The best TV series to watch right now in the UK and America

If you’re looking for the top binge flicks then our list of the best TV series to right now both in the UK and America should point you in the right direction. Obviously, these things are always subjective, but if you’ve got any amendments, provisos or words of warning then you hurl them as us with desperate distain over on our Twitter page.

We’re not going to beat around the TV show bush too much on this one, but to give a guide to our guide to the best series, we’ve ordered the list in priority. Number 1 is our biggest recommendation and for anyone that can’t figure out the rest well there’s no helping you.

Best TV series to watch in both the UK and America

#1 Wednesday – Netflix

There are literally no big criticisms to the Wednesday TV series on Netflix. It’s dark, funny and completely left-field. It takes the original idea of The Addams Family and spins it 6537 revolutions per minute until it rips apart at the very seems.

At its core is a brilliant murder mystery that keeps you on a sharp-hooked line that yanks you in every direction before the end. Just when you think you’ve got it all sussed out, it smashes you in for back of the head with graveyard shovel and sends you down yet another black kaleidoscope of doom.

The CGI isn’t as strong as it could be in the final episode, but that’s about as far as we can go in terms of negatives. There’s clearly going to be a Season 2 or more in the coming years with the success of the opener, so it’s pretty much a slam dunk for Netflix.

There are eight episodes in total and they range in length between 45 mins and an hour of deadpan Wednesday genius. That will give you a little shy of eight hours of great TV to watch, which is pretty impressive and unlike things like the 1899 (read more below) it probably won’t leave you with the bitter taste of disappointment in the end.

#2 Willow – Disney+

Nostalgia plays a large part in the selection of Willow as the number two spot of our best TV series to watch right now. In all fairness, there’s only two episodes available at the moment, but they set thing up for a great show.

It’s fantasy fiction with a great cast and characters that builds on the brilliance of the 1988 film that came before it. A lot of the old stars are back in their roles, including Warwick Davis as the title character, and it’s a lot of fun seeing them in action again.

There’s a good amount of self deprecating humor to add to the battle against ultimate evil, so expect to be entertained throughout. The special effects work better than in the Wednesday TV series, so hopefully this continues to be the case for the rest of Season 1.

#3 The Santa Clauses – Disney+

It’s December, so it’s impossible not to include The Santa Clauses on the list of best TV series to watch right now in both the UK and America. It’s available to stream on Disney+ and sees Time Allen back in the role of Santa Clause in this six episode opening season.

The idea is that Scott Calvin is starting to feel the weight of his various responsibilities (Chris Kringle, dad, husband), so sets out in search of a replacement for the bowl full of jelly side of his life. However, finding a new Santa to fill his wide-fit back clod-hoppers was never going to be easy, so he needs everyone’s help to get the job done.

#4 1899 – Netflix

If you’re looking for a new supernatural(-ish) sci-fi thriller with whisps of Lost’s enigmatic “what’s going on” ethos then you might want to check out 1899. It looks like this might run for a number of series if the end is anything to go by, but if you like this kind of thing then it might be worth a try.

It’s set on a ship where the passengers find many a strange going on as they journey across the Atlantic ocean. It’s sister ship, The Prometheus, sank months earlier and when they find it abandoned things start to get really freaky.

The comparisons with Lost are pretty significant and we all know how well that ended, so it’s probably best to approach 1899 with a certain amount of caution. Maybe it’s be smart and keep us hooked in a more enjoyable way. Stranger Things has certainly managed to do that, so it’s definitely a possibility.

All eight episodes are available to stream on Netflix at the moment, so that should give you more than enough addictive TV series to watch right now. However, if you’re looking for more to binge through then you might want to check out the list of honorable mentions below.

Check out our TV news section to keep tabs on the latest upcoming TV series. You can see more on the Wednesday TV series and 1899 with the official Netflix UK Twitter page or visit Disney+ for additional details on The Santa Clauses or Willow TV series.

Honorable TV series mentions

They’re a little older than the list of the best TV series to watch right now, but if you haven’t seen them yet you might want to check out the following:

• Andor – Disney+ – not as good as it could be, but way better than expected.
• The English – BBC in the UK and Amazon Prime in America – brilliant, brilliant western.