Empire – Season 2, E4, Autumn TBC
The return of one of the biggest recent US imports, about hip-hop mogul Lucious Lyon and his family.
Starring… Terrence Howard, Taraji P. Henson
You’ll like this if you liked… Friday Night Lights
Sex… According toJessie Smollett, who as Jamal had his fair share of season one gay sex scenes. “Trust me, you will all see more and more and more,” he says.
Drugs… Funny you should mention them, they’re the reason Lucious’ ex wife Cookie spent 17 years in prison, and what his “empire” was built on.
Crime… Lucious got sent to prison at the end of season one and will spend a large chunk of season two there as well.
This Is England 90 – Channel 4, 13 September, 9pm
The likely-final instalment of Shane Meadows’ British institution, this time imbued with Fred Perry, Gazza’s tears and inadvisable raves in fields.
Starring… Vicky McClure, Joe Gilgun
You’ll like this if you liked… Our Friends In The North
Sex… This Is England. There is sex.
Drugs… They go to raves in the 90s; draw conclusions you see fit.
Crime… Combo is released from prison for Mick’s manslaughter.
Rectify – AMC Global, 1 September, 9pm
Daniel Holden has been on death row for 19 years and then, one day, he’s released. From the producers of Breaking Bad.
Starring… Aden Young, Abigail Spencer
You’ll like this if you liked… Bloodline
Sex… Sex? There are profound questions to ask about humanity here, there’s no time for sex.
Drugs… A mushroom trip is fundamental.
Crime… Oddly Daniel’s guilt or lack of it becomes less important than many other aspects of this show.
The Last Panthers – Sky Atlantic, November
Based on the Balkan jewel thieves, the Pink Panthers, this is an ambitious trilingual thriller filmed across multiple European countries.
Starring… Samantha Morton, John Hurt
You’ll like this if you liked…Spiral
Sex…It’s written by Jack Thorne whose credits include Skins, so someone will probably find time between heists.
Drugs… There is drug trafficking too now you mention it.
Crime… Mais oui, The Last Panthers is all heists and gangsters.
The Affair – Season 2, Sky Atlantic, October
Golden Globe-winning show about a married man and woman who embark on an affair. Infinitely superior to that reductive description.
Starring… Dominic West, Ruth Wilson
You’ll like this if you liked… Mad Men
Sex… The clue’s in the name.
Drugs… Alison’s family are the Hamptons narcotics source.
Crime… The show flashes forward to Noah and Alison being interviewed by police over a local murder.
Homeland – Season 5, Channel 4, Autumn TBC
Set in Berlin two years after season four ended, with former CIA agent Carrie now working for a private security firm.
Starring… Claire Danes, Mandy Patinkin
You’ll like this if you liked… 24, but wished terrible things to befall Kim Bauer.
Sex… Always a given with Carrie.
Drugs… If we’re talking about the bipolar medicine in Carrie’s bathroom cabinet?
Crime… On a grand scale, though the suggestion is that the focus will shift from Islamic terrorism this season.
Jessica Jones – Netflix, November TBC
Part of Netflix’s Marvel series, but more psychological thriller than comic.
Starring… Krysten Ritter, David Tennant
You’ll like this if you liked… Daredevil.
Sex…. Well,Jessica Jones is based on a rather adult comic book, Alias, which was published under the adult-rated Marvel Max.
Drugs… Not this one, turn left on your Netflix homepage and go for Narcos instead.
Crime… Plenty of it. After her career as a superhero ended, Jessica is now running a detective agency.
Blindspot – Sky Living, TBC Autumn
A woman is found in a bag in Times Square with no memories and myriad recently inked tattoos, including the name of an FBI agent.
Starring… Jaimie Alexander, Sullivan Stapleton
You’ll like this if you liked… Sense8
Sex… Don’t rule it out between Jane Doe and the agent.
Drugs… Does an experimental memory loss drug count?
Crime… It’s safe to presume so, when a woman is in a bag in New York with no memory.
The Bridge/Bron – Season 3, BBC4, Autumn TBC
It’s the latest season of the Scandinavian crime drama which sets itself above the rest because if its cult Swedish homicide detective character, Saga Noren.
Starring…Sofia Helin.
You’ll like this if you liked…The Killing, though this is marginally less gruelling.
Sex… Saga’s newly single and partial to the odd one-night stand so most likely, yes.
Drugs… Probably injected into someone’s arm by a terrifying Danish criminal.
Crime… Just a little: see mention of the main character being a homicide detective.
The Man In The High Castle – Amazon Prime, November TBC
Adapted from the Philip K Dick dystopia outlining an alternate American history, where the country is ruled by the Nazis.
Starring… Rupert Evans, Alexa Davalos, Rufus Sewell
You’ll like this if you liked… Wayward Pines
Sex…Takes a back seat while nuclear powers and world domination are dealt with.
Drugs…You may feel like you’ve taken some if you think too much about alternate realities.
Crime…Torture, corruption: Dick (and executive producer Ridley Scott) brings you the lot.
Credits
Text Caroline Corcoran