The last few years have been a boon for good television — so much good television that you could be forgiven for missing a few standouts. We put together this list of TV shows from the past few years that deserve your attention despite the fact that they have managed to fly under the radar for one reason or another.
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‘The Good Fight’: Even if you watched and loved CBS’s ‘The Good Wife’, you may not have seen this spinoff — following the unexpected second act of veteran prosecutor Diane Lockhart (Christine Baranski) at a predominantly black law firm — because it’s only available on CBS All Access, the network’s streaming platform. Let us reiterate what Washington Post TV critic Hank Stuever said following the show’s 2017 premiere: It’s worth yet another subscription. Now on the heels of its fourth season (shortened because of the global pandemic), ‘The Good Fight’ has continued to impress critics with sharp if forceful commentary on the legal system and its limitations. It helps that the show is infused with the slightly surreal DNA of its predecessor — a trademark of creators Robert and Michelle King. Watch it in the UAE on Prime Video.
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‘Gentleman Jack’: This HBO period drama, a collaboration with the BBC, explores the life and diaries of Anne Lister, the 19th-century landowner who flouted societal mores as a lesbian. Suranne Jones plays the protagonist, whom we meet as she is reeling from a breakup with a woman who rejected her by accepting a marriage proposal from a man. Anne sets her sights on upgrading the now-historic estate she inherited from her family — and courting the heiress neighbor she hopes to make her wife. Stuever called the eight-episode series, renewed for a second season, one of last year’s “most engaging dramas.” It is back on OSN in the UAE in September.
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‘Pennyworth’: If you are looking for an origin story, it doesn’t get better than this. DC fans can enjoy the crime drama series ‘Pennyworth’, which comes packed with romance, action and comedy. The show follows Alfred Pennyworth, a former British SAS soldier in his 20s, who forms a security company in 1960s London and goes to work with young billionaire Thomas Wayne, years before he becomes Bruce Wayne’s father. See the connection? Catch it in the UAE on StarzPlay.
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‘Search Party’ This tongue-in-cheek satire follows a group of self-absorbed millennials, led by Dory (Alia Shawkat), who become obsessed with the mysterious disappearance of a college classmate. The series became a sleeper hit after landing somewhat unceremoniously on TBS in 2016. It has since moved over to HBO Max, where the dark comedy’s third season premiered last month. As Dory and her friends confront the consequences of their inadvertently criminal high jinks, ‘Search Party’ continues to deliver smart, exacting commentary on the listlessness of young adulthood. Stream it on OSN in the UAE.
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‘Wynonna Earp’ This Syfy series follows Wynonna (Melanie Scrofano), great-great-granddaughter of the legendary Wyatt Earp, as she battles literal demons: the ghosts of the outlaws slain by her forefather. Creator Emily Andras has said the supernatural Western draws inspiration from “Buffy the Vampire Slayer,” which she told the Hollywood Reporter was ultimately “about being a woman in the modern world and carving your path and making your own family.” ‘Wynonna Earp’ excels at those themes, and has also earned praise for LGBT representation, particularly around the show’s most-shipped couple, ‘Wayhaught’. Stream the show’s first three seasons on Netflix.
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‘Reprisal’: The latest to come from the producer of ‘Fargo’ and ‘The Handmaid’s Tale’, the talented Abigail Spencer plays young Doris, who is left for dead by her criminal brother and his gang of cronies. Healing from the injuries, Doris heads out to exact revenge and infiltrates the gang to have her pound of flesh. The show is one season in but it packs a punch. Catch it in the UAE on OSN.
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‘The Baby-Sitter’s Club’: Netflix’s adaptation of Ann M. Martin’s beloved novels honors our enduring nostalgia around the franchise, while also giving the BSC universe a few updates that feel contemporary and important - but never forced. The show’s cast, notably more diverse than other adaptations, introduces a host of new talent who embody the spirits of Kristy, Mary Anne, Claudia and Stacey. The series is anything but underrated (critics have offered high praise) but you might overlook this gem if you fall outside the target demographic. That would be a mistake.
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‘Imposters’: A beautiful con artist (Inbar Lavi) is pursued by several of her former victims in this comedy that aired on Bravo for two seasons before being canceled. Their vengeance takes them on an international journey that’s twisty and fun. Available to stream on Netflix, ‘Imposters’ makes for a perfectly respectable binge.
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‘Sorry for Your Loss’: Not everything that pops up on Facebook is good but we highly recommend this series, which stars Elizabeth Olsen as Leigh Shaw, a widow grieving the sudden death of her husband. The chaos that unfolds in the wake of this monumental loss feels poignant and real. It’s a shame Facebook Watch cancelled the series after two seasons.
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‘Upload’: If there’s a futuristic show you can binge, it’s ‘Upload’, a dark comedy that is set in year 2033, where people close to death can be uploaded into a virtually created afterlife. Six tech giants are in a corporate race to get the deathly comings and goings into their worlds. In the midst of this we have our boy Nathan (Robbie Amell), who’s self-driving car crashes and his girlfriend uploads him into the digital afterlife of Lakeview. However, his death is not as clear cut as it may seem. And while Nathan tries to understand the deathly beyond, he get a little help and some romance from Nora, a customer service representative for Lakeview. Watch it on Amazon Prime and you won’t be disappointed.
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