“More watchable than The Split”: 8 “underrated” legal dramas to watch now on ITV, Netflix, the BBC and more

If you’re a fan of The Split, the idea of a legal drama that’s even more watchable might be hard to comprehend, but it really does exist. We’ve dug deep into the archives to track down the most underrated legal dramas that deserve a spot at the top of your watchlist – and you might find a few surprises along the way.

For starters, Nicola Walker finds herself involved with the law once again in Annika, which is one of those series you really won’t want to turn off. We’ve also got two Jimmy McGovern dramas, a Katherine Kelly series that’ll take you on a turbulent ride, and a harrowing real-life drama starring Sheridan Smith. So, get comfortable, because these are the 8 underrated legal dramas to watch now on ITV, Netflix, the BBC and more.

In Flight

Prepare for a rather turbulent journey as flight attendant Jo’s (Katherine Kelly) life is turned upside down when she finds herself blackmailed into using her job to smuggle drugs. Jo’s son is serving a 15-year sentence in a Bulgarian prison for a murder he swears he didn’t commit. And when she’s approached by a gang who knows all about him, she finds herself pulled into a murky underworld of corrupt cops and hired killers - and forced to carry out their orders with no escape in sight. Available to watch now on Channel 4.

Accused

Having first aired in 2010, this superb Jimmy McGovern drama is an anthology series, with each episode introducing us to a person accused of a crime and following their trial. Episode two is particularly special and stars Anne-Marie Duff and Olivia Colman as Mo and Sue, who run a hair salon on a rough estate. When Sue’s son is shot dead, Mo spearheads a local group, Women Against Guns, but is devastated - and appalled - to learn that her own son was behind the shooting. Deeply heartbreaking. Available to watch now on ITVX.

I Fought the Law

If you missed this real-life drama when it first aired on ITV last year, it’s well worth catching up on. The always wonderful Sheridan Smith plays Ann Ming, the heartbroken mother who campaigned to change the Double Jeopardy Law and ensure that her daughter’s murderer was convicted. Covering the brutal circumstances of her daughter's harrowing murder and the 15-year battle that followed, it's the sort of series that will stay with you long after you watch it. Available to watch now on ITVX.

Unforgivable

Another Jimmy McGovern drama, Unforgivable is a powerful drama that follows sex offender, Joe, (played by Bobby Schofield), who perpetrated crimes within his own family. Exploring what happens when he’s released from prison, Anna Maxwell Martin gives an incredible performance as former nun Katherine who now runs the institution for ex-offenders that Joe finds himself in. Emotional, disturbing and hugely underrated. Available to watch now on BBC iPlayer.

Fearless

From playing a Peaky Blinders matriarch to Cherie Blair in The Queen, the late Helen McCrory brought us too many brilliant dramas to count, but one of her most unforgettable performances is in Fearless. Helen takes the starring role of human rights lawyer Emma, who’s renowned for taking on miscarriages of justice, and her latest case? A man who's been in jail for almost 15 years for killing a schoolgirl – but Emma is convinced he’s innocent. Terrific from start to finish. Available to watch now on Netflix.

Annika

The Split’s Nicola Walker finds herself involved with the law once again, this time as the brilliantly witty and enigmatic DI Annika Strandhed, who heads up Glasgow’s Marine Homicide Unit. The team is tasked with solving murders as bodies wash up on the Scottish shores and, as well as cracking cases, we follow Annika as she juggles life as a single mum to her teenage daughter Morgan. Interestingly, Annika breaks the fourth wall, chatting to viewers about Norse myths, office politics, relationships and more. Even more watchable than The Split. Available to watch now on Sky and NOW.

Mudtown

This fantastic Welsh crime series centres around Newport’s Magistrates Court where experienced Magistrate Claire Lewis Jones, played by Erin Richards, faces a series of moral dilemmas when her past catches up with her. When Ned Humphries, a childhood friend of Claire’s daughter, Beca, faces arson charges, Claire's loyalty to her community is tested. And things are about to get worse as local criminal kingpin Saint Pete (Tom Cullen) appears on the scene – and it turns out, Claire and Saint Pete go way back. Available to watch now on Sky and NOW.

Irish Blood

Despite setting the record for the most-watched new series premiere in Acorn TV history when it premiered across the pond, many still won’t even have heard of Irish Blood. Alicia Silverstone is the US-based lawyer who was abandoned by her Irish father, Declan (Jason O’Mara), as a child – or, at least, she thought she was. A letter from her estranged father prompts her return to the Emerald Isle, where she learns that the story of abandonment that has shaped her entire life was nothing more than a lie to protect her. A brilliantly unpredictable series. Available to watch now on NOW and Prime Video.