“A beyond brilliant crime drama”: 9 “superb” TV shows to watch this bank holiday on ITV, Netflix, BBC & more

The bank holiday weekend is finally upon us and whether you’re gallivanting across the country or enjoying some time at home, it’s well worth carving out a bit of TV time, too. To make things a little easier for you, we’ve worked our way through all the best TV around right now to deliver the superb shows that are actually worth watching.

From a Slow Horses-esque series to a very creepy mystery thriller and a beyond brilliant crime drama, there’s something to suit pretty much every TV taste. So, forget your other plans for a minute because these are the 9 TV shows worth watching this bank holiday on ITV, Netflix, the BBC and more.

St. Denis Medical

If you loved The Pitt, St. Denis Medical deserves to be next on your watchlist. The series follows overworked but very likeable doctors and nurses who are trying to retain their sanity at an underfunded – and chaotic (that’s an understatement) - hospital in Oregon. Unlike a lot of medical shows, there’s a good dose of humour thrown in, which makes sense given it’s from the makers of Superstore. Happily, the second series, which is premiering on the BBC this May, is even more watchable than the first! Arriving on BBC iPlayer on Friday 1^st May.

Widow’s Bay

Matthew’s Rhys’ standout role in Netflix’s The Beast in Me is followed up with another gripping performance in this creepy mystery thriller. Now, he’s Tom Loftis, the mayor of a quaint island town off the coast of New England who’s under the impression that the small island town’s only issue is deprivation. Oh, how wrong he is. The town's other issue It's cursed - or at least, the locals think it is. Available to watch on Apple TV now.

Secret Service

Following in the footsteps of Slow Horses, this page-to-screen spy series is pretty much everything you want in a spy thriller. Adapted from newsreader Tom Bradby’s bestselling novel, the series revolves around MI6 agent Kate Henderson (played by Gemma Arterton) who discovers evidence of a Russian plot involving a senior UK politician. If the politician is indeed a Russian asset as she suspects, what exactly is their motive, and how does she prove it? Available to watch on ITV now.

This is Not a Murder Mystery

Picture this: a group of rising surrealist artists walk into a sprawling estate and find themselves caught up in a puzzling murder plot. Sounds good, doesn’t it? This inventive 1930s set whodunnit follows young René Magritte (Pierre Gervais) who accepts an invitation to a private art exhibition in a grand estate owned by Lord James (Aoibhinn McGinnity). He enjoys a wild night, along with a load of other arty types, so when he wakes up to find a young woman murdered next to him, anyone could be responsible. Available to watch on U now.

Prisoner

Sky’s newly released thriller is about as high-octane as it gets. The six-part series follows Amber (Izuka Hoyle), a young prison transport officer who’s tasked with escorting Tibor (Tahar Rahim), a trained killer and high-value inmate, to court to testify against his elite crime syndicate. But when a brutal ambush throws their journey off course, killing everybody but them them, Amber and Tibor must race against the clock to reach their destination on time and alive. Arriving on Sky Atlantic and NOW on Thursday 30^th April.

Mint

Ever wondered what it’s like to be part of a powerful crime family? Then give Mint a watch. In the eight-part series, we meet Shannon (Emma Laird), the naïve daughter of one such crime family, who’s searching for love in the shadow of her gangster father, Dylan (Sam Riley), devoted mum Cat (Laura Fraser), older brother Luke (Lewis Gribben) and family matriarch, grandma Ollie (Lindsay). Difficult enough, but what happens when you fall for a member of a rival crime family? A beyond brilliant series. Available to watch now on BBC iPlayer.

Half Man

Baby Reindeer creator, Richard Gadd, is behind this new series, which is, well, quite graphic. The series follows Ruben (Stuart Campbell) and Niall (Mitchell Robertson through four decades of their lives, charting the highs and lows of their relationship over the years. Capturing 30 years in the lives of two broken men, it’s a moving, if not intense exploration of the fragility of male relationships and just how rapidly they can disintegrate. Available to watch now on BBC iPlayer.

Big Mistakes

If you haven’t yet seen Dan Levy (Schitt’s Creek) latest comedy drama, it’s one of the most bingeable series we’ve seen in a long time. Nicky (Dan Levy) and Morgan (Taylor Ortega) are two deeply incapable siblings who are accidently pulled into the world of organised crime when a misguided theft for their dying grandmother goes awry. Blackmailed into assignments that place them in grave danger, they gradually sink deeper into chaos they’re far from equipped to handle. Brilliant storyline and brilliant characters. Available to watch now on Netflix.

Number One Fan

You know that feeling when someone seems a little too interested in your life? Daytime TV presenter Lucy (Jill Halfpenny), the subject of this new Channel 5 thriller, does. When she’s saved from an attack by a woman named Donna (Sally Lindsay), Donna is initially grateful for Donna’s help – who wouldn’t be? But when Donna starts to get a little to involved in Lucy’s life, things take a rather strange – and creepy - turn. Arriving on Channel 5 at 9pm on Monday 4^th May.