Ten boxsets to binge on this winter
If you’re looking for boxsets to binge on as the nights draw in, we have ten left-field streaming suggestions to consider
The onset of winter can be a difficult time.
The ubiquity of Christmas is often triggering for people who’ve lost loved ones in previous Decembers, while the absence of sunshine routinely leads to Seasonal Affective Disorder.
Anyone who’s ever slipped and hurt themselves will be wary of icy pavements, and there’s little pleasure in exercising outdoors when your breath is vaporising before your eyes.
It’s unsurprising that millions of Brits spend winter evenings sheltering indoors, often scanning the myriad of modern streaming platforms for boxsets to binge on.
Marquee content like The Crown, Homeland and Line of Duty is so well known that you’ve probably already watched it – though if you haven’t, you really should.
To help everyone through a particularly cold and attritional period, we’ve combed the streaming media marketplace less high-profile boxsets to binge on.
We’ve included comedy and thrillers, fantasy and historical dramas, with an equal balance of British and American content which is compulsive and compelling in equal measure.
Even if your broadband is a 10-11Mbps ADSL connection, these shows should stream in standard definition without buffering, transporting you from a winter of discontent to a very different time…
Chernobyl. Watch on: Sky, NOW, Amazon Prime Video, YouTube
Ukrainians have said it took this harrowing Sky/HBO series to uncover the truth behind the 1986 disaster. Superb acting and set design make this a compelling, claustrophobic watch.
Rome. Watch on: ITVX, Amazon Prime Video, YouTube, Apple TV
A two-series tale of loyalty and betrayal, Rome was a big-budget historic drama, anchored by powerhouse performances from its leads alongside a parallel empire-building storyline.
The Americans. Watch on: Disney+, Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV
Our final historic series is set in the 1980s, with Russian agents undercover in suburban DC. Essentially a drama about a disintegrating marriage, it’s shocking, evocative, witty and poignant.
Brassic. Watch on: Sky, NOW, Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV
Brassic maintains the tone and qualities of early Shameless, portraying the criminal activities of a dysfunctional yet likeable group of misfits with a deft blend of whimsy and gravitas.
Save Me. Watch on: Sky, NOW, Amazon Prime Video
Another Sky original. Lennie James wrote and starred in a gripping two-series tale of child abduction and its aftermath, packed with quirky characters and set in a London tower block.
Prison Break. Watch on: Disney+, Netflix, YouTube
Ignore the ridiculous 2017 reboot, and revel in a high-octane four-season story arc about a gang of complex antihero criminals fighting a Government cover-up with wit and ingenuity.
Humans. Watch on: 4OD, ITVX, Netflix, Amazon Prime Video
Cancelled on a cliffhanger, Humans offered a poignant study of humanity, and a perceptive Black Mirror-esque warning about a parallel Britain where synthetic humans coexist alongside us.
The Umbrella Academy. Watch on: Netflix, Amazon Prime Video
Before Gerard Way got the band back together, he gifted us a remarkable superhero series which melds Channel 4’s Misfits and Marvel’s MCU to dramatic, comedic and (occasionally) musical effect.
Happy Valley. Watch on: iPlayer, Amazon Prime Video
Happy Valley’s storylines are as bleak as its Yorkshire backdrop, with a deftly paced tale of fear and loathing anchored by a stunningly powerful performance from Sarah Lancashire.
The Night Agent. Watch on: Netflix
The only single series show on our list, though Seasons 2 and 3 are confirmed. Every time you try to guess where this whip-smart political action thriller is heading, it wrongfoots you.
