Lisa Mayoh: From Claire Danes to Billy Bob Thornton – my ultimate guide to the best new TV
Time-poor parents can strike viewing gold with these binge-worthy shows, from Billy Bob Thornton’s return in Landman to Claire Danes’ terrifying new thriller, writes Lisa Mayoh.
If you’re like me, you’re always looking for something new to watch. My husband and I will binge something between the 40 minutes or so of the kids going to bed at 8.30pm and him nodding off (an hour if we’re lucky – we are very tired after all).
As someone who’s been known to waste too much time surfing between streamers – flicking between new, old and everything in between before settling on something, anything – when good new shows come on I feel it’s my civic duty to pass on the love. So put your feet up, ladies and gents – here goes:
First things first, Landman’s back for season two on Paramount+, and after waiting what feels like years for the next instalment (well, it was probably closer to a year), we’ve struck oil people. Billy Bob Thornton is back in all his Texas hat-wearing, redneck glory, and it was worth the wait. If you haven’t seen it, you must.
The first season sent us on a Billy Bob exploration expedition which led us happily following him as a drunken, washed out, morally questionable lawyer who comes good in Goliath – unfortunately that was cancelled in 2021 after four awesome seasons – and if I could start a petition to bring Billy back, I would.
Then there’s The Beast in Me, a new Netflix thriller starring Claire Danes and Brothers and Sisters alumni Matthew Rhys (it took me a while to place him, but I had the lightbulb moment a few eps in. Speaking of which, can we bring back Brothers and Sisters, too please, Apple TV? It was glorious).
The Beast in Me is scary. Terrifying, edge of the bed, won’t sleep at night stressful, but Danes is a magician and it’s worth the clenched jaw you’ll feel for a few days after.
And speaking of thrillers, Amazon Prime’s Malice, with David Duchovny, is also excellent (although not the ending I was hoping for) but absolutely worth the hours on the couch, as are Absentia and Black Rabbit on Netflix. I still have nightmares, but totally worth it.
And Binge’s All Her Fault must be on your list. Sarah Snook is incredible, as is the horrifyingly plausible storyline.
The Old Man with Jeff Bridges on Disney+ is also a big winner. This one is a CIA thriller that will make you question everything and fall in love with Bridges again, come hell or high water.
I’m also hanging for Zoe Saldana and Nicole Kidman in Lioness: Special Ops season three, and the new season of Shrinking with Jason Segal and Harrison Ford, which will come to Apple TV in January.
What have I missed? Let me know any newies you’ve seen and loved – how good are good show recos?!
PS: I am painfully aware I should read more. On holidays I can read five books in a week – at home, the remote wins because … we’re tired. Don’t judge me, or I’ll tell Billy Bob.
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Originally published as Lisa Mayoh: From Claire Danes to Billy Bob Thornton – my ultimate guide to the best new TV
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