Andrew Williams
Do any of the top streaming services have a higher hit rate than NOW?
Where the Netflix approach involves shovelling as much content as possible our way, to try to keep us all subscribed, NOW is a bit more discerning.
That makes sense when you rifle through its wares and find this is the home of HBO, which basically invented the modern concept of the prestige TV show.
The Sopranos? Band of Brothers? The Wire? They are all here.
And that's just a small selection from decades ago. That knack for quality counts for more recent shows too. You can watch Game of Thrones with a NOW subscription, video game adaptation The Last of Us and unmissable historical dramatisation Chernobyl.
This isn't just a selection of streamer shows, it's an education in modern TV-making. And school is in session.
Forget the endless Netflix series that get cancelled shortly after the first episode is aired. Grab a drink, sit down and take in some of the best TV series ever made.
However, it's not all hard-hitting and deep stuff on NOW. Our list of the top shows on NOW is peppered with the light, the funny and even a dash of kitsch.
Here are the best shows to watch on NOW right now. Upvote your favourite.
- Once done, head to the best movies on NOW TV.
New show releases on NOW
Elsbeth
It may be a spin-off of The Good Wife, but Elsbeth has managed for forge an identity of its own since its first broadcast in 2024. Carrie Preston plays Elsbeth Tascioni, a relentlessly perky attorney who butts into NYPD investigations to help solve crimes. This show doesn’t have the same feel as The Good Wife, but it’s not meant to either. A fun watch if you don’t bounce off the character on first sight.
Best shows on NOW
Best NOW TV shows
Chernobyl
The landmark miniseries dramatises the real-life events of the horrific 1986 Chernobyl nuclear disaster, and is the first ever production collaboration between Sky and HBO.
If that wasn’t itself a marker of the 2019 miniseries being about as high-quality as you can get, it’s officially the top rated TV show of all time, with a 9.7-star rating out of 10 on IMDB. This puts it ahead of Breaking Bad, which has been knocked into second place.
The Sopranos
We may be in a golden age of telly right now, but it had to start somewhere. And twenty years since it first aired, Sopranos is still among the finest TV shows of all time.
It place in TV history is cemented, but when it first aired HBO was so concerned audiences would think ‘The Sopranos’ was about music, that they popped a gun into the title’s logo design. Wise guys. There's talk of this one leaving NOW mid November so get watching now!
Game of Thrones
The entire eight seasons of Game of Thrones are on NOW and you should get watching before setting off on the House of the Dragon journey. Game of Thrones was the biggest thing on TV for years, focusing on the warring factions in Westeros that are all after one thing: to ascend the iron throne. The last season may feel rushed but the show as a whole is absolutely epic.
Succession
All three seasons of Succession are on NOW and they are an absolute must watch. The show focuses on Logan Roy, a media mogul who may or may not be stepping down in the near future. The comedy here is jet black and revolves around the Roy family, their in-fighting and the machinations of the rich and the powerful. Everything from the theme tune to the acting to the script is just an absolute joy.
Mare of Easttown
If you are looking for a Big Little Lies replacement then Mare of Easttown is for you. It stars Kate Winslet who plays a detective in Philadelphia - she is utterly convincing, her accent perfect - trying to solve a murder. Directed by the fantastic Craig Zobel, whose movies Compliance and The Hunt are essential, and created by Brad Ingelsby this is an essential watch.
The Wire
This one disappears at the end on September but if you get in there quick you can watch one of the best TV shows ever made. The Wire is about a police department looking to undo a drugs empire through wire-tapping in Baltimore. It's a slow burner but one of the greatest studies of America, boiled down into a cracking series that focuses on a slightly different side of Baltimore in each season.
Band of Brothers
This was breathtaking TV when it was first released in 2001 and still one of the best TV shows ever made. Exec produced by Steven Spielberg, the show revolves around the people of Easy Company, the 506th Regiment of the 101st Airborne Division, from 1942 to the end of World War II and what they did in the war. Tom Hanks stars, as does a whole host of now familiar actors.
The White Lotus
You'll be watching this HBO comedy through gritted teeth and your hands. The White Lotus shines a light on the entitled class, showcasing everything that is wrong with them to excruciating effect. The cast (which changes each season) are ace and utterly unlikeable.
Good news, the third series of White Lotus is now streaming and the focus has shifted to a brand-new set of characters, as well as a new hotel - this time in Thailand. This is one show which is getting better and better.
The Last of Us
The Last Of Us is stunning. Based on the critically acclaimed game of the same name, the show has been created by Chernobyl's Craig Mazin (which, at the time of writing, is topping this best NOW shows list) and showcases a world where a fungus has wiped out much of civilisation and turned people into zombies. Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey star as Joel and Ellie. The second season is even more brutal than the first.
The Night of
If you didn’t see this one first time around, then it demands your attention. Riz Ahmed stars in an eight-part crime drama television miniseries that revolves around a grizzly murder.
He’s implicated, but he doesn’t seem to know anything about what happened or what went on. It’s a taut thriller that exposes some nasty truths about the justice system and everyone involved.
Boardwalk Empire
Our editor was so smitten with Boardwalk Empire, when it first aired, that he bought the same shoes Nucky Thompson (Steve Buscemi) wears in the intro to the show. But don't let that put you off: this is an epic gangster drama set during the Prohibition and is packed with old-school charm. Featuring an amazing cast, this is event TV at its finest.
The Leftovers
The Leftovers is fantastic television. Created by Lost scribe Damon Lindelof, and based on a book by Tom Perrotta, it focuses on those who are left behind on Earth after a rapture-like event. Justin Theroux, Amy Brenneman, Christopher Eccleston, Liv Tyler all star and, well, we think this is one of the best things on NOW right now.
House of the Dragon
House of the Dragon is a must for Game of Thrones fans. Set some 200 years before the events of GoT, the show focuses on the in-fighting and eventual civil war of the Targaryens, the family from which Daenerys Targaryen is eventually born. This makes House of the Dragon something of a Succession-like look at who should be the successor to the throne. Matt Smith stars, among some other famous faces.
The Office (US)
The US version of The Office started off as a copycat of the UK original but turned into its own thing once Steve Carrell stopped playing Michael Scott as a David Brent knock-off and more of an optimist who just wants the best from his job and the world. There’s moments of absolute comedy genius throughout and the casting is superb, with many now gone off to do bigger and better things.
Save Me
One of the most gripping things on TV for a long time, Save Me is about Nelly (Lenny James) whose life is changed completely when he is accused of kidnapping his daughter. Throughout both seasons, the writing is impeccable, the acting sublime and Lenny’s puffer jacket has become as iconic as the sweater Sarah Lund wore in The Killing.
Gangs of London
With its second season on the way, there's no better time to catch Gangs of London - a hard-hitting series from action maestro Gareth Evans the director and driving force behind The Raid and The Raid 2. Set in a fantastical modern-day London, the high-production series follows the stories of rival gangs, and the ensuing chaos and shifting power dynamics in the wake of the death of a criminal kingpin.
Yellowjackets
This one will keep you guessing. It's about a plane crash that happened 35 years ago and the survivors of that crash hiding some pretty brutal secrets as to how they stayed alive. The casting is superb (and meta, given most of them were child stars), with the likes of Christina Ricci and Juliette Lewis starring as the grown-up versions of the teenagers.
Resident Alien
It's not often a SyFy original features on our best NOW TV shows list but Resident Alien is fantastic, heartwarming stuff. It features Alan Tudyk as an alien who tries to act human in a small, American town. This is a fish-out-of-water tale that is packed with charm and Tudyk is brilliant in the main role.
Brassic
Now five seasons old, there is a lot to like about Brassic - Sky’s answer to Shameless, which revolves around a group of friends from Lancashire who basically get up to no good. This is all fine and well until one of their girlfriend’s wants to turn a new leaf and look for a better life. Starring Joseph Gilgan, Damien Molony and Michelle Keegan it packs in the laughs and is a really easy watch.
Euphoria
This is a fantastic show about high school friends in the US. Starring the ace Zendaya (Spider-Man), there aren't many themes this show will skirt which makes it all the more engrossing. And uncomfortable to watch.
Curb Your Enthusiasm
All 12 seasons of Curb are available on NOW and they are all an absolute must watch. The show follows the exploits of a fictionalised Larry David and his unique look on life. You will laugh, cringe and cringe-laugh throughout.
The Staircase
This brilliant new series is based on true events that happened in 2001. Writer Michael Peterson (played by Colin Firth) calls to report his wife Kathleen (Toni Collette) has fallen down a set of stairs in the mansion they are living in and has died. Of course, that's not really what happened, though, and the story gets stranger from there. This one is currently streaming weekly and is a must watch - even if you have already seen the brilliant documentary.
Landscapers
This brilliant new series is based on true events that happened in 2001. Writer Michael Peterson (played by Colin Firth) calls to report his wife Kathleen (Toni Collette) has fallen down a set of stairs in the mansion they are living in and has died. Of course, that's not really what happened, though, and the story gets stranger from there. This one is currently streaming weekly and is a must watch - even if you have already seen the brilliant documentary.
Gomorrah
Roberto Saviano's true account of the Italian crime organisation The Camorra is dramatised to fantastic in Gomorrah, an uncompromising and rather ugly look at what it's like to be a gangster in Naples. Five seasons long, this show has now ended, so there is no better time to watch with all seasons streaming on NOW.
Billions
Billions is a really easy watch. Now six seasons long, the show is about Wall Street billionaire Bobby Axelrod (Damian Lewis) and his constant sparring with a prosecutor who wants to take him down, as he things the way Axelrod is making his money is, well, illegal. We're not quite sure how they manage to keep the show going, stretching the premise like they do but it's fun to watch.
The Day of the Jackal
A new take on the classic novel by Frederick Forsyth, this time starring Eddie Redmayne as the sniper, the jackal of the title. It’s a 10-part series, giving this story a little more space to breathe than some. It’s thrilling stuff, even if it does lack some of the sheer efficiency of the film adaptation from 1973.
The Lazarus Project
This time-bending thriller is the perfect binge-watch. It focuses on an app developer (Paapa Essiedu) who, during a pandemic, meets a shady group of people who can seemingly time travel, lead by the brilliant Caroline Quentin. Cue twists galore.
Poker Face
Natasha Lyonne plays Charlie Cale in Poker Face. She is a casino worker on the run, but this show is more of a strange detective show than that of a fugitive. Charlie has the innate ability to tell when someone is lying, making her a natural mystery-solver. The series was directed by Ryan Johnson, the mind behind the brilliant Knives Out.
Breeders
This isn’t the show you think it is. Yes, it’s a funny and honest look at parenting, with Martin Freeman and Daisy Haggard the frayed parents bringing up two children, but it also goes to places you wouldn’t think it would. The hilarity is punctuated by sadness and heartbreak and this makes for a really rounded show. While the humour is sometimes a tad more vicious than we would have liked (something that is actually brought up in the end), it’s certainly worth a watch.
The Rehearsal
You have never watched anything like The Rehearsal. Seriously. The show is a stunning achievement, a docu-comedy of sorts with a rather out-there premise. Comedian Nathan Fielder helps members of the public with a situation they are in. It could be as simple as lying about a degree they don't have, or something far more hefty to deal with.
To make sure they can confront the situation, he helps them through the myriad ways the scenario could play out - recreating things Truman Show style with actors and sets to get them ready for their big day. And from there, the show goes even deeper until you question everything. It's meticulous in the way it's made and will constantly have your scratching your head, questioning and questioning some more.
South Park
Paramount Plus is the real streaming home of South Park (in the UK), but you can chow down on over 175 episodes of the show through NOW. There's still a lot to dig back into here, particularly if you're a long-term fan of the series.
The Midwich Cuckoos
This adaptation of John Wyndham's celebrated novel is a creepy tale, about a village where the women are all seemingly impregnated by an alien, that goes straight to the source material rather than the more famous The Village Of The Damned film. Keeley Hawes plays Dr Susannah Zellaby, gender-flipped from the original story, who tries to help the women in the town and, in turn, finds out that something is very wrong.
It's not perfect, there are some surprisingly clunky bits of dialogue throughout, but we would still recommend this updated adaptation.
The Penguin
This TV show reaction to the 2022 The Batman movie sees Colin Farrell return to play the Penguin in a dark and serious take on the iconic Batman villain. It looks at how Oswald Copplepot, or Oz Cobb in this take on the fiction, went from a nobody to one of the iconic baddies of Gotham. It’s attracted comparisons to The Sopranos and even Game of Thrones, which tells you how seriously this show takes its subject.
This England
Kenneth Branagh is Boris Johnson in this brutal look at what when on behind the scenes during the Covid-19 pandemic. Michael Winterbottom is the brains behind this blistering polemic which tells a story that affected us all.
Dreamland
This is a very British kind of Sky Original. Lily Allen is one of the lead actors, and it's set in Margate, about as far removed from the gloss of LA and San Fran as you can get. Allen's Mel returns to her family, upsetting the dynamics in a household of four sisters. It's a comedy drama built up around relationships, rather than espionage or world-changing events — a nice change of pace.
Matlock
A resurrection of the 1980s crime/legal show Matlock sounds like a bad idea. But this 2024 reimagining really works. It stars Kathy Bates as an attorney who returns to a firm, and manages to outdo and outsmart her much younger colleagues. It’s a corker propelled by a great performance from Bates, sharp writing, and that this isn’t a straight revision of the old Matlock.
Fantasmas
One day Julio Torres is going to blow up. This comedian and SNL writer has a knack for creating brilliant, original and downright weird TV shows. First there was the under appreciated Los Espookys, now we have Fantasmas.
It's part sketch show, part full-on narrative. Torres has managed to put together an amazing list of cameos too, including Steve Buscemi, Paul Dano, Natasha Lyonne and Emma Stone.
Watchmen
Watchmen has had a surprisingly solid run of adaptations. First we had the movie from the somewhat inconsistent Zack Snyder, a loyal screen version. Damon Lindelof side-stepped the issue of having to stick to the original graphic novel by telling a completely different story, just one set in the same universe. It was very highly regarded at release in 2019, one of the most venerated DC releases to date.
Mussolini: Son of the Century
Luca Marinelli stars as Benito Mussolini in Son of the Century, a dramatisation of the early years of the man who would go on to become one of the most infamous dictators of the modern era. It comes from director Joe Wright, known for making Winston Churchill flick Darkest Hour and, a lot further back, 2005's Pride and Prejudice. This 8-part series is an expensive and interesting adaptation of a book by Antonio Scurati.
- Watch on NOW TV
Treme
It has never been a better time to revisit Treme. Made by the creator of The Wire, David Simon, it charts how New Orleans was devastated by Hurricane Katrina and how that community was broken and rebuilt by the natural disaster. It shines a not-very-nice light on the US government and how they deal with people in need. This is a heart-breaking, heart-warming slow burn, filled with the best music and acting ever seen on TV.
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