A new week is here and if you’ve got no interest in wading through the TV schedules for something good to watch, we’ve come to your rescue. We’ve previewed all of this week’s new shows to bring you 7 that we consider to be absolutely outstanding.
From the return of what we’re calling the new Grantchester to two huge shows that are bringing Vicky McClure and Suranne Jones back to our screens, we’ve got something for every mood. So, take a moment to relax with our pick of the 7 best shows to watch this week on ITV, Netflix, the BBC and more.
Bookish
Nicola Young
Mark Gatiss’s cosy crime series earned an army of fans when it arrived on U&Alibi last July, so of course it’s returning for a second run. Gabriel Book (Gatiss) is back in his bookshop in Archangel Lane and he’s drawn into the world of spiritualism when he’s asked to help solve an unusual case involving medium, Harold Sneed (Jason Watkins). He also has a puzzling murder at a gentleman’s outfitters to solve, as well as a thieving Duchess (played by Miranda Richardson) to contend with. With a third series already commissioned and a Christmas special also on the way, we’re calling it the new Grantchester. Series 2 is arriving on U&Alibi at 8pm on Wednesday 26th August.
Fightland
Starz
Sky is bringing us something a bit different this week in the form of boxing drama Fightland. Set and filmed in London, the series takes us into the world of British-born boxer Duke Kilroy (Howard Charles) who’s on a quest for revenge. Why? Well, on the night he became world heavyweight champion, a vicious assault left his brother, Calvin, dead, and his reaction in the aftermath resulted in him spending 8 years in a US prison. His eventual release, therefore, can only mean one thing: vengeance. Arriving on Sky Atlantic and NOW at 9pm on Thursday 27th August.
The Rainmaker 
USA Network
ITV has picked up this adaptation of John Grisham’s bestselling legal thriller and it’s not hard to see why. The 10-part series follows newly qualified lawyer Rudy Baylor (Milo Callaghan) who enters the legal world full of wide-eyed optimism – only to realise he’s in for a difficult ride. Having been fired by the unscrupulous and powerful Leo Drummond (John Slattery), he lands at an underdog firm with the hope of starting afresh – until a deeply buried conspiracy means he must go head-to-head with his old boss. Arriving on ITVX on Friday 28th August.
The Whisper Man
Netflix
Netflix’s creepy new abduction drama introduces us to widowed crime writer, Tom Kennedy (Adam Scott), who moves to a new town for a fresh start with his eight-year-old son, Jake. When Jake vanishes into thin air, Tom is forced to reach out to his estranged dad and retired detective Peter Willis (Robert De Niro) for help, who discovers a link between Jake’s disappearance and a decades-old case of a convicted serial killer nicknamed “The Whisper Man”. The latter, however, was supposedly imprisoned years ago – so can it really be him? Arriving on Netflix on Friday 28th August.
Dark Matter
Sandy Morris
Series 1 of this mind-bending thriller followed Jason Dessen (Joel Edgerton), a physicist, professor and family man who – one night while walking home on the streets of Chicago – was abducted into an alternate version of his life. Now, having fought his way back to his true family, the Dessens are settling into a quiet life in a world that finally seems safe – that is, until the unimaginable forces them to run once again. Series 2 is arriving on Apple TV on Friday 28th August.
Trigger Point
ITV
Almost a year on from the series 2 finale, Vicky McClure is back as bomb disposal operative Lana Washington who dedicates herself to keeping the capital safe – and she’s in for her biggest challenge yet. She and her team are coming up against an unprecedented threat which, according to guest star Julie Graham – who plays Commander Nia Quentin – is “the biggest terror attack this country’s seen”. Eek! Series 4 is arriving on ITV1 and ITVX at 9pm on Sunday 30th August.
Vigil 
Jamie Simpson
On its release in 2021, Vigil became one of the BBC’s most-watched new dramas – for good reason! Suranne Jones plays the intelligent and resilient DCI Amy Silva, who in series 1 is tasked with investigating the suspicious death of a crew member on board the HMS Vigil submarine. Series 2 saw her sent to a Middle Eastern military base and now, she’s off to a remote Arctic research station, where a member of a covert British special forces mission has been shot dead. We can’t wait! Series 3 is arriving on BBC One and BBC iPlayer at 9pm on Sunday 30th August.