Season four of the hit Disney+ show The Bear, which follows the chaotic world of a restaurant and its screaming chefs, will arrive sooner than expected.

FX has announced the return of Jeremy Allen White’s Carmy and the team on June 25th in the UK via Disney+ and on Hulu in the US. Unlike some Disney releases, all 10 episodes will be available simultaneously instead of being staggered releases.

Since its debut, The Bear has experienced significant growth. Season three garnered 5.4 million views in its first four days of streaming, a whopping 24% increase from season two.

The show has also received critical acclaim, winning 21 Emmys and rightfully so, because when the show isn’t the most stressful viewing experience around, it perfectly captures the complexity of family relationships and trying to balance them alongside trying to grow a career.

Hopefully, season four will feature more outlandish cameos of great actors popping up for an episode, putting in a fantastic performance and then dipping, leaving the viewer wanting more, as was previously seen with Olivia Coleman, Bob Odenkirk and Jamie Lee Curtis. Even John Mulaney swung by. For now, we will have to wait and see, as we wait for a first proper trailer for the next season

What will no doubt be most exciting for many is seeing how the characters, who largely started out as unserious sandwich makers, have grown into top-tier professionals of hospitality… albeit stressed ones. A great example is the recently released video by FX — embedded above — highlighting Ebon Moss-Bachrach's turn as Richie and the character's evolution from a slacker server to an elite maître d.

According to Disney’s press release, the upcoming season will see the team face new challenges that require them to adapt and overcome. And maybe make some mouth-watering dishes, too.

• If you're looking for more great shows, check out our list of all the best shows on Disney+.

The House of Mouse has announced the release date for the highly anticipated Alien: Earth.

The show, which marks the first time Xenomorphs and the world first established by Ridley Scott's 1979 classic will be adapted for TV, is set to arrive on the 13th of August on Disney+ in the UK, and Hulu in the United States..

It'll initially release with two debut episodes. After the first two episodes drop, the show will release one fresh episode every Wednesday until the eight-episode run is complete.

It will be brought to life by Noah Hawley, who was behind the Fargo TV Show and the Marvel show Legion starring Dan Stevens.

The latest chapter in the Alien universe will follow Wendy (Sydney Chandler) and a team of tactical soldiers after the deep space research vessel USCSS Maginot crashes on Earth. Their arrival leads to a terrifying encounter with the planet's greatest threat.

Set in the year 2120 (two years before the events of the original Alien film), Earth is controlled by five powerful corporations – Prodigy, Weyland-Yutani, Lynch, Dynamic, and Threshold. In this future-gazing age, humans coexist with cyborgs and synthetics. The emergence of hybrids, humanoid robots with human consciousness, pioneered by Prodigy Corporation's CEO, marks a turning point. The prototype hybrid, Wendy, faces unimaginable horrors when Weyland-Yutani's spaceship crashes into Prodigy City.

Considering this is the first time we will see the franchise adapted for telly, it will be interesting to see how it works in this new format when it releases in August. Does the xenomorph still cause a fright when it's tied to a 'tune in next week!' cliffhanger? Either way, after the success of Alien Romulus, it's an exciting time to be an Alien fan.

• Check out our list of all the best shows on Disney+.

Amazon has given us our first look at Spider-Noir, its upcoming Prime Video TV show. Nicolas Cage is the titular hero donning the fedora in Marvel's Spider-Man spin off, with a striking black and white aesthetic that harks back to its gumshoe detective inspiration.

Spider-Noir is based on Spider-Man Noir, an alternate universe interpretation of Spider-Man. Instead of being from the modern day, the character is knocking about New York during the 30s and the Great Depression— though he still has many of the same abilities as everyone’s favourite webhead.

The most significant difference, outside of the setting, is also what this version of Spidey wears, skipping out on the red and blue tights in favour of a long trench coat and a fedora, which is all black. As we can see in the first look image shared by Amazon, the show has fully committed to the look, as seen previously in the Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse animated films (as seen below).

Nicolas Cage has already brought the character to life in the animated film Into the Spider-Verse, where the straight-talking hero is a highlight in what is likely a more comedic approach to the character than what we will see here.

An interesting tidbit about the show is that it will be available in both black and white and colour when it debuts on Amazon Prime. There may not be a release date for the show just yet, but having the show in black and white is a great way to pay homage to the comic's bleak greys.

The cast is also shaping up to be pretty special. Academy Award winner Nicolas Cage is not the only big name appearing in the show; Lamorne Morris, Brendan Gleeson, Abraham Popoola, Li Jun Li, Karen Rodriguez, and Jack Huston are all set to star.

This Sony Pictures production is being developed exclusively for MGM+ and Prime Video, so when it eventually releases, you’ll only be able to watch it on Prime. No word yet on when that release will be though.

• Fallout: Season 2 - 5 things to know about the return of Prime Video's apocalyptic hit

Invincible's third season just wrapped up after another finale that delivered a punch, plenty of violence, and a few shocks along the way. One of the highlights of the finale was Jeffrey Dean Morgan’s turn as Conquest, who was nothing short of terrifying – and now we have plenty of information on what’s coming next in this comic adaptation from Amazon.

The information was first published on social media, simply displaying a grey background with some information about what’s next – most importantly we know season four will be arriving in 2026, but no specifics were given about when.

What will also please fans, who, despite loving the show, were very critical of how long it took for season two to release after the initial season, is that voice work for the next season is already finished, meaning the cast is also in place too.

It means that Thragg, who is set to be a key player in the story’s future, also already has a voice, with speculation running wild about who it could be. At present, there’s no further information surrounding who might be stepping up to the plate, but Jon Bernthal looks to be an early favourite.

Admittedly, this initial delay was partly due to the pandemic that impacted the development of the hit animated show. The Instagram post also references a new storyline featuring Darkblood, which will be unique in the show as it was never featured in the comic.

Invincible will return for a fourth season, adapting the iconic comic run scribed by Robert Kirkman, who also works on the show. The show airs exclusively on Amazon Prime, and the first three seasons are available to watch now alongside the Atom Eve special.

If you’re looking to get more out of your subscription, here are the best things to watch on Amazon Prime.

Main image via Amazon

You might know Kaitlin Olson as the iconic Sweet Dee in the long-running It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia. Or you might be a fan from the hit show Hacks, where she plays Deborah "DJ" Vance Jr. But the early-adopters amongst us (a gang which I for once will tentatively count myself in) will soon know her from playing the sassy, and smart Morgan in Disney+’s new show High Potential. Think the wit and pace of Lorelai Gilmore and the brains of Sherlock Holmes merged together, solving crimes in eccentric outfits in LA, and you’d be on the money. As you can imagine, it’s one of the best watches you’ll have this year.

Already renewed for a second season that’s set to film in May, Kaitlin Olson sat down with us and spilled all the BTS secrets on her new crime-solving hit.

Shortlist: Hello Kaitlin! What has been your favourite episode of High Potential so far?

Kaitlin Olson: I loved the Pilot - it’s hard to say as all of them are great but I think the pilot encompassed all the elements of Morgan - how her mind works, but also her family and how much they mean to her. I also loved the hostage episode as that showed Morgan’s family and her relationships. Basically I love all the moments that show those authentic family moments.

SL: In High Potential you make a great crime fighting duo alongside Daniel Sunjata — but if you could be a member of any other crimestopping team, which would it be?

KO: Jessica Fletcher from Murder She Wrote. I think she would be a great duo with Morgan - Morgan would be sassy and Jessica would bring that sweet older-lady energy.

SL: High Potential is streaming on Disney+ — if Morgan was going to feature in any other Disney+ show which would you love her to be in?

KO: I mean, why not put her in It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia? I think that would be such a fun crossover. I think Sweet Dee would hate her - I do not think they would get along!

SL: Are there any of Morgan’s traits that you feel like you have in real life? What do you feel connects you with her?

KO: Definitely being a mother and how much she loves and prioritises her kids, I really relate to that and connect with that. She’s quite a smartass too. Although whereas Morgan doesn’t care what people think and is a rule breaker, that’s definitely where we differ - I’m a rule follower.

SL: Which of the characters do you feel you would get on with in real life?

KO: Daphne and Soto. I love the relationship between Morgan and Daphne - as Daphne is a younger, up and coming detective there was potential for her to be jealous and have that rivalry with Morgan but [we] fought hard for that not to happen. I think Daphne and Morgan have a unique camaraderie.

When Morgan first starts, she doesn’t really trust anyone in the squad, but she does trust Daphne. They have a more unique relationship from the start - you know, I steal her lollipop and apologise because I feel really bad about it, this helps bring a more unique dynamic and relationship. It’s really great to see female leads relying on each other and being supportive instead of jealous as they can often stereotypically be.

SL: Who does Morgan have the most interesting relationship with?

KO: Karadec definitely. They have this ongoing relationship where they like and don’t like each other simultaneously. I know there are a lot of people gunning for their romance and for that to happen - maybe it will, who knows? I think what they do have is an authentic mutual trust that builds between them - they have a sort of sibling relationship at some points as they are both very different characters and personalities but ultimately need one another.

SL: Is there anything you’d love to see Morgan take on or to challenge her in the next series?

KO: Maybe lose one of the team for an episode and not have them working on one of the cases - Morgan always is the one who does the final solve, but she needs the team - so maybe a situation where she needs Karadec’s help.

SL: What was the hardest scene to film?

KO: Having to memorise that much information - like, Morgan’s mind works really fast and she knows so many facts that having to memorise it all can be a lot. One of the first scenes where I’m in a grocery store and doing all this quick maths - remembering all the figures was so hard - I had to put a post-it note on the ham!

SL: Anything you can hint about what people can expect from Season 2?

KO: Looking more into the characters’ backgrounds more and Morgan’s childhood. We start shooting in May…

SL: What drew you to Morgan as a character?

KO: How beautifully flawed she is. I think she’s quite misjudged because of the way she dresses and looks - when she joins the team she is seen and valued for the first time for what she can offer. There’s also a certain reluctance about Morgan with her intellect - it’s more of a challenge to her than something she brags about. Her brain is secondary to her personality and her identity as a mother. I really fell in love with Morgan when I read the script and thought I could bring something special to the role.

SL: What are you currently binge watching? And what do you think Morgan would be watching?

KO: I’ve been watching Paradise and Lioness. I don’t know, I think Morgan’s probably the same as me, but I don’t think she would be good to watch TV with - I think she'd be really annoying to watch with - a bit like my husband because he’s a writer! They’re the kind of people you want to watch stuff in a separate room from for sure.

SL: In the series, Morgan orders a Manhattan as her go-to drink, what’s yours?

KO: Probably a tequila, soda and lime.

SL: Finally, what can viewers expect from the season finale?

KO: A cliffhanger. (*cue dramatic pause). More on the Morgan and Roman storyline too.

• Stuck for what to watch? Check out the best movies and TV shows to stream this week

Main Photo Credit: High Potential is available to stream on Disney+

Amazon spends tens of billions of dollars a year on movies, TV shows and music.

It might not stop us complaining about Prime Video ads, but you do get quite a lot for your money with a Prime subscription. Today we're only interested in the finest cuts on Prime Video, though.

It's a real jumbled selection box. We have some comedy, horror, and a good selection of sci-fi and fantasy, where Amazon Prime Video really excels at the moment.

UPDATE: More than 20 years on from the Legally Blonde films, Elle is back with... Elle. It's a TV series that acts as a prequel to Legally Blonde, charting the life and times of the movie's lead character before she became the lawyer-in-waiting that has proved to be one of the more enduring characters from the pantheon of 2000s comedy movies.

But our first recommendation to those new to the service? It's probably Fallout. While this is a show based on a video game series, those who never play games are likely to love it too. It's just that good.

Disagree with our selection? Or think we've forgotten a show that deserves a spot in this hall of fame? Let us know in the box at the bottom of this article.

And it is worth noting that all of the following Prime Video shows are available in the UK, please check if they are available in your country.

New release series on Prime Video

Elle

More than, yikes, 25 years on from the original Legally Blonde, Elle is back in her own TV show. This time she’s played by Lexi Minetree rather than the iconic Reese Witherspoon. It’s a prequel, an origin story, in which we find out how Elle became the character you know and (possibly) love from the 2001 classic. And, sure, its far less beloved 2003 movie sequel.

• Stream on Prime Video

More of the best shows on Prime Video

Spider-Noir

Nicolas Cage is Spider-Man in this latest stylish take on the superhero, which sees a cloned version of Spider-Man act as a noir-ish detective character — Ben Reilly in this timeline. It’s weird and brilliant, and sees Cage chew through the scenery in irresistible style. Reilly has long since retired his superhero persona, but a fresh conspiracy makes him take up his old mantle once more in later life. Available in both full colour and evocative monochrome.

• Stream on Prime Video

Bait

British national treasure Riz Ahmed reaffirms what a talent he is with Bait, a show he created and stars in. It’s semi-autobiographical, as Ahmed plays an actor tipped to play James Bond. Bait is sharp and funny, and features a biting supporting performance from Guz Khan. Just don’t come expecting to like the main character, as Ahmed’s Shah Latif leans into the narcissistic side of the acting class.

• Stream on Prime Video

Young Sherlock

More than 15 years after he directed the Sherlock Holmes movie starring Robert Downey Jr., Guy Ritchie returns to the detective with this TV series. It's an eight-part show, with Hero Fiennes Tiffin playing a 19-year-old version of the iconic character. As you might expect from Ritchie, it leans into action and laddishness. Mixed reviews, but it does feature some great action and looks top drawer.

• Stream on Prime Video

The Track

This charming documentary looks at the real story of a Sarajevo luge team’s attempt to compete in the 2022 Winter Olympics. Mirza Nikolajev, Zlatan Jakić, and Hamza Pleho face bureaucracy, disbelief and more in a watch that is heart-warming while showing how Sarajevo continues to be marked by the Bosnian War that happened decades earlier.

• Stream on Prime Video

Steal

Sophie Turner — her off Game of Thrones — rocks the screen in Steal, a six-part thriller. She plays Zara, an ordinary office worker who finds herself wrapped up in a heist. And that’s just the start of this rollercoaster ride of a show. Come with your suspension of disbelief stocked up and ready to go, but this is one hell of a ride if you can roll with it.

• Stream on Prime Video

The Night Manager

Almost a decade after the original, The Night Manager season 2 has arrived. Tim Hiddleston and Olivia Colman reprise their roles as an unlikely intelligence agent and his savvy handler. While the original season was based on a John le Carre book, season two is a fresh story set nine years on. That may sound like a recipe for everything to go swiftly off the rails, but this new chapter continues with all the snap and style we remember from 2016.

• Stream on Prime Video

• Stream on Prime Video

Malice

David Duchovny and comedian Jack Whitehall star in Malice, a show in which Whitehall plays a tutor, Adam, to a wealthy family headed up by Duchovny’s Jamie Tanner. But in the vein of The Talented Mr Ripley, there’s a darkness under Adam’s superficially charming exterior. It’s the tale of a cunning sociopath wreaking havoc, trotting by gleefully over six episodes.

Gen V

Not many spin-offs make it into consideration for our best-of lists. But Gen V certainly does. This is a The Boys spin-off, in which the action moves to Godolkin University, where the next generation of superheroes are raised and trained. It’s no cosy “young adult” alternative to The Boys, though, with the same black streak of violence and oddness struck through its core. Definitely one for fans of the original series to check out, especially as season two leads up to The Boys's fifth and final season.

• Stream on Prime Video

The Girlfriend

This thriller is based around a bit of an eye-opening premise. Laura’s (Robin Wright) life revolves around her son. She’s a successful gallery owner, but to say she’s obsessed with her son would be a bit of an understatement. So when he (Laurie Davidson) brings home a girlfriend (Olivia Cooke), the tension begins to rise as Laura begins to suspect she is not as she appears on he surface. A deliciously twisty ride based on a novel by Michelle Frances.

• Stream on Prime Video

Atlanta

Winner of multiple Emmy awards, among others, Atlanta is the tale of two cousins who try to make it work in Atlanta’s music scene. They are played by Brian Tyree Henry and Donald Glover, who also created the show. Exactly what we want to see, Atlanta lasted four seasons before its creators decided to wrap it up in 2022. And all four of them are excellent.

• Stream on Prime Video

The Assassin

Keeley Hawes stars in The Assassin, which is a blast of an action thriller series. She plays a middle-aged and menopausal assassin, Julie. She is retried and living in Greece, but the action heats up when her past comes back to haunt her. Julie ends up on the run with her previously estranged son, played by Freddie Highmore. It’s packed with comedy, action and, well, some swearing. And Hawes is great as usual.

• Stream on Prime Video

The Institute

An adaptation from horror maestro Stephen King. A clutch of teenagers are kidnapped and taken to the institute, after they show signs of having special powers. The series sees them plan their escape. It’s one of the better televisual King adaptations — not that this is saying much. The Institute has attracted comparisons to Stranger Things, and while it doesn’t quite reach those heights, it’s worth a watch.

• Stream on Prime Video

Countdown

Jen Ackles stars in Countdown, Amazon’s latest crime show. He is Mark Meachum, an LA detective who becomes part of a secret group investigating the case of a Homeland Security agent murdered in broad daylight. It takes an old-school approach, rather than trying to break the mould. If you’re eagerly awaiting the return of Reacher, this is a solid show to fill that particular void in your viewing line-up.

• Stream on Prime Video

The Expanse

The beauty of Amazon Prime - and Netflix - is that these platforms breathe life into previously dead shows, like The Expanse. It's a show about what happens when humans colonise the solar system (spoiler: it ain’t great). Syfy cancelled it after three seasons but Amazon gave The Expanse a new home. Why? Well, for one thing CEO Jeff Bezos is a big fan. We’re glad he did - this is stunning sci-fi and universe-building at its best.

Right now, only seasons 3-5 are available to stream. Here's hoping the first three come back soon.

• Stream on Prime Video

Bosch

Bosch is a brilliant, easy watch, and is now in its fifth season. It stars Titus Welliver as the titular Harry Bosch, whose acting raises this show above your average police procedural. As does the writing. Overseen by Eric Overmyer, whose credits include The Wire, Treme and Boardwalk Empire, this is a top-quality show. And its spin-off Bosch Legacy is equally as good.

• Stream on Prime Video

Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan

The Jack Ryan series of movies, those starring Harrison Ford at least, were a lot of fun. While a prequel movie with Chris Pine stumbled, this alternate TV take is well worth a watch.

John Krasinski is effortless as Ryan, a CIA analyst forced into the field. As is The Wire’s Wendell Pierce as Jack Greer, Ryan’s mentor - a role that once belonged to James Earl Jones. Big shoes to fill, then, but he manages it. It’s a little Mission: Impossible lite in places but well worth a watch, especially in 4K.

• Stream on Prime Video

The Boys

The Boys is one of the most original takes on the superhero genre we have seen. The concept (based on Garth Ennis' great comic) is that the world is filled with superheroes but they are all, well, dicks. Underneath their ews is that there's a team of anti-heroes that can put a stop to them, lead by Karl Urban.

This is one gory, violent, hilarious show that's not for the faint hearted. The second season onwards is darker with the arrival of Stormfront to shake up the superheroes.

• Stream on Prime Video

The Marvelous Miss Maisel

It was about time a show gave Rachel Brosnahan a chance to shine. After bit parts in movies and a stint on House of Cards, The Marvelous Miss Maisel sees her in fantastic form as a 1950s housewife who decides one day to become a stand-up comic. There’s a lot to love about the show, but Brosnahan’s main performance as ‘Midge’ Maisel steals it - her transformation when she eventually gets on the stage is brilliant to watch.

• Stream on Prime Video

Good Omens

Good Omens gets the TV treatment, thanks to a joint production between the BBC and Amazon Studios. The result is a superb six-part series with one of the best acting pairing seen on TV in recent years. David Tennant and Michael Sheen shine as angels Aziraphale and Crowley, and their job is to stave off the impending apocalypse.

• Stream on Prime Video

The Man in the High Castle

The Man in the High Castle was one of the first Prime Video Originals and it ran for four seasons, concluding at the end of 2019. It's a fantastic-looking show that is based on Philip K. Dick's novel where in a parallel universe the Nazis won and the changes this makes to the world. By the end of the show it deviates from the book but it's well worth going the distance.

• Stream on Prime Video

Hanna

What started off as a spin-off of the successful child assassin movie has mutated into something far better. This is a great show that reveals just what you can do when you allow a premise and characters time to breath. Esme Creed-Miles (daughter of Samantha Morton) is the titular teenage assassin.

• Stream on Prime Video

The Wheel Of Time

The Wheel of Time feels like Amazon testing the fantasy waters before it unleashes the Lord of the Rings show on to us all but for all its faults, there is a lot to like with this epic saga. Rosamund Pike plays Moraine, a noble who has tasked herself with finding The Dragon Reborn, someone who is the key between light and dark. While the first season takes its time, it has really found its way and is a compelling watch.

• Stream on Prime Video

Reacher

Three seasons of proof Alan Ritchson is a much more faithful Jack Reacher than Tom Cruise, who took on the role in the Reacher films. This is the Reacher of the source books by Elmore Leonard, where he's an intimidating and gruff mountain of a man. True to this style, the show features lots of baddies getting their heads knocked together and no-nonsense action. Season two is even better than the first in some respects, while Season three features an enemy way bigger than Reacher.

• Stream on Prime Video

Outer Range

Fresh from The Avengers, Josh Brolin is back in this sci-fi mystery series that focuses on a rancher who finds something strange happening on his land. Although series is yet to end, we're hooked with the mysteries that keep cropping up.

• Stream on Prime Video

Invincible

Robert Kirkman has done it again with this existential look at superheroes and what these powers do to relationships. Mark Grayson is the son of the most powerful superhero on the planet, Omni-Man. Now 17, Grayson is set to follow in his dad's footsteps as he develops special powers but everything is not as it seems.

• Stream on Prime Video

The Better Sister

The Better Sister stars Jessica Biel and Elizabeth Banks as the titular sisters. It’s solid twisty entertainment for fans of the crime drama genre. Like a bit of “eat the rich” sentiment in your shows? The Better Sister puts that on the plate, as well as a lot more. It’s a drama between two feuding sisters. It’s a murder mystery. It’s a police drama.

• Stream on Prime Video

The Tick

Amazon announced it has cancelled The Tick, and that can only be because Amazon doesn’t know how to have fun. It is a superhero parody with heart, and a brilliant cast. ‎Peter Serafinowicz is superb as the titular Tick, the superhero without superpowers, playing it without any knowing wink that he is in on the joke.

And that’s the brilliance of the show, which really stepped up in the second season. Unfortunately, the show was cancelled after Season 2, despite fans' efforts to get the show revived.

• Stream on Prime Video

The Lord Of The Rings: The Rings of Power

The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of power is a stunning-looking show that is every bit as cinematic as the Peter Jackson movies. Although it's set thousands of years before the events of LOTR, there are plenty of call backs for die hard fans and a new mythology to sink your teeth into. It's not perfect, but its epic and the second season shows far more promise.

• Stream on Prime Video

The Handmaid's Tale

The Handmaid's Tale is a faithful-ish adaptation of Margaret Atwood's fantastic dystopian classic novel that has outgrown the plot of the book. Now in its fifth season we are nearing completion of the story of June's rise from humble Handmaiden to freedom fighter. Thanks to Amazon's buyout of MGM, all episodes are available to stream.

• Stream on Prime Video

The Terminal List: Dark Wolf

2022 series The Terminal List gets a spin-off series that acts as a prequel in Dark Wolf. And some will be happy to hear the spotlight moves from Chris Pratt, in the original, to Taylor Kitsch’s Ben Edwards. He’s a Navy SEAL who becomes a CIA spy. Expect violence and efficient twisty thrills in this espionage show based on the world created by author Jack Carr.

• Stream on Prime Video

American Gods

American Gods is full of deliciously addictive storytelling, rich characters and mind-bending fantasy. It's a dark and binge-worthy series with some truly excellent performances.

• Stream on Prime Video

Citadel

Citadel is one of Amazon's most expensive TV shows ever, behind The Rings of Power. It's also a riot, an action-packed show that takes inspiration from movie series including James Bond and Mission Impossible. Richard Madden and Priya Copra Jonas star as spies who have had their memories wiped, but are called back into service .

• Stream on Prime Video

Tales From The Loop

It's pretty rare that a show has been inspired by something other than a book, but this one is based on the paintings of Simon Stålenhag. It's a great premise - each painting is like a jumping off point for an episode, a glimpse into a bigger narrative. It's a lot of fun - a time-travelling series that has hints of Twin Peaks and its big streaming rival's hit show Stranger Things

• Stream on Prime Video

The Devil's Hour

Both Peter Capaldi and Jessica Raine shine in this psychological thriller which is about a woman who wakes up each night between 3-4am - also known as the devil's hour. This mystery leads her to becoming involved in a number of grizzly murders in her town.

• Stream on Prime Video

Upload

A show that perhaps hasn't attracted as many eyeballs as it deserves. Upload looks at a world where people can upload themselves to a sort of digital afterlife. The show was created by Greg Daniels, a key force behind the US The Office and Parks & Rec. It's smart and funny, and becomes a sharp social satire over its three seasons.

• Stream on Prime Video

Hacks

Hacks stars Jean Smart (24, Legion) who is a Las Vegas comedian. She teams up with a younger comedy writer to try and revive her career and freshen up her act. This one is a must watch but be warned: only two seasons are available through Amazon Prime. You'll have to look elsewhere for the brilliant seasons 3 and 4.

• Stream now on Prime Video

Hunters

Hunters is a show that is gory, silly and clearly a little ridiculous. However, it is also engaging, in the vein of a B-movie revenge thriller. A little uneven in spots, but Al Pacino as a Nazi hunter? Surely worth a crack.

• Stream on Prime Video

Fargo

Who would have thought back in 1996 when the movie Fargo came out that over 25 years later a TV show based on it would have been on for a decade? Fargo the TV show doesn't share characters with the film, but is based in the same world and has that unmistakeable Fargo vibe.

It's now five seasons long, each one critically acclaimed. Each season also tells its own story, although we still recommend watching them in order if you're game for the ride.

• Stream on Prime Video

The Rig

The Rig is a great old-school supernatural shocker that follows the exploits of a group of oil riggers who may have drilled into something that's from out of this world. The cast is great and also a who's who of UK TV, with Iain Glen, Mark Bonnar and Martin Compston all starring.

• Stream on Prime Video

The Patriot

No, it’s not a show about Mel Gibson’s big-screen vehicle but a darkly comic show about a spy who needs to stop Iran from going nuclear. Unfortunately there are only two seasons as it was cancelled by Amazon but they are a refreshing watch, balancing fun and frenetic action and, to be honest, we’ll watch RoboCop’s Kurtwood Smith in anything.

• Stream on Prime Video

Red Oaks

The 80s is a TV gold mine. Stranger Things used the era of Walkmans and shell suits as a backdrop for some crazy stuff. Red Oaks tempers the craziness but ramps up the warmth and fun, creating a wonderful coming-of-age story that needs to be seen. It is a show that doesn’t shirk big issues, but they are wrapped in a lot of affection for the era and its characters.

• Stream on Prime Video

Cross

Aldis Hodge is Detective Alex Cross in this adaptation of the stories of James Patterson’s Cross novels. It’s both a police procedural and a thriller, with a forensic psychology twist. You do need to give it some time as this is not the fastest-paced show off the blocks. But the investment is worth it. The real star here is Hodge’s performance, cementing the actor as a true screen attention magnet.

• Stream on Prime Video

Clarkson’s Farm

Even if you don’t have a high opinion of Jeremy Clarkson, there’s a good chance you’ll love Clarkson’s Farm. It’s the behind-the-scenes story of Diddly Squat Farm, which the TV host bought all the way back in 2008. The show itself, though, only began in 2021, after the previous proprietor of the farm retired. It’s funny and touching, and has a broader appeal than Top Gear follow-up The Grand Tour.

• Stream on Prime Video

Mr. And Mrs. Smith

Mr. And Mrs. Smith is no longer just a minor cheesy classic movie. It’s also a Prime Video TV show. But instead of being a real-life married couple, as in the movie, Donald Glover and Maya Erskine play agents who have to play as a married couple. By flip-reversing matters, we get to see their relationship develop over the first season. Plus, y’know, there’s plenty of spy action too.

• Stream on Prime Video

The Walking Dead

After 11 seasons and more than a decade since the first episode, The Walking Dead concluded in 2022. The entire run is available on Prime Video. And while fans will tell you it goes off the boil in at least the last few seasons, it was electric TV in those early years.

If you’ve somehow missed this TV institution, The Walking Dead follows Rick Grimes’s (Andrew Lincoln) and collaborators attempts to survive in a zombie apocalypse. It’s based on a series of graphic novels by Robert Kirkman.

• Stream on Prime Video

Kevin Can F Himself

It's so good to see Annie Murphy on the small screen again after Schitts Creek and this is the perfect show for her. Kevin Can F Himself is about a 'sitcom wife' who shows just what happens when you are pushed to the absolute edge. Amazon hasn't bigged up that it has this show and it's a massive shame as we are huge fans.

• Stream on Prime Video

Gotham: Caped Crusader

There's a trend for bringing back classic animated series, and we're here for it. Caped Crusader feels like a continuation of Batman: The Animated Series, which began in 1992. This Batman is a detective, and the style is pure noir. Bruce Time is at the head of this one. He worked on the key 1990s Batman animated series and it basically the main man of DC's animated output.

• Stream on Prime Video

Secret Level

A show where each episode, each short sub-15-minute film, is based in the universe of a game or gaming property. There’s Pac-Man, Warhammer 40,000, Armored Core, Unreal Tournament and more. The quality of the episodes is up and down, but this is obviously a show you want to check out if you have any significant relationship with the games involved. It has been renewed for a second season too.

• Stream on Prime Video

Nathan for You

A fab palate cleanser for those who want a break from heavy drama series. Nathan For You is a comedy reality show first aired a decade ago.

Nathan Fielder talks to real people and real businesses, as a sort-of awkward business coach whose ideas are plain horrible. It sounds like a Kitchen Nightmares pastiche on paper, but Fielder’s unique, awkward and deadpan style makes Nathan for You a true original.

• Streaming on Prime Video

The Power

The Power is a 10-part series, adapted from the best-selling novel by Naomi Alderman. It's a thriller with a cracking premise: teenage girls the world over gain the power to electrify things. What ensues is a shift in how the world is run and the implications of this. While it doesn't quite 'spark' as well as the book does, it's a great watch.

• Stream on Prime Video

Undone

After the brilliance of Bojack Horseman for Netflix, creator Raphael Bob-Waksberg headed to Amazon for Undone, an animated show that uses rotoscoping to create its unique look. Undone tackles some of the same themes of Bojack, albeit in a much more dramatic way - its trippy visuals give the whole thing an unreal feel and the likes of Bob Odenkirk, Daveed Diggs and Rosa Salazar star.The second season of Undone is streaming now and is just as trippy as the first.

• Stream on Prime Video

Fleabag

It seems a little trite to heap more praise on a show that it is pretty much universally loved but the thing is (looks to camera, with a wry smile), they’re right. Phoebe Waller-Bridge's adaptation of her own one-woman stage show manages to be stunningly crass, utterly hilarious and tear-inducing all at the same time. Yes, Waller-Bridges is perfect as Fleabag but the rest of the cast are just as good, characters rounded with surgical precision.

• Steam on Prime Video

Fallout

Alongside The Last of Us, Fallout stands out as one of the best video game adaptations made to date. Missed the games? Fallout is set in a world ravaged by nuclear war, where civilisation has been decimated but some survivors live on. And the most radiation-wrecked of them become ghouls, as played by Walton Goggins in the show. It’s a blast, and a recommended watch whether you are familiar with the games or not.

• Stream on Prime Video

• If you are looking at what the rival has to offer, then head to our best Netflix shows guide.
• You can check out the best Prime Video movies

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How we choose our best Amazon Prime Video TV show list

Like all guides on ShortList, this best Amazon Prime series list was chosen by the editorial team. We started by sifting through the thousands of TV shows available on the service, and distilled these shows by their IMDb ranking which is an indicator that Prime Video uses (Amazon owns IMDb).

Then using our own editorial expertise, where we have near 20 years' of reviewing experience, we watched hours upon hours of shows - many more than what are on this list. If a show hasn't grabbed our attention by the third or fourth episode, then it is unlikely to be on this list.

On the flip of this, sometimes we add in shows that are being shown weekly on the service. They may go into this guide from episode 1 but if there is a severe drop-off in quality then we will reassess their insertion in the round-up and take them out if necessary.

The final say is done by the editor and creator of this list, Marc Chacksfield. He has nearly 20 years experience reviewing movies and show, both online and in magazines. You can read his bio for more information.

For the most part, this Prime Video show list is made up of scripted TV shows - there are some episodic fact-based shows on the site, but we are mainly focusing on prestige television here.

We haven't added any FreeVee content to this list. While the shows on their are decent, they are ad-funded and don't make up this list. And we haven't added anything from any of the Prime Video 'channels' you can get. This is because these are usually paid-for additions to the main Prime Video service.

If your fave show isn't one of our current pics, then let us know below!

FX has offered a small taste of The Bear season four concealed inside a sizzle reel showcasing all of the new shows heading to its Hulu streaming platform (or Disney+, here in the UK).

The snippet-filled trailer offers an appetiser with just a morsel of information about Jeremy Allen White’s return to the high-pressure culinary scene. Still, after the cliffhanger of season three, the teaser lets us know Sydney (Ayo Edebiri) still sees the team at The Bear as a family -- hopefully meaning she won't be leaving the restaurant staff as the third season suggested.

We also get a small glimpse of Richie (Ebon Moss-Bachrach) losing his rag in a way we've come to expect from the show and the character. It's a relief to know he’s returning — he’s the heart and soul of the show, in our books — as his popularity has only grown in recent times and, in theory, will continue to do so now he's part of the Fantastic Four reboot as The Thing.

The rest of the trailer highlights the show's characters in sweet embraces, hugs, and warmth, something we usually see sandwiched between stressful rows and intense brooding. You’ll just have to keep that pause button handy, as the clips of The Bear are interspersed with FX’s other offerings.

A summer feast

Season three of The Bear dropped in the summer of 2024, with the next season set to arrive during the summer of 2025, and will hopefully provide answers to S3’s many lingering questions.

It shouldn't take long to get back into the thick of the action, where we will find out how the restaurant managed after the big review came in and the answers to Sdney's big decision that was teased at the end of the third season.

The sizzle also showed off plenty of other shows from FX, including Made in Wrexham, Dying for Sex, It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, Shogun and much more. FX is flying the flag for quality shows on the service right now (the majority of which make their way to Disney+ in the UK), and hopefully, the next season of The Bear will continue this trend.

If you're looking for more great shows, check out our list of all the best shows on Disney+.

It may have been one of the best TV shows of last year, but don’t hold your breath for The Penguin series 2.

Colin Farrell's turn as Oswald Cobblepot in 2022's The Batman gave birth to a TV spin-off that became an unlikely huge success, earning Farrell plenty of awards since release.

The spin-off show, which aired on Now TV and HBO from through September and October 2024, was so popular that it had fans clamouring for more, and now Farrell has spoken out regarding any chance of his return to the role.

At the SAG awards, Variety asked Farrell about his future in The Penguin role, and it turns out he’s in no rush to get back into that make-up chair.

"I don't want it. I don't not want it," he told Variety.

Farrell continued, "We all left it in the ring in those eight hours. I would hate to, just because of a quote-unquote success, have to go again and for it to be a diluted version of what people seem to feel it is, majoritively. So I'm in no rush.

"I have no deep desire to do it. Sure, if they think of something that works in conjunction as a parallel to Matt Reeves' cinematic universe and it's a good idea, I'm open to it. But it's not something concerning me."

When will we see The Penguin again?

Although a second season isn't on the horizon, it's still not been ruled out, so there is hope for the small screen return of the iconic villain. But we do know Farrell will reprise the role in the upcoming The Batman sequel, with Robert Pattinson returning as the titular character.

The Batman: Part II is set to release in 2027 but will not be part of James Gunn's rebooted DC Universe, so this will continue to be a separate story with Matt Reeves at the helm.

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Fungal-zombie enthusiasts take note — the second season of the hit show The Last of Us now finally has a release date. We've known it would be released in April for some time, but now Sky has confirmed the HBO show will arrive on Sky and NOW TV on Monday, 14th April.

After an Emmy-winning debut season, anticipation is high for the follow-up that will continue to adapt the story of The Last of Us video games. The second game in the series, which this season will follow, is considerably longer than the first, meaning the second game's story will be spread across multiple seasons.

Despite how much more of the game there is to adapt, this next season is only seven episodes long, two episodes shorter than the first. In one way, I don't mind too much because that's two weeks of less trauma this time, but the more of The Last of Us, the better.

It's been a long wait

The first season was released in 2023, adapting the megapopular game from Naughty Dog and PlayStation; it covered all of the events from the first game, including the DLC, whilst making some tangents to explore some more minor characters from the game in more detail -- even the sight of a strawberry bummed me out for months after the Bill and Frank storyline.

As with the game, season 2 picks up five years after we last saw Pedro Pascal's Joel Miller and Bella Ramsey's Ellie. Thanks to the time jump, plenty of new characters will be introduced, which will be extra exciting for anyone who hasn't played the second game. Don't worry; I won't spoil what happens, but I have listed all the central new cast members below:

• Kaitlyn Dever as Abby
• Isabela Merced as Dina
• Young Mazino as Jesse
• Ariela Barer as Mel
• Tati Gabrielle as Nora
• Spencer Lord as Owen
• Danny Ramirez as Manny
• Jeffrey Wright as Isaac

It's a great nod for fans that Jeffrey Wright is reprising his role from The Last of Us Part 2 video game, in which he played the leader of the Washington Liberation Front. Iconic actress Catherine O'Hara has also been announced to join the cast in an unnamed role.

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Netflix has a funny habit of knowing exactly when you’re about to give up on the festive season. Usually it’s sometime in early December, when the tree’s shedding needles, your work calendar is inexplicably full again, and you realise you’ve already rewatched Home Alone 2 twice. That’s when the red N swoops in, armed with a content drop so aggressively Christmassy it could qualify as décor.

Every year, Netflix turns the festive dial all the way up. We’re talking big-budget Christmas movies, low-stakes rom-coms set in improbably snowy towns, comforting series that feel like wrapping yourself in a fleece blanket, and the odd chaotic wildcard that nobody asked for but everyone ends up watching anyway. Some are instant classics, others are perfect background noise while you “just rest your eyes” on the sofa, but all of them understand one crucial thing: December viewing should be easy.

The beauty of Netflix’s Christmas output is its range. Whether you want full-fat festive cheer, something a little darker, or a special you can dip in and out of between mince pies, there’s always something ready to go. It’s the streaming equivalent of a well-stocked snack cupboard, you might not need all of it, but it’s reassuring to know it’s there.

So if you’re already bored of arguing about what to watch, or you’re simply looking to pad out those long, food-heavy evenings with something reliably festive, you’re in the right place. From cosy comfort watches to surprisingly decent originals, these are the best Christmas movies and shows on Netflix to get you through the season, no remote-control scrolling fatigue required.

10. Black Mirror: White Christmas

It’s a rare thing when the Christmas special of a beloved TV show turns out to be one of the better episodes in the entire series, but that’s precisely what White Christmas is to Black Mirror. Jon Hamm and Rafe Spall play an odd pair holed up in a remote cabin on Christmas Day. To say any more would be akin to us opening all your presents.

9. Carry-On (2024)

Looking for a Christmas film that doesn't feel too much like a Christmas film? Carry-On comes highly recommended. This thriller stars Taron Egerton as a TSA agent who is blackmailed by a terrorist into letting a dangerous package onto a plane, on a Christmas Day flight. There's more than a whiff of Die Hard to this particular Christmas film, and shades of those Liam Neeson thrillers so many folks enjoy. There's no guilt in this pleasure either, it's a solid movie.

8. It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia: A Very Sunny Christmas

Watching a deranged Charlie Kelly bite off Santa’s ear in an act of revenge for having sex with his mother every December 25 might not give you the warm, fuzzy feeling that It’s a Wonderful Life does, but it will give you a belly full of laughs with its look back at childhood Christmases that weren’t as special as they once thought.

7. Robin Robin (2021)

If you’re like us, the news that Robin Robin is Aardman Entertainment’s first musical production will come as a surprise. Aren’t they all this bursting with joyful musicality? Robin Robin is a delightfully delicate stop-motion yarn about a small bird raised as a mouse. What’s more, at only 30 minutes long, it doesn’t make a song and dance about its song and dance numbers.

6. The Holiday (2006)

A Christmas rom-com so cosy it should come with central heating. The Holiday is pure festive escapism: snow-dusted cottages, improbably charming strangers and enough soft-focus romance to make you consider a spontaneous house swap. Cameron Diaz and Kate Winslet anchor a film that knows exactly what it is, glossy, comforting and emotionally low-risk, and executes it perfectly. It’s Christmas viewing as a warm hug: predictable, indulgent and exactly what you want when the nights are long and the Quality Street’s already open

5. How the Grinch Stole Christmas (2000)

If you’re a Jim Carrey hater, then nothing we say can make you want to watch How the Grinch Stole Christmas. Ron Howard’s live action take on the beloved Dr Seuss kids’ book sees the rubber faced comic in full gurning, prancing mode. To be fair, it’s the perfect casting for this misanthropic ball of energy, who sets out on a mission to prevent Christmas.

4. Peep Show: Seasonal Beatings

If your idea of Christmas cheer involves suppressed rage, social dread and roast dinner served through a shredder, Peep Show has you covered. Seasonal Beatings is Mark Corrigan’s festive nightmare in episode form, as family tension, passive aggression and one spectacular meltdown unfold over a painfully British Christmas Day. It’s bleak, brutal and painfully relatable, proving that for some of us, the most authentic Christmas stories aren’t cosy at all, just aggressively awkward and a bit naughty.

3. Love Actually (2003)

Yes, it’s divisive. Yes, some bits have aged like milk. Yet, Love Actually remains the nuclear option of Christmas films. Richard Curtis’s tangle of love stories is unapologetically sentimental, wildly uneven and utterly inescapable once December rolls around.

From airport reunions to cue cards and questionable romantic decisions, it’s packed with moments that have become festive shorthand. Love it or loathe it, Christmas on screen doesn’t really get bigger than this.

2. The Holdovers (2023)

A Christmas film for anyone who prefers their festive cheer with a side of melancholy. Set over the holidays at a deserted New England boarding school, The Holdovers pairs Paul Giamatti’s gloriously grumpy teacher with a troubled student and a grieving cook, all stuck together while everyone else heads home.

It’s funny, restrained and quietly devastating, finding warmth in awkward silences, shared meals and unexpected connection. There’s snow, there’s soul-searching, and there’s just enough festive atmosphere to make it feel like Christmas, without ever trying too hard.

1. Klaus (2019)

This is a beautiful animation about a postman who finds himself in a frosty part of the world where someone who looks remarkably like Santa Claus is hiding out. Directed by Disney veteran Sergio Pablos, and with the voice talent of JK Simmons, this is Netflix getting into the animated business, and it’s a lot of Festive fun.

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Netflix is adding 13 huge shows to its roster of titles.

In a move that sees AMC Networks join forces with the streaming giant, the newly inked deal will see past series of some pretty huge shows made available on the streamer.

Aiming to capitalise off the “Netflix Effect”, the new deal sees AMC serve up a host of hit shows off the back of the colossal success of it's previous offerings, including Breaking Bad.

Yes, that's right, you'll be able to get your hands on The Walking Dead alongside your fix of Jessie and Walt on the platform from as early as August.

According to AMC, the deal will see a “curated selection” of shows released onto the streamer over the next 12 months.

AMC has licensed shows to Netflix before, with the aforementioned hit titles landing alongside Mad Men and Halt and Catch Fire.

Most of the shows will launch on Netflix on August 19, with two other huge shows becoming available during the first few months of 2025.

As part of the first drop of shows, Augusts additions are set to include The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon season one, Anne Rice’s Interview with the Vampire season one, Anne Rice’s Mayfair Witches season one and Monsieur Spade season one.

Not to mention A Discovery of Witches (seasons one to three), Dark Winds (seasons one and two), Fear the Walking Dead (seasons one to eight), Gangs of London (seasons one and two) and Into the Badlands (seasons one to three).

Oh, and then there's seasons one and two of Kevin Can F*** Himself, Preacher (seasons one through four), That Dirty Black Bag season one and, of course, The Terror season one.

Hang on while we catch our breath.

Not only that, but two further Walking Dead instalments are set to drop in January, with he Walking Dead: Dead City season one and The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live landing on the streamer on January 19, 2025.

“This agreement puts our high-quality shows in front of the vast audience of Netflix subscribers with the AMC brand clearly represented," Kristin Dolan, CEO of AMC Networks, said in a statement.

"These curated titles are also being strategically windowed to drive interest in current and upcoming seasons on our direct-to-consumer and partner platforms.

“We believe this significant expansion of our Netflix relationship will drive viewership and engagement on Netflix, while also raising awareness and interest in our award-winning content on AMC-branded and partner platforms across our distribution ecosystem.”

Well then, bring on August.

• The best Netflix shows revealed - this is the TV to stream (July 2024)

Apple TV+ series Severance is without a doubt one of the streamer's breakout stars.

Now, the second series of the hit show has a premiere date - and a suitably intriguing trailer.

The brainchild of writer and director Dan Erickson, the first series of the hit show gripped audiences with its unique strain of spine-tingling drama.

Every-inch a Black Mirror scenario, the first series showcased a reality that saw Mark Scout (Adam Scott), a team leader at Lumon Industries, explore a world in which employees undergo a chilling 'severance' procedure.

The concept saw employee's memories surgically divided, separating their work and personal lives as part of a radical experiment linked to work-life balance.

However, as you might expect from such a concept, it's prime territory for a dark mystery.

Cue Mark finding himself at the centre of a battle to face a new reality- and his own demons.

Featuring five episodes produced by Ben Stiller, the second season of the Emmy award winning show is set to be a big one.

Landing on our screens in January 17, 2025, the second series of Severance already has us intrigued.

Season 2 is set to consist of 10 episodes, the trailer sees Mark and his friends learn of the dire consequences linked to pushing the boundaries of the severance barrier.

Sure, it might still sound a little while off, but from the looks of the teaser, there's plenty to get excited about.

The series will see the return of Scott, Britt Lower, Tramell Tillman, Zach Cherry, Jen Tullock, Michael Chernus, Dichen Lachman, John Turturro, Christopher Walken and Patricia Arquette, alongside a new series regular in the form of Sarah Bock.

Episodes are set to drop weekly following the premiere, arriving every Friday through to March 21.

The forthcoming series synopsis reads: “In Severance Mark Scout (Adam Scott) leads a team at Lumon Industries, whose employees have undergone a severance procedure, which surgically divides their memories between their work and personal lives.

“This daring experiment in ‘work-life balance’ is called into question as Mark finds himself at the centre of an unravelling mystery that will force him to confront the true nature of his work… and of himself.

"In season two, Mark and his friends learn the dire consequences of trifling with the severance barrier, leading them further down a path of woe.”

• The best Apple TV+ shows you really need to be streaming (May 2024)

Bridgerton has maintained its place at the top of the Netflix chart since the second half of series 3 hit our screens back on June 13.

But now it seems the party's over for Lady Whistledown, as the mysterious writer has been toppled from the number one spot, replaced by a show that, let's just say couldn't be more different.

Yes, Rick and Morty have officially arrived, with the duo climbing to the top of the chart courtesy of series 7.

Currently holding steady with a 75% critics approval rating on aggregator site Rotten Tomatoes, the series has once again drawn a crowd.

GQ declared the latest instalment "one of the series’ best -- weird, creative, gross and emotional".

And the premise? Following his divorce from Amy, the eloquently named Mr Poopybutthole finds he overstays his welcome at the Smith household.

The brand new series begins with Rick staging an intervention after his drinking spirals out of control - as for the rest, we'll leave that up to you.

Series 7 hit the platform on June 19, having previously been scheduled to drop in October.

It was great news for fans, with UK viewers taking to social media to hype the return of the cult series.

But when it comes to audiences, the show seems to have received a mixed response, currently sitting on a lacklustre 47% approval rating.

And it seems nearly all the show's critics have the same key piece of feedback.

It all comes down to the voices.

Series 7 sees Ian Cardoni and Harry Belden take over the voices of Rick and Morty following the departure of Justin Roiland.

And it's a move that hasn't gone unnoticed.

"You can definitely feel that Justin Roiland left the show," wrote one fan. "The voice change kind of changed the characters personality, but maybe that's just because it's a different creator."

It's a sentiment echoed by countless other fans, who deliver their feedback alongside a handful of less-than-sympathetic one star reviews.

"The voice actor change completely ruined it for me," says one, with another adding: "Morty sounds like a dying cat".

But despite the criticism, the series continues to top of the charts.

As for how long the animated series will reign supreme over Lady Whistledown? Only time will tell.

• What to watch: new movies and TV shows to stream this week

Netflix has unveiled the cast of its upcoming murder mystery, inspired but the late great Agatha Christie.

The undisputed Queen of the whodunnit, new Netflix series The Seven Dials Mystery is based on the author's renowned works, with filming set to get underway this summer.

Plus, there's an all-star cast that's set to rival any great Hollywood release.

Adapted by Broadchurch creator and former Doctor Who showrunner Chris Chibnall, the series is set to be produced by The Crown‘s Suzanne Mackie and Good Omens' Chris Sussman.

Oh, and then there's Chris Sweeney (The Tourist, Back to Life) who is set to helm the production as director.

If those names weren't enough to entice you, then the cast just might.

Helena Bonham Carter is set to join Fargo and The Responder star Martin Freeman on the project.

And then there's BAFTA Rising Star winner Mia McKenna-Bruce, hot off the back of How to Have Sex - a coming-of-age drama about three teens on a group holiday (catch it on Apple TV+ and Amazon now).

Set in 1925, the drama is described as a “witty, epic and fast-paced drama”.

Set against the backdrop of a lavish country pile, a practical joke at a house party results in things rapidly head south, as tomfoolery transforms into murder.

With the ever-inquisitive Lady Eileen “Bundle” Brent (McKenna-Bruce) poised to unravel the night's events, the mystery rapidly expands to reveal a far wider reaching web of lies.

Bonham Carter is set to play Lady Caterham, with Freeman stepping up as Superintendent Battle.

It's not the only Agatha Christie mystery in the works, after it was announced that Anjelica Huston and Oliver Jackson-Cohen are set to lead lead an adaptation of her novel Towards Zero.

And with filming poised to kick off this summer, it won't be long before we catch a glimpse of the first look trailer for this decidedly deadly drama.

• Discover the best Netflix shows revealed - this is the TV to stream (June 2024)

When a show has the ability to unseat Stranger Things from the top of the Netflix streaming chart, it's safe to say it means business.

That's precisely the power The Umbrella Academy holds, combining the very best superhero antics with a decidedly dark twist that's far removed from the glossy world of MCU blockbusters.

It's been nearly two years since The Umbrella Academy last hit our screens, with season 3 hitting Netflix in June 2022.

Now though, we're poised for one final instalment, as the streamer drops the first trailer for the fourth and final series of the hit show.

Set to a bold remix of 'The Final Countdown', the trailer contains everything you'd expect from a departing hit series.

Picking up where season three left off (a final showdown), this trailer sees the gang stripped of their powers after the timeline was reset.

The show's description teases: "The trappings of their uncanny new world prove too hard to ignore for very long. Their father Reginald, alive and well, has stepped out of the shadows and into the public eye, overseeing a powerful and nefarious business empire."

Debuting in 2019, The Umbrella Academy is based on the comic books created by My Chemical Romance frontman, Gerard Way and illustrated by Gabriel Bá.

Developed by showrunner Steve Blackman, Way and Bá both serve as executive co-producers on series four.

"Our world is changing - has changed," declares a voice of Sir Reginald Hargreeves over the synths.

"There are some among us, gifted with abilities far beyond the ordinary."

For those who haven't caught the first three series, the show's plot centres around 43 women who give birth to supernaturally gifted babies following a supernatural event which takes place at the stroke of noon on October 1,1989.

Cue an eccentric monocled man, Sir Reginald Hargreeves, swooping in to adopt seven of the children to begin a new era of superheroics - yes, you might easily be forgive for thinking this is Professor X at the start of the X Men franchise.

The series went on to become something of a phenomenon, with series three of the show racking up 2.45 billion minutes of viewing time during the week of its release in June 2022.

It was enough to push Stranger Things off the top spot, a series that clawed in an impressive 2.33 billion minutes.

The six-episode series marks the return of some familiar faces, cue Tom Hopper, David Castañeda, Robert Sheehan, Aidan Gallagher, Elliot Page, Colm Feore, and Ritu Arya.

There are also set to be some newcomers, with husband and wife duo Megan Mullally and Nick Offerman joining the already expansive cast.

The Umbrella Academy will hit Netflix on August 8.

• The best Netflix shows revealed - this is the TV to stream (May 2024)

The word is out, one of comedy's big-screen cult classics is finally getting a sequel - and we've only had to wait 30 years.

The term long-overdue has never felt so apt, with Netflix finally announcing that Happy Gilmore is getting a sequel.

A happy-go-lucky icon that will undoubtedly be greeted with open arms, Sandler's return as hockey player-turned-golfing hero Happy Gilmore is the much needed sports tonic we've long been waiting for.

The news was announced by the streamer as part of its upfront presentation to advertisers on Wednesday in New York, marking the latest project released as part of the actor's huge deal with the streaming giant.

First hitting the big screen back in 1996, Happy Gilmore exemplified Sandler's unique brand of effortlessly offbeat yet entirely heartwarming comedy.

Starring Christopher McDonald as arrogant pro golfer Shooter McGavin, Julie Bowen, Frances Bay, and the late Carl Weathers, Happy Gilmore enticing comedy and sports fans alike to the big screen.

The tale of Sandler's titular character as he attempted to raise funds to save his grandmother's house, the amateur golfer's disregard for the rules - and ultimate success at the 1996 Tour Championship - saw the release soar to become one of Sandler's most popular films.

We simply couldn't lap it up fast enough.

It's a big-screen classic that went on to charm audiences the world over - one look at its 83% approval rating on review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes says it all.

Raking in $38.8 million at the US box office alone upon release, it's success came despite a somewhat tepid 63% approval rating from critics.

So, will the sequel, three decades in the making do any better?

Sandler co-wrote the original Happy Gilmore alongside Tim Herlihy, with longstanding Sandler collaborator Dennis Dugan at the helm as director.

As yet, little more is known about the forthcoming project, so many are holding out hope that Sandler will be reunited with at least some his original collaborators to bring back the magic.

Recent years have seen Sandler tease audiences with a potential Gilmore return, hinting that a sequel was in the works as far back as 2020.

His 2022 interview with Variety openly suggested his hopes for a Happy Gilmore 2, noting that he had been toying with ideas - including dropping his character into a senior golf tour.

And then, as recently as March 2024, co-star Chistopher McDonald revealed that Sandler had unexpectedly showed him a draft of the script - as longtime friend and collaborator Drew Barrymore unveiled further details weeks later.

“I saw Adam [Sandler] about two weeks ago, and he says to me, ‘McDonald, you’re gonna love this,’” McDonald told Variety.

“I said, ‘What?’ He says, ‘How about that,’ and he shows me the first draft of ‘Happy Gilmore 2.’ Maybe you should cut that out [of this audio] because I don’t wanna be a liar, but he did show me that, and I thought, ‘Well, that would be awesome.’

"So, it’s in the works. Fans demand it, dammit!”

Happy Gilmore 2 marks the latest film release in Sandler's mega-deal with Netflix.

Having already produced eight other projects - most recently You Are So Not Invited to My Bat Mitzvah - it's safe to say this future-hit can't arrive soon enough.

• The best Netflix shows revealed - this is the TV to stream (May 2024)

The creator of hit Netflix series Baby Reindeer has opened up for the first time about filming one of the show's most emotionally challenging scenes.

Richard Gadd, who transformed his Edinburgh Fringe show into a viral screenplay during the Covid-19 lockdown, has revealed he had to shut down the set in order to shoot the show's fourth episode, entitled 'The Boots'.

It comes as the numbers suggest Baby Reindeer remains on track to smash one major Netflix streaming record.

Speaking in Los Angeles during Tuesday night's Netflix panel for the limited series, Gadd explained (as reported by Variety) that filming for episode four - in particular a scene depicting his sexual assault at the hands of a fellow writer, required a closed set.

He highlighted the emotional impact that scene had on the entire crew.

“We did close the set, but I was looking over and you’d see the props guys wiping tears from their eyes as they would be putting the props back how they should be,” Gadd said.

“The show was based in such a trauma that everyone on set felt at times it was a huge, weighty thing.

"And it’s why I think everyone had such respect for everything. I was blessed with this amazing team who kind of felt it with me in a lot of ways.”

It comes as Gadd emphasised how important it was to present the facts in the tale, without warping reality for entertainment purposes.

Gadd has already been forced to shut down speculation surrounding the real-life identity of the groomer who sexually assaulted him during his early career.

It follows internet sleuths attempting to track down the real-life Martha - which forced Gadd to request fans stop searching for the individual.

“I never wanted to kind of lie,” he said. “I always had to constantly check myself to be like, ‘Does this feel truthful to me to my experience all the way through?’

"And if it didn’t, I would have to bring it back.”

It comes as Baby Reindeer looks on track to break a HUGE streaming record.

Based on data from its third week on the streaming platform, Baby Reindeer racked up 18.6 million views (from 29 April to 5 May).

This takes the show's total to around 56.5 million views in its first 26 days on the platform.

Why is this important? Because the show is approaching the Netflix Top 10 where the most watched shows of all time are concerned.

To break into the Top 10, Baby Reindeer needs to overtake The Witcher, season one, which stands at 83 million views in its first 91-days.

Bridgerton season two nabs ninth place with 93.8 million views, with the number one spot taken by Wednesday season one, who brought in a staggering 252.1 million views.

It means Gadd's series now needs just 27 million more views in the next 65 days to hit the Top 10.

It comes as Netflix also announced it had submitted “Baby Reindeer” for consideration in the 'Best Limited Series' nominations category at the Emmys, with Gadd also entered for nominations in the 'Best Actor' and 'Best Writing' categories.c

The future is definitely looking bright for Baby Reindeer, so catch it on Netflix now.

• The best Netflix shows revealed - this is the TV to stream (May 2024)

Netflix has confirmed a brand new eight-part show is set to join its ranks - and its poised to reunite two comedy greats.

The news, confirmed last night, will see The Office US star Steve Carell join forces with Mean Girls' actress Tina Fey, as the pair take on a brand new eight-part series.

The Four Seasons is Netflix's latest television remake and will see Fey and Crell reunite as a couple for the first time since 2010 romcom Date Night hit our screens.

Based on the 1981 Universal film of the same name, The Four Seasons has been co-created by Fey and former 30 Rock colleagues Lang Fisher and Tracey Wigfield.

Carell is probably best known for his laugh-a-minute performance as Michael Scott in hit comedy series The Office US, a show which saw him nominated for multiple Emmy and Golden Globe Awards.

News of Carell's latest project comes two years on from the cancellation of his ill-fated Netflix series Space Force - a parody of plans by former president Donald Trump to launch a new U.S. military agency, which stretched for two seasons.

It's a series that's still available to watch on Netflix, for the record.

Now, Carell and Fey are set to reunite on the series based on the original film of the same name.

It tells the tale of three married couples who vacation together once per season - it seems a little excessive in the current climate, but hey.

However, according to the original premise the couples' holiday bliss is quickly interupted when one of the husbands runs off with a younger woman, transforming future trips into a volatile experience.

Cue plenty of room for gags and subtle digs courtesy of Fey's penchant for satire - a little Crazy Stupid Love, anyone?

Executive produced by Fey, Fisher, Wigfield, David Miner, Eric Gurian and Jeff Richmond, the show is scheduled to begin production later this year.

• The best Netflix shows revealed - this is the TV to stream (April 2024)

For more than 60 years, Doctor Who has done something no other show has managed: it’s regenerated its lead character instead of cancelling the whole thing. Different face, different vibe, same Time Lord. From cosmic bohemian to brooding war survivor to chaotic professor with a screwdriver, the Doctor has been rewritten and reinterpreted, again and again.

Which means ranking them is both completely unfair and absolutely necessary.

Because every Doctor reflects their era. Some leaned into charm. Some into darkness. Some saved the universe with a speech; others just looked good doing it. The show shifts tone, budget and ambition across decades, but the central question never really changes: who did it best?

So we’ve gone back through every incarnation, the classics, the cult favourites, the controversial picks, and ranked them. Here is our list.

14. Colin Baker

Perhaps the most critically maligned of all the eras of the Doctor, Colin Baker’s unstable, not always likeable Sixth Doctor channelled the influence of Patrick Troughton a little. But for Baker C, there was a little bit of being on a hiding to nothing. He inherited the role at a troubled point in the show’s history, with its very future under threat, and the BBC at one stage putting Doctor Who on hold for 18 months. In hindsight, Baker’s work has received far more retrospective praise than it got at the time.

13. Jodie Whittaker

Announced a good year before her first episode premiered, Jodie Whittaker’s Doctor initially garnered headlines for her being the first woman to play the role in the main TV series. Once that initial, intense burst of publicity had died down though, we got to see Whittaker’s manic, very friendly and protective Doctor, with a sharp line in northern humour. Keeping her natural northern accent for the role too, Whittaker took the Doctor in a fresh direction.

12. Paul McGann

One TV movie and a web-only episode were the only official on-screen opportunities Paul McGann got to bring his Doctor to the world. It’s testament to his work that he made such an impact, and continues to be so strongly linked with the show. Eccentricity was at the heart of his performance in the role, along with a romantic edge that Doctor Who would explore more when it returned in 2005 for its revival. It’s just a shame we didn’t get more time with McGann to explore that too. His line of audio dramas as the Doctor is excellent, though.

11. Sylvester McCoy

Sylvester McCoy was the incumbent Doctor when the show was finally axed by the BBC in 1989, but this was ironically at a point when the stories were notably strong and the core TARDIS team – the Doctor alongside Sophie Aldred’s Ace – was the best it had been for some time. McCoy’s Doctor very much captured that much sought-after mysterious edge, and darker shades to the character and adventures were introduced. They would turn out to be nearly two decades ahead of their time, when the show would explore this more fully.

10. Peter Davison

When Tom Baker decided to leave Doctor Who, there was no intention of finding a direct replacement. Rather, the decision was made to go younger, with Peter Davison – already in the public eye thanks to his work in the show All Creatures Great And Small – duly cast. Humour was pulled back for Davison’s time on the show, celery was in, and his run, from 1982 to 1984, included both some utterly memorable stories and some that pointed the way to a decline for the show. Davison’s subsequent DVD commentaries of his stories are a flat-out treat, incidentally.

9. Ncuti Gatwa

When Gatwa stepped into Doctor Who, he didn’t just regenerate, he arrived. Effortlessly stylish from the off, with sharp tailoring, bold colours and the kind of wardrobe confidence the show’s never quite had before. But it wasn’t just surface-level. Gatwa brought emotional fluency back to the character: open-hearted, romantic, quick to laugh and quicker to rage when it counted. He wasn't the Doctor for long but his stint was memorable.

8. William Hartnell

By the time health matters caught up with him, requiring him to move on from the role, William Hartnell had established the character, brought an air of mystery to the Doctor, and cemented the show as a sizeable, popular hit. Hartnell’s First Doctor has been portrayed on screen again by other actors (notably Richard Hurndall and David Bradley), but it’s notable that whenever the show looks to bring more mystery to the character, it’s Hartnell’s brilliant portrayal that’s regularly cited. Rightly so.

7. Patrick Troughton

The excellent docudrama An Adventure In Space And Time gets across just what a huge decision and gamble it was to bring in a second actor to play the Doctor, once it was clear that William Hartnell needed to move on from the show. Casting-wise, gold was struck with the introduction of Patrick Troughton as the Second Doctor. If Troughton’s lovable, calculating grump hadn’t worked out, the show would have stopped dead in its tracks. Instead, Troughton quickly won fans over, and his portrayal of the Time Lord is regarded as one of the very finest.

6. Jon Pertwee

Dapper, charming and a little more physical than his predecessors, Jon Pertwee brought a very different imprint to the Doctor when he assumed the controls of the TARDIS. His era benefited from a need to manage costs, and thus his early stories saw the Doctor banished to Earth, allowing Pertwee to head up a wonderful ensemble that included the UNIT team and companions such as Jo Grant and, eventually, Sarah Jane Smith. Pertwee’s Doctor even had his own iconic catchphrase: “reverse the polarity of the neutron flow”. Many imitated it; nobody matched it.

5. Christopher Eccleston

Behind-the-scenes disputes led to Christopher Eccleston playing the Doctor for just one series, but his pivotal contribution to the show can’t be understated. He reintroduced the character to BBC One at the heart of the 2005 revival of the show, helping bring in a whole new – and very big - audience to it. A manic ball of energy, with steel behind his otherwise friendly eyes, the Ninth Doctor will only ever be seen for 13 episodes. But they’d be amongst the more important 13 episodes in the history of the show’s success.

4. Peter Capaldi

Grumpy, friendly, guitar-playing and with a notable sense of alien about him, the Twelfth Doctor, in the hands of the superb Peter Capaldi, could be both terrifying and utterly lovable, often in the same scene. Capaldi’s monologues in the role in particular were, and are, really quite something.

The sense too that the Doctor wasn’t instantly the friendliest person in the world came through. Capaldi and Matt Smith, incidentally, both sustained the same knee injury from running along corridors and then suddenly having to turn around too often. Capaldi had better eyebrows than Smith, though.

3. Matt Smith

It was on paper a thankless job: replacing one of the most popular Doctors ever. But sporting a bow tie and with an immediate penchant for fish fingers and custard, Matt Smith quickly found his feet in the role. His Doctor terrifically captures the idea of an old man in a young body – as then showrunner Steven Moffat described him. Smith played the Time Lord with energy, but a sense of his actions weighing on him. A dab hand at explaining a complicated plot, too.

2. Tom Baker

To a generation, Tom Baker simply is The Doctor. His seven-year tenure featured over 170 episodes, many classic stories, and no shortage of Jelly Babies. Unpredictable, funny, occasionally moody and with a grin and a half, Baker’s Fourth Doctor was a very quick success, and an incredibly enduring one. Baker’s continued attachment to the role, long after his apparent 1981 departure, has been most notable across some excellent audio dramas from Big Finish. Plus, one of the best surprise cameos in the history of Doctor Who.

1. David Tennent

Regularly topping polls for the most popular Doctor Who incarnation of all time – at least the polls that Tom Baker doesn’t win – the David Tennant era marked the most successful in the show’s recent history. Around half of the entire viewing public in the UK tuned in for the final episode of his first run, with no shortage of tears shed when he finally regenerated. Charming, witty, energetic and with eyes that could turn serious in a second, Tennant’s Time Lord is one of the most enduringly popular, so much so he's done it twice.

• Who could be the next James Bond? The names most likely to inherit 007

Millie Bobbie Brown has spilled the beans on a little-known cameo that fans of one hit Netflix show might want to know about.

News that's sure to see you clicking rewind, the Stranger Things star was speaking on her recent chart-topping Netflix release Damsel.

After all, there's nothing more enticing than an unexpected Easter egg in one of your favourite films - and just in time for Easter.

Topping the charts in 83 countries around the world, the fantasy movie shot straight to the number one spot - only usurped last week by a suitably green Irish Wish.

Now, Millie Bobby Brown has revealed that the show does in fact feature an intriguing cameo role... from none other than her sister.

The film, released earlier this month, sees the Stranger Things star take on the role of 'damsel' Elodie, who agrees the marry a characteristically handsome prince before discovering the suitably sinister reasoning.

Now, the star has spoken for the first time on the sneaky addition of one family member to the cast list.

Millie revealed that her younger sister, Ava, had a cameo role in the movie, with Netflix sharing a clip of the siblings to social media.

"This is Cora, Ava Brown, sister," Millie tells viewers. "How does it feel to shoot with me, Ava?"

Suitably unimpressed, Ava replies: "I was mostly here for the horse."

"Yeah, no, for sure… that's what I was thinking," Millie quips. "I was like, 'the horse is here!' Just not about us as sisters filming together."

The dark fantasy flick sees Millie Bobby Brown’s Elodie prepared for her wedding.

But she finds instead of being wife to a prince, she’s thrown into a pit to be sacrificed to a dragon, in a ritual that has been in place for generations.

But, of course, Elodie is no mere damsel in distress.

The trailer makes a pretty compelling case for the film, one that's well worth streaming on the platform now.

• Liked Netflix's Damsel? 3 more movies you need to watch

Star Wars fans assemble, for The Acolyte has finally been given a release date by Disney+.

The forthcoming series was announced back in 2023, with the streaming giant only now revealing the series' decidedly dark poster.

Now, fans can expect the brand new series to land on the platform on June 4, 2024.

Set during the High Republic era, The Acolyte is positioned during a largely unexplored period in the franchise's history.

A surprise release, one look at the poster suggests the release is set to be a bloody brilliant one - not least because of the smears that trail down the length of it.

News that surfaced last night on the official Star Wars site, prepare for trouble, as Lucasfilm and Disney prepare for a return to the dark side.

Created by Russian Doll’s Leslye Headland, The Acolyte will star Amandla Stenberg (The Darkest Minds), Lee Jung-jae (Squid Games), Carrie-Anne Moss (The Matrix), Dafne Keen (Logan), Jodie Turner-Smith (Anne Boleyn), Manny Jacinto (Nine Perfect Strangers) and Charlie Barnett (Russian Doll) to name but a few.

And let's not forget the one and only Joonas Suotamo, returning as Wookiee Jedi Kelnacca.

With the first-look imagery and trailer poised to drop tomorrow, it's all ears to the ground where this release is concerned.

Until then, we've got a poster to dissect - and Star Wars films to rank.

Featuring a lightsaber discarded on the ground, the blood smeared image reveals the June 4 release date.

Set 100 years before to The Phantom Menace, the new series is set against the backdrop of The High Republic.

A time that saw the Jedi and the wider Galaxy thrive, The Acolyte is likely to set us up for the dramatic events that are poised to overturn the Galaxy's status quo.

According to the official synopsis, "In The Acolyte, an investigation into a shocking crime spree pits a respected Jedi Master (Lee Jung-jae) against a dangerous warrior from his past (Amandla Stenberg).

"As more clues emerge, they travel down a dark path where sinister forces reveal all is not what it seems," it continues.

It's the perfect follow-up to your May 4th Star Wars celebrations.

• Discover the best Disney Plus shows to stream today (March 2024)

If you haven't sunk your teeth into hit Netflix series Beef by now, where have you been hiding?

The groundbreaking series, created and executive produced by Lee Sung Jin, swept the board when awards season came around.

Nabbing a host of top Emmys and Golden Globes - including best mini-series, Beef's depiction of escalating warfare between two anger ravaged strangers can only be described as a work of genius.

Given its success, fans have waited for a second helping of petty warfare with bated breath.

And now reports suggest Beef Season 2 is officially underway over at Netflix HQ.

Insiders suggest Beef season 2 will likely centre around two feuding couples and contain more passive aggression than the average binge-watcher can fathomably handle.

Not only that, but a host of A-list names have been linked to the hotly anticipated, forthcoming instalment.

According to Deadline, Cailee Spaeny is one major name linked to the follow-up series, a name you might recognise from her breakout performance in Priscilla.

She became one of 2024's most sought-after names almost overnight, with Beef season 2 likely to be one of her next major roles if contracts are agreed.

Netflix is also reported to have its eye on Charles Melton (May December) to portray her husband.

And when it comes to the second couple, reports suggest the names get even bigger.

According to Deadline, Marvel alumnus Jake Gyllenhaal (Spider-Man: Far From Home, Brokeback Mountain) is being eyed-up by the studio, with Devil Wears Prada and The Dark Knight star Anne Hathaway poised to join him.

Now, its still early days and Deadline is keen to add that contracts have not yet been secured, however, things are looking BIG where this forthcoming casting announcement is concerned.

The duo previously starring opposite each other in 2005's Brokeback Mountain and 2010's Love & Other Drugs, with both releases rising to cult status almost instantaniously.

Either way, we can't wait to hear more as information is drip fed from the set.

Beef season 2 looks set to be juicy.

• While you're here, check out the best Netflix shows worth watching right now

The wait is finally over. Yes, the first reviews for Netflix's hotly anticipated Live Action Avatar release are in - and it's a series that's dividing opinion.

Netflix’s all-new Avatar: The Last Airbender series has landed on the streaming service, brought to you direct from executive producers Albert Kim and Dan Lin.

Made popular Nickelodeon animated series of the same name, the 2005 series captured the hearts of a generation.Reinvented by director demi-God M Night Shyamalan in 2010 with his film The Last Airbender, the big-screen remake was, unfortunately, deemed something of a commercial flop.

Now, Avatar returns in live action series form, almost two decades on from the original acclaimed release.

Led by Gordon Cormier as Aang, his character is a recently de-thawed boy who walks the planet after a hundred years trapped in ice.

Awoken to a near unrecognisable landscape, we discover he is the Avatar, in a world where a genocide has seen his kind wiped off the face of the planet.

The Avatar holds the power to control all four elements - but can he restore balance in a brutally scarred world?

Not all outlets seem to think so, with critics divided by the release.

Collider says: "The problem with the Netflix series is that there simply isn’t enough time to build that same rapport with the audience. Its eight episodes hit the big highlights of the original show, but miss all the small detail that makes those scenes soar."

Digital Spy's David Opie writes: "Netflix's live-action remake isn't perfect, but if you look past the controversy and open your mind to it, Avatar: The Last Airbender is a fun, addictive return to one of fantasy's most exciting worlds."

But Looper concludes that: "No amount of visual effects could make this live-action remake more dynamic to young eyes than the vibrant, hand-drawn animation — no matter how much the creators have attempted to replicate several scenes to the letter."

Meanwhile, The Verge writes: 'Netflix’s live-action Avatar has its heart in the right place, but its pacing and uneven performances leave a lot to be desired... it’s clear everyone involved with the show wants to be more than its infamously whitewashed cinematic predecessor, and in some cases, it succeeds."

It goes on to add that the "new Avatar is another example of Netflix turning a beloved animated property into something that feels deeply at odds with what people loved about the original." Ouch.

According to The Hollywood Reporter: "It gamely tries to incorporate the lessons of both while forging its own darker path forward. If the effort is admirable, however, the execution is decidedly not.

"Rather than breathe fresh life into a familiar world, this Avatar serves only to remind that some beloved properties might be better left on ice."

But it's not all bad news, for The Guardian's Jack Seale gives it a four star seal of approval.

"What a thrilling ride," writes the critic, adding: " The Airbender franchise has confidently revived itself; this won’t be the last we see of it."

Variety adds that "although the series is far from the mess that was M. Night Shyamalan’s ill-conceived and white-washed film adaptation, it will leave fans wishing the streamer had left DiMartino and Konietzko’s masterpiece alone."

Now that's more like it.

Avatar: The Last Airbender is available to stream on Netflix now.

• Discover the best Netflix shows airing in 2024

Prepare for more twists and turns than an Agatha Christie novel, as Disney+ drops the first trailer for its brand new murder mystery series.

What makes this unique? Well, not only does it boast a stellar cast line-up, but the rather unusual time period is sure to float the boat of history fanatics out there.

That is to say, most murder mysteries tend to be set within modern times (or at least the last 100 years or so).

However, forthcoming Disney+ release Shardlake is about to change all that, set against the backdrop of Tudor England (yes, we're talking Henry VIII in his prime).

Starring Game of Thrones alumni Sean Bean, Help star Arthur Hughes, and Masters of the Air's Anthony Boyle, this standout cast are in for a ruff ride (geddit?).

The Disney+ series is based on CJ Sansom’s bestselling novels and follow lead character Matthew Shardlake (Hughes) as the lawyer is tasked with investigating a suspicious death in a remote town during the 1500s.

And as decidedly dark murderous plots go, this looks to be a juicy one, as Thomas Cromwell (Bean) is accompanied by his cocky wee assistant Jack Barak.

"Why in this house of God do I smell secrets and fear?" rings out as a

Think plenty of gold chains, castles and death, as this thoroughly intriguing watch lands on our screens.

The official synopsis reads: "Arthur Hughes plays Matthew Shardlake, a lawyer with an acute sense of justice and one of the few honest men in a world beset with scheming and plots. Shardlake works for Thomas Cromwell, played by Sean Bean, the dangerous and all-powerful right-hand man to Henry VIII.

"Despite Shardlake's unwavering loyalty to Cromwell and the Crown, his position in society is unfavoured due to his appearance, as a person living with scoliosis during the Tudor period, suffering the indignity of being abused as a 'crookback' wherever he turns.

"Anthony Boyle plays the cocky and good-looking Jack Barak, who leaves Shardlake unsure of whether he is an assistant, or Cromwell's spy."

What we can say is that this series is set to entertain - particularly if you're a fan of The Last Kingdom.

You can catch Shardlake when it lands on Disney )

• Discover the best Disney+ shows worth streaming this February

Long-awaited Hijack news has finally landed, as Apple TV+ finally confirms the return of one of its best-loved series.

Yes, Hijack season 2 is officially in the works - and Idris Elba is once again invited along the ride.

Prepare for plenty more turbulence, as negotiator Sam Nelson returns to our screens in a bid to diffuse all manner of mid-air chaos.

As new year stocking fillers go, this is up there with the finest, with the streaming service confirming more "high octane" action is on its way.

The series is expected to transplant Elba's character Sam into an all-new "top secret" situation - with further details expected soon.

Speaking to Variety last year, Elba expressed his interest in returning should the right storyline be found.

“I’m open to that character coming back. I think if people were compelled to like the character, then I’m in,” Elba said.

“But it’s kind of like — he’s not a cop [so] what would be the acceptable Sam Nelson return? And if I’m honest, I’m not sure. I’d like that, but I just don’t want to put him on another hijack.”

"It's top secret what new situation unfolds for Sam Nelson but I can assure you we will bring the high octane back!"

For those who missed it, Hijack's premise. sees Sam board a seven-hour flight from Dubai to London which, you guessed it, gets hijacked by terrorists with a string of demands.

Sam, a corporate business negotiator, comes to the rescue in a bid to end the stand-off. Never have corporate diplomacy skills been put to better use.

"I was floored by the overwhelming audience response after season one," said Elba following the release of the first series, which was widely hailed as a triumph by fans and critics alike.

Drip fed onto our screens weekly via Apple TV+, the show's success saw it claim a whopping 88% from critics on review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes.

Apple TV+'s Europe creative director Jay Hunt added: "Global audiences were on tenterhooks watching Idris's riveting performance in Hijack, and we're thrilled to be working again with 60Forty and Idiotlamp on an equally compelling season two."

Now, we can't wait to learn more.

• Discover the best Apple TV Plus shows you should be streaming right now

Apple TV Plus has built itself a reputation for launching hit series after hit series - and breakout star Severance is no exception.

A double Emmy Award-winning show which first landed on the streaming service back in 2022, the genre-morphing hit gripped audiences with its adrenaline-fuelled story arc.

But then things went quiet. Really quiet.

The knock-on effects of the 2023 writers strike saw the pause button pressed on the hit series, with fans ravenous for any small crumb of news regarding the show's future.

Now though, in true Apple fashion, a first-look picture has landed on social media in what's believed to be a green light where series two of Severance is concerned.

Posted to Instagram, the black and white shot sees Adam Scott sprinting down a hallway at light-speed whilst flanked by a film crew.

Sure, we could read into it a hundred times over (and we will), but little else is known about the series as it stands.

The delay is also believed to have been caused by additional behind-the-scenes goings-ons, including an alleged “falling out” between the show's top-tier showrunners, Dan Erickson and Martin Friedman.

It's an alleged dispute that dates back to the filming of season one.

However, producer Ben Stiller appeared to shut down reports of a rift, writing on X (formerly Twitter): "No one's going to the break room. We're on the same really slow schedule we've always been on.

"Same target air date we've always had. Love our fans and each other and we all are just working to make the show as good as possible."

The show is approaching two years since it first hit our screens to critical acclaim, with its biotechnology premise - a medical procedure called "severance" separates the memories of their employees where their work and home lives are concerned.

The cast have remained quiet where plot spoilers are concerned, with Patricia Arquette, who plays Harmony Cobel, the only member to reveal a tidbit of information.

Speaking to Entertainment Tonight, she noted that fans should be: "Be scared, very scared."

Given filming for series two has only just got underway, it's unlikely the show's next instalment will land on our screens before the end of 2024.

Plus, Apple is yet to reveal an official release date for the much-loved series.

In the meantime, we're going to head back and rewatch series one - after all, we love a jump scare.

• Discover the best Apple TV+ shows streaming now

Netflix was once ribbed for green-lighting just about any show. But the best cancelled Netflix shows are among our favourites on the entire platform.

In recent years belts have been tightened, and Netflix is now ruthless about the shows it cancels, sometimes doing so not long after the first episodes are broadcast.

It’s ruthless in the world of big budgets and ratings, where Netflix is expected to spend as much as $17 billion in 2024 on original shows.

You can have a good stab at guessing which shows are likely to be cancelled yourself, by keeping an eye on the Tudum website. This is a Netflix site that shows you the viewing figures of movies and shows each week.

If those figures aren’t high enough, there’s a good chance one of your favourite Netflix shows could fast become one of the best cancelled Netflix shows.

The full list of cancelled Netflix shows is more than 100 entries long. Sometimes these shows were just not that good, and they generally always did not attract enough viewers to keep the Netflix bigwigs satisfied. There was also a glut of cancellations around 2020, when altered shooting conditions — thanks to lockdowns and the shutdown of international travel — made creating TV shows vastly more difficult.

What are some of our recent favourites? We were devastated when we realised The 1899 would not get a satisfying conclusion. And as avid followers of Joe Cornish’s career, the director of the Attack the Block and The Kid Who Would be King, the cancellation of the highly-rated Lockwood and Co. was disappointing, if not surprising.

Here’s our run-down of the 16 best cancelled Netflix shows. Hankies at the ready...

The best cancelled Netflix shows

These are the best Netflix TV shows - some of which are still around.

SOMETHING MISSING FROM OUR SHORTLIST?

Tell us about it, and if enough people agree we'll add it in.

HBO has never really struggled when it comes to making TV people actually care about. The problem, if anything, has always been access, knowing where to find it all, and whether it’s worth signing up to yet another service just to watch one show everyone’s talking about.

That’s now changed. With HBO Max officially launching in the UK, all of that “where is this streaming?” confusion disappears, and a huge chunk of genuinely great TV lands in one place at once. Not just the obvious heavy hitters either, but the kind of shows that quietly build an audience and then refuse to let go.

While HBO does big, cultural moment TV better than most, the shows everyone watches at the same time, the ones that dominate group chats for weeks, it’s also built a reputation on consistency. Strong writing, properly cast roles, and series that trust the audience to keep up.

So whether you’re here for the big names or just looking for something new to get stuck into, this is where to start.

11. Veep

This sharp TV show comes from the same mind as The Thick of It, Armando Iannucci. And you can really tell. Veep follows the day-to-day of the US Vice President, played by Julia Louis-Dreyfus. Fun fact: the President never actually appears on-screen in the show’s entire seven seasons.

Dreyfus won six acting Emmys in a row for her performance in the show. Veep ended after its seventh season, which was refreshingly a decision of Dreyfus and writer David Mandel, rather than the TV execs.

10. The Leftovers

Not as famous as others on the list, but The Leftovers matches them all in the quality stakes. This is a story about what happens to the world when, one day, 2% of the population just disappears - and, yes, this was made way before Avengers: Endgame.

The Leftovers, as the name suggests, shows those who are left, trying to live their lives while missing loved ones and a big ‘what the hell actually happened?’ question hanging over them. Damon Lindelof may have given us Lost and The Watchmen TV show, but The Leftovers is his absolute masterpiece.

9. A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms

Set before the events of Game of Thrones, it follows Ser Duncan the Tall and his squire Egg, a smaller, more character-led story that swaps sprawling battles for something a bit more grounded.

That doesn’t mean it’s low stakes, just more focused, leaning into the world-building and relationships rather than constant spectacle. If you’re still in for Westeros but don’t need another all-out war straight away, this feels like a solid place to start.

8. The Pitt

The Pitt lands as part of the HBO Max UK launch, and it’s exactly the kind of quietly gripping show that ends up doing numbers. Set across a single shift in a Pittsburgh ER, it keeps things grounded and tense, focusing on the constant pressure rather than big, over-the-top drama, with Noah Wyle bringing a steady, familiar presence at the centre of it all.

It’s not flashy, but that’s the appeal, the pace pulls you in, the stakes feel real, and before long, you’re a few episodes deep without really planning to be. This is one of the few ongoing shows; who knows, once it's finished, it may be higher up the list.

7. Curb Your Enthusiasm

How do you top writing one of the most successful sitcoms of all time? Well, if you are Larry David, you shrug off the success of Seinfeld and write a semi-improvised show about yourself.

On paper, it sounds terrible, but the ‘Larry David’ of Curb is one of the funniest characters we have seen on the screen, and even after 12 seasons, it’s an utter joy to watch him go feet first into every situation he finds himself in.

6. The Wire

At the time, Idris Elba and Dominic West were relative unknowns when The Wire first aired back in 2002, which means you would be forgiven for thinking that the two British thesps were Baltimore through and through. Such is the realism that creator David Simon pumped into his masterpiece.

Through five significantly different seasons, his tale of police versus criminals, everyday people versus the state, is Dickensian in its breadth. His meticulous eye for detail, which he honed as a reporter for The Baltimore Sun, means that everyone on the show lived and breathed their characters. The biggest character throughout, though, is Baltimore itself, a microcosm of America’s quite-broken socioeconomic system.

5. Game of Thrones

Yes, the last season is a dud, but up until then, we were all wrapped up in the politics of who should and who ultimately would sit on the most uncomfortable-looking throne.

If it wasn't for that ending, this show would take the top spot with it becoming a cultural phenomenon unlike any other in the modern age of TV.

4. Band of Brothers

Steven Spielberg is busy creating a third Band Of Brothers-like series for Apple TV Plus - based on the true story of The Flying Fortress in WWII and the people who flew in the plane.

It will have to go some way to beat the original show, though, which is an awe-inspiring look at the soldiers of Easy Company of the U.S. Army 101st Airborne Division. Watch it now, and the story still resonates, with the added bonus of the majority of the then-young cast having turned into A-List talent over the years.

3. Chernobyl

Chernobyl is devastating television. Creator Craig Mazin - who has had quite the career jump, from making spoofs like Scary Movie to this - carefully dissects the show’s real-life subject matter, showcasing the events that led to the world’s worst nuclear disaster as close to how they happened as he can.

Throughout its five episodes, we go from the people who risked - and lost - their lives due to gross mismanagement and lies, to the government that tried to cover everything up.

2. The Sopranos

The tale of Tony Soprano, a New Jersey mobster who has to battle rival gangsters, his own personal demons and his sometimes fractious personal life, is one of the greatest ever seen on television. David Chase’s world-building is perfect, as is his casting. While many of the cast had already dabbled in the gangster genre, with Goodfellas on the CV of most, it’s Tony himself who ultimately shines.

The late James Gandolfini filled the character with ferocity and flaws - meaning everyone who watched ultimately sympathised with a cold-blooded killer. As for that ending, never has silence been so deafening.

1. Succession

It’s hard to believe that there is a Brit behind Succession, given the show feels so American, especially someone who was behind the quintessentially British Peep Show. But that’s the beauty of Jesse Armstrong’s vision for Succession, which is loosely based on the Murdoch media era.

Like all great shows, the ensemble of characters here is just sublime - and we all happily hate every single one of the backstabbing, self-absorbed, borderline psychotic crowd. If this is how it is to be rich, then we are more than happy with our lot.

• The first Harry Potter TV show trailer is here: 5 magical details worth knowing

What makes a good boxset? They come in several flavours. For a suspense drama you might want show that has a separate story per season, in classic Kiefer Sutherland 24 fashion, getting its hooks into you while offering the reassurance of a sense of finality.

In a classic snackable comedy, short episodes and compelling character dynamics lull you into that calming cycle of chowing down on just another ep, just another chance to hang around with these fun characters.

Or for the most ambitious type of boxset show, there's a multi-season arc of a story that draws you further into epic world building with each episode. In each case, though, a great binge-ready boxset offers something to draw you through and keep you engaged, often until 3am in our case.

We've got examples of each type of boxset in our shortlist below. Think we should include your favourite show that's not currently represented? Submit your suggestions in the box below the article.

Best boxsets: TV to binge watch

• These are the best Netflix boxsets to binge-watch

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Prepare for trouble, as Netflix serves up a double edged sword in the form of hit US series the Lincoln Lawyer.

David E. Kelley's hit legal drama has won its case for renewal, with the series poised to return for a third season by popular demand.

A show that has become one of the streaming service's most popular releases, the fast-paced series charts the work of on-the-go lawyer Mickey Haller (played by Manuel Garcia-Rulfo) who operates his legal firm from the back seat of his car.

It's a series that has captured hearts and (legal) minds across the globe, but alongside the positive news comes word that one of the series' biggest stars won't be returning for season 3.

Fans will instantly recognise the name Maggie McPherson - a character whose major role in season 1 was somewhat diminished throughout the second season.

Played by Scream star Neve Campbell, it's now been revealed that the star will depart the show as a leading character after season 2.

Signing off the most recent season by accepting a new job in a distant city, it's safe to say

With the show’s second season premiering on July 6, according to figures released by Netlfix, the series broke into the streamer’s Top 10 list in over 81 countries worldwide.

Now, that's a hit if you ask us.

Based on the fifth Lincoln Lawyer novel by Michael Connelly, The Gods of Guilt book is set to be transformed into 10 brand new episodes.

Music to the ears of Lincoln Lawyer fans everywhere, this project will continue to see co-showrunners Ted Humphrey and Dailyn Rodriguez running the show.

• While you're at it, discover the Watch List - the new movies and TV shows to stream this week

Everyone's favourite trickster god is poised to return to our screens, with Marvel Studios dropping a brand new Loki poster ahead of Season 2.

With the show's impending release date already earmarked for October 6, fans have been chomping at the bit to get hold of new material ahead of it's release on streaming service Disney+.

An undisputed hit, Season 1 of Loki premiered on June 9, 2021, with the first episode pulling in some 731 million minutes of viewing time. It also boasted a star-studded cast, including Owen Wilson as Morbius.

Significantly higher than premieres including The Falcon and the Winter Soldier (495 million minutes) and WandaVision (434 million minutes), at the time, Loki became the most-viewed season premier on the streaming platform.

A character which debuted in the MCU's 2011 film Thor, Loki's popularity subsequently spawned its very own series on the then newly-launched Disney+ streaming platform.

Now, ahead of Season 2, a new poster has been revealed by the studio, featuring Miss Minutes, alongside multiple versions of Tom Hiddleston‘s character.

Season 1 saw the introduction of multiple versions of Loki, with the poster appearing to expand this pre-existing story arc.

Hiddleston's character appears to run in circles around the face of Miss Minutes - a secondary cartoon clock character which was first introduced last season.

According to Marvel Studios, the new artwork shows "the God of Mischief trying to get ahead (or behind?) on time as he races across a Miss Minutes watch face. Time’s ticking, Loki…"

Picking things up in the aftermath of the Season 1 finale (Loki found himself in a battle for the soul of the Time Variance Authority), Season 2 sees Loki navigate an ever-expanding and increasingly dangerous Multiverse.

Travelling in search of Sylvie, Judge Renslayer, Miss Minutes, and the truth of what it means to possess free will and glorious purpose, the incoming episodes look set to thrill and perplex viewers in equal measure courtesy of Loki's cheeky demeanour.

With Marvel's Twitter account keenly pointing out there's now less than 100,000 minutes to wait until the new Season's release, fans are gearing up for yet another action-packed installment.

Loki is set to hit Disney+ on October 6.

• In the meantime, discover the definitive ranking of the Best Marvel TV Shows.

Welcome to our best Red Dwarf episodes guide, a brilliant look at one of the greatest-ever British sitcoms.

Everyone shouts about the longevity of Doctor Who and Star Trek but Red Dwarf needs to be muttered in the same breath as it's also a sci-fi institution that is still going strong after some 12 series and 30-something years.

It’s particularly impressive that the whole of the space-set sitcom’s run has featured the same core cast (Chris Barrie, Craig Charles, Danny John-Jules and, from series 3 onwards, Robert Llewellyn), with co-creator Doug Naylor having a hand in every one of the show’s 74 episodes.

Following a lengthy hiatus between 1999 and 2009, the show found new life – and massive success – courtesy of Dave, and a new feature-length special that landed in 2020.

With all Red Dwarf episodes now available on BBC iPlayer in the UK, RImmer, Lister, Kryten and the Cat are firing up Starbug’s engines once again, ShortList goes all the way back to “The End” to list the best smegging episodes in Red Dwarf’s long history.

• In the mood for more classic watching? Discover the best Amazon Prime series to binge-watch right now.
• The best Doctor Who episodes revealed.

The 10 best Red Dwarf episodes

Before House Of The Dragon came along and proved that a prequel of Game Of Thrones would actually work, it was revealed that HBO had spent a whopping $30 million on a Game of Thrones spin-off which failed to make it to a full series.

This got us thinking: what are the biggest pilot misses that should have teed up an amazing TV show, but instead just ended up costing a ton of money and red faces all round for the execs that commissioned them.

Here are 10 of the biggest failed pilots of recent times...

10 failed TV pilots that would have made awesome shows

• These are the best Netflix TV shows

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We know all know that The Simpsons isn't as good or ground-breaking as it once was. But in its heyday it was unbeatable as both a comedy and a sitcom. The jokes were sharp, the voice acting unparalleled, the animation tops. Luckily, thanks to the treasure trove of content that is Disney Plus, we now all finally have access to more than 700 episodes old and new now the show is now in its 34th season.

With that in mind, we've been reminiscing and we've tried our hardest to choose the best 10 Simpsons episodes of all time that everyone should watch first.

UPDATE:The Simpsons Season 34 is now well under way and details are being shared about what's in store for the final few episodes. It has confirmed that there'll be a special guest in the season finale: Lizzo. According to EW, she'll be in two roles in the episode, as a little elf doll and as herself.

Each one of our choices are filled with 20-something minutes of unheralded joy and written by some of the biggest names in the business, including Conan O’Brian, the genius that is John Swartzwelder, and Greg Daniels. Admittedly, most are taken from the Golden Era of The Simpsons between seasons 4 and 8, but there are some others in there that we think are well worth your time.

Here's our pick of the greatest Simpsons episodes of all time. If we've missed out your top choice, let us know in the comment box below.

Best Simpsons episodes

• These are the best animated sitcoms of all time
• ShortList interviews Al Jean

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HBO has revealed that two of its biggest TV shows will be ending after their fourth seasons, marking yet another slew of comic-book show cancelations.

Both Titans and Doom Patrol will join the likes of The Flash and Legends of Tomorrow, ending their run when their fourth, and now final seasons, end.

Both of the dramas, like the recently ended CW shows, are Greg Berlanti produced but they have been aimed at a slightly older market, thanks to streaming on HBO Max.

Titans is a show based on the DC Comics run of Teen Titans and first aired back in 2018. It has a revolving cast but the main players include: Dick Grayson (Brenton Thwaites), Kory Anders (Anna Diop), Rachel Roth (Teagan Croft), Gar Logan (Ryan Potter).

The fourth (and now final season) of the show premiered on HBO Max November 2022.

Doom Patrol first aired in 2019 and focuses on the lesser-known group of superheroes who all gained powers from tragic circumstances.

The show had a backdoor pilot on Titans and stars, among others, Diane Guerrero, Timothy Dalton and Brendan Fraser. Its fourth season premiered in December 2022.

The good news is that both shows have an ending, with HBO noting in a statement to The Hollywood Reporter: “While these will be the final seasons of Titans and Doom Patrol, we are very proud of these series and excited for fans to see their climactic endings.

“We are grateful to Berlanti Productions and Warner Bros. Television for making such thrilling, action-packed, heartfelt series. We thank Titans showrunner Greg Walker, executive producers Greg Berlanti, Akiva Goldsman, Sarah Schechter, Geoff Johns, Richard Hatem, and the team at Weed Road Pictures.

"For Doom Patrol, we celebrate showrunner Jeremy Carver and executive producers Greg Berlanti, Sarah Schechter, Geoff Johns, Chris Dingess and Tamara Becher-Wilkinson. For four seasons, fans have fallen in love with the Titans and Doom Patrol, investing in their trials and tribulations, and in their legendary battles saving the world time and time again.”

Given the news, fingers may be pointed at James Gunn for these cancelations, given he has been given the monumental task of rebooting and rebuilding DC Studios going forward (alongside Peter Safran), but Gunn took to Twitter to respond to the news, wishing everyone well but revealing that this wasn't his decision.

The cancelations of both Doom Patrol and Titans is yet another sign of a studio on flux. In the last year we have seen the shock shuttering of HBO Max movie Batgirl (which had finished filming and was in post production), the re-hiring of Henry Cavill then him stepping down from the role of Superman, the third Wonder Woman movie put on hold and the hiring of James Gunn to navigate a way through the situation, while also writing a new Superman movie with a younger Supes.

We have been promised more information about the future of DC on the big and small screen soon, so let's hope it's news about the new movies and shows to expect, rather than having to say goodbye to another beloved franchise.

• These are the best DC characters of all time

Main Image Credit: Warner Bros Television / DC Entertainment

Chart-topping Netflix series Wednesday has gone and smashed yet another streaming record.

With master of the macabre Tim Burton at the helm, the series was always expected to prove popular among global audiences.

Now though, the acclaimed gothic series has smashed yet another eye-watering streaming record, surpassing Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story to become the second most streamed Netflix series of all time.

According to the Neilsen streaming chart, audiences watched Wednesday for nearly 6 billion minutes during the November 21-27 window.

It's a pretty impressive figure, given the series was only available to stream over 5 of those days.

Claiming the number two spot on Netflix's top English-language TV series behind series 4 of hit sci-fi series Stranger Things, the accolade proves viewers continue to have insatiable appetites for dark drama.

By comparison, the second most streamed show during that period was another Netflix favourite - Dead To Me, which accrued only 1,464 minutes of watching by comparison.

According to Netflix’s own figures, the series has actually gained popularity since its release. Numbers show a jump from 341.2 million hours watched in its first five days to 411.3 million the following week.

For those tempted to watch, The Addams Family spin-off series follows Wednesday Addams and her spook-tacular escapades at a boarding school called Nevermore Academy.

With its viral dance sequences and instantly recognisable costumes, it's a tale has captured the imaginations of audiences young and old.

With Stranger Things series 4 hitting 7.2 billion minutes during its opening week by comparison, it's safe to say the Addams family favourite isn't all that far behind.

It's true that Netflix and Neilsen measure their figures differently - Netflix in hours across all devices and Neilsen in minutes on US TV screens - but what the numbers do show is that our thirst for original content is unrelenting.

Given the success, it's easy to understand why rumours surrounding Wednesday's future continue to circulate.

With a second series pretty much guaranteed - despite Netflix's penchant for cancelling original content left, right and centre, we can't wait to catch more.

• These are the best canceled Netflix shows of all time.

A decent sitcom character needs to be both funny and believable, making it so hard for a writer to create a truly original one. John Sullivan however seemed to find it all too easy.

With idiots firmly rooted in reality, Sullivan’s Only Fools And Horses featured a collection of petty gangsters, spivs, dossers and criminals that we not just laughed at, but somehow knew, like family, like friends.

From the very beginning we were on the side of these losers, chuckling our trousers off with them, even when they did the most terrible and ridiculous things. To think that all these people came out of just one man’s head is frankly unbelievable.

Here’s our top 40, celebrating 40 plus fantastic years of one of the greatest sitcoms of all time.

Mangetout mangetout...

Best Only Fools And Horses Characters

• The best Alan Partridge moments: back of the net!

All Image Credits: BBC

It took some time for it to get to the screen but the long-awaited, long-gestating Sandman Netflix series is finally here and it is proving very popular.

Neil Gaiman's The Sandman was thought to be unfilmable. The comic-book's 3,000 pages are rich in allegory and intricately woven to create an epic story of Morpheus, the lord of dreams, who, after years of imprisonment, goes on a quest to fix the wrongs that happened when he was away.

The comic-book was released in 1989 and since then we have seen myriad possible adaptations come and go. This first season of The Sandman covers some 400 pages of the story which means we are around a sixth of the way through. While Netflix hasn't yet greenlit a second series, from the data we have so far, as well as the reception the show has been getting from critics, it is looking very promising.

Netflix itself has mentioned the success of The Sandman in a recent blog post. It wrote: "Over thirty years after the initial comic book’s release, fans’ dreams came true as The Sandman debuted in the #1 spot on the English TV list with 69.48M hours viewed.

"Over the course of 10 episodes, audiences are taken on an epic fantasy where “dreams never die.” Starring Tom Sturridge, the dark fantasy series appeared in the Top 10 in 89 countries."

The data from Flix Patrol is far more revealing, though. Taking a look at both how popular the show was in the last 24 hours (as well as the last week), it's clear that it is a runaway success, with some 843 points compared to its nearest rival Stranger Things which is on close-to-half that at 483 points.

Granted, Stranger Things has been on the streaming service much longer than The Sandman but it is still a strong showing from the new show. Compare it to the points that 10th place show Uncoupled has (183) and it's nearly five times as popular.

The full top 10 is as follows:

1. The Sandman (843)

2. Stranger Things (482)

3. Keep Breathing (442)

4. Manifest (427)

5. Extraordinary Attorney Woo (318)

6. Virgin River (306)

7. Zeytin Ağacı (263)

8. Alchemy of Souls (216)

9. Trainwreck: Woodstock '99 (193)

10. Uncoupled (183)

The Sandman is available to stream on Netflix now - all 10 episodes were released at once - and is created by Neil Gaiman, David S. Goyer and Allan Heinberg. Tom Sturridge, Boyd Holbrook, Patton Oswalt and Vivienne Acheampong (among others) all star.

• These are the best Netflix TV shows you should be watching right now.

Image Credit: Netflix

The scariest kids' TV shows were occasionally not meant to be scary at all. But there was something about them that just freaked us out as children.

Picture the scene: You’ve just got home from school. You’ve got a juice on the go and a packet of crisps by your side. Life. Is. Sweeeeet.

School tie off, crisp dust regardless, you flick through the telly channels looking for something more attuned to your tastes than ‘Crossroads’.

Then, you see a horrific red corpse emerge from the depths of an abandoned pool, zombie-like, to face a terrified gang of children in what is the most disgusting thing you’ve ever seen in your decade on Earth.

This isn’t a nightmare. This is kids' TV. Specifically, The Tale Of The Dead Man’s Float, one particularly NOPE-NOPE-NOPE-inciting episode of "Are You Afraid Of The Dark?". And you couldn’t get enough.

From the intentional spooks, to the how-did-they-not-see-this-was-terrifying innocent scares, these shows have kept us awake at night ever since we first saw them. Pour yourself a sugary drink and brace yourself…

Upvote your favourite show, and let us know about any you think need to be added to this creepy hall of fame.

• The best horror movies on Netflix, ranked.

Scariest kids' TV shows

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UPDATE: And there we have it. Ncuti Gatwa has been confirmed as the new Doctor Who. The 29-year-old Sex Education star will be the next Doctor Who, with showrunner Russell T Davies noting: "The future is here and it's Ncuti! Sometimes talent walks through the door and it's so bright and bold and brilliant, I just stand back in awe and thank my lucky stars.

Ncuti dazzled us, seized hold of the Doctor and owned those Tardis keys in seconds. It's an honour to work with him, and a hoot, I can't wait to get started. I'm sure you're dying to know more, but we're rationing ourselves for now, with the wonderful Jodie's epic finale yet to come. But I promise you, 2023 will be spectacular!"

To find out who ShortList readers thought should be the new Doctor Who, read on...

Jodie Whittaker has announced that she is leaving Doctor Who in 2022, after some three years playing the Doctor. Her stint is a memorable one. As the first female doctor, she has proven that Doctor Who can go anywhere when it comes to who is set to replace her.

During her time, we've had some stunning episodes - the one starring Rosa Parks is quite rightly in our best Doctor Who episodes guide - and she has brought a new dimension to a character that was first on TV in 1963.

Her replacement will be an interesting one. The BBC has trodden new path with Whittaker and who it chooses next will show what kind of Doctor Who series they want going forward. The new Doctor will also be joined by a new showrunner as Chris Chibnall is also leaving the show. It's been revealed that the 'new' showrunner is Doctor Who stalwart Russell T Davies.

Which brings us to our selection of New Who. These are 21 actors who would actually (time) travel to Cardiff and become the Doctor. What we're trying to say is: you won't find the likes of George Clooney on this list - as much as we would like to see him wield a sonic screwdriver.

As always, vote up and down the actors and actresses you like. And let us know who you think should be on the list!

Who should be the next Doctor Who?

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• Who is the best Doctor Who? All the Doctors ranked.

Additional reporting: Paul Cunliffe.

It has been the longest wait for Stranger Things: Season 4. There was just a year between season 1 and 2, two years between 2 and 3. However, it's been three whopping years since seasons 3 and 4.

But the wait is nearly over as the new series will launch 27 May. To get us excited about what to expect, Netflix has dropped a whole load of new images and it has pushed the excitement levels up a notch or three.

The synopsis for the new season of Stranger Things is as follows: "It’s been six months since the Battle of Starcourt, which brought terror and destruction to Hawkins. Struggling with the aftermath, our group of friends are separated for the first time – and navigating the complexities of high school hasn't made things any easier. In this most vulnerable time, a new and horrifying supernatural threat surfaces, presenting a gruesome mystery that, if solved, might finally put an end to the horrors of the Upside Down."

In the images, we see the maturing group (it's going to be interesting if it's mentioned that they look far older than the six-month time gap) with Joseph Quinn's (Game of Thrones) new character, Eddie Munson debuted.

He's head of the Hellfire Club, a Dungeons & Dragons group, and looks every bit the 80s rocker with his hair.

It also looks like something scary is happening in the woods and we see Winona Ryder in what seems to be Russia.

This season will see the group split between different towns, as well as David Harbour's Jim Hopper in some sort of gulag.

Speaking about the new season - which is the penultimate one - the Duffer Brothers noted in an open letter: “It’s coming soon. And it’s bigger than ever. It’s also the beginning of the end.

"Seven years ago, we planned out the complete story arc for Stranger Things. At the time, we predicted the story would last four to five seasons. It proved too large to tell in four, but – as you’ll soon see for yourselves – we are now hurtling towards our finale. Season 4 will be the penultimate season; season 5 will be the last."

Head to the gallery below to see the first look Strange Things: Season 4 images.

• These are the best Netflix shows to watch right now.

Netflix has a new top TV show - and it's one of the darkest thrillers we have seen on the service for a long time.

Pieces of Her has an all-star cast, featuring Hereditary's Toni Collette as a mother with a rather violent secret past, The End of the F***ing World's Jessica Barden and Lost's Terry O'Quinn.

The synopsis, according to IMDb is as follows: "When a Saturday afternoon trip to the mall with her mother suddenly explodes into violence, an adrift young woman's conception of her mother is forever changed. As figures from her mother's past start to resurface, she is forced to go on the run and on that journey, begins to piece together the truth of her mother's previous identity and uncovers secrets of her childhood."

It's a show that has currently a so-so 53 score on Rotten Tomatoes but that hasn't stopped it from becoming a streaming success.

According to Flix Patrol, Pieces Of Her has stormed to the top of the TV streaming charts - knocking Vikings: Valhalla to second spot.

All change

The amount of TV shows that Netflix is releasing at the moment has meant that new shows don't seem to stay at the top of its charts for long.

Vikings: Valhalla lasted just a week, as did Inventing Anna. Before this All Of Us Are Dead became a monster hit for the service but even the popularity of that South Korean horror - which made history - meant that its time at the top was short lived.

Pieces of Her has been created by Charlotte Stoudt whose other writing credits include House Of Cards and Homeland.

It is based on the 2018 Karin Slaughter novel of the same name.

While Pieces of Her hasn't made it into our best Netflix shows list - there are many more shows to choose from.

Russian Doll was a revelation when it was released back in early 2019. Starring - and written by - Natasha Lyonne, the show is a riff on Groundhog Day but with added jet-black humour.

Through the eight episodes of the first season, we saw Natasha's Nadia continually die on the night of her 36th birthday party.

The show was co-created by Lyonne, with Amy Poehler and Leslye Headland. Since the success of the show, Headland has been signed up by Disney for its latest Star Wars adventure The Acolyte and Lyonne's character had a surprising crossover with another Netflix series, the animated comedy Big Mouth.

Despite busy schedules thanks to the Russian Doll's success, all the key players are back for Russian Doll 2 and from the brief teaser it looks like it is going to be another dark delight.

Although it is just a series of short clips/glimpses of the season, there are some pretty stark images - including Nadia walking out of a grave, getting thrown down some Subway stairs and running through a speeding train.

Oh, and she drops the F-bomb at the end, which is exactly what you want from a Russian Doll clip.

The trailer also comes with a Russian Doll 2 release date and we are set to see the show next month, 20 April.

If you have yet to watch Russian Doll, then you have a month and a bit to catch up on the show. It's one of our best Netflix shows picks. It should be waaay higher in the list but only you can help with that - so get voting.

The Sex And The City reboot And Just Like That sees the world catching up with the ladies, now in their 50s, some 17 years after the original smash-hit show. Reviews have been mixed but that’s understandable - there aren’t that many show reboots that have succeeded in both building on and bettering the old series on which they are based.

It’s not the only new show to try this, either with Dexter also back to end things properly and the Bel-Air trailer showing the Fresh Prince's more serious side with its reboot.

Below are 10 reboots that do justice to their source material. Here are 10 of the best TV reboots of all time…

Best TV reboots

• The best Amazon Prime Series - great shows to watch.

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One of the greatest gaming franchises of all time is getting a TV show. No, not Smash Bros - Fallout.

The post apocalyptic game series, which has spanned some 23 years, is being made into a big-budget TV Amazon Prime TV show and Jonathan Nolan and Lisa Joy (Westworld) are executive producing.

Now, this news is bittersweet to us. And that's because, Amazon putting its money behind a Fallout TV show may well be because it didn't want to pick up Stephen King's The Dark Tower, which went to pilot but was eventually turned down.

While we would have loved to have seen Glen Mazzara (The Walking Dead) take on the Ka Tet, Amazon has decided to back one of the biggest gaming franchises of all time instead.

Here's what we know about the show so far and what Fallout actually is.

What the hell is Fallout?

Fallout is a four-game series that focuses on those who survived The Great War - a ruddy great nuclear conflict between the US and China that did what any nuclear combat would do, destroyed most of the world.

There were survivors, though, those who went into underground 'Vaults'. There were also those who didn't quite make the vaults and managed to live above ground, where the world is full of things like super mutants, ghouls, and giant, irradiated beasts.

The game is set in an alternative world that's branded as atompunk, where robots and sophisticated technology sits alongside relics of the 40s and 50s, making a weird miasma of sci-fi and nostalgia.

In the game, you control a vault dweller who is equipped with a Pip Boy device and is often found with a dog as a companion.

While there have been four official games, there have been a number of spin-offs including the brilliant Fallout: New Vegas, the addictive mobile game Fallout Shelter and the online prequel Fallout 76.

Who is making the Fallout TV show?

As we mentioned, Amazon Studios has picked up the Fallout TV show and its executive producers are Jonathon Nolan (brother of Chris Nolan) and Lisa Joy.

In a statement they noted: "Fallout is one of the greatest game series of all time. Each chapter of this insanely imaginative story has cost us countless hours we could have spent with family and friends. So we're incredibly excited to partner with Todd Howard and the rest of the brilliant lunatics at Bethesda to bring this massive, subversive, and darkly funny universe to life with Amazon Studios.”

Nolan and Joy will be working closely with Bethesda Game Studios. In another statement, Executive Producer Todd Howard revealed that they have been trying to make a show of the game for the last decade, explaining: “Over the last decade, we looked at many ways to bring Fallout to the screen, but it was clear from the moment I first spoke with Jonah and Lisa a few years ago, that they and the team at Kilter were the ones to do it right. We’re enormous fans of their work and couldn’t be more excited to work with them and Amazon Studios.”

It has been revealed that the Fallout TV show will have co-showrunners, with Robertson-Dworet and Graham Wagner on board. Robertson-Dworet was one of the writers on Captain Marvel and Tomb Raider, while Wagner has written and produced a number of comedies, including Portlandia and Silicon Valley.

What will the Fallout TV show be about?

There isn't a plot outline as such, but a few tidbits were revealed in the press release - and given the hundreds of hours of gameplay footage that can be mined, they won't be struggling for plotlines.

Here's an inkling of how the TV show will play out: "The world of Fallout is one where the future envisioned by Americans in the late 1940s explodes upon itself through a nuclear war in 2077. The magic of the Fallout world is the harshness of the wasteland set against the previous generation’s utopian idea of a better world through nuclear energy.

"It is serious and harsh in tone, yet sprinkled with moments of ironic humor and B-movie-nuclear-fantasies."

When is the Fallout TV show release date?

The Fallout TV show release date isn't known as of yet but production is happening in 2022. This will be a show that will take a lot of time to build but we can pretty much guarantee it'll be out before Elder Scrolls VI (joke! But, seriously, this will probably be the case).

To put it into context: we had to wait 505 days between season one and two of Westworld, so Nolan and Joy do like to take their time when making things.

While you are waiting, here are the other best Amazon Prime series to gorge on. And Fallout: New Vegas is in our best open world games list.

We are blessed with some amazing TV shows that originally began as movies. The likes of Fargo, Friday Night Lights and Kobra Kai are shows that equal and if not surpass the films they are based on. And then there are the spin-offs - Marvel and Disney have done a wonderful job of bringing characters we usually see on the big screen - the latest being The Book Of Boba Fett.

But, sometimes movies don’t translate well to the small screen - as the following 10 shows prove.

10 TV shows based on movies… that you totally forgot about

• The best Amazon Prime Series revealed.

SOMETHING MISSING FROM OUR SHORTLIST?

Tell us about it, and if enough people agree we'll add it in.

The Book Of Boba Fett is set to be a Star Wars show that delves deeper into the lore of the franchise than any before it, as the new trailer proves.

The show, which focuses on one of the most celebrated characters in Star Wars, is all about expanding on who Boba Fett is as a character. Given Fett had fewer than 7 minutes screen time in the Star Wars franchise, it's amazing just how much of a cult character the bounty hunter has become.

For fans, it was fantastic to see him return in The Mandalorian and now the Book Of Boba Fett is set to showcase what the bounty hunter is up to next, and there's even hints that we will find out just how he survived the Sarlacc Pit.

In the new Book of Boba Fett trailer, we hear him say: "Left for dead, on the sands of Tatooine, I am Boba Fett," And back he is, with fellow merc Fennec Shand (Ming-Na Wen).

As the trailer shows, he's visiting places we have all seen before, with Gizmodo reporting that it looks as if Fett heads to Tosche Station in the new trailer, the place where Luke Skywalker is trying to find a new converter in A New Hope.

Yes, it's a geeky spot but it proves that we are getting a show that is steeped in the myth of the Original Trilogy which should please hardcore fans, and we bet there will be much more of this when the show debuts.

The Book of Boba Fett is set to land on Disney Plus 29 December and stars Temeura Morrison as Boba Fett. The series will begin after the Fett and Fennec Shand took control of Jabba's criminal empire, something that was teased at the end of The Mandalorian: Season 2.

• The best Star Wars characters of all time revealed - we have an idea which one you will upvote.

Netflix's original slate of programming is working right now, with the entire top 10 on Netflix dominated by Netflix-commissioned and Netflix-exclusive shows.

It has been a busy few weeks for Netflix, with launches galore. We have seen a few of its shows ending and they have brought in big numbers because of this.

Money Heist is the clear winner with its final series airing last week, but close behind it is Netflix's Lost In Space, which also had its final series air recently.

The biggest news here, though, is just how powerful Netflix's commissioning has been, with all of the shows in the top 10 exclusive to Netflix right now (as of 7 December, according to FlixPatrol).

The top 10 is as follows:

• Money Heist
• Lost In Space
• Jurassic World: Camp Cretaceous
• Squid Game
• Arcane
• The Queen Of Flow
• The King's Affection
• Maid
• Hellbound
• A True Story

Many of the top 10 also hit the top spot at some point, with Squid Game, Arcane and Hellbound not just being popular shows right now, but some of the most popular that Netflix has ever released.

Back in April, Netflix revealed that it would be spending $17 billion on content in 2021, up some $6 billion from what it spent in 2020. And there's good reason for this - original programming is expensive to make. It's thought that The Crown costs around $15 million per episode to produce, while Stranger Things costs about $12 million per episode - ScreenRant has a decent run down of Netflix show costs.

If you think that is pricey, then it is nothing compared to what Disney is spending right now. According to TBVision, it will be ramping up spending to $33 billion in 2022.

We have a feeling that the streaming wars have only just begun.

• These are the best Netflix TV shows to stream today.

The Batman is set to get its very own spin-of, with a Penguin TV show reportedly in the works.

The TV show has been confirmed by Variety, which has spoke to a, er, variety of sources that have revealed we will see more of The Penguin on the small screen and Colin Farrell is set to star. This is a show that has already been rumored for some time.

In the trailers, there have been a few glimpses of Farrell as The Penguin. He is unrecognisable in the role, under a ton of prosthetics, of gangster Oswald Copperpot who eventually becomes The Penguin.

Farrell himself confirmed that he doesn't have a huge amount of screen time in The Batman, so it makes a lot of sense that we will see more of the character in an HBO-made show.

According to Variety, Lauren LeFranc will be writing the series. She is no stranger to superhero shows, having written and produced Agents of SHIELD. The Batman director Matt Reeves will also be involved in some capacity.

The news comes after rumors that we might see a reboot of the Gotham TV show which was a mixed bag Batman origin story. It did have Robin Lord Taylor as The Penguin, though, and he was a delight in the role.

The Batman stars Robert Pattinson in the titular role and focuses on a Caped Crusader new in the role, who has to take on serial killer The Riddler.

The Batman release date is set for March 2022, with The Penguin series thought to be heading to the small screen in 2023.

• Who is the best Batman? You decide.