This review contains spoilers.

“I’ve lived a long life,” says Hercule Poirot, with a weary drawl, during episode two of The ABC Murders.

It’s very easy to believe him. Starting with a flashback that shows us Poirot as a younger man arriving in England, fleeing from the Nazis and wondering just what to tell the officials in order to persuade them that he should be allowed to stay, and then moving through time to the old detective who rages that cruelty still exists in the world and he has not learned how to stop it, this is a Poirot who has kept as many secrets as he’s solved. And now it turns out that all the victims have their own connections to Poirot, and he must look back through his past to try to work out who will be killed next. It’s a game, not unlike the murder parties that he engineered in order to entertain the aristocracy, and his sense of shame that anyone should treat human life so cheaply – including himself, back in the day – infuses this adaptation.

The ABC Murderer, who we now know is one Alexander Bonaparte Cust, experiences shame, too; he feels it keenly. We don’t spend a lot of time with him, but Eamon Farren’s performance is so powerful and the writing so strong that Cust feels fully fleshed out. We never get close to seeing him commit a murder. Instead we watch him eat an unappetising breakfast and throw it up afterwards, or obsess about the boil on the back of a man’s head. When Cust asks the landlady’s daughter to stand on his bare back and draw blood, it’s a disturbing moment.  

And, of course, the daughter wears bright red shoes, because this adaptation is all about red and yellow, using their appearance to signal danger in an otherwise washed-out England. Director Alex Gabassi builds on the colour scheme he put in place in episode one, and comes up with some stunning moments. At one point Poirot rushed to a telephone box to try to alert his old acquaintance, Sir Carmichael Clarke, to an attack upon his life. But his call was too late, and in that instant of realisation the camera framed Poirot within the bright red telephone box on the street, a lonely and dejected shape.

With Carmichael Clarke’s death comes the opportunity to see Poirot in a more familiar mode. His anger and fear is shelved while he collects the relatives and friends together in a drawing room and asks them questions, soaking up their evasive answers, and the master detective is still just as entertaining as ever. There remains something so satisfying about those interactions but leaving us waiting for them makes them hugely rewarding when they do occur. It’s not only a case of watching everyone’s smallest movements to see if we can also tell who is lying, but using the information we’ve already built up about them – and about Poirot himself – to appreciate the scene even more.

Moving on from the upper-class shenanigans of the letter C brings us to the next victim, one Dexter Dooley of Doncaster, and a hint of the ridiculous creeps in. Dooley (played by Gregor Fisher) is a ventriloquist with an extremely creepy dummy, and there’s some funny business in which the eye of the dummy is glued down only to slowly open as the murder is committed. A point-of-view shot from the dummy’s perspective is an odd choice here, followed soon after by Poirot warning of a ‘storm of slaughter’ (this adaptation is all about alliteration) and the imagining the face of a man covered in blood, looming from the dark window of an underground train. These touches are unnecessary when the script and performances are already doing a great job of creating and sustaining tension; hopefully the third and final episode won’t concentrating on using showier techniques when all this story needs is a continuation of that quiet, mounting dread.

Well, perhaps that’s not all it needs. Although the mysteries held by both the detective and the murderer are fascinating, the glue keeping me firmly stuck to the adaptation has been the relationship between Poirot and Inspector Crome (played by Rupert Grint). The two of them finally started reluctantly working together over a glass of brandy, and Crome began to appreciate the methods of the great detective. Grudging respect appears to be forming, although the question of who Poirot was when he arrived as a refugee – raised in episode one by Crome – has yet to be answered. Crome’s character is a very interesting one; I’m not sure that I want him to become Poirot’s ally as much as see him learn to be a better detective himself. His attempts at deduction so far have fallen far short, and Grint plays the character as being painfully aware of his own shortcomings in this area, which is both enjoyable and a bit uncomfortable to watch.

But for now, with one more episode to go, the burning question now must be how far along the alphabet Cust will manage to get before he’s caught – and whether those little hints of surprise awaiting us will pay off. For instance, Poirot’s inkling that the letters he received were written by a woman suggests that a twist might well be in this tale.

Forgive the alliteration there; I think it’s catching, and it’s difficult not to see once you’ve noticed it. The danger is that all these colours and tricks will overpower the story itself. But I’m guessing that if we stick with Cust, Crome and Poirot to the finish line, these strong performances should see us right to journey’s end.

Read Aliya’s review of the previous episode here.

This review contains spoilers.

“I’ve lived a long life,” says Hercule Poirot, with a weary drawl, during episode two of The ABC Murders.

It’s very easy to believe him. Starting with a flashback that shows us Poirot as a younger man arriving in England, fleeing from the Nazis and wondering just what to tell the officials in order to persuade them that he should be allowed to stay, and then moving through time to the old detective who rages that cruelty still exists in the world and he has not learned how to stop it, this is a Poirot who has kept as many secrets as he’s solved. And now it turns out that all the victims have their own connections to Poirot, and he must look back through his past to try to work out who will be killed next. It’s a game, not unlike the murder parties that he engineered in order to entertain the aristocracy, and his sense of shame that anyone should treat human life so cheaply – including himself, back in the day – infuses this adaptation.

The ABC Murderer, who we now know is one Alexander Bonaparte Cust, experiences shame, too; he feels it keenly. We don’t spend a lot of time with him, but Eamon Farren’s performance is so powerful and the writing so strong that Cust feels fully fleshed out. We never get close to seeing him commit a murder. Instead we watch him eat an unappetising breakfast and throw it up afterwards, or obsess about the boil on the back of a man’s head. When Cust asks the landlady’s daughter to stand on his bare back and draw blood, it’s a disturbing moment.  

And, of course, the daughter wears bright red shoes, because this adaptation is all about red and yellow, using their appearance to signal danger in an otherwise washed-out England. Director Alex Gabassi builds on the colour scheme he put in place in episode one, and comes up with some stunning moments. At one point Poirot rushed to a telephone box to try to alert his old acquaintance, Sir Carmichael Clarke, to an attack upon his life. But his call was too late, and in that instant of realisation the camera framed Poirot within the bright red telephone box on the street, a lonely and dejected shape.

With Carmichael Clarke’s death comes the opportunity to see Poirot in a more familiar mode. His anger and fear is shelved while he collects the relatives and friends together in a drawing room and asks them questions, soaking up their evasive answers, and the master detective is still just as entertaining as ever. There remains something so satisfying about those interactions but leaving us waiting for them makes them hugely rewarding when they do occur. It’s not only a case of watching everyone’s smallest movements to see if we can also tell who is lying, but using the information we’ve already built up about them – and about Poirot himself – to appreciate the scene even more.

Moving on from the upper-class shenanigans of the letter C brings us to the next victim, one Dexter Dooley of Doncaster, and a hint of the ridiculous creeps in. Dooley (played by Gregor Fisher) is a ventriloquist with an extremely creepy dummy, and there’s some funny business in which the eye of the dummy is glued down only to slowly open as the murder is committed. A point-of-view shot from the dummy’s perspective is an odd choice here, followed soon after by Poirot warning of a ‘storm of slaughter’ (this adaptation is all about alliteration) and the imagining the face of a man covered in blood, looming from the dark window of an underground train. These touches are unnecessary when the script and performances are already doing a great job of creating and sustaining tension; hopefully the third and final episode won’t concentrating on using showier techniques when all this story needs is a continuation of that quiet, mounting dread.

Well, perhaps that’s not all it needs. Although the mysteries held by both the detective and the murderer are fascinating, the glue keeping me firmly stuck to the adaptation has been the relationship between Poirot and Inspector Crome (played by Rupert Grint). The two of them finally started reluctantly working together over a glass of brandy, and Crome began to appreciate the methods of the great detective. Grudging respect appears to be forming, although the question of who Poirot was when he arrived as a refugee – raised in episode one by Crome – has yet to be answered. Crome’s character is a very interesting one; I’m not sure that I want him to become Poirot’s ally as much as see him learn to be a better detective himself. His attempts at deduction so far have fallen far short, and Grint plays the character as being painfully aware of his own shortcomings in this area, which is both enjoyable and a bit uncomfortable to watch.

But for now, with one more episode to go, the burning question now must be how far along the alphabet Cust will manage to get before he’s caught – and whether those little hints of surprise awaiting us will pay off. For instance, Poirot’s inkling that the letters he received were written by a woman suggests that a twist might well be in this tale.

Forgive the alliteration there; I think it’s catching, and it’s difficult not to see once you’ve noticed it. The danger is that all these colours and tricks will overpower the story itself. But I’m guessing that if we stick with Cust, Crome and Poirot to the finish line, these strong performances should see us right to journey’s end.

Read Aliya’s review of the previous episode here.

Imagine a field of cattle. Multiple fields filled with many cattle. One field might be better than another. Lusher grass, a more pleasing variety of beasts, perhaps. It wins an award, ends up on the ‘Best fields of cattle of the year’ lists. That’s all very well, but what of the individual cows? They too deserve their moment in the sun.

That’s why Den Of Geek polls not only its writers’ favourite TV shows of the year, but also their favourite individual episodes of the year. It’s a way to salute moments of excellence not just from the new and celebrated, but also from the long-running and beloved. That’s our philosophy: no cow left behind.

[Have a lie-down. I’m taking you off this next year – Ed]

15. Brooklyn Nine-Nine season five – The Box

While Brooklyn Nine-Nine is usually at its best when incorporating every piece in its massive, talented cast, sometimes it pays to go small. The Box is essentially just Jake, Holt, and a potential murderer (Sterling K. Brown). Brown’s character, Philip Davidson, is brought in for interrogation as the police have reason to believe he’s murdered his partner at their dental practice. Jake is determined to wrestle the truth out of Davidson but Holt disagrees with his tactics.

Andy Samberg’s Jake Peralta is a classic comedy protagonist with arrested development. He will always have a certain level of childlike glee with his job to keep the show fun. Episodes like The Box, however, are crucial to establishing him as a capable professional even if he’s working hard only in part to receive the ever-elusive praise from his mentor.

Alec Bojalad

14. Lovesick series three – Evie

Like so many romantic comedies, Lovesick is largely about a will-they-won’t-they relationship – in this case between protagonist Dylan and his best friend Evie. But where Lovesick differs from just about every similar story is in its unflinching willingness to depict how one person’s happily ever after is another’s shattered heart.

In the aftermath of Dylan breaking up with major love interest Abigail in order to finally be with Evie, Lovesick spends a whole episode moving between two bedrooms; in one Dylan and Evie celebrate their new relationship, while in the other Abigail tries to put her life back together. In treating her pain with respect the show forces us – and Dylan – to contend with just how happy we should be about the culmination of the show’s major arc. The final scenes, in which Dylan visits Abigail to get his stuff before returning to Evie and breaking down on what should be the happiest day of his life, are far more poignant and real than any show originally titled “Scrotal Recall” has any right being. In its recognisably complex messiness it’s as raw and painful as Lovesick ever was -which is to say, very.

Gabriel Bergmoser

13. Supernatural season 13 – Scoobynatural

In this milestone episode, Supernatural did what only fanfics dared – cross over with Scooby Doo. And they did it well. Did it advance the season arc? Heck no. But what we got was an enjoyable popcorn romp through nostalgia, done in a distinctively Supernatural style.

Seeing a classic Scooby Doo animated story told through the Supernatural lens, packed with lovingly rendered call-backs to the original cartoon, provided a shameless dose of humour and nostalgia that found a way to blend two tonally different series. 

Bridget LaMonica

12. Bodyguard – Episode Two

This episode’s extreme tension made Bodyguard feel faintly silly in the way that being terrified always makes you want to laugh. That didn’t detract from the show’s power to grip. If the next episode had seen Sgt Budd crash through a glass window on a zip line, it wouldn’t have felt wrong. Honestly, Budd could have somersaulted in to the London Aquarium to save Julia from an explosive-vest-wearing shark in the finale, and the nation’s fingernails would still have been bitten to the quick. 

This was Homeland before it went wonky. It was 24 before it went… wonkier. It was the kind of drama people without imaginations call ‘high-octane’, as if hydrocarbons have anything to do with it. It was expertly designed to thrill, by experts. (Michael Gove is wrong—a perennial truth. People in this country have not had enough of experts, especially when they are making TV this exciting). 

Also nominated: Episode One.

Louisa Mellor

11. The Bridge season four – Episode Eight

Sofia Helin and Thure Lindhardt, not content with portraying one of the most profoundly moving small-screen love stories of all time, excelled themselves in the season four finale’s final, perfect scene.

And so, Saga stood on the bridge, at the central point where it all began. Back to the beginning, or to a beginning, at least. She’s handed in her notice, thrown her police badge into the dark waters. The most important case, the one she’s been trying to solve all her life, has been closed. Who is she, really, without those words ‘Länskrim Malmö’, appended to her name like a mantra? She picks up her mobile, and tells us the answer. It was so simple, all along.

“Saga Norén.”

Gem Wheeler

10. Westworld season two – Kiksuya

Kiksuya, by any metric of writing, performance, directing, or cinematography, was a singular thing of beauty. It was one of the most limited stories Westworld has told, and despite that, it looks and feels like one of the most expansive. The focus is on one character – Zahn McClarnon’s Akecheta – but that character’s journey is an epic in the hands of director Uta Briesewitz. The shots of him riding across sand dunes or walking slowly through the decaying remains of Ford’s new narrative launch party were stunningly beautiful, and Briesewitz really played with the park and its surroundings to create exquisite, emotionally resonant images.

Also nominated: Riddle Of The Sphinx, The Passenger

Ron Hogan

9. BoJack Horseman season five – Free Churro

BoJack Horseman has received high praise for its high concept episodes in the past, with season three’s silent underwater episode a prime example of a wacky concept earning wild acclaim. This year, however, the standout instalment was a back-to-basics reminder of how smart this show can be without the bells and whistles. In Free Churro, Will Arnett’s eponymous equine actor spends the entire 26-minute episode eulogising his mother at her funeral. 

It’s a masterclass in writing and delivery, with the continuous monologue highlighting the skills of both Arnett and his showrunner, Raphael Bob-Waksberg: their skills combine perfectly here, finding the funny (and a huge amount of props, ideas and sound gags) in one of life’s saddest traditions. If you haven’t already watched it, do yourself a favour and load up Netflix tonight. We’re sure you’ll love the episode, and its eventual punchline.

Also nominated: Mr Peanut Butter’s Boos

Rob Leane

8. Daredevil season three – Blindsided

This was the obligatory Netflix Impressive Fight Scene, as pioneered by the original series of Daredevil. In this case, however, it was attached to perhaps one of the most tense and engaging stories yet as Matt infiltrated a prison only to find it overrun with the Kingpin’s men, then had to survive long enough to get out.

Of course, the 10-minute one-take sequence was breath-taking on a technical level, but what made it work is that we cared whether Matt succeeded, and knew what was at stake if he didn’t. It was exciting and chaotic and completely successful on every level, and the sort of thing that these Netflix shows benefit from: the ability to be a little more ambitious than your standard network show. 

James Hunt

7. Succession – Nobody Is Ever Missing

I’m not sure I can praise Succession enough. From the brilliant minds of Jesse Armstrong (Peep Show, The Thick of it) and Adam McKay (The Big Short, Vice) came this intergenerational family dramedy about the struggle for control of their own corporation. While beginning as a simple satire, within a few episodes it had most assuredly found its feet, with the monsters on display becoming utterly compelling, whether it was Brian Cox’s raging patriarch, Kieron Culkin’s contemptible yet delightful youngest son, and Sarah Snook’s seemingly above the fray but might the worst of them all daughter.

It was the finale that truly cemented Succession’s place as the debut of the year. In it, Jeremy Strong’s heir apparent, who had acted as the protagonist, prodigal son, wannabe power player, and drug addict failure, was finally revealed for his true self; a scared little boy who was nothing but a tool for his father to use, break, and then put back together to be used again by. Bring on season two.

Nick Horton

6. Riverdale season three – The Midnight Club

This was the most ridiculous episode of the series to date. From the hugely over-the-top bathroom fight sequence with Alice and Penelope to the Dokken singalong – easily the most subversive moment on what is ostensibly a teen drama in the past decade – everything that happened in it was bonkers. The show has never been trashier or more entertaining as a result.

What The Midnight Club did so well is follow Riverdale‘s mission statement of blending existing pop culture with over seventy-five years of Archie Comics lore to create a show that is its own funhouse mirror version of teen dramas.

Chris Cummins

5. Better Call Saul season four – Winner

With Winner and its quieter, subtler fourth season, Better Call Saul has consolidated itself as a more moving and powerful tragedy than its predecessor ever was, capping it off with an episode that shows us just how far Jimmy McGill has fallen while in the process reminding us of all the things that brought him to this point.

It was a masterful conclusion to a strong season that was a thrill to watch. Episode after episode the show continues to deliver clockwork plotting, exemplary character work, and a steady unpredictability that managed to always leave you feeling like there was only one way things could turn despite being unable to anticipate it.

Also nominated: Coushatta

Gabriel Bergmoser

4. Doctor Who series 11 – Rosa

When it was revealed that the third episode of this year’s Doctor Who run would feature the story of Rosa Parks, you could hear the collective clenching from the other side of the internet. After all, there were so many ways in which this could go horribly, horribly wrong. More than any historical figure the Doctor has met on their travels, Parks is such an important figure to so many people, and her fight such an emotive one. The good news is that ‘Rosa’ absolutely does justice to the events that took place on that evening in 1955. […]

Rosa is not a typical Doctor Who episode. The subject matter is heavy, the pace is slower than usual – presumably to allow the full horror of the setting to sink in – and the sci-fi elements are sorely lacking. But as a one-off it’s a powerful piece of drama, and one which is sure to have families talking to one another about it long after the end credits have rolled.

Pete Dillon-Trenchard

3. Killing Eve – Nice Face

Killing Eve series one had plenty of high points – hence the multiple nominations for various episodes by our writers – but as the one that introduced us to euro-assassin Villanelle (Jodie Comer) and intelligence agent Eve (Sandra Oh), Nice Face takes the biscuit. Then it grinds up the biscuit, adds some broken glass and feeds it, laughing, to a high-ranking mafioso.

From the opening scene in a Viennese ice-cream parlour (that kid deserved it) to Eve’s serial killer obsession, to Villanelle’s Italian jaunt (always pick up home decorating tips from the scene of a murder), episode one was a witty, shocking and fun ride and set the scene for what was to come. Brava.

Also nominated: God I’m Tired, Take Me To The Hole!

Louisa Mellor

2. Inside No. 9 series 4 – Bernie Clifton’s Dressing Room

If the nifty writing was the star of previous episode Zanzibar, this one was a showcase for performance. Not just from Steve Pemberton, who gave us all manner of vintage comedy ‘bits’, but also from Reece Shearsmith. […]

This terrific episode was empathetic, moving, and entertaining throughout. The mystery over just what occurred in Bernie Clifton’s dressing room gently pulled us through the first half, while the emotion took over in the second. Topping it all off with that glorious Morecambe and Wise-style song and dance number (“Misery might let you win a Bafta…” touché) was an additional treat. The previous episode had a large cast and dialogue going a mile a minute, but this two-hander felt no less full.

Also nominated: Dead Line

Louisa Mellor

1. The Haunting Of Hill House – Two Storms

Shooting one eighteen-page scene without any cuts is rare enough in TV drama, but doing it in an episode comprising fifty-one minutes made up of just five shots is surely, like Hill House itself, not sane.

Sane or no, director Mike Flanagan and his team on The Haunting Of Hill House did it for episode six of their acclaimed horror series. Two Storms, in which the Crain family gathers at Shirley’s funeral home, was a technical marvel in a horror rich in emotion and humanity.

Whatever the difficulties involved, it was worth the hard work. The episode is a real televisual achievement that stood apart in an already strong series.

Louisa Mellor

Other episodes nominated (but not by quite enough people to make the top 15)!

A Series Of Unfortunate Events: The Carnivorous Carnival, A Very English Scandal: Episode 3, American Crime Story: The Man Who Would Be Vogue, American Horror Story: Return To Murder House, Arrow: Docket No. 11-19-41-73, Atlanta: Teddy Perkins, Barry: Loud, Fast & Keep Going, Better Call Saul: Coushatta, BoJack Horseman: Mr Peanut Butter’s Boos, Borotu Naruto Next Generations: Father And Child, Castle Rock: The Queen, Chilling Adventures Of Sabrina: Feast Of Feasts, Counterpart: The Sincerest Form Of Flattery, Disenchantment: The Princess Of Darkness, Dynasties: Chimpanzee, GLOW: The Good Twin, Humans: Episode 6, Inside No. 9: Dead Line, Killing Eve: God I’m Tired, Take Me To The Hole!, Louis Theroux’s Altered States: Choosing Death, Mrs Wilson: Episode 1, Mum: November, One Day At A Time: Not Yet, Patrick Melrose: Bad News, Sharp Objects: Closer, Vanish, Star Trek: Discovery: Vaulting Ambition, Despite Yourself, Stewart Lee: Content Provider, Succession: Nobody Is Ever Missing, Ten Days In The Valley: Fade Out, The Americans: Episode 10, The Flash: Enter Flashtime, The Handmaid’s Tale: Women’s Work, The Walking Dead: What Comes After, The X-Files Rm9sbG93ZXJz, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt: Party Monster, Westworld: Riddle Of The Sphinx, The Passenger, Who Is America: Episode 1.

Expect massive spoilers for both the film and the book…

It can be a little nerve-wracking when one of your favourite books gets adapted to the big screen – there’s always a worry that some of your favourite characters, scenes or plot threads will end up on the cutting room floor, or so radically changed as to be unrecognisable.

In the case of Philip Reeve’s Mortal Engines, a sprawling YA novel that’s coming to the big screen under the guidance of Lord Of The Rings director Peter Jackson, there’s a significant amount that has been altered or removed. A lot of the material that has been reduced or excised has likely been cut down to keep the film to a sensible length, but sadly while it beautifully realises many iconic locations and concepts from the book, the alterations that have been made have had the inadvertent effect of removing motivations and reducing the characterisation of many characters.

Here are the most significant ways in Mortal Engines deviates from Reeve’s original novel.

Magnus Crome

Magnus Crome is the Lord Mayor of London, but he is a very different character in the original book. In the novel, he’s the head of the guild of engineers, and chooses to garb himself not in the mayor’s traditional robes of office, but in the white rubber lab coat that is his guild’s uniform. In the film, Crome is a traditionalist, who has reservations about bringing London back into the Great Hunting Ground and objects to Valentine’s plans to create and unleash MEDUSA. But the original Crome is, in fact, the driving force behind both plans, using the weapon to ensure London’s survival. In contrast to the film version, he’s a cold, ruthless and highly-intelligent leader.

Shrike’s introduction

Undead cyborg warrior Shrike is one of the few characters who makes the jump from page to screen relatively intact. One of the few differences is that when we first see him on screen, he is being kept in a mobile off-shore prison. In the novel, he’s being kept in the headquarters of the guild of engineers, and he’s not there as a prisoner. Instead, Shrike has sought out London, allowing the engineers to examine him with a view to creating more stalkers like him. In exchange for being his guinea pig, Crome promises to turn Hester into a stalker so that the two can be together.

London’s guilds

One of the subtler differences between the book and the film is the decision not to include London’s four governing guilds: the historians, the merchants, the navigators and the engineers. Key figures from many guilds are present in the film – including Lord Mayor Magnus Crome, who in the book is the head of the guild of engineers, and Thaddeus Valentine, who Crome appoints head historian – but no mention is made of the guilds themselves.

The historians and the engineers have significant roles in the sub-plot concerning Katherine Valentine’s investigation aboard London, but the removal isn’t particularly noticeable as this thread has been largely excised from the film. It does, however, rob us of the inclusion of additional stalkers beyond Shrike, which in turn undermines one of the major plot points in the book’s sequels.

Hester’s scar

The most noticeable difference between the book and the film is Hester’s Shaw’s trademark scar. Given to her by Valentine on the night he killed her mother, Hester’s scar is described as “hideous”, mangling her nose and mouth and even removing one of her eyes. It’s so bad, in fact, that it drives her to hide her face whenever possible. In fact, in one of the pivotal moments in the development of Hester and Tom’s relationship (which sadly also did not make the cut) he buys her a red silk shawl, which she then immediately uses to hide her scar.

The film version, however, has drastically scaled back the severity of Hester’s scar, to the point where it’s often hard to notice it. It no longer runs the length of her face, and doesn’t affect her eyes, nose or mouth. This was presumably done on the basis that it’s harder to market a film when one of its leads looks like they lost a fight with a combine harvester, but it has the effect of making the constant comments about her scar feel odd and out of place.

The Sixty Minute War

The brief but devastating conflict referred to in Mortal Engines as the Sixty Minute War is the calamity that wiped out most of the world’s population and forced people to mobilise their settlements, thousands of years before the events of the plot. In the book, it was conducted with nuclear and biological weapons, but the film takes a slightly different tack, establishing early on that ‘the Ancients’ blew themselves up not with nukes, but with quantum energy-based weapons – the same kind of weapon as MEDUSA.

Katherine Valentine

Thaddeus Valentine’s daughter Katherine is a major character in both the book and the film, but she has a significantly expanded role in the novel. For starters, the truth about Valentine’s past and about London’s development of MEDUSA is revealed through Katherine’s investigation into what happened the night Hester tried to kill her father. This investigation also leads to her forming a short-lived and rather touching relationship with Bevis Pod, an apprentice engineer. Like Katherine, Bevis also appears in the film in a reduced role.

Although in both versions Katherine is partially responsible for shutting down MEDUSA, the novel’s version of events is somewhat more dramatic. After flinging herself in front of Hester to save her from her father’s blade, Katherine collapses onto the keyboard being used to control the weapon, causing MEDUSA to malfunction and overload. In the film, she merely opens the jaws of London, allowing Tom to get inside and destroy the engine. She does, however, survive to the end of the film, whereas she dies in the book.

Start your engines – there’s a wild new street racing drama on the way. Sky One’s Curfew puts ordinary people in an extraordinary situation; racing the length of the UK in the world’s deadliest street race, all in a bid to win their freedom.

Curfew boasts a who’s who of great acting talent. Sean Bean heads up a cast that also includes Miranda Richardson, Adrian Lester, Billy Zane and Adam Brody. Sky’s drama chief describes the show as “Funny, emotionally truthful, visceral and above all fast.”

The series is a fast-paced adventure that crosses a multitude of genres – it’s a street racing drama at its heart, but it’s also about oppression and the fight for freedom, with a fair bit of dark foreboding mystery thrown in for good measure. That wild mix of tones got us thinking about other shows and films that have blurred the lines between genres to good effect. Here are 10 of the best…

Buffy the Vampire Slayer

High School is Hell – literally. That simple premise was the basis of Joss Whedon’s late 90s TV classic. Buffy is a young girl, growing up with all the problems that regular teens go through in school: fluctuating levels of popularity, romances, break ups, fall outs with friends. But Buffy Summers also has to contend with the fact that she’s the Slayer, the one girl in all the world tasked with protecting humanity from vampires, demons and the myriad forces of darkness. Beautifully played by Sarah Michelle Gellar, the series ran for seven seasons and spawned an almost-as-good spinoff, Angel.

Shaun of the Dead

Billed as a “rom-zom-com”, Shaun of the Dead smartly brought genuine scares and drama to a touching, laugh-out-loud romantic comedy. Shaun (Simon Pegg) is dumped by his girlfriend Liz (Kate Ashfield), leading to him getting blackout drunk. When he comes round the next day, something much worse has happened – the world has been overrun by ravenous hordes of the undead. While Shaun of the Dead is packed with ever-quotable lines, it’s the moments of shocking violence and heartbreak (Shaun’s mum dies!) that make the film one for the ages.

Bugsy Malone

Bugsy Malone isn’t just a comedy and a gangster film, it’s a musical too. Made with an all-child cast – including a prominent early role for Jodie Foster, filmed the same year as her appearance in Taxi Driver – it’s a sprightly mix of cartoonish action (the climactic splurge gun battle is a hoot), catchy tunes and outright silliness. A cult classic beloved by 80s and 90s audiences that, despite pulling from various genres, feels unique.

Twin Peaks

David Lynch’s game-changing series felt like nothing else on TV in the early 90s. The mystery of who killed Laura Palmer made for both a gripping central narrative and a loose-framework for Lynch to embrace horror (demons, other dimensions), surreal soap opera pastiche and an increasingly avant-garde sensibility amid the show’s small town cosiness. Twin Peaks lurched between genres and tones on a week-by-week basis, ending after two seasons and a movie with the mystery solved, but the fate of heroic FBI agent Dale Cooper left ambiguous. 2017’s belated third season delved further into the weirdness, reinventing the series as uncompromising art horror.

Blade Runner

Harrison Ford has starred in not one, but two, films that redefined sci-fi cinema forever. Star Wars, obviously, but the impact of Blade Runner was arguably almost as great – even if it didn’t perform particularly well at the box office. Smashing the film noir and the science fiction genres together, it redefined the look of SF cinema. Where most films set in the future looked to the gleaming likes of 2001: A Space Odyssey or Star Trek, Blade Runner felt grubby, down-at-heel and lived in. The plot, meanwhile, was a street level detective story of corrupt businessmen, a femme fatale, and ruthless killers.

The Wicker Man

Arguably Britain’s greatest horror movie is a deeply unsettling mix of scares and songs! While The Wicker Man‘s tale of bloody pagan sacrifice in the (then) modern day is deeply sinister, a large part of the film’s peculiar ambience is down to the fact that the residents of Summerisle have the disconcerting habit of bursting into song at regular intervals. It’s not quite a traditional musical – they’re not singing for the sake of the audience, music is just a large part of life on the island – but when the locals join hands and take up ‘Summer is A-Cumen In’ as Edward Woodward’s Sgt Howie burns to death, you’re not sure whether to laugh or scream.

Firefly/Serenity

Joss Whedon’s sci-fi Western follows a gang of outcasts and low rent criminals trying to make their way in the universe, while falling foul of an oppressive galactic Alliance and savage, cannibalistic “Reavers”. What made Firefly so fascinating – and no doubt contributed to it’s early cancellation – was how it both embraced the look, feel and themes of westerns and science fiction stories, while also refusing to fall into genre cliches. There was a logical reason why all the frontier worlds looked like the American Midwest; ships don’t make noises while in space, and there are no aliens. The show lasted a mere 14 episodes but, by the end, had a big enough fanbase to encourage a cinematic revival in the form of the equally excellent Serenity.

Brick

Rian Johnson’s debut feature couldn’t be more different from the glossy sci-fi action of Looper and The Last Jedi. A low budget, high school-set detective story, it borrows the tone and hardboiled dialogue of Raymond Chandler’s noir novels, while throwing in a dash of knowing humour and bleak tragedy. Teenager, Brendan (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) investigates the disappearance of his girlfriend, Emily (Lost’s Emilie de Ravin), and gets pulled into the machinations of a sinister local kingpin. Sitting somewhere between Twin Peaks, Bugsy Malone and The Big Sleep, it’s a unique film that marked Johnson out for greatness.

From Dusk Till Dawn

Penned by Quentin Tarantino as his first paid writing assignment, From Dusk Till Dawn starts out as gritty crime thriller about the Gecko brothers, two bank robbers on the lam. As soon as they arrive at a strip club in Mexico, however, the film takes a surprise lurch into splatter-horror territory. Turns out, this club is absolutely rotten with vampires… The sudden gearshift proved divisive amongst audiences, but was also the reason the film became a word-of-mouth cult hit that launched a small franchise.

Westworld

Written and directed by Jurassic Park novelist Michael Crichton, 1973’s Westworld was a goofy-but-fun sci-fi Western about a Wild West theme park inhabited by robots – not least Yul Brynner’s iconic Gunslinger. The film became the basis for the still-running, jaw-droppingly ambitious TV series that debuted in 2016. The tone of the show is far darker, delving into themes of morality and sexuality, while still telling a rootin’-tootin’ good tale. A third season is currently in production and we can hardly wait…

Curfew, a brand new Sky original production is coming to Sky One, early 2019

Spoilers ahead for Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom!

The closing moments of 2018’s jaw-snapping blockbuster Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom saw a concerning amount of dinosaurs, some of them pretty damn dangerous, being unleashed upon an unsuspecting planet, after a showdown between Chris Pratt, Bryce Dallas Howard, a wee clone and some bad men who wanted to sell the resurrected creatures at auction.

But for anyone getting their hopes up that the third instalment in the rebooted franchise will feature an all out war between man and beast …don’t.

Colin Trevorrow, who is returning to the Jurassic juggernaut to helm the third one, has nixed the idea that we might see a world overrun by genetically smarter dinosaurs.

“I just have no idea what would motivate dinosaurs to terrorise a city,” Trevorrow told Jurassic Outpost. “They can’t organise. Right now we’ve got lethal predators in wild areas surrounding cities all over the world. They don’t go pack hunting for humans in urban areas. The world I get excited about is the one where it’s possible that a dinosaur might run out in front of your car on a foggy backroad, or invade your campground looking for food. A world where dinosaur interaction is unlikely but possible—the same way we watch out for bears or sharks.”

The director went on to add that “We hunt animals, we traffic them, we herd them, we breed them, we invade their territory and pay the price, but we don’t go to war with them. If that was the case, we’d have lost that war a long time ago.”

This is certainly in line with previous comments he made about Jurassic World 3 back in April, when he described it as a “science thriller”:

“If I could contextualise each film, I would say Jurassic World was an action adventure, Fallen Kingdom is kind of a horror suspense film, and Jurassic World 3 will be a science thriller in the same way that Jurassic Park was.”

Jurassic World 3 is set for release on 11th June, 2021.

It’s been a good year for television. It’s been a good year for television since roughly 1998, but this one’s had some particular corkers. There’s been weekly appointment viewing, box-sets, and both. The gratification of TV viewers has never been so undelayed.

Gems have come from all over – streaming services, major and specialist channels – and with the TV market broadening, they’ve been made by all sorts. Red Bull makes TV now. YouTube makes drama. JD Sports, Deliveroo and Teapigs are all moving into all moving into original programming in the new year. Your Nan released an eight-part miniseries in 2018. I hear it’s getting serious awards buzz.

We asked our writers to recommend their favourite new shows of 2018, and, in no particular order, here’s a baker’s dozen of the very best.

Succession, Sky Atlantic/Now TV

A wealthy clan fights to prevent the family business from imploding as their patriarch’s fate hangs in the balance, while bitter rivals scheme behind closed doors. Sound like a case of arrested development? You’re not too far off the mark, but the Bluths don’t have a monopoly on dysfunction, and this brilliant comedy drama quickly leaves such comparisons in the dust. Jesse Armstrong, co-creator of Peep Show, brings a very British sensibility to a very American story, observing proceedings with an unflinching yet far from unkind gaze.

Brian Cox’s towering turn as the endearingly monstrous media tycoon Logan Roy is the linchpin of an impressive ensemble cast. Jeremy Strong’s multi-layered performance as troubled eldest son Kendall is faultless, while Kieran Culkin bags all the best lines as his hilariously perverse brother, Roman, and Sarah Snook’s aptly named Shiv tosses bratty barbs at her siblings like confetti. While the immediate family bicker and brawl, though, many viewers will be rooting for a most unexpected candidate to bungle and bluster his way to the very top. Nicholas Braun’s daffy, delightful cousin Greg is one of the finest comic creations of recent years. 

Gem Wheeler

The Haunting Of Hill House, Netflix

As part of its relentless assault on what little remains of our free time, Netflix has plied us with several marvellous original series this year, but the top recommendation for 2018 can only be The Haunting of Hill House; a gorgeously choreographed, sumptuous adaptation of the novel.

Explaining why it’s such a phenomenal piece of television without disturbing the lurking spectres of spoilers is almost impossible. Suffice to say The Haunting Of Hill House excels at taking characters who range from heartless to utterly contemptable, then making you care about them in a way few pieces of horror have ever managed. The Crain family may start out as horror archetypes, cowering under the covers from things that go bump in the night, but they soon grow and evolve in tandem with the show itself.

Across ten episodes, the tropes of terror peel away, revealing layers of meaning that weave together all the jump-scares and bated-breath moments into a cohesive story that wants to say and do far more than spook the audience. Just remember not to panic if you’re binge-watching and hear a noise in the chimney – it’s probably just Santa.

Probably.

Chris Allcock

Bodyguard, BBC One

Wasn’t it fun? A nation divided uniting every Sunday night over Richard Madden’s clenched jaw, Keeley Hawes’ clipped vowels, and bombs! Guns! Kompromat! Theories!

Oh, the theories. We outdid ourselves, people. Every possibility was investigated and every clue sniffed, squeezed and shaken to see if there was anything inside. The audience participation elevated Bodyguard from entertainment to hysteria to much-needed group therapy. More people watched it than watched the Moon landing, I heard.

Political thriller Bodyguard would never have been so compelling, of course, if it weren’t for the expert design of writer Jed Mercurio and directors Thomas Vincent and John Strickland, and the expert performances from that cast. They kept us gripped, kept us guessing, and kept our minds blessedly off the world outside.

Louisa Mellor

Barry, Sky Atlantic

The name ‘Barry’ radiates ordinariness; it exudes nothingness (my sincere apologies to Barrys everywhere), which of course makes it the perfect name for a hitman

Step forward Bill Hader, who brings an endearingly blank face and soul to the role of the eponymous, blank-named Barry, a former US marine turned hitman who’s suffering from a bad case of career-based blues. A job in Los Angeles brings the heavy-hearted hitman into orbit around the world of amateur theatre, a world he falls into despite the very obvious incompatibility with his day-job, and the twin risks of discovery and death. Worse still, he’s sharing an acting class with a man he’s contracted to kill, and a woman with whom he’s falling head over heels in love.

Barry’s fork-tongued boss, Monroe Fuches, played by Stephen Root, divides his time between begging Barry not to ditch killing, and begging for his own life when Barry’s new career direction keeps dragging them both towards the grave. Henry Winkler (aka the Fonz), is in fine form as Barry’s other ‘boss’, his foul-mouthed acting-coach, Gene Cousinea. The tension between these two men and vocations, one demanding the suppression of all emotions, the other begging them set free, creates the essential conflict that drives the many twists and turns of the narrative.

While Barry is a funny, quirky, off-kilter show filled with incongruous Chechen mobsters, mad mercenaries, and dumb but dogged detectives  – the black heart of Fargo stuffed into the chest of a Wes Anderson movie – it’s also a serious and haunting quest for truth: one man’s search for his true face, and maybe even redemption, somewhere in the midst of a life spent summoning sin and death.   

Laugh or cry: it’s an astounding piece of work.

Jamie Andrew

Chilling Adventures Of Sabrina, Netflix

When it first began in 2017, Archie comics TV series Riverdale felt like an experiment in what you could do with the IP’s timeworn Americana that people would make time for, and it still does. It feels like an experiment every week, and one that occasionally gets out of hand.

So before Chilling Adventures Of Sabrina arrived to an uncertain Netflix audience, people weren’t sure what to expect from the new Archie universe show. Would it be another Riverdale? Would it have a lot of ideas it didn’t quite know what to do with? Would every plot twist be closer to jumping the shark than Roy Scheider on a pogo stick? More importantly, would it trample on fond memories of Melissa Joan Hart and her sarcastic cat puppet co-star?

The answer to all of the above was “no”, thank the Dark Lord. Sabrina arrived finely crafted by its creator, Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa, who was also behind the comics on which this new incarnation is based. Gone are the smoke and sparkles of the kid-friendly sitcom – Sabrina, Hilda, Zelda and cousin Ambrose (a spectacular Chance Perdomo) may live in a dark world of witchcraft, but the grey areas of the show are what gives it depth. Nearly everyone in Sabrina’s magic circle is one step away from being pure evil (and they’re already pretty damn evil), which strikes a rather interesting balance with her ‘girl gang and chill’ life in the human world.

The series tips its hat to breakout shows that have struck a similar tone before, including Buffy, Supernatural and even Alan Ball’s Six Feet Under, but it also retains its own delightful vision, with a cast of brilliant actors cackling around its cauldron and chewing on each line of dialogue like an infernal root, scratched up from the soil so that their enemies will suffer endless torment.

It should be very silly and forgettable, and it’s a triumph that it’s very much not so. Let Chilling Adventures Of Sabrina cast a spell on you, and it’ll be a binge you won’t forget.

Kirsten Howard

Future Man, Syfy UK

Future Man, which premiered here in the UK in 2018, is the story of Josh Futturman (Josh Hutcherson of The Hunger Games fame), a young sad-sack who spends his days as a janitor at an STD research centre, and his nights obsessively playing the first-person sci-fi shooter Biotic Wars. Things take a turn for the absurd when Josh becomes the first person ever to complete the game, and at its, er, climax, is joined in a flash by Tiger and Wolf, two of the game’s main characters, who it transpires are actually real soldiers from the future, fighting the very real Biotic Wars. Josh quickly realises, to his shock and dismay, that the game was an advanced training simulation, and he now represents the earth’s only hope of victory against the sinister forces of the Biotics

He’s the messiah, and he’s a very naughty boy.

Future Man unfolds like a dirty Back To The Future in conversation with The Terminator as the Butterfly Effect keeps butting in. It’s rude, crude, clever and crazy, juggling time-lines, dick jokes and pop-culture references with aplomb. The story is frenetic and inventive, giving multiple nods to its time-travel forebears, packed with slap-stick gore galore, and laughs by the bucket-load (just don’t ask what’s in that bucket). Future Man is one of the funniest shows of the year, worth the price of admission alone for the thread involving blood-thirsty alpha-male Wolf embracing his destiny as a sensitive, world-class chef.    

Jamie Andrew

Save Me, Sky Atlantic 

Written by and starring Lennie James, Save Me is a thriller that goes to very uncomfortable places (and I don’t just mean Lewisham). Its plot—a thirteen-year-old girl is kidnapped by a paedophile ring—reads on paper as nastily sensationalist. In execution, it’s utterly absorbing. The dialogue, which bounces energetically with South London slang, is performed with the kind of overlapping naturalism rarely seen in crime thrillers. The events may be heightened and unlikely but they’re anchored by a group of characters that exist with such force, you buy it wholesale.

Chief of these is James’ Nelly, a South Londoner embedded in the fabric of his local estate (beautifully depicted here as whimsical and lively, not grim and dull, by director Nick Murphy). Nelly searches for his estranged daughter alongside a cast of convincing characters played by Suranne Jones, Stephen Graham, Kerry Godliman, Susan Lynch, Jason Flemyng and more. It’s an excellent thriller led by great performances and strong writing, with a much-deserved second series already on the way.

Louisa Mellor

Mark Kermode’s Secrets Of Cinema, BBC Four

Co-written with the great Kim Newman, this excellent factual series has Mark “Flappy Hands” Kermode navigating the best that cinema has to offer, genre by genre. Inevitably, it builds to a finale about horror films, but also takes an interesting look at heist movies, coming of age films, and science fiction, covering not only the big hits but some overlooked gems too.

For proof of its geek credentials, look no further than the way in which the opening romantic comedy episode takes in everything from Splash to Cannibal Women In The Avocado Jungle Of Death. Kermode and Newman are a formidable pair of film brains and with a Christmas special and a second series on the way, we’ll be scribbling down the names of many more films we need to revisit or catch up on while we watch.

Mark Harrison

Killing Eve, BBC One

An unceremonious debut on BBC iPlayer and a late Saturday night timeslot on BBC One months after its US debut meant that Killing Eve’s arrival on our shores may have passed by many UK telly fans. What followed, thankfully, was proof of the continuing power of word-of-mouth hype. In offices and eateries, pubs and parties around the land, hushed voices shared impassioned praise for this scintillating slice of entertainment. 

They raved about Jodie Comer’s unignorable performance as the loveable/unhinged Euro assassin, Villanelle. They marvelled at the sight of Sandra Oh as an obsessive investigator in a Beeb drama. They loved the bit when Fiona Shaw pulled out some cheese puffs. And, perhaps above all, they waved the flag for Phoebe Waller-Bridge, the Fleabag writer who imbued her darkly playful sense of humour into this binge-worthy cat-and-mouse thriller adaptation. The result was six tight episodes with more twist and turns than a Scalextric track, which left us gagging for series two. This second run is mercifully on the way, and you can be sure that the BBC will make a lot more noise about it.  

Rob Leane

A Very English Scandal, BBC One

Based on a true story (and a book by John Preston), A Very English Scandal is lively, funny and joyously irreverent. Written by Russell T. Davies and directed by Stephen Frears, it boasts two excellent performances, one from Hugh Grant as scandalous politician Jeremy Thorpe, the other from Ben Whishaw as Thorpe’s former lover and would-be murder victim, Norman Scott.

Alongside the comedy, and—always Davies’ particular genius—not a bit undermined by it though, is the utter tragedy of it all. The devastation wreaked in gay lives by criminalisation. The law’s insistence on furtiveness and secrecy that made such a practised liar of Thorpe. And most of all, the unjust mechanism that allowed the establishment to pull up the drawbridge and protect itself from outliers like Scott.

Exhilarating and dynamic, without sacrificing the ability to say something serious amid all the madness, this tragicomedy of errors was a sensational adaptation in every sense of the word.

Louisa Mellor

Patrick Melrose, Sky Atlantic/Now TV

Five books, five episodes. David Nicholls’ adaptation of Edward St Aubyn’s novels – based on the author’s own experience of abuse and addiction – takes on the challenging task of condensing each volume of Patrick Melrose’s strange, sad story into a single instalment. The result is a mesmerising study of one man’s struggle to find his place in a glittering, brittle world of privilege as he seeks refuge in drugs to blunt the agony of unspeakable trauma.

Benedict Cumberbatch’s performance in the title role is extraordinary: a masterpiece of physical comedy, dry wit, and searing pain. Often hilarious, frequently heart-breaking, and always surprising, this psychologically astute and beautifully observed tale never demands sympathy for its poor little rich boy, yet wins it regardless. Excellent support from a cast including Jennifer Jason Leigh, Hugo Weaving, and Allison Williams adds still greater depth to an unforgettable series.

Gem Wheeler

Dynasties, BBC One

After the Planet Earth and Blue Planet sequels, you might have thought we’d reached peak Attenborough. But then came Dynasties, a wildlife-doc miniseries that not only pushed forward the eye-popping HD technology used to capture animals in the wild, but also brought us a laser-focused insight into its subjects’ lives in a way that we’ve never quite seen before.

The concept is simple but staggeringly effective. Five episodes. Five species (chimps, penguins, lions, painted wolves, tigers). Five tribes struggling to make their way in an increasingly harsh world, fighting off nature, predators and posturing rivals. There’s as much drama, politics and violence here as in an episode of Game Of Thrones, with heart-in-mouth set-pieces to match – see chimp king David’s fight to the (near)death with his would-be usurpers, or the young wolf pups getting ambushed by a hungry croc…

Dynasties is beautiful, brutal and emotional viewing, through which we’re guided by Sir David’s majestic narration.

Richard Jordan

Sharp Objects, Sky Atlantic

The past is inescapable in Sharp Objects, an eight-part mystery drama adapted by Marti Noxon from Gillian Flynn’s 2006 debut novel. In it, journalist Camille Preaker (Amy Adams) is sent by her editor back to her hometown of Wind Gap, Missouri, to write an article about the disappearance of local teenager Natalie Keene – is this related to the earlier murder of another teenager? Is there a serial killer on the loose? How dangerous is it to grow up in Wind Gap, anyway? Flashbacks to Camille’s own teenage years and relationship with her mother Adora (Patricia Clarkson) give us visions of a town pretty much unchanged, and strangely empty. Is it idyllic, or sinister?

It isn’t a melodrama or a crime thriller that lies at the heart of Sharp Objects. Episode after episode, with an excellent use of music and a compelling, believable performance by Amy Adams, it walks us further and further into the territory of gothic horror. The drama’s different elements and genres jostle against each other, creating unexpected, powerful moments in a dreamlike atmosphere.

Aliya Whiteley

It’s been a good year for television. It’s been a good year for television since roughly 1998, but this one’s had some particular corkers. There’s been weekly appointment viewing, box-sets, and both. The gratification of TV viewers has never been so undelayed.

Gems have come from all over – streaming services, major and specialist channels – and with the TV market broadening, they’ve been made by all sorts. Red Bull makes TV now. YouTube makes drama. JD Sports, Deliveroo and Teapigs are all moving into all moving into original programming in the new year. Your Nan released an eight-part miniseries in 2018. I hear it’s getting serious awards buzz.

We asked our writers to recommend their favourite new shows of 2018, and, in no particular order, here’s a baker’s dozen of the very best.

Succession, Sky Atlantic/Now TV

A wealthy clan fights to prevent the family business from imploding as their patriarch’s fate hangs in the balance, while bitter rivals scheme behind closed doors. Sound like a case of arrested development? You’re not too far off the mark, but the Bluths don’t have a monopoly on dysfunction, and this brilliant comedy drama quickly leaves such comparisons in the dust. Jesse Armstrong, co-creator of Peep Show, brings a very British sensibility to a very American story, observing proceedings with an unflinching yet far from unkind gaze.

Brian Cox’s towering turn as the endearingly monstrous media tycoon Logan Roy is the linchpin of an impressive ensemble cast. Jeremy Strong’s multi-layered performance as troubled eldest son Kendall is faultless, while Kieran Culkin bags all the best lines as his hilariously perverse brother, Roman, and Sarah Snook’s aptly named Shiv tosses bratty barbs at her siblings like confetti. While the immediate family bicker and brawl, though, many viewers will be rooting for a most unexpected candidate to bungle and bluster his way to the very top. Nicholas Braun’s daffy, delightful cousin Greg is one of the finest comic creations of recent years. 

Gem Wheeler

The Haunting Of Hill House, Netflix

As part of its relentless assault on what little remains of our free time, Netflix has plied us with several marvellous original series this year, but the top recommendation for 2018 can only be The Haunting of Hill House; a gorgeously choreographed, sumptuous adaptation of the novel.

Explaining why it’s such a phenomenal piece of television without disturbing the lurking spectres of spoilers is almost impossible. Suffice to say The Haunting Of Hill House excels at taking characters who range from heartless to utterly contemptable, then making you care about them in a way few pieces of horror have ever managed. The Crain family may start out as horror archetypes, cowering under the covers from things that go bump in the night, but they soon grow and evolve in tandem with the show itself.

Across ten episodes, the tropes of terror peel away, revealing layers of meaning that weave together all the jump-scares and bated-breath moments into a cohesive story that wants to say and do far more than spook the audience. Just remember not to panic if you’re binge-watching and hear a noise in the chimney – it’s probably just Santa.

Probably.

Chris Allcock

Bodyguard, BBC One

Wasn’t it fun? A nation divided uniting every Sunday night over Richard Madden’s clenched jaw, Keeley Hawes’ clipped vowels, and bombs! Guns! Kompromat! Theories!

Oh, the theories. We outdid ourselves, people. Every possibility was investigated and every clue sniffed, squeezed and shaken to see if there was anything inside. The audience participation elevated Bodyguard from entertainment to hysteria to much-needed group therapy. More people watched it than watched the Moon landing, I heard.

Political thriller Bodyguard would never have been so compelling, of course, if it weren’t for the expert design of writer Jed Mercurio and directors Thomas Vincent and John Strickland, and the expert performances from that cast. They kept us gripped, kept us guessing, and kept our minds blessedly off the world outside.

Louisa Mellor

Barry, Sky Atlantic

The name ‘Barry’ radiates ordinariness; it exudes nothingness (my sincere apologies to Barrys everywhere), which of course makes it the perfect name for a hitman

Step forward Bill Hader, who brings an endearingly blank face and soul to the role of the eponymous, blank-named Barry, a former US marine turned hitman who’s suffering from a bad case of career-based blues. A job in Los Angeles brings the heavy-hearted hitman into orbit around the world of amateur theatre, a world he falls into despite the very obvious incompatibility with his day-job, and the twin risks of discovery and death. Worse still, he’s sharing an acting class with a man he’s contracted to kill, and a woman with whom he’s falling head over heels in love.

Barry’s fork-tongued boss, Monroe Fuches, played by Stephen Root, divides his time between begging Barry not to ditch killing, and begging for his own life when Barry’s new career direction keeps dragging them both towards the grave. Henry Winkler (aka the Fonz), is in fine form as Barry’s other ‘boss’, his foul-mouthed acting-coach, Gene Cousinea. The tension between these two men and vocations, one demanding the suppression of all emotions, the other begging them set free, creates the essential conflict that drives the many twists and turns of the narrative.

While Barry is a funny, quirky, off-kilter show filled with incongruous Chechen mobsters, mad mercenaries, and dumb but dogged detectives  – the black heart of Fargo stuffed into the chest of a Wes Anderson movie – it’s also a serious and haunting quest for truth: one man’s search for his true face, and maybe even redemption, somewhere in the midst of a life spent summoning sin and death.   

Laugh or cry: it’s an astounding piece of work.

Jamie Andrew

Chilling Adventures Of Sabrina, Netflix

When it first began in 2017, Archie comics TV series Riverdale felt like an experiment in what you could do with the IP’s timeworn Americana that people would make time for, and it still does. It feels like an experiment every week, and one that occasionally gets out of hand.

So before Chilling Adventures Of Sabrina arrived to an uncertain Netflix audience, people weren’t sure what to expect from the new Archie universe show. Would it be another Riverdale? Would it have a lot of ideas it didn’t quite know what to do with? Would every plot twist be closer to jumping the shark than Roy Scheider on a pogo stick? More importantly, would it trample on fond memories of Melissa Joan Hart and her sarcastic cat puppet co-star?

The answer to all of the above was “no”, thank the Dark Lord. Sabrina arrived finely crafted by its creator, Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa, who was also behind the comics on which this new incarnation is based. Gone are the smoke and sparkles of the kid-friendly sitcom – Sabrina, Hilda, Zelda and cousin Ambrose (a spectacular Chance Perdomo) may live in a dark world of witchcraft, but the grey areas of the show are what gives it depth. Nearly everyone in Sabrina’s magic circle is one step away from being pure evil (and they’re already pretty damn evil), which strikes a rather interesting balance with her ‘girl gang and chill’ life in the human world.

The series tips its hat to breakout shows that have struck a similar tone before, including Buffy, Supernatural and even Alan Ball’s Six Feet Under, but it also retains its own delightful vision, with a cast of brilliant actors cackling around its cauldron and chewing on each line of dialogue like an infernal root, scratched up from the soil so that their enemies will suffer endless torment.

It should be very silly and forgettable, and it’s a triumph that it’s very much not so. Let Chilling Adventures Of Sabrina cast a spell on you, and it’ll be a binge you won’t forget.

Kirsten Howard

Future Man, Syfy UK

Future Man, which premiered here in the UK in 2018, is the story of Josh Futturman (Josh Hutcherson of The Hunger Games fame), a young sad-sack who spends his days as a janitor at an STD research centre, and his nights obsessively playing the first-person sci-fi shooter Biotic Wars. Things take a turn for the absurd when Josh becomes the first person ever to complete the game, and at its, er, climax, is joined in a flash by Tiger and Wolf, two of the game’s main characters, who it transpires are actually real soldiers from the future, fighting the very real Biotic Wars. Josh quickly realises, to his shock and dismay, that the game was an advanced training simulation, and he now represents the earth’s only hope of victory against the sinister forces of the Biotics

He’s the messiah, and he’s a very naughty boy.

Future Man unfolds like a dirty Back To The Future in conversation with The Terminator as the Butterfly Effect keeps butting in. It’s rude, crude, clever and crazy, juggling time-lines, dick jokes and pop-culture references with aplomb. The story is frenetic and inventive, giving multiple nods to its time-travel forebears, packed with slap-stick gore galore, and laughs by the bucket-load (just don’t ask what’s in that bucket). Future Man is one of the funniest shows of the year, worth the price of admission alone for the thread involving blood-thirsty alpha-male Wolf embracing his destiny as a sensitive, world-class chef.    

Jamie Andrew

Save Me, Sky Atlantic 

Written by and starring Lennie James, Save Me is a thriller that goes to very uncomfortable places (and I don’t just mean Lewisham). Its plot—a thirteen-year-old girl is kidnapped by a paedophile ring—reads on paper as nastily sensationalist. In execution, it’s utterly absorbing. The dialogue, which bounces energetically with South London slang, is performed with the kind of overlapping naturalism rarely seen in crime thrillers. The events may be heightened and unlikely but they’re anchored by a group of characters that exist with such force, you buy it wholesale.

Chief of these is James’ Nelly, a South Londoner embedded in the fabric of his local estate (beautifully depicted here as whimsical and lively, not grim and dull, by director Nick Murphy). Nelly searches for his estranged daughter alongside a cast of convincing characters played by Suranne Jones, Stephen Graham, Kerry Godliman, Susan Lynch, Jason Flemyng and more. It’s an excellent thriller led by great performances and strong writing, with a much-deserved second series already on the way.

Louisa Mellor

Mark Kermode’s Secrets Of Cinema, BBC Four

Co-written with the great Kim Newman, this excellent factual series has Mark “Flappy Hands” Kermode navigating the best that cinema has to offer, genre by genre. Inevitably, it builds to a finale about horror films, but also takes an interesting look at heist movies, coming of age films, and science fiction, covering not only the big hits but some overlooked gems too.

For proof of its geek credentials, look no further than the way in which the opening romantic comedy episode takes in everything from Splash to Cannibal Women In The Avocado Jungle Of Death. Kermode and Newman are a formidable pair of film brains and with a Christmas special and a second series on the way, we’ll be scribbling down the names of many more films we need to revisit or catch up on while we watch.

Mark Harrison

Killing Eve, BBC One

An unceremonious debut on BBC iPlayer and a late Saturday night timeslot on BBC One months after its US debut meant that Killing Eve’s arrival on our shores may have passed by many UK telly fans. What followed, thankfully, was proof of the continuing power of word-of-mouth hype. In offices and eateries, pubs and parties around the land, hushed voices shared impassioned praise for this scintillating slice of entertainment. 

They raved about Jodie Comer’s unignorable performance as the loveable/unhinged Euro assassin, Villanelle. They marvelled at the sight of Sandra Oh as an obsessive investigator in a Beeb drama. They loved the bit when Fiona Shaw pulled out some cheese puffs. And, perhaps above all, they waved the flag for Phoebe Waller-Bridge, the Fleabag writer who imbued her darkly playful sense of humour into this binge-worthy cat-and-mouse thriller adaptation. The result was six tight episodes with more twist and turns than a Scalextric track, which left us gagging for series two. This second run is mercifully on the way, and you can be sure that the BBC will make a lot more noise about it.  

Rob Leane

A Very English Scandal, BBC One

Based on a true story (and a book by John Preston), A Very English Scandal is lively, funny and joyously irreverent. Written by Russell T. Davies and directed by Stephen Frears, it boasts two excellent performances, one from Hugh Grant as scandalous politician Jeremy Thorpe, the other from Ben Whishaw as Thorpe’s former lover and would-be murder victim, Norman Scott.

Alongside the comedy, and—always Davies’ particular genius—not a bit undermined by it though, is the utter tragedy of it all. The devastation wreaked in gay lives by criminalisation. The law’s insistence on furtiveness and secrecy that made such a practised liar of Thorpe. And most of all, the unjust mechanism that allowed the establishment to pull up the drawbridge and protect itself from outliers like Scott.

Exhilarating and dynamic, without sacrificing the ability to say something serious amid all the madness, this tragicomedy of errors was a sensational adaptation in every sense of the word.

Louisa Mellor

Patrick Melrose, Sky Atlantic/Now TV

Five books, five episodes. David Nicholls’ adaptation of Edward St Aubyn’s novels – based on the author’s own experience of abuse and addiction – takes on the challenging task of condensing each volume of Patrick Melrose’s strange, sad story into a single instalment. The result is a mesmerising study of one man’s struggle to find his place in a glittering, brittle world of privilege as he seeks refuge in drugs to blunt the agony of unspeakable trauma.

Benedict Cumberbatch’s performance in the title role is extraordinary: a masterpiece of physical comedy, dry wit, and searing pain. Often hilarious, frequently heart-breaking, and always surprising, this psychologically astute and beautifully observed tale never demands sympathy for its poor little rich boy, yet wins it regardless. Excellent support from a cast including Jennifer Jason Leigh, Hugo Weaving, and Allison Williams adds still greater depth to an unforgettable series.

Gem Wheeler

Dynasties, BBC One

After the Planet Earth and Blue Planet sequels, you might have thought we’d reached peak Attenborough. But then came Dynasties, a wildlife-doc miniseries that not only pushed forward the eye-popping HD technology used to capture animals in the wild, but also brought us a laser-focused insight into its subjects’ lives in a way that we’ve never quite seen before.

The concept is simple but staggeringly effective. Five episodes. Five species (chimps, penguins, lions, painted wolves, tigers). Five tribes struggling to make their way in an increasingly harsh world, fighting off nature, predators and posturing rivals. There’s as much drama, politics and violence here as in an episode of Game Of Thrones, with heart-in-mouth set-pieces to match – see chimp king David’s fight to the (near)death with his would-be usurpers, or the young wolf pups getting ambushed by a hungry croc…

Dynasties is beautiful, brutal and emotional viewing, through which we’re guided by Sir David’s majestic narration.

Richard Jordan

Sharp Objects, Sky Atlantic

The past is inescapable in Sharp Objects, an eight-part mystery drama adapted by Marti Noxon from Gillian Flynn’s 2006 debut novel. In it, journalist Camille Preaker (Amy Adams) is sent by her editor back to her hometown of Wind Gap, Missouri, to write an article about the disappearance of local teenager Natalie Keene – is this related to the earlier murder of another teenager? Is there a serial killer on the loose? How dangerous is it to grow up in Wind Gap, anyway? Flashbacks to Camille’s own teenage years and relationship with her mother Adora (Patricia Clarkson) give us visions of a town pretty much unchanged, and strangely empty. Is it idyllic, or sinister?

It isn’t a melodrama or a crime thriller that lies at the heart of Sharp Objects. Episode after episode, with an excellent use of music and a compelling, believable performance by Amy Adams, it walks us further and further into the territory of gothic horror. The drama’s different elements and genres jostle against each other, creating unexpected, powerful moments in a dreamlike atmosphere.

Aliya Whiteley

This article contains minor spoilers for Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse.

Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse is not your typical Spider-Man movie. For a start, it’s centred around a new webslinger, Miles Morales, who’s coming to terms with his powers after being nipped by a strange arachnid. It also features a host of other Spider-Men, Spider-Women and, erm, Spider-Pigs, who are brought together after all of their various universes are merged.

But what really sets this big-screen Spidey apart is that it’s an animated movie – and a very good one at that. In fact, the film’s groundbreaking animation style is probably the nearest thing to a cinematic comic book that we’ve seen (halftone textures, thought balloons and all). 

Now, a new book, Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse – The Art of the Movie, gives us a unique glimpse into how the film was brought to life, and here Den of Geek shares some exclusive concept art from the movie for your viewing pleasure.

Morales begins

Here’s how just one of the film’s scenes evolved from initial sketch to fully realised concept art, as Miles (voiced by Shameik Moore) heads underground with his uncle Aaron (Mahershala Ali) to practice his street art – and ends up the unwitting victim of a fateful spider bite…

Chain reaction

Here, the older Spider-Man discovers and attempts to power down the Kingpin’s particle accelerator, before it tears open a portal to the various universes.

Welcome to the multiverse

When the Kingpin’s initial plan succeeds, the Spider-Verse is momentarily merged in one of the film’s most abstract, eye-catching sequences – as this concept art shows.

Rogue’s gallery

This collection of concept art shows some of the film’s key villains in various stages of development – a huge, mutated take on the Green Goblin, the super-suited Prowler and the story’s Big Bad – Wilson Fisk, aka the Kingpin (voiced by Liev Schreiber).

Training day

Miles gets schooled in the art of web-swinging by an older Peter Parker (voiced by Jake Johnson), his reluctant mentor, in this autumnal, forest-set sequence.

The amazing Spider-Ham

One of the webslinger’s weirder comic-book iterations, Peter Porker makes his first big-screen appearance in Into The Spider-Verse – but, as these character sketches show, he nearly looked very different to the final design you can see in the film.

City slicker

Miles comes out swinging in his cool new Spidey outfit, trailed by mentor Peter. Into The Spider-Verse‘s modern, expansive, neon-lit take on New York is a spectacle in its own right – a fitting tribute to the wallcrawler’s home city.

Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse – The Art of the Movie, by Ramin Zahed, is out now from Titan Books.

Image credits: © 2018 MARVEL © 2018 SPA & CPII