It’s a new year — and good news: last year’s Outstanding Drama Emmy winner “The Pitt” returned to HBO on January 8. Keep an eye out for Netflix’s new mystery series that’s getting buzz, “His & Hers,” which also premiered Jan. 8. On the cozier end of the spectrum, the feel-good PBS favorite “All Creatures Great and Small” launched its sixth season on Jan. 11.
Here are a few other streaming picks to consider:
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“Task”
This critically-acclaimed HBO crime drama deserves to be in this year’s awards conversation. Created by Brad Ingelsby, whose “Mare of Easttown” became a big hit, “Task” pairs sharp writing with two outstanding performances. Mark Ruffalo gives a nuanced portrayal as a former priest turned FBI agent in Philadelphia, leading an investigation into a string of violent drug-related robberies. Tom Pelphrey (“Ozark”) is superb and compelling as a garbage collector by day and the conflicted leader of a heist crew by night, an anti-hero driven by the need to provide for his two children and niece.
Both men are grappling with complicated personal lives, and the series mines that moral gray zone with intensity. Grim but gripping, “Task” has already been renewed for a second season slated for late 2026. (TV-MA) Season 1, seven episodes, HBO.
“Blue Lights”
Season 3 of this BBC police drama arrived in the U.S. in November — but make sure you start with Seasons 1 and 2. The earlier episodes lay the groundwork for the show’s subtle overarching story and character arcs.
Set in Belfast, the series follows three probationary recruits and the experienced officers who work to train and mentor them. With a strong ensemble cast and layered characters, the series gives an authentic perspective of rookies policing on the front lines — dealing with dangerous present-day issues of drug trafficking and crime, and the lingering legacy of old political groups and sectarian feuds. Multiple storylines are interwoven with both tension and humor. (TV-MA) All three six-episode seasons are available on BritBox (through Prime) and the BBC has already commissioned a fourth.
“The Lowdown”
This is a must if you’re an Ethan Hawke fan. He gives an award-worthy portrayal of Lee Raybon, an eccentric bookstore owner who freelances as an investigative journalist in Tulsa. Show creator Sterlin Harjo is known for the acclaimed series “Reservation Dogs.” Raybon’s exposé on a powerful local family leads him into dangerous territory when he refuses to give up his pursuit of the truth behind the suspicious death of a key member of the family.
Heavy on dialogue and authentic regional atmosphere, it’s a neo-noir with dark humor that tackles corruption, the need for local journalism, and Tulsa’s thorny racial history. A second season is up in the air but frankly the single season felt complete. (TV-MA) Season 1, eight episodes, FX/Hulu.
MAYBE
“Pluribus”
If you’re a dystopian sci-fi and/or Vince Gillian fan (“Breaking Bad,” “Better Call Saul”), his new series might be for you. This is a bizarrely-premised series (like “Severance”) in which the protagonist and viewers spend much of the first season trying to figure out what on Earth is going on — on Earth. A mystery virus has taken over the planet and turned everyone but a handful of people, into a cheerful mindless collective. The jury is out on this one. (TV-MA) Season 1, nine episodes on Apple TV+.
“All Her Fault”
If you’d rather pick a bingeable mystery thriller with a more immediate payoff, this single-season story starring Sarah Snook (“Succession”) is for you. The plot is based on a mother’s worst nightmare — going to pick up your child from a first playdate and discovering he’s missing. The series starts and ends with a bang, delivers plenty of twists, though the middle episodes drag. (TV-MA) Season 1, eight episodes, Peacock.
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“Palm Royale”
The new season of Apple TV’s period dramedy series once again misses the mark. Despite solid performances from an all-star cast, including Kristen Wiig, Allison Janney, and the incomparable Carol Burnett, the show remains a mélange of unlikeable characters: superficial, money-grubbing, social climbers, with the lone exception of Ricky Martin as the closeted bartender with a heart of gold. Elaborate 1960s Palm Beach sets and costumes are undeniable eye candy, but the series itself is still all froth: high style, low substance. (TV-MA) Season 2, a 10-part series, is streaming on Apple TV+.
Under the Radar
“The Night Manager”
It’s been 10 years since the British espionage thriller “The Night Manager” first aired on BBC/AMC. Based on the John le Carré novel, the series follows a former soldier turned night manager of a luxury Cairo hotel who’s pulled into a British intelligence undercover operation to infiltrate the inner circle of a billionaire arms dealer.
The cast is pitch perfect: Tom Hiddleston as the reluctant but resolute spy, and Hugh Laurie delivering a mesmerizing, quietly chilling performance as the villain. The series is tightly paced, suspenseful, and stylish, with Cairo and Europe as a sumptuous backdrop. (TV-MA) Watch Season 1 — a terrific six-part series, on Prime.
