Does World Cup fever leave you reaching for the remote? Will wall-to-wall Wimbledon have you fleeing the coverage from Centre Court? If the thought of sporting action has you seeking drama far away from the stadium, pitch and SW19, then refuge is at hand.
Below, TopMob presents the ultimate antidote to the summer of sport: a haven free of flag-waving, tie-breaks and punditry, where actors are the only ones going on the attack.
The event features a fantastic group of performers from around the world. The only difficulty is finding a quiet space, as everyone will likely be caught up in the excitement of the football matches and cheering!
1. Elle, available 1 July, Prime Video
The popular 2001 film Legally Blonde has spawned sequels, a Broadway show, and a reality series. Now, a new TV prequel follows Elle Woods (Lexi Minetree) in high school. After leaving her glamorous life in Bel Air, California, Elle reluctantly moves with her family to the much grittier and rainier city of Seattle in 1995.
Okay, so the movie uses a classic setup – someone totally out of their element. But honestly, it’s done with so much playful energy and a slightly cheesy, but genuinely good, message. It’s basically saying don’t judge a book by its cover – you can love traditionally ‘girly’ things and still be smart and capable, and that feels really relevant. Jack Seale really nailed that in his review, I thought.
2. Trying, season 5 available 8 July, Apple TV
This charming and heartfelt sitcom, recently shown again on BBC iPlayer, still doesn’t get the attention it deserves. While the story of a couple trying to adopt isn’t new, it’s brought to life beautifully by Rafe Spall and Esther Smith, who are incredibly believable and endearing. The show is set in a picture-perfect version of north London, reminiscent of Richard Curtis’s films. The writing by Andy Wolton is exceptional, attracting a fantastic supporting cast including Phil Davis, Imelda Staunton, Sian Brooke, and Darren Boyd. – Jack Seale
3. Little House on the Prairie, available 9 July, Netflix
Life on the Western frontier is charted in this new take on Laura Ingalls Wilder’s classic saga. Viewers with fond memories of the previous screen version, which was a staple part of the US TV schedules for much of the 1970s, will have a keen eye on this eight-part reimagining from Netflix, which sees Alice Halsey (Lessons in Chemistry) take on the role of the strong-willed Laura and Luke Bracey (Hacksaw Ridge) play patriarch Charles. Part family drama, part survival story and American West origin tale, this eight-parter looks set to bring to life the wild Kansas landscape of the late 19th century. David Brown
4. Lucky, available 15 July, Apple TV
Anya Taylor-Joy shines in this fast-paced thriller from Jonathan Tropper, known for “Your Friends and Neighbours.” The story centers on Lucky, one half of a stylish couple who pull off a major heist in Las Vegas, seemingly securing a life of luxury. However, the film quickly reveals that Lucky is now alone, on the run from the FBI, and has drastically changed her appearance. Despite appearing vulnerable, Lucky proves to be incredibly resilient, consistently surprising those who underestimate her – both the authorities trying to imprison her and the criminals who want her eliminated. – Jack Seale
5. The Bear, season 5 available 25 June, Disney+
Jeremy Allen White’s chef Carmy might have signed over his restaurant to protégé Syd (Ayo Edibiri) and “cousin” Richie (Ebon Moss-Bachrach), but that hasn’t slowed things down in the kitchen. In fact, this final season looks like the final service for this ragtag crew of chefs and servers, with their investment money drying up just as the restaurant itself is hit by flash floods. Still, no matter – chaos is what The Bear does best. Would we really want to watch a series where the orders go out on time, nothing lights on fire and the employees all have respectful, calm professional relationships? No, chef! Huw Fullerton
6. Ted Lasso, season 4 available 5 August, Apple TV
The popular comedy series about a football club unexpectedly returned for another season in 2023, despite what seemed like a definitive ending. A few years after inspiring a British team to success, US coach Ted Lasso (Jason Sudeikis) is now focused on building a new women’s team for AFC Richmond. Many familiar faces from the original team – including Hannah Waddingham, Brett Goldstein, Brendan Hunt, and Juno Temple – are returning, joined by new cast members like Tanya Reynolds and Faye Marsay. Hopefully, Ted’s positive influence will continue for a long time to come! – Huw Fullerton
7. House of the Dragon, season 3 available 22 June, HBO Max / Sky Atlantic
Despite a slower pace and fewer action scenes in the second season, the upcoming third season of this Game of Thrones spin-off promises a much bigger and more intense story. The long-awaited Battle of the Gullet will ignite an all-out civil war within House Targaryen. New character Ormund Hightower, played by James Norton, joins the conflict, alongside returning favorites like Rhaenyra Targaryen (Emma Darcy) and Daemon (Matt Smith). Meanwhile, Alicent Hightower (Olivia Cooke) desperately seeks peace, but her sons are heading in opposite directions: Aegon (Tom Glynn Carney) is fleeing King’s Landing, and Aemond (Ewan Mitchell) is becoming increasingly ambitious. The conflict, known as the Dance of Dragons, is finally reaching its peak, and as House Targaryen battles for control of Westeros, it’s clear that no one will be spared. – Louise Griffin
8. Dutton Ranch, available now Paramount+
The new show, a sequel to Yellowstone, follows beloved characters Beth Dutton (Kelly Reilly) and Rip Wheeler (Cole Hauser) as they relocate from Montana to Texas – the setting for creator Taylor Sheridan’s show Landman. It blends the dramatic conflicts and intensity of Yellowstone with the more grounded, realistic feel of Landman. Beth finds a powerful new rival – and potential ally – in Beula, the town’s leading woman, played by Annette Bening. – Jack Seale
9. Cape Fear, available now, Apple TV
Tom Bowden (Patrick Wilson) confidently tells his wife, Anna (Amy Adams), that Max Cady won’t be a problem, but history proves him wrong – Cady always appears. The character originated in John D. MacDonald’s novel The Executioners and has been portrayed on screen before, first by Robert Mitchum with chilling composure, and later by Robert De Niro with dramatic intensity. Now, Javier Bardem delivers a Max Cady with even more motivation, bringing his signature restrained power to the role.
After being released from prison when his conviction was overturned, Cady focuses his anger on two people: Tom, the prosecutor who originally convicted him, and Anna, his defense attorney who couldn’t secure his freedom. The fact that Tom and Anna later fall in love and marry only fuels Cady’s resentment, as he believes they both share the blame for his imprisonment. This ten-episode series avoids portraying Cady as simply a cruel and menacing figure, instead hinting at a difficult past to explain his behavior. However, the show doesn’t fully humanize him, as a powerful and ominous musical score constantly reminds viewers of the violence he’s capable of. Cady makes it clear that his pursuit of revenge is far from over.
10. Legends, available now, Netflix
It’s not hard to work out how Neil Forsyth’s new thriller got commissioned. Forsyth wrote The Gold, the BBC’s excellent drama based on the 1983 Brink’s-Mat robbery. So, said Netflix: got any more true stories about seedy organised crime from around the same time that you can draw on to repeat the trick? Forsyth has delivered with a dramatisation of an outlandish scheme UK customs officials came up with in 1990, amid political pressure to stop heroin imports: they sent ambitious customs officers with no experience of field work under cover to infiltrate trafficking gangs.
Steve Coogan shines as Don, a seasoned and troubled former undercover operative. He’s tasked with training a special team of officers to infiltrate tough neighborhoods in Liverpool and London, including the Turkish immigrant community. As they begin a dangerous mission where even a small mistake could be deadly, Forsyth expertly focuses on the most exciting parts of the story, making ‘Legends’ a captivating watch. Each scene is filled with tension, humor, or both, and the series vividly portrays a gritty and dysfunctional Britain under Margaret Thatcher. – Jack Seale
11. Rivals, available now, Disney+
What a pleasant surprise this show was when it debuted in 2024. Those with a passing acquaintance with the bestselling books of Jilly Cooper expected the TV version of her Rutshire Chronicles series to be shameless trash, and it sort of was – but as real aficionados of Dame Jilly might have predicted, it had wit and heart to go with its tales of lust and power in the Cotswolds in 1986.
It’s 1987, and the rivalry between media tycoon Tony Baddingham (David Tennant) and his emotionally distant competitor, Rupert Campbell-Black (Alex Hassell), flares up again. Adding fuel to the fire is Declan O’Hara (Aidan Turner), a rising star within Rupert’s company. This conflict begins with a fiercely competitive polo tournament, quickly escalating into a cycle of betrayal and affairs, offering plenty of witty humor. However, beneath the surface of competition and secret relationships, genuine romantic feelings emerge, providing moments of heartfelt drama. – Jack Seale
12. Star City, available now, Apple TV
This exciting new thriller is a spin-off from the Apple TV series For All Mankind, but you don’t need to have seen the original to enjoy it. It imagines an alternate 1970s where the Soviets won the Space Race and kept exploring space. The story centers on a tense battle between two key figures: Anna Maxwell Martin plays a determined KGB chief focused on protecting the Soviet Union at all costs, while Rhys Ifans is the brilliant but secretive lead designer of the Soviet space program. Both are driven, but their methods and loyalties put them on a collision course.
The new Apple TV+ series shares connections with ‘For All Mankind,’ bringing back younger versions of characters like Sergei Nikulov and Irina Morozova. It also shines thanks to compelling characters such as cosmonaut Valya (Adam Nagaitis) and his wife Tanya (Ruby Ashbourne Serkis), adding warmth to what could have been a very dark story. What’s particularly fascinating are the glimpses into Soviet history – like the state arranging marriages for cosmonauts to maintain control, and the challenges of missions landing in the remote Siberian wilderness. It’s a reminder that true events can be even more incredible than made-up stories. – Louise Griffin
13. The Boroughs, available now, Netflix
This new supernatural drama blends the cozy mystery vibe of shows like ‘Thursday Murder Club’ with the spooky thrills of ‘Stranger Things,’ brought to you by the Duffer Brothers. Sam (Alfred Molina) finds that retirement isn’t the peaceful break he expected after his wife’s passing. After moving to a seemingly perfect retirement village, he quickly discovers strange events are afoot, and his quiet life is soon disrupted by a dangerous, supernatural force. Just when he thought he could relax!
“A lovable bunch of misfits” is how executive producers the Duffers have described the ragtag gang of seniors (Denis O’Hare, Bill Pullman, Alfre Woodard, Geena Davis and Clarke Peters) who join Sam. He’s armed with just a few tools from his days as an engineer, yet must face up to the monsters, all while convincing his daughter he’s not losing the plot. Despite a few ridiculous moments (including an homage to Thelma & Louise that’s laughably shoe-horned in), The Boroughs is a heartfelt series that poses a fair few questions about life, ageing and death – and asks just how far you’ll go for the ones you love. Louise Griffin
14. Two Weeks in August, available now, BBC iPlayer
Zoe (Jessica Raine) is taking her family on holiday but, from the taxi ride to the villa onwards, we can see that this is anything but a relaxing getaway. As the car hurtles down the dusty roads of a beautiful Greek island, Zoe looks after the kids while her other half Dan (Damien Molony) sits pale and anxious in the back. The couple are on their way to meet a group of their friends, most of whom have partners in tow, and none of whom are much more content than Zoe and Dan.
The first night of the break is a dinner and pool party at which more than one awful secret comes out; after that, the group’s decision to take a boat trip the next day seems positively reckless. This trip is going to haunt them. Catherine Shepherd’s austere drama takes its time to draw us in, with a script that isn’t afraid to include plenty of extended two-handers between characters who have a lot of stress and regret to unload. So far the result is easier to admire than it is enjoy, but the island seems to have plenty more in store for the visitors, none of it pleasant. Jack Seale
15. Tip Toe, available now, Channel 4
A shocking discovery – a man found dead near his home – opens a gripping new drama by Russell T Davies. While reminiscent of his earlier, more upbeat work like Queer as Folk, Tip Toe suggests that life for LGBTQ+ people in Britain has become significantly more challenging over the past 25 years. This is a timely and insightful series, showcasing the sharp writing of one of television’s most perceptive screenwriters.
As Davies told me recently, “Our rights are paper-thin as gay people. We’re in great danger. The fight is on. That’s what Tip Toe is about.” As events spool back 10 days prior to that shocking death, we meet Leo, who’s been locked out of his house in just vest and pants and has to call on his neighbour Clive for help.
Alan Cumming is touching as Leo, a bit of a showman in his Canal Street bar Spit & Polish, yet timid on his own doorstep. He’s well matched by David Morrissey as Clive, a troubled family man who oversteps the bounds of neighbourliness. A sense of unease pervades, heightened in a two-hander between Leo and his old friend Melba (Paul Rhys), who tries to shake him out of his complacency. “If there’s a war, you’re on the frontline.” Patrick Mulkern
16. Alice and Steve, available now, Disney+
This isn’t a love story, it’s a hilarious tale of a long-burning feud. Nicola Walker and Jemaine Clement play Alice and Steve, former college sweethearts who remained friends after their romance ended. Now, Alice is a successful but somewhat self-absorbed fashion designer, and Steve is a divorced, quick-witted hairdresser. After Alice jokingly pushes Steve to date someone new, things get complicated when he ends up connecting with her recently single daughter, Izzy. Trouble is brewing!
17. The Witness, available now, Netflix
Sadly there are numerous reasons for the 1992 murder of Rachel Nickell to live on in infamy, but this careful three-part drama finds a new angle on it. It does cover the brutality of the crime – Nickell was stabbed to death in broad daylight on Wimbledon Common -–and the farrago of the police investigation, which pursued an innocent man all the way to a collapsed trial and only caught the real culprit more than a decade later.
The focus here, though, is on Nickell’s partner Andre and the only witness to the crime, her young son Alex. As they cope with grief, anger, frustration and intrusion from a monstrously insensitive tabloid press, a delicate story about a father and son unfolds. Netflix also has an extensive new documentary about the case itself, which is a chance to meet the real Andre and Alex. Jack Seale
18. Ponies, available now, Now
This comedic drama is set in Moscow during the late 1970s and shares similarities with the show The Americans, but offers a unique take on the concept of spies living ordinary lives. The series beautifully recreates the Soviet Union of the time – think cold marketplaces filled with people smoking and strong women with bold fashion – and reveals a surprising secret: everyone working at the US embassy is actually a CIA operative. The story centers on two unlikely protagonists: Bea, a dedicated and thoughtful woman, and Twila, a cynical and outspoken one.
They went to Russia as the wives of spies but, when they become the widows of spies, they are stuck for something to do – so become spies themselves. It’s more comedy than drama, droll and offbeat without going for big belly laughs – as yet there’s not a huge amount of espionage action, either, but Bea and Twila are just getting going. Without much training but with a lot more common sense than the menfolk in their lives ever had, they are what are known in the business as Persons of No Interest. But can they stay under the radar? Jack Seale
19. A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder, available now, BBC iPlayer
I’ve noticed something really cool about today’s teen mystery fans – they don’t have to ‘grow up’ into complex mysteries anymore! It used to be you’d start with books like Nancy Drew and then move on to Agatha Christie. Now, there are amazing whodunnits written for teens, and I’m especially excited about Pip Fitz-Amobi, played by Emma Myers in ‘Wednesday’. She’s such a fantastic young detective, and I can’t wait to see her back in this new adaptation of Holly Jackson’s ‘Good Girl, Bad Blood’.
Pip, a true crime enthusiast, is a modern-day hero. Unlike the always-composed Nancy, her last investigation left her deeply affected. Still struggling with the emotional aftermath, she’s hesitant to get involved in a new missing person case. However, when Pip notices details the police dismiss, she feels driven to find the truth, even though she now understands that real-life justice is often messy and unsatisfying. – David Brown
20. Death Valley, available now, BBC iPlayer
Retired actor John Chapel (Timothy Spall) approaches solving crimes much like directing a play – he sees suspects as characters and their reasons as plot points. He’s definitely full of himself, and sometimes a bit snobby, but he’s surprisingly good at what he does. So, when a man doing community service falls – or is pushed – from a castle wall, newly promoted DI Janie Mallowan (Gwyneth Keyworth) is told she has to work with him again, much to her dismay.
The pair have been keeping their distance ever since it emerged that Chapel has been “boffing” her mum Yvonne (Melanie Walters). Chapel, however, is incapable of staying away from the spotlight. Donning a high-vis tabard with the gusto of a Shakespearean leading man in doublet and hose, he throws himself into the case. It may not be the most taxing mystery, but there’s plenty of fun in watching him grandly quote Keats and Milton, flourishing his litter-picker like a prop sword. David Brown
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Authors
David Brown is Deputy Previews Editor at TopMob, with a particular interest in crime drama and fantasy TV. He has appeared as a contributor on BBC News, Sky News and Radio 4’s Front Row and has had work published in the Guardian, the Sunday Times and the i newspaper. He has also worked as a writer and editorial consultant on the National Television Awards, as well as several documentaries profiling the likes of Lenny Henry, Billy Connolly and Take That.
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2026-06-11 09:36