“The new Shetland”: 15 “superb” TV shows to watch on Netflix, the BBC, ITV and more this autumn

It’s been a long and (very!) hot summer, but autumn is almost upon us and, if you’re a TV lover, it’s going to be an especially good one. We’ve had a sneak peek at all the new shows coming our way and sorted the good from the bad to bring you 15 shows that are set to be truly superb.

From the return of the BBC’s best crime drama in ages (This City is Ours, if you’re wondering), to a detective drama that we're calling the new Shetland, as well as a legal drama that rivals The Split, the line-up is shaping up to be huge. So, take a moment to pause with our pick of the best shows to watch on Netflix, the BBC, ITV and more this autumn.

This City is Ours

If you ask us, crime dramas don’t get much better than This City is Ours, which is why we’re rather excited about its imminent return. If you're new to the drama, series 1 followed Liverpool crime Ronnie Phelan (Sean Bean) who, after announcing his retirement from the criminal underworld, triggered a power struggle between his son (Jack McMullen) and his second-in-command (James Nelson-Joyce). The follow-up will introduce an old-school gangster, Ozzie Thompson (Shaun Evans), who’s fresh out of prison and wants compensation, plus Colombian cartel member Felipe Guzman (Álvaro Morte), the brother of a man murdered by the gang. Expect another thrilling ride. This City is Ours series 2 will premiere on BBC One and BBC iPlayer this autumn.

The Gentlemen

If you found yourself hopelessly addicted to the first series of The Gentlemen (we don’t blame you), you’ll be pleased to hear it’s back with a brilliant new series. The spin-off to Ritchie’s 2019 takes us back into the world of English aristocrat (Theo James) who finds himself embroiled in a world of criminality - specifically Bobby Glass’ (Ray Winstone) cannabis empire on the East End of London. Now, the decisions Bobby is making appear to be increasingly unsound – but the question is, should Eddie take action or risk losing it all? The Gentlemen series 2 will premiere on Netflix on Thursday 3^rd September.

The Great British Bake Off

If you’d started to fall out of love with The Great British Bake Off, you’re not alone, but Nigella Lawson is here to shake thing up. The new judge will join Paul Hollywood to judge more amateur bakes, with beloved presenters Alison Hammond and Noel Fielding providing plenty of laughs. The first word we’re stealing from Nigella's vocabulary? Luscious. The Great British Bake Off series 17 will premiere on Channel 4 in early September.

Kill Jackie

There’s no such thing as too many revenge thrillers and Kill Jackie is here to prove it. Catherine Zeta-Jones leads the cast as Jackie Price, a former cocaine dealer who's escaped a dangerous past and spent the last 20 years trying to stay anonymous. So far, so good. Only it seems her past is about to catch up with her in spectacular fashion - and the consequences could be fatal. Kill Jackie will premiere on Prime Video on Friday 2^nd October.

The Blame

If you’re a fan of atmospheric detective dramas like Shetland, The Blame is, in our view, something of a new iteration. Happy Valley’s Nicola Shindler is behind the series, which is based on the 2023 novel of the same name by Charlotte Langley, which makes it all the more watchable, too. Over the course of six episodes, we follow DI Emma Crane (Fool Me Once’s Michelle Keegan) and her colleague DI Tom Radley (Douglas Booth) who are called to investigate when the body of a teenage figure skater is found in the quiet town of Wakestead. What follows is pretty dark, to say the least, with lies, cover-ups and eerily dark secrets exposed. The Blame will premiere on ITV1 and ITVX this autumn.

The Good Daughter

Another of Karin Slaughter's masterpieces is coming to the small screen in the form of The Good Daughter. The twisty crime drama will star Sirens' Meghann Fahy and Bridesmaids’ Rose Byrne as Charlotte and Samantha Quinn, two sisters whose lives were torn apart by a brutal invasion of their rural home in Pikeville, Georgia, which left their mother dead. When, 28 years on, another shocking tragedy leaves the town traumatised, the family once again find themselves plunged into a nightmare. The Good Daughter will premiere on Sky and NOW on Thursday 12^thNovember.

The Celebrity Traitors

Calling all Faithfuls and Traitors, it’s time to venture back to the castle! 21 stars will be playing the ultimate game of deception, including surprise big names such as Richard E. Grant, Little Mix’s Leigh-Anne Pinnock, Miranda Hart and Michael Sheen. Thankfully, we’ll also see the return of Claudia Winkleman as host – along with her glorious wardrobe. The Celebrity Traitors series 2 will premiere on BBC One and BBC iPlayer this autumn.

Slow Horses

It’s back to Slough House, espionage purgatory for MI5 officers, in series 6 of the beloved spy thriller. Based on two more of Mick Herron’s novels, the new instalment is set to take us on quite the rollercoaster ride. The ruthless Diana Taverner (Kristin Scott Thomas) is finally the top dog of MI5's HQ The Park. And, with a long-running and complex rivalry with the dishevelled yet astute Jackson Lamb (Gary Oldman), it isn't going to be easy for our downtrodden spies who become competitors in what Apple TV describes as a fatally high-stakes game of retaliation and revenge. We’re ready! Slow Horses series 6 will premiere on Apple TV on Wednesday 16^thSeptember.

MobLand

After a bit of behind the scenes drama (spoiler: it involved Tom Hardy), Mobland is returning with everybody on board. The new 10-part series will see Tom return as loyal fixer Harry da Souza, alongside Pierce Brosnan and Helen Mirren as the unscrupulous heads of the Harrigan family, Conrad and Maeve. When we meet the Harrigans again, we'll find them struggling to show a unified front as rising rivals threaten their fractured criminal empire - and Harry must walk a dangerous tightrope as tensions rise. MobLand series 2 will premiere on Paramount+ on Friday 18^thSeptember.

War

Few things are more dramatic than a tense legal thriller and War is no exception. The eight-part series will enter us into the scandal-filled divorce case between tech titan Morgan Henderson (Dominic West) and film star Carla Duval (Sienna Miller). The case is taken on by two reputable law firms in London - Cathcarts and Taylor & Byrne - and the pair (and their respective teams) go head-to-head in what can only be described as the battle of the century. War will premiere on Sky Atlantic and NOW on Friday 2^nd October.

Rivals

The most mood-boosting show on TV is back for the second part of series 2 – and there’s plenty more drama! Tony Baddingham and Declan O'Hara’s contest for the Cotswolds crown hits a fever pitch, Rupert Campbell-Black is forced to confront his personal demons, and the many parties, balls – and Christmas – are about to see affairs unravelled, alliances fractured and rivalries intensified. We’ll also meets new cast members Rachael Stirling as Araminta Pemberton and Lady Monica Baddingham’s vampish younger sister, Rupert as erudite headmaster David Hawkley and Santiago Cabrera as Argentinian Polo legend Alejandro Mendoza. Series 2 part 2 will premiere on Disney+ this November.

Nocturne

Stephen Graham is a busy man! Apple TV has put him to work in this dark new thriller in which he plays Jurek Walter, a diabolically cunning serial killer who wreaks turmoil on a small Pennsylvanian town. The 10-part series will find him and his family under attack and forced to do whatever it takes to protect everything he holds dear. Personally, we can’t wait to see a more sinister side to Stephen! Nocturne will premiere on Apple TV on Friday 30^th October.

The Party

Former Good Housekeeping cover star Elizabeth Day’s novel is coming to the small screen and we have a feeling it’s going to be something quite special. The story follows the reunion of two former elite boarding school students, Martin Gilmour (Luke Evans) and Ben Fitzmaurice (Tom Cullen), at a lavish 40^th birthday party in a country manor. Martin is now a journalist, while Ben is a politician – and their reunion sparks a tragic confrontation. The Party will premiere on ITV1 and ITVX this autumn.

Adultery

Loved The Affair? Adultery is coming to give it a run for its money. The messy relationship drama will introduce us to young lovers Jess and Ollie, who are in the throes of a new relationship. Only when their parents meet, it seems there’s another attraction forming – a forbidden one with potentially devastating consequences. “There’s a psychological equation. It says that ‘attraction plus an obstacle equals excitement,'” reads the teaser from ITV. “But what happens if the attraction is too strong, if the obstacles are too great. What then? Do you threaten everything?” Adultery will premiere on ITV1 and ITVX this autumn.

The Split Up

It feels like we’ve been waiting ages for the BBC’s spin-off to The Split, but - finally - it’s coming. While it sadly won’t bring back the Defoes (or Nicola Walker!), it will remain within The Split universe. The focus shifts to powerhouse legal family the Kishans - led by father-daughter duo Dhruv (Sanjeev Bhaskar) and Aria (Ritu Arya) - whose legacy is on the line when a family secret is unearthed. Writer Abi Morgan is executive producing, so rest assured it’s in safe hands. The Split Up will premiere on BBC One and BBC iPlayer this autumn.