If you’re finding it difficult to commit to watching a TV show during isolation, you’re not alone.
We are all well versed in the art of scrolling through listicle after listicle, trying to find something to watch, only to settle for an old favourite or, god forbid, whatever is on free-to-air TV.
Having a great show to look forward to is a must especially in the bizarre times we’re living in, which is why we’ve taken it upon ourselves to compile a little listicle of our own brimming with the best dramas to watch right now on Stan – which means you can save yourself another three-hour Googling session and watch your little heart out.
Penny Dreadful: City of Angels
The highly-anticipated Penny Dreadful: City of Angels is finally here to welcome you into its haunting world for a thrilling series exploring the rich mythology of Los Angeles. Set in 1938, at a time where the city was permeating with social and political tension, a grisly murder takes place that rattles the city to the core.
The series follows Detective Tiago Vega (Daniel Zovatto) and his partner Lewis Michener (Nathan Lane) as they seek answers in a world entrenched with powerful forces threatening to tear them apart. The series is seeped in the knotty history of Los Angeles and Mexican-American folklore.
Speaking of powerful forces, Game Of Thrones alumni Natalie Dormer gives a career-defining performance as Magda, a malicious demon with a propensity for stirring chaos and pitting people against each other. Within the series, Dormer plays four different women — it’s a role that establishes Dormer as one of the great chameleons of the small screen.
It’s the perfect blend of history and the supernatural. It also boasts a sublime cast, with Oscar winner Sam Mendes (1917), Pippa Harris (Revolutionary Road) in addition to the aforementioned Dormer.
Killing Eve
Smart, sexy and unbelievably fashionable — Phoebe Waller Bridger’s espionage-thriller is a joy. Jodie Comer and Sandra Oh are totally mesmerising. Villanelle (Comer) is an antagonist that oozes with charisma, like if Kill Bill‘s The Bride donned a tulle Molly Goddard frock. The simmering chemistry between the two leads is totally captivating, and we wish that we were part of their secret, and volatile, little world.
Stan currently has the first season available to stream, which is perfect because there’s nothing I regret more than not taking my time with this show and bingeing it all in one weekend.
Twin Peaks
She’s deaaaaad, wrapped in plaaaaaastic. When David Lynch announced that he was directing a third season of his masterpiece Twin Peaks more than two decades after the show’s original run some had doubts that new episodes could meet the impossibly high standards set by their predecessors. This skepticism quickly dissipated in 2017 as glowing review after glowing review rolled in for the new Twin Peaks, which continues the story of the original in a satisfying way while maintaining its nearly unmatched quality and cleverness.
Whether you’re a fan of the original series looking to see where the story goes or someone completely new to the show now has never been a better time to immerse yourself in the strange, mystical world of Twin Peaks.
Better Call Saul
One of the greatest spin-off series of all time, in my humble opinion. If you’ve watched Breaking Bad — you know all about Saul Goodman and his infinite chutzpah. Better Caul Saul takes place six years before Goodman and Walter White’s paths crossed. Twee king of cinema Wes Anderson recently heralded the show “simply my favorite series.” If you’ve got Mr. Anderson’s backing, you don’t need mine. We don’t want to tell you what to do, but if we were you, we’d go the full monty and binge both Breaking Bad and Better Caul Saul.
There’s a reason this prequel has as many seasons (and counting) as it’s predecessor. It’s spunky, superbly acted and a masterclass character study of the morally bankrupt.
UnREAL
UnReal is like a fictional, behind-the-scenes version of The Bachelor, but with a sick underbelly. In the UnREAL universe, all morality is thrown out the window. It’s a delicious feast of manipulation and narcissism that will have you screeching at your television in disbelief. It’s evil, twisted, and so unrelentingly entertaining. Constance Zimmer’s cutthroat performance in this series makes her Entourage character look meek.
Veronica Mars
This high school neo-noir thriller is an absolute treat that appeals to all the senses. Kristen Bell as Veronica Mars is one of the most charming TV show protagonists in history. Veronica Mars has all the ingredients of a perfect teen drama — intelligent as hell, and ferociously funny — it’s an unforgiving portrait of the hell that is high school with a detective twist. There’s a reason that Veronica Mars returned for a fourth season fifteen years later, because the hunger for it was still there.
