5. The Handmaid’s Tale

Season 2

This is the first season which has departed from the books, but it hasn’t made it any less grim or compelling, the handmaids of Gilead in this dystopian drama are still fighting back alongside the rebellion and Offred is dealing with the emotional trauma of giving up her baby to Serena.  

Bradley Whitford has a great reaccuring role as founder of the Colonies; I also loved the flashbacks of how Gilead overtook America, an excellent follow up to Season 1. 

4. Narcos

Season 3

Pablo Escobar is dead and the Cali Cartel are the new lords of the drug empire in South America but their leader Gilberto is working a deal with the Colombian Government to go legit.  DEA Agent Pena is having none of it and continues his chase to bring them all down, a cracker of a season. 

3. Mr Inbetween

Season 1

This Foxtel/Showcase series written by and staring Scott Ryan may be the best black comedy to come out of Australia in years. ‘Ray’ is a Kings Cross hitman annoyed by family issues, dealing with anger management, dodging other hitman trying to off him whilst balancing a new love interest played by Brooke Satchwell. It’s funny, its ugly and its great TV. 

2. The Vietnam War 

Documentary 

This PBS series premiered in Australia on SBS back in December of last year but it was so good I had to include it in this list.  Directed by Ken Burns this ten-part documentary took him 10 years to make, it is heartbreaking, gruesome and compelling. Burns does his best to include the viewpoint from all sides, the south and north Vietnamese, journalists, the CIA, the US Military and Government.

Look out for the soundtrack as well by Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross, this is a must watch.

 

 1. The Americans

Season 6

It’s so disappointing when a show you’ve been invested in botches the ending (see Sopranos), thankfully this communist spy series got it exactly right, Kerry Russell and Matthew Rhys delivered wonderful performances as the embedded KGB agents in Washington masquerading as travel agents, the final episode was epic, heart wrenching and perfect. This is a show I’ll definitely miss.