Watching TV series is a favorite hobby among many, who prefer them to movies due to their longer format. When you watch a good series, every new episode brings new revelations, and the more you get emotionally involved in the story, the better it seems overall. And while there are many good shows out there, some of them become fan favorites and attract larger numbers of viewers than others. If you’re also looking for some new series to binge-watch, here are some of the ones that you must definitely have on your list this year.
Shogun
The 2024 Shogun is an adaptation of the 1975 novel written by James Clavell. The plot is a fictionalized retelling of the events that occurred in Japan in the 1600s, which marked the end of the Azuchi-Momoyama and ushered in the beginning of the Edo period. Despite the fact that it is an American production, the show is historically accurate in the sense that the cast is mostly Japanese (with the exception of the characters that are of British and Portuguese descent), and the majority of the dialogue is in the Japanese language as well. This is the best show to watch if you enjoy history since its political intrigue and sumptuous landscapes are bound to leave you impressed. Just make sure that you don’t have a weak stomach since this gripping drama features some intense, violent scenes.
Under the Bridge
The true crime genre is somewhat controversial among series lovers, with many believing that the plots can easily become disrespectful to the victims. The often-shocking scenes can also be regarded by some viewers as a crude and insensitive way to exploit real suffering for entertainment. But shows like “Under the Bridge” are aware of these issues. This series doesn’t present the events in an overly dramatic fashion and aims to treat the victim respectfully. Lily Gladstone plays a police officer with First Nations heritage whose perspective makes the show more nuanced and complex, and the plot also focuses on how intense media coverage can also contribute to the perpetuation of stereotypes.
Westworld
Technology lovers who are looking into the latest gadgets to buy, what Binance data shows in order to add cryptocurrencies to their digital portfolios and whose vocabulary is largely made up of tech-related terms cannot miss out on Westworld, a story that takes place in a technologically advanced amusement park populated by lifelike androids known as hosts. The hosts are programmed to fulfill every desire of the guests and are unable to harm any living thing themselves, meaning that they are often abused and mistreated by the people visiting the park. And while their systems make them unable to remember any of the things happening to them, a new upgrade changes things forever and allows them to retain their memories, leading to a global revolution.
Expats
This drama miniseries focuses on Margaret Woo, an American expatriate housewife and former landscape artist living in Hong Kong. It is the perfect show if you enjoy slow-burn stories and love to take your time to discover all the intricacies of a tale. Much of the story follows the complexities of expat life and the communities people build. The fifth episode centers on the lives of domestic workers and shows the extent of their hard work and sacrifice, without which the entire world would suffer.
3 Body Problem
Another gem for science lovers, the 3 Body Problem mixes astrophysics, space and aliens with questions about morality, survival and the extent to which technological progress actually helps society. The show is based on the award-winning novel series “Remembrance of Earth’s Past” by Chinese sci-fi writer and computer engineer Liu Cixin and begins with Ye Wenjie, an astrophysicist dealing with the death of her father during the Chinese Cultural Revolution, an event that leaves her traumatized and, years later, causes her to respond to contact from aliens far away in the galaxy, a decision that leaves humanity to face the greatest possible threat.
The influence of the book series can be observed from the emergence of the dark forest hypothesis, a postulation that civilizations are common across the universe but are silent and remain undetectable due to their fear of being annihilated by other aliens out of fundamental distrust and hostile self-preservation. Although the concept predates the series, it got its name from the novel, so if you’ve ever wondered what would happen if extraterrestrials came on Earth, the 3 Body Problem could be just the thing for you.
Mary & George
Another treat for history lovers, Mary & George is a 17th century royal extravaganza that will appeal to fans who miss Game of Thrones and House of the Dragon (whose second season will premiere on June 16th). The story centers around the affair between James VI and I and George Villiers, 1st Duke of Buckingham. George’s mother, the clever and ambitious Mary Villiers, had something of an unsavory reputation among her contemporaries due to her relentlessness, greed and high aspirations. Nonetheless, she was a woman of incredible strength, and the show focuses on this aspect as well. Another bonus of Mary & George is the stunning costumes, to the point that nobody with an eye for fashion could not admire them.
Ripley
The neo-noir film genre appears to be mostly absent from the big screen nowadays, but if you’re a fan, you can assuage your cravings with Ripley, the psychological thriller starring Andrew Scott as the eponymous Tom Ripley. The story takes place in the 1950s and deals with a con man’s attempts to get the son of a wealthy man to return home from Italy. But from this endeavor span a life of deceit, murder and fraud, with the series feeling quite comfortable in depicting the tensions and practical horror of such a lifestyle. The series is shot in excruciating detail, emphasizing the lengths needed to cover up all of these misdeeds.
There are so many series out there that it can be challenging to figure out what you should watch first. However, there are some shows that will definitely keep you on the edge of your seat with a little less effort than others, and those are the ones you want on your watchlist.
