All posts tagged: binge

Plex has a brutally realistic crime drama you can binge for free, and it’s not in English

Plex has a brutally realistic crime drama you can binge for free, and it’s not in English

Published by skeptic

Detective shows are police procedurals are a dime a dozen, and many of them are extremely good. You may think that you’ve seen all there is to see when it comes to cops, robbers, and the sometimes blurry line between the two. But that’s when you have to broaden your horizons a little bit. There are crime dramas from around the world that rival anything Hollywood has ever put out, and one of the best is available to watch for the low price of zero dollars on the free streaming service Plex. Spiral is the best crime drama you’ve never heard of The dark side of the City of Light Spiral is a French series that ran for an impressive eight seasons on Canal+, from 2005 to 2021. Some of the main cast stuck around for the whole of that time, including Caroline Proust as Laure Berthaud, a Paris police officer and the head of a special investigation team; Thierry Godard as Gilles “Gilou” Escoffier, a loose canon who works under Berthaud; and Audrey Fleurot …

‘High-stakes’ thriller Prisoner is your next crime drama binge

‘High-stakes’ thriller Prisoner is your next crime drama binge

Published by Daniella Wilson

Sky’s new action-thriller, Prisoner, is coming to our screens this month – and it looks like a must-watch for crime drama fans.  The six-part series, penned by acclaimed writer Matt Charman (Hostage, Bridge of Spies) and directed by BAFTA-winner Otto Bathurst (Peaky Blinders), follows a principled young prison officer who is tasked with escorting a dangerous prisoner to court to testify against his elite crime syndicate.  © Sky UK / Robert ViglaskySky’s new thriller Prisoner comes to screens on 30 April If you enjoy high-stakes, action-packed thrillers, then it’s worth marking your calendar for 30 April, when all episodes of Prisoner will be available to watch on Sky Atlantic and NOW. But first, watch the trailer and find out more about the series here… What is Prisoner about?  The series follows Amber (Izuka Hoyle), a principled young prison transport officer tasked with taking Tibor (Tahar Rahim), a trained killer and high-value inmate, to court to testify against his elite crime syndicate. The synopsis continues: “When their convoy is brutally ambushed, she’s forced to put her …

Sheridan Smith’s ‘thrilling’ new BBC drama The Cage is your next crime drama binge

Sheridan Smith’s ‘thrilling’ new BBC drama The Cage is your next crime drama binge

Published by Daniella Wilson

The BBC has unveiled the official trailer for its upcoming crime drama, The Cage, starring Sheridan Smith and Michael Socha – and it could just be your next TV obsession.  The five-part series, which arrives on BBC One and iPlayer on Sunday 26 April, comes from The Responder‘s BAFTA-winning creator Tony Schumacher, a former Merseyside Police officer, and is produced by the award-winning Element Pictures (Normal People, Poor Things). © James Stack/BBCSheridan Smith stars as Leanne in the crime drama Filmed in and around Liverpool and Merseyside, the story centres around Leanne (Smith), a casino cashier who starts skimming cash from the safe to save her family home. But when she discovers her boss Matty (Socha) is doing the same thing, both of their lives start to spiral out of control.  The newly released trailer shows Leanne, a single mum, and Matty, a gambling addict, form an unlikely partnership to keep their thefts a secret, but soon become entangled with brutal local gangsters and the police.  © James Stack/BBCMichael Socha plays Matty in the Liverpool-set …

‘Sexy’ 5-part period drama Amadeus is the spring binge everyone is talking about

‘Sexy’ 5-part period drama Amadeus is the spring binge everyone is talking about

Published by Daniella Wilson

Calling all period drama lovers! Starz has announced that the “sexy” five-part period drama Amadeus is coming to screens on May 8 – and it’s the perfect show to binge-watch this spring.   Previously airing in the UK in December, the five-parter is set in 18th-century Vienna and charts the “meteoric rise and mythic downfall” of Wolfgang ‘Amadeus’ Mozart. © Adrienn SzaboWill Sharpe as Amadeus Starring Will Sharpe (The White Lotus) and Paul Bettany (WandaVision), the show proved a hit with audiences across the pond and earned a critics’ score of 88% on Rotten Tomatoes.   HELLO!’s Acting TV Editor Nicky Morris weighed in on the series, saying: “Not only does Amadeus boast an impressive cast, which includes The Diplomat’s Rory Kinnear, Bridgerton’s Hugh Sachs and The Guest’s Gabrielle Creevy, but it’s adapted by Joe Barton, who created Netflix’s spy thriller Black Doves.” Intrigued? Read on to find out more about the new show landing on Starz this spring…  What is Amadeus about? The five-parter centers around Amadeus, a child prodigy who, at 25, arrives …

‘Phenomenal’ detective series Miss Scarlet is your crime drama binge this weekend

‘Phenomenal’ detective series Miss Scarlet is your crime drama binge this weekend

Published by Daniella Wilson

Looking for a crime drama to binge-watch this weekend? The popular period detective series, Miss Scarlet, returned with its sixth season this week – and if you love twisty mysteries, slow-burn romance and a stylish and moody London setting, then it could be worth putting on your watchlist.  The series, which first premiered in 2020, follows the titular investigator (played by Kate Phillips), who takes over her father’s detective business to crack puzzling cases in Victorian London.  © Sever ZolakKate Phillips stars as Eliza Scarlet in the drama In early seasons of the show, Scarlet worked alongside childhood friend, Scotland Yard detective William ‘The Duke’ Wellington (Stuart Martin), before police inspector Alexander Blake (Tom Durant-Pritchard) took over as her detective partner in season five.  The series, which holds an impressive 88 per cent rating on Rotten Tomatoes, has been hailed as “phenomenal” and is hugely popular amongst fans of cosy crime. Keep reading to find out all about the new season.  WATCH: The trailer for season one of Miss Scarlet What happens in season six?  …

The hidden cost of the mobile sports betting and binge drinking

The hidden cost of the mobile sports betting and binge drinking

Published by Jenni Sidey

The bet takes seconds. A few taps, a game loading on a second screen, and suddenly an otherwise ordinary Saturday afternoon carries financial stakes. For millions of young men across the United States, that scenario has become routine since 2018, when the Supreme Court cleared the way for states to legalize sports wagering. What researchers are now finding is that the ritual doesn’t always stop with the bet. A study published in Health Economics draws a direct causal line between the spread of online sports betting and heavier drinking among young men, specifically those who were already binge drinking before their state legalized wagering. Using health survey data collected across all 50 states from 2016 through 2023, researchers found that legalizing online sports betting pushed binge-drinking frequency up by roughly 10 percent among men aged 35 and under who already reported binge episodes. Smoking rates, by contrast, stayed flat. “As sports betting continues to spread across states, these findings raise important public health concerns and highlight the need for policymakers to consider the broader behavioral …

‘Gripping’ Nordic noir crime drama Oxen is the perfect weekend binge – stream it for free

‘Gripping’ Nordic noir crime drama Oxen is the perfect weekend binge – stream it for free

Published by Daniella Wilson

Calling all fans of Nordic crime drama! Both seasons of the gripping Denmark-set series, Oxen, are now available to binge-watch on Channel 4, just in time for the weekend.  The drama, which first aired in November 2024, follows a highly decorated but deeply traumatised war hero who gets kicked out of the forces after being accused of a crime. But as he attempts to reintegrate into civilian life, a mysterious series of deaths pulls him into a dangerous police investigation.  © Mike KollöffelJacob Lohmann stars in Oxen This pacy, atmospheric crime drama comes via Channel 4’s offshoot streaming service, Walter Presents, which highlights top-rated foreign-language dramas hand-picked by Italian TV producer, Walter Iuzzolino (Professor T, Bookish, The Couple Next Door). Oxen is the latest addition to its ever-increasing slate of binge-worthy crime dramas. Keep reading to find out more… WATCH: Love Nordic crime dramas? Check out the trailer for Jo Nesbo’s Detective Hole What is Oxen about?  Based on the popular crime novel series by Danish writer Jens Henrik Jensen, the Denmark-set story follows Niels Oxen, …

This new Peacock mystery is the only thing you should binge this weekend

This new Peacock mystery is the only thing you should binge this weekend

Published by skeptic

I love sinking my teeth into a meaty drama, but sometimes you want something a bit less demanding. There are lots of comedy shows out there that just want to make you laugh, and if you end up doing a little thinking in between, all the better. Such is the case with The ‘Burbs, a new Peacock original series based on the Tom Hanks movie of the same name from 1989. In that film, Hanks is a suburban native who teams up with his wacky neighbors to investigate his creepy neighbors. Is there really something wrong afoot, or is suburban malaise just getting the best of him? The new show remixes the movie in a way that feels fresh, fun, and watchable. The ‘Burbs is a solid comfort watch The actors elevate everything The ‘Burbs revolves around Samira (Keke Palmer), a new mother who moves from the city to the suburbs with her husband Rob (Jack Whitehall). Immediately, that’s a win for the show, because Palmer has been charming ever since her breakout role as …

You Can Binge All the Hallmark Romance Your Heart Desires for Free. Here’s How

You Can Binge All the Hallmark Romance Your Heart Desires for Free. Here’s How

Published by skeptic

Valentine’s Day is the perfect time to unwind with a cozy Hallmark romance. If you’re a Peacock subscriber, you know full well that the NBCUniversal-owned streamer used to house a whole slew of Hallmark TV shows and movies. The three-year-long contract between the two ended in May 2025, but that doesn’t mean you can’t get your fill of small-town love stories, Christmas romances and light-hearted mysteries.  If you’re pining for that classic Hallmark goodness, I’ve got a tip for you. You can watch everything you’ve been missing to ring in Valentine’s Day right. And you won’t have to pay a dime. Yes, free, gratis, at no cost to you whatsoever. What’s all the hoopla, you must be wondering. Well, not to be cheeky or anything, but it’s Hoopla, actually. Fun wordplay aside, Hoopla is the streaming spot where you can find that Hallmark goodness you’ve been missing out on. It’s a digital entertainment platform with all sorts of audiobooks, podcasts, movies, TV shows, music and educational material to keep you engaged. Your local public library …

This Netflix miniseries is by far the best 4-hour binge on the service

This Netflix miniseries is by far the best 4-hour binge on the service

Published by skeptic

Netflix has been producing original content for over a decade at this point, and has made lots of easily digestible miniseries you can finish over a weekend. But the streamer’s crowning achievement came last year: the four-episode drama series Adolescence very well may be the best thing Netflix has ever made, and it’s hard to see them topping it anytime soon. If you still haven’t seen Adolescence, it’ll be four hours of your life well spent. Adolescence is a great crime show for the 21st century The drama is thrilling and up-to-the-minute Adolescence is set in a small town in the north of England. At the start of the series, police raid the home of the Miller family and arrest 13-year-old Jamie (Owen Cooper). Jamie is suspected of killing a classmate named Katie (Emilia Holliday), but claims he didn’t do it. His father Eddie (Stephen Graham) believes him…until he sees CCTV footage of his son actually committing the crime. The show is not about whether Jamie killed Katie; he did. The show is about why. …