As the long-awaited Christmas holidays come increasingly closer, we can’t help but reflect on what has been a pretty remarkable year in more ways than one.
This year’s TV shows have been no exception, we’ve been so spoilt for choice that it’s been a struggle to simply up with every new must-watch.
Thankfully, the Christmas holidays are the perfect time to recharge, AKA catch up on all the best TV of 2017.
Take your pick of the below for a solid binge-watching session.
Big Little Lies
The immensely popular series, included a stand- out cast, such as Reese Witherspoon, Nicole Kidman and Elle Fanning. It was adapted from the best-selling book by Australian writer, Liane Moriarty, and follows a group of parents in Monterey, California and the drama- or more specifically, unsolved murder- in their lives.
Riverdale
The addictive series follows the lives of teenage boy Archie Andrews and his friends as they navigate their way through the tangles of sex, love, and school, all the while becoming heavily entrenched within the Riverdale murder mystery.
The Sinner
The Sinner is a gripping eight-episode series about a young mother (Jessica Biel) who inexplicably stabs a stranger to death at the beach.
The Handmaid’s Tale
A 10 part dystopian drama, based on Margaret Atwood’s iconic 1985 novel, is unmissable viewing. The series follows the tribulations of Offred (Elisabeth Moss), who is forced to live as a concubine-called a Handmaid- under the fundamentalist Christian government. It’s a lot more fun than it sounds- we promise.
Mindhunter
Another 10 part series, produced and partly directed by David Fincher, delves into the twisted minds of serial killers. Set in 1979, the show follows two FBI agents who develop new techniques to profile and track criminals.
13 Reasons Why
The series blew up across the globe as it followed why an American teen, Hannah Baker chose to end her life. The topics covered have been controversial to say the least, regarding the way the show dealt with them. Topics such as suicide, sexual assault, mental illness and bullying left many wondering how suitable the show was for an adolescent audience.
Glow
Inspired by the 1980s, all female show, the Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling, the series draws upon an incredible true story. It is a fictionalized account of the ‘80s all female wrestling cult.
I Love Dick
The series is set in Texas and follows a frustrated filmmaker and his writer, who doubles as his wife. They are in a troubled marriage and have a seemingly bizarre fascination with a charismatic professor called Dick.
Girls
The series ended in 2017 with an epic airing of season 6. It is an American TV series that follows the lives of four young women in New York. The show is built around the main character, who has been financially cut off from her parents and makes a series of unfortunate – but hilarious – decisions.
Feud: Bette and Joan
The storyline follows a dramatization of actual events that occurred in the legendary rivalry between Joan Crawford and Bette Davis during their collaboration on the thriller, What Ever Happened To Baby Jane?
Legion
Based on the Marvel Comics, it follows David Haller, who is seemingly troubled as well as possibly being more than human. He has been in and out psychiatric hospitals for years, diagnosed as a schizophrenic as a child. The story follows the events that occur when David meets Syd, who changes his life forever.
Orange is the New Black
Although we’ve been binge-watching this one since 2013, season 5, which was released in 2017, deserves a special mention: ah-maz-ing. If you haven’t seen OITNB yet, the dramatic comedy follows normally law-abiding citizen, Piper Chapman, to prison where a series of secrets about her past and perhaps true character are revealed.
Game of Thrones
Season 7 of Game of Thrones graced us in 2017 and it was no let down. The fantasy drama takes place on a number of fictional continents and encapsulates the chronicles of the power struggles amongst noble families as they fight for control of the Iron Throne of the Seven Kingdoms. If you haven’t caught up yet, do. The final season of GoT is airing next year.
The Americans
This series is one that will definitely provide food for thought. A pair of Soviet Union spies dress as an all American couple in Washington DC. They are a stereotypical family during the day, posing as travel agents for work. However, at night they lead a whole other life. The realistic plot makes the viewer consider the real cost of an undeclared war, true belief and the lengths you would go to protect your true beliefs.
Dear White People
Released in 2017, the series is set within a mainly white Ivy League college and follows the lives of a diverse group of students as they cope with racial discrimination as well as many other discriminatory issues.
Stranger Things
Season 2 of this popular Netflix series came out in 2017 and did not disappoint. Set in the 1980s, Stranger Things is an American science fiction series following the lives of a group of young teenagers as they try to navigate through life in the Upside Down.
Alias Grace
The Netflix series based on Margaret Atwood’s book of the same name is the perfect post-The Handmaid’s Tale watch.
This Is Us
Grab the tissues before watching this one. The emotional drama, first released in late 2016, follows the lives of Jack and Rebecca Pearson, played by Milo Ventimiglia and Mandy Moore, and their three children, Kate (Chrissy Metz), Randall (Sterling K. Brown) and Kevin (Justin Hartley).
