You don’t have to search hard to find out why Olivia Colman has earned herself national treasure status. From gripping crime dramas to unbeatable sitcoms, she’s delivered so many great performances, it’s difficult to keep up - but that’s what we’re here for.
We’ve spent many hours making our way through practically all of Olivia’s incredible dramas to find the 7 that are worth watching now, including her most watchable series yet. So, bag your space on the sofa because these are the 5-star Olivia Colman dramas to watch on ITV, Netflix, the BBC and more.
The Father
One that packs a serious emotional punch, this heartbreaking drama portrays the agony of a dementia battle in painful detail. Leading the film is Anthony Hopkins who plays 80-year-old Anthony, a father with dementia who’s confused, paranoid and determined to carry on as normal. His daughter, Anne (Olivia), wants to help, but it’s far from easy, especially when her father rejects every carer she suggests. There’s a lot to relate to in the poignant film. Available to watch now on Prime Video.
The Lost Daughter
Olivia’s performance in The Lost Daughter is so good it can, at times, be an uncomfortable to watch due to its confronting themes. Her character is Leda, a quietly complex mother who’s built hugely successful career as a professor of literature, but she’s also somewhat haunted by her experiences of motherhood (she has two children) and what it meant for her, which becomes apparent when she meets Nina (Dakota Johnson) and daughter, Elena, on the beach. What follows is a strange fixation on them that raises many questions. Available to watch now on Netflix.
Run
Each episode in Run focuses on a different character and Olivia’s instalment introduces us to single mother Carol, who’s struggling to keep her family together. Carol lives in a world where low-level crime is part of the everyday struggle to survive and the antics of her sons make things, well, challenging. When it escalates to murder, however, things change completely – and Carol finds herself in a position no mother would ever want to be in. Available to watch now on ITVX.
The Roses
This hilarious reimagining of the memorable 1989 film, The War of the Roses, explores the unravelling of an apparently perfect marriage, with Olivia and Benedict Cumberbatch bringing it to life impeccably. The pair play golden couple, Ivy and Theo, whose marriage cracks rapidly turn into ravines when the husband’s professional dreams come crashing down. And there’s rarely a dull moment. Available to watch now on Disney+.
Broadchurch
![new seriesbroadchurch for itvbroadchurch is a new eight part drama series by kudos film and television for itv. the star studded cast includes david tennant, olivia colman, andrew buchan, jodie whittaker, vicky mcclure, pauline quirke, will mellor, arthur darvill and carolyn pickles.this brand new eight part series is written and created by chris chibnall (law and order: uk, doctor who) and will explore what happens to a small community in dorset when it suddenly becomes the focus of a police investigation, following the tragic and mysterious death of an eleven year old boy under the glare of the media spotlight.bloodied and dirty, danny latimer (oskar mcnamara) has been found dead on an idyllic beach surrounded by rocks and a jutting cliff face from where he may have fallen. whilst his death remains unresolved, the picturesque seaside town of broadchurch is at the heart of a major police investigation and a national media frenzy.pictured l r:david tennant as alec hardy and olivia colman as ellie miller.copyright: itvthis photograph is (c) itv plc and can only be reproduced for editorial purposes directly in connection with the programme or event mentioned above, or itv plc. once made available by itv plc picture desk, this photograph can be reproduced once only up until the transmission [tx] date and no reproduction fee will be charged. any subsequent usage may incur a fee. this photograph must not be manipulated [excluding basic cropping] in a manner which alters the visual appearance of the person photographed deemed detrimental or inappropriate by itv plc picture desk. this photograph must not be syndicated to any other company, publication or website, or permanently archived, without the express written permission of itv plc picture desk. full terms and conditions are available on the website www.itvpictures.comfor further information please contact:patrick.smith@itv.com 0207 157 3044](https://hips.hearstapps.com/hmg-prod/images/e283f8ac-f472-445d-8870-92f1bd2f2939.jpg?crop=0.6730653869226155xw:1xh;center,top&resize=980:* "new seriesbroadchurch for itvbroadchurch is a new eight part drama series by kudos film and television for itv. the star studded cast includes david tennant, olivia colman, andrew buchan, jodie whittaker, vicky mcclure, pauline quirke, will mellor, arthur darvill and carolyn pickles.this brand new eight part series is written and created by chris chibnall (law and order: uk, doctor who) and will explore what happens to a small community in dorset when it suddenly becomes the focus of a police investigation, following the tragic and mysterious death of an eleven year old boy under the glare of the media spotlight.bloodied and dirty, danny latimer (oskar mcnamara) has been found dead on an idyllic beach surrounded by rocks and a jutting cliff face from where he may have fallen. whilst his death remains unresolved, the picturesque seaside town of broadchurch is at the heart of a major police investigation and a national media frenzy.pictured l r:david tennant as alec hardy and olivia colman as ellie miller.copyright: itvthis photograph is (c) itv plc and can only be reproduced for editorial purposes directly in connection with the programme or event mentioned above, or itv plc. once made available by itv plc picture desk, this photograph can be reproduced once only up until the transmission [tx] date and no reproduction fee will be charged. any subsequent usage may incur a fee. this photograph must not be manipulated [excluding basic cropping] in a manner which alters the visual appearance of the person photographed deemed detrimental or inappropriate by itv plc picture desk. this photograph must not be syndicated to any other company, publication or website, or permanently archived, without the express written permission of itv plc picture desk. full terms and conditions are available on the website www.itvpictures.comfor further information please contact:patrick.smith@itv.com 0207 157 3044")
Could we make a list of Olivia Colman’s best dramas without mentioning Broadchurch? Of course not and, thanks to ITV, there’s still plenty of time to watch – or rewatch – it. The beloved series takes us to a close-knit Dorset seaside town that’s rocked by the murder of 11-year-old British boy, Danny Latimer. It’s up to DI Alec Hardy (David Tennant) and DS Ellie Miller (Olivia) to investigate who have, naturally, become one of TV’s best ever detective duos. Available to watch now on ITVX.
Fleabag
Another one that’ll provide plenty of laughs, Phoebe Waller-Bridge’s hit sitcom is simply genius. Phoebe is the titular Fleabag who’s navigating life in London, along with grief, depression, relationships and well, all the challenges life throws at us. And while Phoebe is fantastic in it, it wouldn’t be the show it is without Olivia as Fleabag’s passive aggressive Godmother – and later stepmother. Let’s just say their relationship is, erm, difficult. Available to watch now on BBC iPlayer.
Rev
Olivia nails comedic timing in BBC sitcom Rev and, despite the fact it’s been over a decade since its conclusion, we think it’s her most watchable series yet. The show was, intriguingly, written by The White Lotus star Tom Hollander and stars Olivia as Alex Smallbone, the wife of vicar Adam Smallbone (Hollander). Adam takes up a new post at an inner-city London church after leaving a small rural Suffolk parish – and the move is an adjustment, to say the least. There are three brilliant series to enjoy, so expect to be occupied for a while. Available to watch now on BBC iPlayer.
