The 15 biggest TV shows to watch this summer

Jóhannes Haukur Jóhannesson and Moe Hashim in Those About to Die
Jóhannes Haukur Jóhannesson and Moe Hashim in Those About to Die - Reiner Bajo/Peacock

The Jetty

Arson at a Lancashire beauty spot, a missing-persons cold case and a superb ensemble cast (Jenna Coleman, Arthur Hughes, Tom Glynn-Carney, Weruche Opia) make up this eerie crime drama.

BBC One, date TBC


Mr Bigstuff

Danny Dyer brings his wide-boy geezer shtick to this knockabout sitcom about two estranged brothers. Brassic’s Ryan Sampson writes and co-stars. Dyer has a ball.

Sky Max, July 17


Those About to Die

Daniel P Mannix’s 1958 novel inspired Gladiator and it now gets the prestige TV treatment. Anthony Hopkins leads the cast of this handsome sword-and-sandals epic.

Prime Video, July 19


Lady in the Lake

Lady in the Lake starring Natalie Portman
Lady in the Lake starring Natalie Portman

Baltimore in the 1960s is the setting for this unsettling noir, starring Natalie Portman as a downtrodden housewife who reinvents herself as an investigative journalist and gets sucked into a murder mystery.

Apple TV+, July 19


Time Bandits

Apple TV's Time Bandits
Apple TV's Time Bandits - Matt Grace

Jemaine Clement and Taika Waititi, along with The Inbetweeners’ co-creator Iain Morris, take on Terry Gilliam’s absurdist cult classic about time-travelling thieves.

Apple TV+, July 24


Piglets

From the team behind Smack the Pony and Green Wing comes this pleasingly daft comedy about a police training college. Mark Heap and Sarah Parish star.

ITV1, date TBC


Battle in the Box

Battle in the Box: pairs of comedians are locked in a box for 24 hours
Battle in the Box: pairs of comedians are locked in a box for 24 hours - Des Willie

Another inspired and silly format borrowed from Korea, as pairs of comedians are locked in a box for 24 hours with nothing but their toothbrushes.

Dave, date TBC


Industry

Harry Lawtey and Kit Harington in season three of Industry
Harry Lawtey and Kit Harington in season three of Industry - Bad Wolf Productions

Those amoral young City bankers return for a third series of finan-cial bullfighting. Joining the cast this season are Game of Thrones’ Kit Harington and Barry’s Sarah Goldberg.

BBC One, August 11


Bad Monkey

Vince Vaughn in Bad Monkey
Vince Vaughn in Bad Monkey - Bob Mahoney

Vince Vaughn stars in this comedy about a former Miami cop reduced to becoming a health inspector, until a gruesome discovery offers the chance of a comeback.

Apple TV+, August 14


Pachinko

Soo Hugh’s Korean-Japanese-American family epic was one of the best shows of 2022 and deserves far more recognition. There’s time to catch up before series two.

Apple TV+, August 23


Only Murders in the Building

Steve Martin and Martin Short’s terrific comedy-drama returns for a fourth helping of murder mystery. Along for the ride this time are – deep breath – Molly Shannon, Eva Longoria, Eugene Levy, Kumail Nanjiani, Zach Galifianakis and Melissa McCarthy.

Disney+, August 27


Suspect

Anne-Marie Duff as Dr Susannah Newman in series two of Suspect
Anne-Marie Duff as Dr Susannah Newman in series two of Suspect

What it lacks in subtlety, this intense crime drama makes up for in the quality of its cast. Anne-Marie Duff returns from series one, and is joined by Dominic Cooper, Tamsin Greig, Vinette Robinson, Eddie Marsan and Gina McKee.

Channel 4, date TBC


Kaos

Jeff Goldblum as a vainglorious Zeus in Kaos
Jeff Goldblum as a vainglorious Zeus in Kaos - Justin Downing/Netflix

Jeff Goldblum as a vainglorious Zeus worried that his grip on power is weakening? How can we resist? A dark comedy-drama about gods and mortals.

Netflix, date TBC


The Rings of Power

The Lord of the Rings prequel is back – now with added Tom Bombadil (played by Rory Kinnear). How does Tolkien’s mysterious oddball relate to the rise of Sauron?

Prime Video, August 29


Sherwood

Michael Balogun and David Harewood in Sherwood
Michael Balogun and David Harewood in Sherwood - Vishal Sharma

James Graham’s superb state-of-the-nation crime drama – set in a former Nottinghamshire mining town – returns for a second series.

BBC One, date TBC

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