“The best Harlan Coben series yet”: 7 “5-star” Joanna Lumley dramas to watch on ITV, Netflix, the BBC & more

The word icon is thrown around far too often these days, but Joanna Lumley is truly one of them. The 80-year-old actress has become a national treasure and you only have to look at her slew of outstanding TV performances to see why.

From her turn in the best Harlan Coben series yet to the larger-than-life Patsy Stone, we’ve had the pleasure of watching her entire back catalogue to bring you her greatest shows to date. So, remotes at the ready for the 7 5-star Joanna Lumley dramas to watch now on ITV, the BBC and more.

Fool Me Once

Joanna Lumley stars in what is, in our opinion, the best Harlan Coben series yet. At the centre of it is Maya Stern (Michelle Keegan), who's grieving after her husband Joe (Richard Armitage) is murdered by two masked men. Two weeks after his funeral, however, she spots something strange on her nanny cam: Joe is seemingly alive and well, playing with their daughter Lily. The question is, is it actually him, or is there something far more sinister going on? Fool Me Once is available to watch now on Netflix.

Finding Alice

Joanna Lumley and Nigel Havers are the parents of Keeley Hawes in ITV’s brilliantly written dark comedy - and we can’t think of a better fictional family. Soon after Alice (Keeley) and her husband, Harry, move into their new ultra-modern home (designed by none other than Harry), their dream becomes a nightmare when he's found dead at the bottom of the stairs. Now, Alice must navigate grief while getting to grips with a bizarrely designed home with more mod cons than you can imagine. Oh, and did we mention the fact that Harry was sitting on a wealth of secrets? Finding Alice is available to watch now on Prime Video.

Amandaland

Joanna is absolutely hysterical as Felicity in the BBC's hit Motherland spin-off which, if we're honest, wouldn't be half as good without her. The actress plays Amanda’s (Lucy Punch) mother and let's just say she's a lot more free-spirited than her daughter. While Amanda is adamant she’ll be the next mega-influencer and lives a Chiswick lifestyle on a South Harlesden (SoHa) budget - whilst also raising her teenage children - Felicity is ever present with her cutting remarks and witty musings. With the SoHa gang returning for a Christmas special and a third series, now's the perfect time to catch up. Amandaland is available to watch now on BBC iPlayer.

Absolutely Fabulous

Darling… no Joanna Lumley roundup would be complete without Absolutely Fabulous. Who could forget Patsy Stone, the ageless former model and magazine editor who became an icon in her own right? Her partner in crime is the equally iconic Edina Monsoon (Jennifer Saunders), the middle-aged PR mogul who’s obsessed with chasing youth and remaining fashionable - and relevant. The duo drink, smoke and misbehave their way through London and the result is outrageous, hysterical and endlessly entertaining TV. Absolutely Fabulous is available to watch now on ITVX, BBC iPlayer and NOW.

Wednesday

Netflix's popular Addams family spin-off follows Wednesday (Jenna Ortega), a student who’s expelled from her ordinary school and sent to the gothic boarding school Nevermore Academy. When a series of murders take place at the Academy, the lone wolf starts channelling her psychic abilities into solving them. We don't get to meet Wednesday’s Grandmama, Hester Frump - played by Joanna - until series two but she doesn't waste a minute showing off her performance is frighteningly good. She’s commanding, hilarious - and her outfits are incredible. Wednesday is available to watch now on Netflix.

Agatha Christie’s Marple: The Mirror Crack’d from Side to Side

Nothing beats an Agatha Christie series, especially when Joanna Lumley is among the cast as Dolly Bantry, the glamorous and eccentric friend of Miss Marple. The story begins when troubled Hollywood star Marina Gregg (Lindsay Duncan) moves to the sleepy village of St Mary Mead. So far, so simple - until she throws a garden fête at the lavish Gossington Hall and local fan Heather Badcock (Caroline Quentin) is fatally poisoned. But was the deadly poison really intended for her? Miss Marple (Julia McKenzie) and Inspector Hewitt (Hugh Bonneville) must investigate. Agatha Christie’s Marple: The Mirror Crack’d from Side to Side is available to watch now on ITVX.

Sapphire & Steel

Now for some retro sci-fi. Joanna and David McCallum star as mysterious interdimensional agents Sapphire and Steel who are tasked with protecting the universe from malevolent forces. In each episode, we find them on a new mission somewhere in early-‘80s Britain. From helping two children whose parents disappear from their remote home to fighting off ghosts, it’s weird, wonderful and incredibly nostalgic. Sapphire & Steel is available to watch now on ITVX.