6 Shows To Watch This January

The January Blues are well and truly in place. As we all wait for it to get a little warmer and brighter, here are six shows you should watch this month to take the blues away.

I'm going to try and go for under-the-radar watches or brand-new releases rather than the usual big hits.

1. Kaleidoscope (Netflix)

If you're a fan of Money Heist, Netflix has the perfect thing for you. The 8-episode twist-filled drama starring Giancarlo Esposito (Breaking Bad, Better Call Saul) can be watched in any order. There are apparently over 40,000 combinations in which you could watch the show. We chose to watch it in the Netflix standard order, which was great, but may well go back and watch it again differently.

It's beautifully paced, incredibly acted and it's the perfect binge. In fact, as 8-episode limited series go, it's up there with the best I've seen.

Grade: A+

2. Mythic Quest (Apple TV+)

From the creative minds behind the fantastic It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, Apple TV's Mythic Quest sees Wrexham FC owner Rob McElhenney star as Ian Grimm, the director of a creative studio behind the hugely popular MMO game entitled – you guessed it – Mythic Quest.

It's a great comedy that hits a lot of the current tropes in technology – streaming culture, influencers, big tech, and gratuitous monetisation – but leaves time for some poignant moments as well. Season 2's Backstory episode in particular features a masterclass from Oscar-winner F. Murray Abraham and the season also allows him and the late William Hurt to shine.

Season 3 has just landed on Apple TV, so it's a great time to get on board.

Grade: A-

3. The Other One (BBC)

Not my usual cup of tea, but this BBC comedy series is superbly binge-able.

The hugely talented Rebecca Front (The Thick Of It, Alan Partridge) and Siobhan Finneran (Benidorm, Happy Valley) are both in the cast but are arguably overshadowed by superb performances from Ellie White and Lauren Socha.

They play two half-sisters who have just discovered the other exists after their father dies unexpectedly, leading to the revelation that he'd been having an affair for many years. The two strike up an unlikely friendship that really works on screen.

Well worth a watch!

Grade: B+

4. Star Trek: Strange New Worlds (Paramount +)

Some of the recent live-action Star Trek shows have been pretty divisive. Discovery in particular has been a bit of a bumpy ride in recent seasons, and many people haven't taken to Patrick Stewart's latest adventures in Picard.

Strange New Worlds is a frickin' fantastic show. At its heart, it's an episodic adventure of the week with a great cast and excellent pacing that takes the Star Trek franchise back to its roots in a manner more authentic and familiar than any of the recent series or Chris Pine movies.

If you were a fan of old-school Star Trek in the past, give this a watch.

Grade: A-

5. Glass Onion - A Knives Out Mystery (Netflix)

Okay, I'm cheating on this one slightly. It's a movie, not a show, but it's still well worth a watch.

Once you get to grips with Daniel Craig's Texan drawl – and the whole tone of the movie clicks – it's an enjoyable few hours. For fans of the murder mystery genre, it's a hit. I also think it's a more enjoyable movie than the original Knives Out film.

Craig is brilliant once again, and his portrayal of the slightly unhinged but ever-focused Benoit Blanc is thoroughly watchable. Ed Norton too is excellent, but I think the entire supporting cast is more interesting and entertaining than the first film.

If you don't fancy the commitment of a show, give this a spin.

Grade: B+

6. Foundation (Apple TV+)

If being cheered up isn't in your wheelhouse this month, and you want to settle down with something a bit more hardcore, then you should give Apple TV's Foundation a go.

This retelling of Isaac Asimov's science fiction classic is colossal in scale and just magnificently executed. Its slower pace stands at odds with a lot of shows being produced today, but if you're a fan of Dune and other similar epic science fiction, this is simply a must-watch.

Standout performances come from Jared Harris, Lee Pace, Leah Harvey and Lou Llobell, but the entire thing is absolutely stellar from start to finish.

Grade: A

Honourable Mention: Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (NBC/5USA)

Law & Order: SVU makes an honorable appearance at the end of the list by virtue of the fact that Anna's watched about 400 episodes this month so far. The long-running crime drama has been going since 1999, so if you want to sink your teeth into something, there are over 500 episodes.

From what I've watched, it's pretty good!