out there.

There are more than 6,000 titles available on Netflix in the UK and Ireland – including around 2,000 TV series – so it’s no wonder choosing what to watch next can prove quite daunting. Thankfully, Luke is on hand with three recommendations he assures will have you captivated.

1. Dept. Q

First on Luke’s list is the thriller series, Dept. Q. “Now this is an investigative, psychological thriller which follows after an incident where a man ends up seeing his friend paralysed and another police officer killed,” he explained.

The man ends up being placed onto cold cases permanently, according to Luke, who says you will be “on the edge of your seat from start to finish” as the drama unfolds. “I guarantee you will absolute love it,” he added.

Starring Matthew Goode, Chloe Pirrie, and Jamie Sives, Netflix synopsis states: “A brash but brilliant cop becomes head of a new police department, where he leads an unlikely team of misfits in solving Edinburgh’s cold cases.”

Midnight Mass

Next on Luke’s list is a “much more well-known” show, but one that seems to pass many people by. “Midnight Mass is one of the best shows you will ever see,” he declared.

Luke described the series as a “gripping horror” that follows life on a tiny island that sees a man return with a “special box” with something inside it that haunts an entire town. “I promise you will love it, so make sure you don’t miss this one out.”

Midnight Mass stars Kate Siegel, Zach Gilford and Hamish Linklater, with Netflix stating of the plot: “The arrival of a charismatic young priest brings glorious miracles, ominous mysteries and renewed religious fervor to a dying town desperate to believe.”

American Primeval

Luke described the last series on his list as a “brutal old-fashioned Western”, meanwhile. “It’s called American Primeval and follows a mother and son who have to flee their past across America in a haunting and desolate landscape.”

The critic closed by claiming that everyone he knows that has seen it “absolutely loved it”. He added: “So make sure you see this one right now.”

Netflix describes the drama: “A mother and son fleeing from their past form a found family while confronting a harsh landscape of freedom and cruelty in the American West.” The series stars Taylor Kitsch, Betty Gilpin and Dane DeHaan.

Responding to Luke’s suggestions, one viewer exclaimed: “Dept Q is brilliant! Can’t wait for season 2.”

A second person praised: “OMG American Primeval is 10/10.”

A third TikTok user added: “Midnight Mass is massively underrated.”

While a fourth agreed: “Midnight Mass is excellent, slightly slow burn the first couple episodes but stick with it and I promise you won’t be disappointed.”

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People looking for a gripping TV drama to watch have been recommended a BBC show that is leaving people ‘hooked from start to finish’. The programme features stars such as David Tennant and Stephen Graham

Deciding what to watch next has become a daily headache for millions of British viewers, thanks to the sheer volume of streaming platforms now available, including Netflix, BBC iPlayer, Disney+, Amazon Prime Video, and Apple TV+. But one influencer is on a mission to make that choice easier by sharing his top TV and film picks online. EccyReviews’ is the online handle of Luke Eccleston, a well-known UK-based content creator and self-proclaimed “TV fanatic” who regularly shares his must-watch television recommendations with his 5,000+ followers.

In one of his most recent posts, Luke put forward a TV suggestion for anyone “looking for a gripping new TV drama series to go and watch right now”.

He added: “You’ll be completely hooked from start to finish.”

The show in question is BBC prison drama Time. “Season 3 just dropped on BBC and I’ve binge-watched all three episodes and it is my favourite season by far,” he said.

Time is a critically acclaimed, BAFTA award-winning BBC series penned by celebrated British screenwriter Jimmy McGovern.

Each three-part series shines a spotlight on a different setting and ensemble cast within the UK criminal justice system, exploring themes of guilt, punishment, redemption, and institutional failings.

Season 1 centred on Mark Cobden (Sean Bean), a former teacher consumed by guilt after accidentally killing a man while drink-driving, who is subsequently sentenced to four years behind bars. It also features Eric McNally (Stephen Graham), a principled prison officer attempting to safeguard the inmates in his charge.

When a dangerous prisoner uncovers Eric’s weakness, he faces an excruciating decision between his professional obligations and his loved ones.

Series 2, meanwhile, relocated the action to a women’s facility, Carlingford Prison. It follows three women who arrive on the same day: Orla (Jodie Whittaker), a mother who tampered with her electricity meter; Kelsey (Bella Ramsey), a pregnant young drug addict; and Abi (Tamara Lawrance), a woman serving a life sentence carrying a tragic secret.

Compelled to share a cell, they forge an unlikely alliance to endure.

The most recent season, which recently dropped, has shifted attention to a Young Offender Institution. The narrative examines young men ensnared in the justice system following a tragedy, grappling with prison overcrowding and institutional collapse.

This instalment is fronted by David Tennant and Siobhan Finneran, who returns to her recurring role throughout the anthology as prison chaplain Marie-Louise O’Dell.

Since each season presents a self-contained narrative with a different principal cast, viewers can jump into any series without prior knowledge, though chaplain Marie-Louise serves as the connecting element throughout all three.

Discussing the latest series, Luke tells viewers: “I was gripped from start to finish and all the performances are brilliant.

“I guarantee that you will absolutely love this show.”

The recommendation proved a massive hit, with the post amassing more than 7,000 likes.

One person wrote: “Watched it all tonight – best thing I’ve watched for ages. Very violent and very sad. The writer spent a lot of time in these youth offenders prisons and was horrified at the conditions, it was all based on truth.”

Another added: “I have just started watching it, it’s brilliant very gripping.”

While a third added: “Totally hooked from the start! Talent is incredible.”

All series of Time are available to stream on BBC iPlayer now.

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Two whole seasons of a new imagining of a classic detective drama will be streaming for free before the year is out.

Fans of detective dramas need to add a “fabulous” series to their watchlists.

Fans of cosy crime and detective dramas like Vera are urged to keep an eye out for a detective series hailed as “superb” by viewers. Based on Georges Simenon’s iconic detective novels, the series follows a rising young detective in the Paris Police Judiciaire, who heads La Crim, the serious crime unit.

Unlike previous adaptations, the series is set in the present day and is produced by Playground, the team behind hit shows like All Creatures Great and Small and Wolf Hall. Maigret is the series in question and it stars Benjamin Wainwright as Chief Inspector Jules Maigret, the titular unconventional young detective rising up the ranks.

The Last Kingdom actress Stefanie Martini also stars as Louise Maigret, Maigret’s wife and confidante, who works as a psychiatric nurse. The Inbetweeners star Blake Harrison stars as Sergeant Joseph Torrence.

UKTV has acquired the rights to two seasons of Maigret for its free streaming service, U and linear channel U&DRAMA. Season one premieres on U and U&DRAMA in December, and season two will follow in 2027.

UKTV teased: “In series one, Chief Inspector Maigret and his team of maverick but loyal detectives, Les Maigrets, solve a series of complex crimes in Paris. Maigret’s unconventional methods and unique sense of justice put him at odds with his superiors and the judicial system he is supposed to represent. Maigret must outwit some of Paris’s most cunning and violent criminals, while dealing with his own troubled past.”

Karin Marelle of UKTV and BBC Studios hailed Maigret “one of the most recognisable detective brands in the world“, while Simon Cox, who led on the acquisition of the series for Banijay Rights, said: “The series combines gripping mysteries and rich character storytelling all centred around one of crime fiction’s most iconic and enduring detectives.”

Fans took to IMDb reviews to share their thoughts on the series, with one hailing it “outstanding”, adding: “I have not been a fan of either the books or previous movies or shows about Maigret. So I came to this with no preconceived notions.

“Overall I found it an outstanding beginning to what I hope will be a long series. Well written, well-acted, and highly entertaining. Just a sort of thing that I was looking forward to take my mind off with many problems that we now see in our world.”

Another called it a “fabulous show”, sharing: “We are enjoying this programme ever so much! My mum and I are huge fans of the original Maigret and this is a great modern remake!

“I am not usually very enthusiastic about remakes, but this is an exceptionally good one. I can’t wait for more episodes, and hopefully many more seasons to come! Overall a great programme with a really fabulous cast.”

Another viewer said it was a “superb” watch, adding: “This iteration reminds me a lot of another detective series using British actors in a non-British setting, Vandervalk. Regardless, I thought the plotting, writing, acting, and direction was superb, especially in the last episodes of this first series.”

The series premiered on PBS Masterpiece in the US in October 2025, and on ABC Television in Australia in November 2025.

Series 1 of Maigret premieres on U and U&DRAMA in December and Series 2 will follow in 2027.

The unpredictable crime drama follows the puzzling deaths of four guests at a dinner party

MobLand star Emmett J. Scanlan is starring in a new murder mystery alongside Celebrity Traitors’ Sharon Rooney.

Channel 5 has released a first look at their upcoming thriller, An Impossible Way to Die, which follows two detectives who are tasked with uncovering the mysterious deaths of four guests at a dinner party.

The six-part series has been described as “gripping” by the broadcaster, and follows Sharon Rooney’s character, DS Katie Salter, whose quiet local policing life is upended when she is thrust into a high-pressure murder investigation with DI Niall Conway, played by Emmett J Scanlon.

Described as a character-driven, unpredictable drama exploring identity, protection, power, and corruption, the story will see DS Katie Salter “happily solving everyday crimes until fate drags her into an impossible murder mystery”.

The synopsis continues: “Four people sat around a table seemingly set for a dinner party – except they are all dead. The only clue is a scorpion crawling out of one of the victim’s mouths.”

It continues: “Salter is not your stereotypical damaged and tormented TV detective. Smart, diligent, and committed to her family, tensions quickly surface when Salter is partnered with DI Niall Conway, lead investigator on the case. Salter’s measured, grounded approach clashes with Conway’s all-consuming dedication to the job.

“At first, the two detectives appear fundamentally incompatible. Yet, as the investigation deepens and the pressure intensifies, Conway begins to recognise the value of Salter’s empathy, optimism, and instinctive understanding of people.”

The synopsis adds: “As the case grows increasingly impossible, secrets are unearthed and conspiracies emerge, lives are put at risk as the detectives race against time to connect seemingly disparate cases and unmask a killer before it’s too late.”

DS Katie Salter actress Sharon Rooney is best known for playing Rae Earl in My Mad Fat Diary and was recently seen competing in the latest series of The Celebrity Traitors. While Emmett J. Scanlan is famed for portraying Paul O’Donnell in Paramount+ crime series MobLand, his other recent roles include A Working Man, Gangs of London, and How to Get to Heaven from Belfast.

Coldwater and Vigil star Lois Chimimba will star alongside Rooney and Scanlan, and will be joined by Black Mirror’s Jonny Lavelle and This Country’s Ashley McGuire.

The crime series is scheduled to air in 2027 and has been penned by Death is Paradise’s Jillian Mannion, alongside Ciara Conway, David Persiva, Robin Ganderton, and Rowena Johnson.

Adam Wimpenny serves as director for the thriller, which is executive produced by Clapperboard’s Mike Benson and Myf Hopkins. Amber Howorth also serves as producer

An Impossible Way to Die will air on Channel 5 in 2027