As Ireland remains in lockdown over the next few months we must brace ourselves for many more hours on the sofa, bingeing the best the streaming services have to offer.
Luckily there are plenty of treats to tempt even the most discerning viewer.
Here are some of the best.
Bridgerton – Netflix
If you have not yet delved into the world of Bridgerton’s raunchy Regency London, with a young, diverse and gorgeous cast, what have you been waiting for?
Starring Phoebe Dynevor (daughter of Coronation Street’s Sally Dynevor) and Rege-Jean Page, and voiced by Dame Julie Andrews, each episode is a delicious confection.
The Wilds – Amazon Prime Video
Teenage girls meet Lord Of The Flies in this series about young people from radically different backgrounds who find themselves stranded on a remote island.
However, they are unaware they have just become the subjects of an elaborate social experiment.
The Mandalorian – Disney+
Hailed by some as the best Star Wars content of this century, the series stars Pedro Pascal as the helmeted gunfighter of the title who faces enemies and rallies allies as he makes his way through a dangerous galaxy in the tumultuous era after the collapse of the Galactic Empire.
Even if you don’t know anything at all about the show, you are likely to have seen memes of the show’s breakout star – The Child, commonly known as Baby Yoda.
Industry – BBC iPlayer
You might have no idea what they are talking about when they are making trades but this drama, about a group of young graduates competing for permanent positions at a top investment bank in London, is so watchable it does not matter.
The drinking, drug-taking and partying will make you feel so exhausted you will forget you were not the one who pulled the all-nighter.
Gangs Of London – Now TV
Not one for the faint-hearted, The Raid director Gareth Evans turns his attention to the power struggles between the international gangs operating in London and the sudden power vacuum that is created when the head of the most powerful crime family is assassinated.
The series is Game Of Thrones-level violent but the set-pieces are spectacular and the drama is compelling.
Taskmaster – 4oD
This sublimely silly show started life on Dave but last year it switched to Channel 4 and that means its whole back catalogue is now on 4oD.
Every series, which boasts a different line-up of comedians taking on a string of tasks ranging from the challenging to the ridiculous, has laugh-out-loud moments, but the most recent instalment, featuring Daisy May Cooper and Johnny Vegas, is a real hoot.
The Vow – Now TV
This documentary series about self-improvement group NXIVM follows some of the members who broke free of its clutches before its highest member and founders faced serious charges.
The show tells how leader Keith Raniere ran a secret cult where women were branded with his initials and ordered to have sex with him. He has since been sentenced to 120 years in prison.
The Boys – Amazon
Fans waited with bated breath for the second series of this superhero drama, where the heroes are anything but super.
The Supes do not exactly use their powers for good and it is down to the Boys to expose the truth about them and the multibillion-dollar conglomerate that manages them and covers up their dirty secrets.
Love Life – BBC iPlayer
Each episode of this anthology series starring Anna Kendrick centres on a different relationship in her character Darby’s chequered love life.
Narrated by Lesley Manville, it follows her through her 20s and 30s in her bid to find herself and her life partner.
Pride & Prejudice – Netflix and BritBox
Did you miss this 1990s BBC classic, starring Colin Firth as Mr Darcy and Jennifer Ehle as Elizabeth Bennett, the first time round?
It is now available to stream on Netflix and is about as perfect an Austen adaptation as they get.
