We’ve done all the research for you, so you’ve got a curated list of only the best TV shows to watch right now. Whether you’re looking for hard-hitting drama, edge-of-your-seat suspense, tugging-at-your-heartstrings emotion, or shocking character downfalls, it’s all here in this list of the best on the small screen to keep you captivated and entertained this winter. They should, however, come with a warning: they make for addictive viewing. 

 MAID, NETFLIX 

 Inspired by true events, Maid follows a mother, Alex (Margaret Qualley, of Once Upon A Time In Hollywood) who flees from her abusive husband with her two-year-old daughter. With no support system around her, Alex battles relentlessly in an attempt to start a new life. It’s an emotional depiction of a mother’s gritty fight for survival despite the odds being stacked against her. She takes a job as a cleaner to the upper-middle class, who see her as a “nameless ghost” while she learns plenty about them. This hopeful dramedy makes for an endearing watch as we observe Alex’s relentless battle for a brighter future. Despite being moving and emotional, there is much-needed lightness in Alex’s humorous optimism along the way. 

YOU, SEASON 3, NETFLIX 

We were captivated by creepy Joe Goldberg in the first two seasons of You, the shocking thriller where we see stalker Goldberg target and develop relationships with unsuspecting women for him to act out on jealous impulses. As everyone’s worst nightmare, in the new season, we see Goldberg, and his newly married wife, Love, with their new baby, as they navigate a fresh start in suburbia. Complete with a white picket fence, we soon realize that the young American dream setup isn’t as rosy as it seems. Both characters struggle with their darker impulses and impending melodrama ensues. Without giving too much away, there is a woodland burial, a slew of new characters including a young, pretty neighbor, and the glass box in the basement makes another appearance too. 

SCENES FROM A MARRIAGE, HBO  

This series, originally released in the 1970s, and sent divorce rates spiking when it was first released, has been reimagined for modern times. It follows a couple intimately navigating a long-distance relationship, break-up, and separation. Both actors and friends, Jessica Chastain and Oscar Isaac have received sparkling appraisals for their acting (not to mention sent pulses soaring with their now-viral interaction on the red carpet, where Isaac, seductively kisses the inside of Chastain’s arm.) It’s an intense look at the inner workings of marriage – all the frustrations, jealousy, and pain that can come with it. It makes for intense watching, mirroring our confined pandemic lives. It’s got people questioning: will its release inspire more separations amongst post-pandemic couples? 

MPEACHMENT, BBC IPLAYER 

In the third season of American Crime Story, in a dramatization, makers reveal the uproar surrounding the affair between the then-US president, 47-year-old Bill Clinton, and 22-year-old Monica Lewinsky, then an intern at the White House leading to Clinton’s impeachment in 1998. Bill Clinton famously claimed that he, “did not have sexual relations with that woman”. While the show is based on Jeffrey Toobin’s book A Vast Conspiracy: The Real Story of the Sex Scandal That Nearly Brought Down a President, Monica Lewinsky was a producer on the show and had word on every page of the script, according to Beanie Feldstein, the actor who plays her. It's a retelling of the 90s scandal from the perspectives of Lewinsky, Paula Jones, and Linda Tripp (played by Sarah Paulson, of Ratched) – the shift in perspective feels apt in a post-Me-Too era. It follows the hugely successful first two seasons of American Crime Story, The People v. O. J. Simpson and The Assassination of Gianni Versace. 

SUCCESSION, SEASON 3, HBO 

What is it about watching evil, rich people on TV that is so enthralling? It’s an exhilarating return for the grisly Roy family as they battle against each other for power. The official synopsis describes Season 3: "Ambushed by his rebellious son Kendall at the end of season two, Logan Roy begins season three in a perilous position, scrambling to secure familial, political, and financial alliances. Tensions rise as a bitter corporate battle threatens to turn into a family civil war." We re-join in the aftermath of Kendall’s shocking public denunciation of his father on live TV and claim for the top spot ensues with a team following behind each of them. You can expect more of the same addictive, exciting viewing of the most hideous family on TV and their inner workings, interactions, and relationships. So far, it’s had gleaming reviews. This season is set to be the most intense and nasty yet. 

THE MORNING SHOW, SEASON 2, APPLE TV+ 

Many people are describing The Morning Show as a triumph after a slightly slow start. Starring big actors like Reese Witherspoon, Steve Carrell, and Jennifer Anniston, the show follows the hectic dramas of a fictional morning TV show. The first season sees the fall of one of the TV presenters in a Me Too-era style takedown against sexual misconduct, adding weight to the light-hearted glossiness of a morning television show. Many reviews have applauded Anniston for her portrayal of a character very different from the likable characters she has become synonymous with in previous roles. Now, it’s back for season 2 and explores the character’s relationships further, with Coronavirus and the furor of American politics in the background. Empire describes it as, “sharply written and thrillingly plotted”. It’s unexpected, addictive watching. 

INVENTING ANNA, NETFLIX 

Set for a January 2022 release, Inventing Anna, is a documentary miniseries by TV producer Shonda Rimes (of Grey’s Anatomy and Bridgerton success) about Instagram-famous fake heiress Anna Sorokin (or the name she was known by: Anna Delvey), the infamous socialite who tricked the New York elite into believing she was an heiress and stole thousands of pounds from their unsuspecting bank accounts in the process. The docuseries is based upon the New York Magazine article "How Anna Delvey Tricked New York’s Party People" by Jessica Pressler. 

In her plights, she managed to live the high life living in grand hotels, going on luxury vacations, and convincing everyone around her that she was about to inherit a fortune. Except, of course, it never came. What’s most fascinating about it all is her unapologetic nonchalance throughout it all. How on earth did she manage to trick some of the wealthiest, most well-connected people in New York? And what will she do next? If you can’t wait until its release, delve-y into the podcast, Fake Heiress, to get up to speed. 

ESCAPE THROUGH YOUR SCREEN 

Now you’ve got the list of the most captivating TV series to watch right now, all that’s left to do is pop on your comfies, find your favorite snacks, and escape in the complicated characters and exciting plots! No more wasting time flicking through the massive selection – it’s all right here, just waiting for you to click play!