Best Series on Netflix for the Winter Months

The months leading up to Christmas are prime time for binge watchers, and there is no place better than Netflix for all your night-in needs. There is something for everyone: documentaries, drama, foreign films, romance and a fully stocked selection of TV series, old and new, that will captivate you. So as the weather takes a dramatic turn for the worse, here are my top five shows for the winter months.

1. The Returned – There are two versions of this creepy thriller available on Netflix; the French original and the Netflix remake. Both are very good, although the remake is one for those who prefer more recent programmes. It has a vibe almost reminiscent of a ghost story, which makes it perfect for the time of the year as the dark evenings call for a mystery and this one will have you on the edge of your seat.
2. American Horror Story – If you haven’t already seen American Horror Story, now is the time to get into it. Halloween isn’t far away, and you could jump in at any of the stand-alone seasons (I recommend ‘Asylum’ as the strongest). Not only that, but ‘Hotel’ has recently been made available, so you have five whole seasons to enjoy.
3. The Secret Of Crickley Hall – This BBC miniseries staring Suranne Jones can only really be enjoyed to its full potential at this time of year. The suspenseful ghost story is one not easily forgotten, and is one of the BBC’s crowning glories as far as ghost stories go. If you enjoyed the likes of The Living and The Dead, this is perfect for you.
4. The Tudors – Criticised by historians as historically inaccurate, it is also very good. A slightly older historical drama from the BBC, it stars Jonathan Rhys Meyers as Henry VIII and focuses on the king’s personal life and several romances, including his marriage to Anne Boleyn, played by the magnificent Natalie Dormer (although, like all of his poor, doomed queens, she doesn’t last long). If all that isn’t enough, Wolsey (played by Sam Neill and I like to think of him as something of a historical Frank Underwood from House of Cards) and Cromwell (James Frain) provide a drama of their own for you to immerse yourself in.
5. Black Mirror – There is a whole new season of the Charlie Brooker technological dystopian drama due onto Netflix soon, but in the meantime there are already two superb series and a Christmas special to enjoy. The dark comedy provides a frightening glance at what technology could so easily become, in a “startling collection of ‘what ifs'”.