Deborah: re Breaking Bad.. I didn't like it at first, and reading about it or hearing about the premise would not make it appealing to me, but I caught up before the last season and watched the last season, week by week, and found it compelling. The acting, esp. by Brian Cranston was amazing. On another note, I also loved Call the Midwife. "now for something completely different."

Here are my suggestions (some are repeats of the above)

• Foyles War (loved this so much)
• Breaking Bad (I had to start it twice and didnt enjoy the first few episodes but was deeply hooked after that)
• House of Cards
• Homeland
• Friday Night Lights
• Frankie and Gracie
• Suits
• White Collar

Another idea: the 2008 HBO John Adams miniseries was fascinating.

Great thread, I love hearing Netflix recs! Reading your latest post, it could have been written by me: I loved the Fall (and GA's wardrobe) and Luther. Idris Elba has a leading role in The Wire, which I happen to believe is one of the best TV shoes ever produced. DH and I also enjoyed Peaky Blinders.

Also, not a gritty mystery and not a new release so you may have seen it, but we recently stumbled upon the remake of Forsyte Saga from a few years back, featuring a well-cast Damian Lewis in his pre-fame days. Impressive.

Have to say I stopped watching Breaking Bad midway through Season 3 because it annoys me when shows that aren't fantasy based veer from reality -- and the fact they gratuitously keep the lead character alive and active beyond reasonable probability was just one irksome example of this (don't get me started on all those times a former science teacher survives encounters with drug lords). I only got through one episode of GoT as I was put off by something that happens to a child at the end. I've been considering trying again, but a colleague says there's quite a bit of animal cruelty, which is holding me back.

ETA: reading through other posts, I second Janet's vote for True Detective--so well cast and acted-- and Top of the Lake.
Lisa, I believe the last season of The Killing is on Netflix as I remember reading that they picked it up after AMC dropped it coz they felt the lead characters deserved a proper resolution (I didn't particularly like it--too neatly wrapped and expected-- but at least there was resolution). Also another Netflix original that we loved and fits Deborah's mystery vein is Bloodlines, set in Florida. Also well cast with mostly talented unknowns. My colleague grew up where it's set and says it's very real.

Sorry this is so long. Can you tell I watch an embarrassing amount of telly? I look at it as a way to keep my shopping in check

DH and I have been watching Turn. It's an AMC original but you can get it on Netflix.

Cannot thank you all enough! I am going to compile a list and it looks like my future viewing is all sorted. Will let you know which I watch first.

Aliona and Deborah, re Game of Thrones. It is compelling and fascinating, but it is brutally violent, there are lots of sex scenes (some very dodgy) and it is fantasy. There is lots of controversy over some episodes. Certainly not for all.

I have recorded a couple of series and am yet to watch them, The Forsyte Saga, Indian Summer, and we have just started The Game which is a cold war thriller, a little John Le Carre-esque.

Thanks Kiwigal! I suspect Game of Thrones is not for me then:(

Despite loving edgy crime thrillers, I don't enjoy lots of bad language or sexually explicit scenes in my viewing. I try not to be too small minded but have to draw the line somewhere in relation to my personal values

Thanks for starting this thread.

Not a mystery, but highly recommend Antarctica (a year on ice). Sounds like a boring nature thing but it is fascinating. Really! And yes, it is on Netflix.

Netflix... I'm watched Mad Men right now, after having watched all of Doc Martin. I watch the dark gritty British mystery shows on Hulu...

You have good taste. I loved the first two seasons of The Killing and House of Cards is sublime. If you like the drama, detective genres I recently discovered True Detective. It's very captivating. One of my all time favourite series though is Twin Peaks, it's not for everyone though.

Each time I try to watch the Twin Peaks series, I get partway into Season Two and quit.

Have you tried The Blacklist yet? We learnt about it when discussing The Killing and House of Cards with friends. ...and no, there is no rain like The Killing's in Seattle No people like theirs, either, I hope.

p.s. an all weather shoe in honor of Seattle.

(Yes. Seattle can be very wet - but they got the rain wrong in The Killing. It's much lighter irl. And now we're in the middle of the heatwave. Climate change is rife).

My taste in TV shows is gritty, intense and intelligent. For a bit of context: I abhor chic flicks and romantic comedies so take my recommendations for what they are worth to you. These are 5 star shows in my mind:

1. Battlestar Galactica - best TV show ever made. EXTREMELY empowering of women.
2. Friday Night Lights
3. The Wire. (It took me 9 episodes to understand the Baltimore dialect - but totally worth perservering).
4. Breaking Bad
5. Game of Thrones. (You need to do research on the story line if you haven't read the books. It's VERY complicated but brilliantly executed).
6. Homeland
7. Wallander (British Version)
8. Justified (You have to get through the first season which is slow and formulaic - THEN it becomes absolutely brilliant).
9. Mad Men (An absolute visual feast).

Although I have seen it all, I did not enjoy House of Cards, but WILL say that it was very well produced.

The Good Wife is a good 4 Star Show, and so is Downton Abbey. Suits is a fun 3 Star show. Very easy to watch and not at all gritty. There are also lots of good British Murder mystery shows like Happy Valley and Broad Church. All 3 Star shows but definitely worth watching.

Anybody mention "The Americans" about the Russian spies in the US in the 1970's and '80's? Good reminder of a bad time in fashion, and excellent drama!

Saw a couple nods to "Orphan Black". Most compelling thing I've seen in a long time.

"Veep" and "Silicon Valley" on HBO.

Many years old now but I still think that "Six Feet Under" was one of the best series ever. (He was David the funeral director before he was Dexter...)

Not sure if anyone has put in a vote for "The Bridge" (Bron), the original Danish/Swedish series. After seeing it I tried watching The Tunnel (which is based on The Bridge), but The Bridge is far superior IMO. It is definitely dark and gritty, with a super, off-beat heroine (Saga).

Brooklyn, I started to watch the Bridge but didn't finish. I find it difficult to make the commitment to regular tv viewing. I have since looked for it on Netflex but they have The Tunnel which I am watching now.

Thanks for asking the question, Deborah. I love these kind of posts!

From the makers of Breaking Bad, we have 'Better Call Saul'. Excellent 5 star show. Some of the characters from Breaking Bad re-appear.

The guy in Suits, Harvey, is really , um, heavenly ;-), which is another draw.

Fortitude sounds like it is up your alley too

Adding a few here. I think we like the same kinds of shows, Deb. These are not gritty crime, and there is not a British accent to be heard -- -- but I love these 3 shows:

Rectify: Sundance channel, past seasons on Netflix. The third season just began. A Sundance original series, set in the south, about a man released from prison in his 30s after spending 19 years on death row for a murder he may or may not have committed in his teens. It's a really smart drama about what happens when he returns to his small southern town. Literary, gothic, legal issues, family, great writing and acting. Very southern.

Halt and Catch Fire: On AMC, first season is available on Netflix. The second season recently began. Set in the 80s, so great 80s fashion. About the tech world, and in particular, early mavericks in personal computers and online gaming. Geeky fun and intense in its way. Great personal drama set in a fascinating period. Terrific acting. Season 1 was more about the men, season 2, which is airing now, is more about the women.

Masters of Sex: Showtime, season 3 starting on Sunday. This is really well known, probably needs no introduction. Fabulous, sexy, interesting views of sexuality, feminism, relationships, etc. Complex. Great acting.

I was browsing through Pinterest and came across this link to movies on Netflix. There are several here that I am going to queuehttp://agoodmovietowatch.com/n.....t-netflix/

Thanks Jen, I have seen it! It was amazing. Twists and turns at every point:)

Viva, thank you. I haven' heart of the first two will look them up.

Kelly, thank for the link:)

I will add one for anyone who is interested:) Just watched Series 1 & 2 of Line of Duty. British crime show. Enjoyed it a lot more than I expected, it's about a police department investigating crime within the force!!

And last night I started watching Orphan Black. Compelling!!

Laurie: totally agree. Six Feet Under sets the bar by which I measure all TV!

And smittie: Harvey! Yes.

This is a great thread.. I have put a couple on my list to check out. Orphan Black and Fortitude.
I have no new suggestions for you.

I know Game of Thrones is on everyone's list. We did try but we were doing one show at a time. I think this show is meant for a binge watch.
We have a few episodes and as soon as the weather cools we are going to binge watch to see if we can get into it.

I am not sure if it is up your alley, but I did like The Walking Dead.

I was going to recommend the new Netflix series Sens8 until you said you didn't want a lot of sexual content. So I'll just put it out there for anybody else who likes edgy shows with a lot of sex and violence. (Me: It's crazy with a lot of hot sex. Gentleman Friend: Oh, like our lives? )

Breaking bad. I don't generally like violent crime stuff so this surprised me. It is brilliant. Have fun !

Deborah, I really enjoyed watching French drama Les Revenants (subtitled), I found the cinematography and soundtrack wonderfully eerie

Premise: taken from Wikipedia

In a small French mountain town, many dead people reappear, apparently alive and normal: teenage road crash victim Camille, suicidal bridegroom Simon, a small boy named "Victor" who was murdered by burglars, and Serge, a serial killer. They try to resume their lives as strange phenomena occur; amongst recurring power outages, the water level of the reservoir mysteriously lowers, revealing the presence of dead animals and a church steeple, and strange marks appear on the bodies of the living and the dead. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Returned

RoseandJoan Joan, thank you! This sounds like a new Aussie series called Glitch?!?! Hmmmm