The BBC has announced a line-up of new dramas, and they sound seriously good. From time-travelling drama to a much-loved stage adaptation, here are our top picks from BBC’s new line-up of shows coming to the network…
Dear England
Perhaps one of the most exciting instalments in BBC’s new line-up of shows is the TV adaptation of Dear England, based on the hugely popular theatre show of the same name that looks at Gareth Southgate’s career after becoming manager of the England team.
The Handmaid’s Tale star Joseph Fiennes will star as Gareth after portraying the football legend throughout the theatre production. The story comes from screenwriter James Graham, who fans might know from his hit show Quiz. Long story short? We can’t wait.
The Ministry of Time
Based on the debut novel The Ministry of Time, the story follows a newly established government department gathering ‘expats’ from across history in an experiment to test the viability of time travel. Sounds amazing, right?
The synopsis reads: “Commander Graham Gore (an officer on Sir John Franklin's doomed 1845 Arctic expedition) is one such figure rescued from certain death – alongside an army captain from the fields of the Somme, a plague victim from the 1600s, a widow from revolutionary France, and a soldier from the seventeenth century.
“The expats are placed with 21st-century liaisons, known as 'bridges', in unlikely flatshares. Gore has to learn about contemporary life from scratch: from air travel to industrial warfare, from feminism to Spotify, from cinema to indoor plumbing; and he must negotiate cohabiting with the ambitious modern woman who works as his bridge.”
Blue Lights
If you have yet to watch Blue Lights season one, you’re missing out! The fantastic police procedural show will be back for three more seasons as it explores life as a member of the police in Belfast. With season two set to air in spring, we can’t wait to see what’s in store for the gripping and darkly funny drama.
Lindsay Salt, BBC Director of Drama said: “We were bowled over by the reaction to Blue Lights and I’m pleased to be confirming our commitment to bring two more series of our beloved Belfast drama to air. Adam and Declan have brilliant ideas about where to take the characters next and I can’t wait for viewers to see what’s in store.”
Film Club
Sex Education star Aimee Lou Wood is back on our screens with an exciting new comedy-drama, and we can’t wait! The synopsis reads: “Every Thursday. 9 pm. Tom and Evie watch a film together in her garage. Evie lovingly decorates the space to match the film of the week - from a yellow brick road for The Wizard of Oz to a spacecraft for Alien. It's magical. They’re there for the love of the movies. Or at least, that’s what they tell themselves.
“In reality, Tom is madly in love with Evie. What he doesn’t know is that Evie is in love with him too. But when Tom accepts a job at the other end of the country, their happily ever after comes under threat. He's leaving in six weeks. That means Evie has six film clubs left to tell Tom how she feels or risk losing him forever.”
Lions
Created by Richard Gadd (who also has a Netflix show in the works, busy man), the story follows Niall, who is shocked when his estranged brother Ruben shows up at his wedding. His arrival leads to an explosion of violence that catapults us back through their lives as it covers the highs and lows of their relationships - including just why they fell out all of those years ago.
The Split-Up
If you loved The Split, you’ll love it’s new spin-off! The story follows the ‘go-to firm’ for Manchester’s elite ‘Kishan Law’, but the future of the firm hangs in the balance when a family secret from the past comes to light, throwing their professional and personal lives into turmoil.
Speaking about the show, writer Ursula Rani Sarma said: “I watched The Split with admiration over the years and I was honoured to be asked to create The Split Up: a spin-off which introduces a whole new family and city while still holding on to the warmth, humour and heartbreak of Abi Morgan’s original series.”
The Listeners
This series follows an English teacher who begins to hear a low humming sound that no one else around her can hear. The noise gradually becomes a huge problem, creating drama between herself and her husband and daughter. However, she then discovers that one of her students can also hear the sound, and the pair become friends.