The second half of 2020 kicks off with the national premieres of 21 new series and seasons from the UK and Canada, plus four that debut in local markets.
For updates about shows from the UK, Canada, and Ireland added to US linear TV and streaming channels throughout the month, see the British TV Viewing Guide.
Programs and dates are subject to change without prior notice.
Videos below may contain content that is not suitable for everyone.
NATIONAL PREMIERES
Chimerica (UK)
Based on Lucy Kirkwood‘s play of the same name, this drama follows photojournalist Lee Berger (Alessandro Nivola, Disobedience), who returns to China to learn the identity of the man who stood defiantly in front of a tank during the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests. Costarring Cherry Jones (The Handmaid’s Tale), Terry Chen (House of Cards), Sophie Okonedo (Hotel Rwanda), F. Murray Abraham (Amadeus), and Katie Leung (Harry Potter), Chimerica premieres in the US on Thursday, July 2, exclusively on Topic.
Ice Road Rescue: Seasons 1-4 (UK)
This reality series follows an elite force of rescue workers who battle the harsh elements of Norway around the clock to help stranded motorists stuck in the snow and to keep the roads open and clear in some of the most dangerous mountain areas. Ice Road Rescue: Seasons 1-4 premieres in the US on Friday, July 3, on Disney+.
The Nest (UK)
This drama centers on Dan (Martin Compston, Line of Duty) and Emily (Sophie Rundle, Peaky Blinders), a wealthy couple who have everything except a child. They happen to meet 18-year-old Kaya (Mirren Mack, Sex Education), who agrees to be a surrogate and carry their baby. But was their meeting really by chance? The Nest, an Acorn TV Original series, premieres in the US with its first two episodes on Monday, July 13, exclusively on Acorn TV. New episodes will debut weekly.
The Capture (UK)
Recently renewed for Season 2, this thriller finds British soldier Shaun Emery (Callum Turner, War & Peace) accused of kidnapping, for which there is damning CCTV footage. As DI Rachel Carey (Holliday Grainger, C.B. Strike) investigates the case, she learns the extraordinary capabilities of intelligence services and uncovers a conspiracy. For more details, read this article. The Capture, a Peacock Original series, premieres in the US on Wednesday, July 15, exclusively on Peacock.
Intelligence (UK)
This comedy centers on a group of counter-cyber terrorism staffers at the UK’s Government Communications Headquarters, who are joined by Jerry Bernstein (David Schwimmer, Friends), a pompous American NSA agent. He quickly antagonizes the Director of Cyber Security (Sylvestra Le Touzel, The English Game) as he enlists computer analyst Joseph (Nick Mohammed, Reggie Perrin) in a power grab. Intelligence, a Peacock Original series, premieres in the US on Wednesday, July 15, exclusively on Peacock.
Killer Camp (UK)
In this satirical horror whodunit reality competition, 11 British strangers discover they are not going on a fun new reality show but participating in an over-the-top murder mystery series at camp. As they play games to earn cash during the day, each night one of them meets their untimely demise, so it’s up to the remaining campers to determine who is pulling the strings, cast out the murderer, and save themselves before it’s too late. Killer Camp premieres in the US on Thursday, July 16, at 8 PM ET, on The CW.
Mount Pleasant: Series 5 (UK)
One of my fave Brit TV premieres of 2019, this dramedy follows the lives of Lisa Johnson (Sally Lindsay, Scott & Bailey), her husband Dan (Daniel Ryan, The Bay), and their friends and family in suburban Manchester. Joining the Series 5 cast are Nicola Hughes (The Split), Patrick Robinson (Vera), Asan N’Jie (Emmerdale), and Ellen Thomas (In the Long Run). Mount Pleasant: Series 5 premieres in the US on Monday, July 20, exclusively on Acorn TV. (Rescheduled from May)
Jack Whitehall: I’m Only Joking (UK)
Award-winning actor, comedian, and presenter Jack Whitehall (Bad Education) is back with his second Netflix comedy special, an hour-long set featuring a disastrous audience interaction, absurd tales of Jack’s [in]famous father, and an uncomfortable story from the Berlin airport. Filmed at Wembley Stadium in January 2020, Jack Whitehall: I’m Only Joking, a Netflix Comedy Special, premieres globally on Tuesday, July 21, exclusively on Netflix (You can add it to your queue now). (Video is from his first Netflix special)
Murder Trial: The Disappearance of Margaret Fleming (UK/Scotland)
This two-part documentary is about the trial of Edward Cairney and Avril Jones, charged with murdering the vulnerable 35-year-old Margaret Fleming. Authorities understood she was in their care but later discovered no one had seen Margaret since 1999. Cairney and Jones were also accused of disposing of her body and claiming benefits in her name for 16 years. Murder Trial: The Disappearance of Margaret Fleming premieres in the US on Tuesday, July 21, on Sundance Now.
Best in Paradise
In this exclusive interview, Death in Paradise cast members Kris Marshall, Josephine Jobert, Don Warrington, and Tobi Bakare share their favorite episodes from the hit mystery series. Best in Paradise, a BritBox Original special, premieres in North America on Friday, July 24, exclusively on BritBox. (Photo: Kris Marshall & Joséphine Jobert, courtesy of BritBox)
Red Dwarf: The Promised Land (UK)
This special finds the litter from Lister’s (Craig Charles, Coronation Street) pregnant cat had bred and over millions of years evolved into humanoid form. Now roaming deep space in a fleet of their own, three of these cats meet Lister, whom they worship as a god, and he vows to help them flee from Rodon (Ray Fearon, His Dark Materials), a ruthless feral cat and self-declared Cat King. Costarring Danny John-Jules (Death in Paradise), Chris Barrie (Midsomer Murders), Robert Llewellyn (Alas Smith & Jones), and Norman Lovett (Last Contact), Red Dwarf: The Promised Land, a BritBox Original special, premieres in the US on Sunday, July 26, on BritBox.
Wynonna Earp: Season 4 (Canada-US)
In the latest season of this supernatural-horror western drama, the infamous Earp Curse is broken, and demon hunter Wynonna Earp (Melanie Scrofano, Bad Blood) would love to be celebrating with cold whisky and hot donuts. Too bad she has to rescue everyone she loves, save the town of Purgatory, and take on her most diabolical, Earp-hating enemy yet — all without her trustworthy gun, Peacemaker. Wynonna Earp: Season 4 premieres in the US on Sunday, July 26, at 10 PM ET, on Syfy. (Due to the pandemic, only the first 6 episodes will air, culminating in a mid-season finale on August 30. Production on the final 6 episodes is slated to resume later this summer.)
Jamie: Keep Cooking and Carry On (UK)
In his latest cookery series, Chef Jamie Oliver shows viewers numerous recipes, tips, and hacks that are specifically tailored for the unique (i.e. pandemic lockdown) times we’re living in — teaching folks how to make the most of kitchen staples and be creative with various ingredients, including pantry items purchased in a panic and forgotten-about frozen foods. Jamie: Keep Cooking and Carry On premieres in the US on Monday, July 27, exclusively on Hulu.
Maxxx (UK)
O-T Fagbenle (The Handmaid’s Tale) stars in this comedy-drama as Maxxx, an aging former boy band star-turned-tabloid laughing stock, who tries and fails to make an international comeback. But Maxxx will stop at nothing to get back on top, even if it means losing all self-respect. Costarring Pippa Bennett-Warner (Harlots), Helen Monks (Upstart Crow), and Christopher Meloni (Law & Order: SVU), Maxxx premieres in the US on Tuesday, July 28, exclusively on Hulu.
Inside the World’s Toughest Prisons: Season 4 (UK)
Journalist Raphael Rowe lives like an inmate while investigating dangerous prisons in Paraguay, Germany, Mauritius, and Lesotho. Inside the World’s Toughest Prisons: Season 4, a Netflix Original series, premieres in the US on Wednesday, July 29, exclusively on Netflix. (Video is from Season 3)
Ladhood: Season 1 (UK)
Comedian Liam Williams plays himself in this coming-of-age comedy adapted from his radio series of the same name. In it he explores the roots of modern-day masculinity by delving into the memories of his own misspent adolescence. Costarring Oscar Kennedy (The White Queen), Shaun Thomas (Emmerdale), Samuel Bottomley (Ackley Bridge), and Aqib Khan (Years and years), Ladhood: Season 1 premieres in the US on Wednesday, July 29, exclusively on Hulu.
The Dog House (UK)
This observational documentary follows the goings-on at the Wood Green animal welfare charity in Godmanchester, Cambridgeshire, where the staff are committed to matching their homeless dogs with prospective new owners. Each episode records the arrivals of unwanted pets and tells the stories of people hoping to transform their lives by adopting a new four-legged friend. The Dog House premieres in the US on Thursday, July 30, on HBO Max.
Frayed (UK-AU)
Set in 1989, this British-Australian comedy series follows Sammy Cooper (series creator, writer, and producer Sarah Kendall, Beehive), a wealthy London housewife who is forced to return to her hometown in Newcastle, Australia, after the death of her husband. In going home, she must revisit her past and the events that led her to flee as a teenager years ago. Featuring Kerry Armstrong (Bed of Roses), Ben Mingay (Packed to the Rafters), Diane Morgan (After Life), Matt Passmore (McLeod’s Daughters), and Robert Webb (Peep Show), Frayed premieres in the US on Thursday, July 30, on HBO Max.
In My Skin (UK/Wales)
The winner of the 2019 BAFTA Cymru Award for Best Television Drama, this dark-humored coming-of-age story follows 16-year-old Bethan (Gabrielle Creevy, 15 Days) as she deals with the anxieties and insecurities of teenage life, along with the reality that her home life is nothing like how she portrays it to her friends. Costarring James Wilbraham (Ordinary Lies), Poppy Lee Friar (Ackley Bridge), Jo Hartley (After Life), and Rhodri Meilir (Hidden), In My Skin premieres in the US on Thursday, July 30, exclusively on Hulu.
Brassic: Season 1 (UK)
Co-created by series star Joseph Gilgun (Preacher), this Lancashire-set comedy-drama follows the lives of bipolar Vinnie (Gilgun) and his working class friends, who wonder if life would be better if they moved away from (fictional) Hawle. Costarring Damien Molony (Suspects) and Michelle Keegan (Our Girl), and featuring Dominic West (The Affair) and Steve Evets (Vera), Brassic: Season 1 premieres in the US on Friday, July 31, exclusively on Hulu.
Get Even (UK)
This thriller sees four teens who seem to have nothing in common band together to form their own secret society, under which they play anonymous pranks to expose and exact revenge on bullies. But then Kitty (Kim Adis, The Cry), Margot (Bethany Antonia, Stath Lets Flats), Bree (Mia McKenna-Bruce, The Witcher), and Olivia (Jessica Alexander, Penny on M.A.R.S.) get blamed for a crime they didn’t commit. Get Even, a Netflix Original series, premieres in the US on Friday, July 31, exclusively on Netflix.
LOCAL/REGIONAL PREMIERES
Select public TV stations and regional networks will begin airing the following programs on or after July 1. Check you local listings or contact the station that serves your area for air dates and times. To request the show, contact your public TV station or American Public Television. (Photos in this section courtesy of APT)
The 1900 Island (UK/Wales)
This observational documentary follows four 21st-century families as they take on the challenge of living in turn-of-the-20th-century Britain in a recreated 1900 rural fishing community on the island of Llanddwyn in northwest Wales. The 1900 Island is confirmed for airing on Georgia Public Broadcasting, Idaho Public Television, KERA, KUAT, KUEN, KWSU, Louisiana Public Broadcasting, Montana PBS, NJTV (New Jersey), PBS Wisconsin, WDSE, and Wyoming PBS.
The Art Detectives: Season 4 (UK)
The new season of this art series sees hosts Bendor Grosvenor and Emma Dabiri reveal the stories behind some exciting discoveries, including a portrait at Oxford University’s Bodleian Library, a roughly-painted woodland scene in the Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery, and a Madonna and Child portrait stored at the National Museum of Wales in Cardiff. The Art Detectives: Season 4 is confirmed for airing on Idaho Public Television, KUEN, Louisiana Public Broadcasting, Maryland Public Television, WDSE, and WIPB.
How the Victorians Built Britain (UK)
This four-part documentary presented by Michael Buerk (Britain’s Secret Treasures) reveals the surprising stories and hidden heroes behind the epic constructions and inventions that transformed the face of England. How the Victorians Built Britain is confirmed for airing on Georgia Public Broadcasting, Idaho Public Television, KQEH, KUAT, KUEN, KWSU, Louisiana Public Broadcasting, Maryland Public Television, Montana PBS, PBS Wisconsin, WETA, WIPB, and WSBE.
Inside the Savoy (UK)
This documentary takes viewers beyond the lobby to discover the stories of the UK’s first-ever luxury hotel. From its innovative cuisine and drink menu, to its unrivaled reputation for service, the program examines The Savoy’s success both past and present. Inside the Savoy is confirmed for airing on KUAT, Maryland Public Television, PBS Wisconsin, WCET, WFYI, WNET, WPBS, and WSBE.
NON-PREMIERE PROGRAMS DEBUTING ON STREAMING SERVICES
Father Brown: Season 8 (UK)
Based on the character created by G.K. Chesterton in his “Father Brown” short stories, the latest season of this hit series, the third longest-running BBC Daytime drama, finds the eponymous Roman Catholic priest and crime-solving amateur sleuth (Mark Williams, Harry Potter) delving into more mysteries in the (fictional) Cotswold village of Kembleford. Read this article for more details. Father Brown: Season 8 premieres in North America on Wednesday, July 1, exclusively on BritBox. (Video is S1-7 compilation)
NON-PREMIERE PROGRAMS BEING ADDED TO STREAMING SERVICES
Titles in this section begin streaming on the dates shown below on Acorn TV and its digital channels, including Acorn TV on Amazon Channels.
Bodily Harm (UK)
Timothy Spall (Mr Turner) leads the cast of this two-part drama as Mitchel Greenfield, a family man whose world begins to collapse from a series of devastating blows on the eve of his 44th birthday. Costarring Lesley Manville (Mum), Eddie Marsan (Ray Donovan), Annette Crosbie (One Foot in the Grave), Paterson Joseph (Timeless), and Daniel Mays (White Lines), Bodily Harm begins streaming Monday, July 6.
Edward & Mary: The Unknown Tudors (UK)
Written and hosted by David Starkey (Monarchy with David Starkey), this two-part documentary tells the story of Edward and Mary, children of King Henry VII and monarchs who were connected by blood and affection and torn apart by religion, power, and some of the bloodiest episodes in English history. Edward & Mary: The Unknown Tudors begins streaming Monday, July 6.
Sensitive Skin: Series 1 (Canada)
Kim Cattrall (Sex and the City) stars in this remake of the British dark comedy of the same name as Davina, a fifty-something woman who moves with husband Al (Don McKellar, Slings & Arrows) to a hip downtown condo to breathe life into their 30-year relationship. But Davina soon finds that all their efforts do nothing to fill the emptiness she feels inside, and it isn’t long until she suffers the first in a series of delusional episodes. Sensitive Skin: Series 1 begins streaming Monday, July 6.
Wainwright Walks: Series 1 (UK)
Host Julia Bradbury explores four favorite walks of famed guidebook author, illustrator, and publisher Alfred Wainwright in England’s Lake District. Featuring stunning aerial footage and providing insight into Wainwright’s love for the region while following in his footsteps, Wainwright Walks: Series 1 begins streaming Monday, July 13.
The Yorkshire Vet: Series 6 (UK)
This observational documentary series takes viewers into the world behind the BBC drama All Creatures Great and Small, inspired by the books of Alf Wight (pen name James Herriot). Narrated by All Creatures star Christopher Timothy, the show follows Julian Norton, aka the Yorkshire Vet, and the staff at Skeldale Veterinary Centre (Wight’s original practice in Thirsk, North Yorkshire), including Peter Wright, Alf’s former trainee and the current head of practice. The Yorkshire Vet: Series 6 begins streaming Monday, July 20.
At Home with the Georgians (UK)
Based on prize-winning author Amanda Vickery‘s book Behind Closed Doors: At Home in Georgian England, this documentary series sees Vickery uncover fascinating stories of people who lived in Georgian homes, and reveal answers to Georgian era questions such as what sex is a teapot. At Home with the Georgians begins streaming Monday, July 27.
Titles in this section begin streaming on the dates shown below on BritBox and its digital channels, including BritBox on Amazon Channels. (Photos in this section courtesy of BritBox)
The Suspicions of Mr. Whicher (UK)
This collection of four feature-length mystery-crime drama stories, all set in the 1860s, stars Paddy Considine (Informer) as police detective-turned-private eye Jack Whicher. “The Murder at Road Hill House” is based on Kate Summerscale’s best-selling factual novel, while “The Murder on Angel Lane,” “Beyond The Pale,” and “The Ties That Bind” are original fictional stories that follow Whicher’s investigations during his post-Scotland Yard career. The Suspicions of Mr. Whicher begins streaming Friday, July 3.
An Inspector Calls (UK)
Based on J.B. Priestley’s timeless masterpiece of the same name, this telefilm stars David Thewlis (Harry Potter) as the mysterious Inspector Goole, who visits the wealthy Birling family during their daughter’s engagement party to inform them of the death of a young woman and their roles in the needless tragedy. An Inspector Calls begins streaming Tuesday, July 7.
“Tartan Noir on BritBox”
Tartan Noir has made its name with grim portrayals of Scotland, from body-littered streets to bleak backdrops against gray skies. In the gloom of this land awash with serial killers and career criminals, viewers can always count on some of the most relentless and adroit coppers working for justice. Joining Shetland and Stonemouth to celebrate this genre are the following Scottish TV titles:
Taggart: Seasons 12-27 (UK/Scotland)
The last 16 seasons of the world’s longest running crime TV series find DCIs Jardine (James MacPherson, The Bill) and Burke (Alex Norton, The Heist at Hatton Garden), DI Ross (John Michie, Holby City), DS/DI Reid (Blythe Duff, Hula), and DC Fraser (Colin McCredie, Outlander) investigating murders and other crimes in and around Greater Glasgow. Taggart: Seasons 12-27 begins streaming Tuesday, July 14.
Rebus: Season 1 (UK)
Based on Ian Rankin‘s “Inspector Rebus” crime novels, the first season of this gritty mystery-crime drama stars John Hannah (The Victim) as DI John Rebus, a tough, street-savvy Edinburgh cop tackling a range of crimes while battling his own demons. Rebus: Season 1 begins streaming Friday, July 17. (Photo courtesy of BritBox)
“She-Dunnit: Agatha Christie & Her Legacy” Event
BritBox celebrates the career of the ‘Queen of Crime’ Agatha Christie with an array of mystery titles, including the already streaming Agatha Christie’s Poirot, Evil Under The Sun, and The Mirror Crack’d, which are joined by the titles below, all of which begin streaming on Tuesday, July 21. (Photo courtesy of BritBox)
- Miss Marple Remastered — In this BritBox exclusive, Joan Hickson (Great Expectations), Agatha Christie’s personal pick for Miss Marple, plays the beloved elderly spinster sleuth in this remastered version.
- The Murder of Roger Ackroyd – Radio Version — This one-hour radio play, adapted by Orson Welles from the novel for the Nov. 12, 1939, episode of The Campbell Playhouse, marked the first Christie adaptation for an American audience. In it Welles plays Belgian private detective Hercule Poirot (as well as Dr Sheppard), who retires to the country to grow vegetable marrows and soon discovers that someone has planted the seeds of treachery — and of murder.
- Unfinished Portrait: The Life of Agatha Christie — Narrated by Joan Hickson, this biopic of Agatha Christie unravels the author’s mysterious life and her shared obsession with murder.
The Fall: Seasons 1-3 (UK/NI)
This multiple award-winning crime thriller stars Gillian Anderson (The X-Files) as DSI Stella Gibson, whose secondment from the Metropolitan Police to the Police Service of Northern Ireland leads to her overseeing the search for Paul Spector (Jamie Dornan, Fifty Shades of Grey), a serial killer attacking young professional women in Belfast. The Fall: Seasons 1-3 begins streaming Tuesday, July 28.
River (UK)
The show I named the best new UK drama series of 2015, this mystery-crime drama stars Stellan Skarsgård (Chernobyl) as John River, a brilliant but troubled detective who is wracked by love and loss and torn between the living and the dead while investigating the murder of his former partner, Stevie (Nicola Walker, Unforgotten). River begins streaming Friday, July 31.
Titles in this section begin streaming on the dates shown below on Disney+.
Wild Chile, Wild Congo & Wild Sri Lanka (UK)
Wild Chile explores the wildlife of the South American country, which encompasses a diverse range of animals and plants. It begins streaming Friday, July 17.
Wild Congo is about Africa’s most mysterious, dangerous and biggest river — the second largest on Earth — featuring forest elephants, lowland gorillas, and never-before-filmed underwater beasts. It begins streaming Friday, July 24.
And Wild Sri Lanka follows researchers who use modern science and technology to take stock of what lives on Sri Lanka, a tropical island in the Indian Ocean that had been wracked for decades by civil war. It begins streaming Friday, July 24.
Titles in this section begin streaming on the dates shown below on the PBS Masterpiece Prime Video Channel.
Secrets of Highclere Castle (UK)
This documentary takes viewers inside the magnificent manor house best known by millions as the setting of Downton Abbey. But the 1300-year-old Highclere Castle, in its heyday the social epicenter of Edwardian England, has its own stories to tell, as do its the current inhabitants, Lord and Lady Carnarvon. Secrets of Highclere Castle begins streaming Wednesday, July 1.
Worricker Trilogy (UK)
David Hare’s spy trilogy — consisting of the feature-length thrillers “Page Eight,” “Salting the Battlefield” and “Turks & Caicos” — exposes the battles inside the intelligence community that rage in the name of security. Bill Nighy (Love Actually) stars as Johnny Worricker, a long-serving MI5 officer whose professional and personal lives get turned inside out. Worricker Trilogy begins streaming Wednesday, July 1.
Frankie Drake Mysteries: Season 3 (Canada)
Recently renewed for a fourth season, this period mystery series set in 1920s Toronto finds private detectives and business partners Frankie Drake (Lauren Lee Smith, This Life) and Trudy Clarke (Chantel Riley, Wynonna Earp) tackling cases that involve Agatha Christie, a mermaid-themed jazz club, swanky Toronto private schools, and more. Frankie Drake Mysteries: Season 3 begins streaming Friday, July 17.
Titles in this section begin streaming on the dates shown below on Peacock.
Downton Abbey (UK)
This critically-acclaimed, multiple award-winning, fan-favorite costume drama caused a tectonic shift in the landscape of British television and drew millions upon millions of global viewers to telly each week for its rich stories about the aristocratic Crawley family and their below-stairs staff over the course of six glorious seasons. Downton Abbey begins streaming Wednesday, July 1.
Titles in this section begin streaming on the dates shown below on Sundance Now and its digital channels, including Sundance Now on Amazon Channels.
The Fall: Season 2 (UK/NI)
Opening ten days after the events in the Series 1 finale, the second season of this taut crime thriller sees serial killer Paul Spector (Jamie Dornan, Fifty Shades of Grey) returning to Belfast to tie up some loose ends, and Detective Superintendent Stella Gibson (Gillian Anderson, The X-Files) finding crucial evidence that puts her hot on his trail once more. The Fall: Season 2 begins streaming Thursday, July 9.
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Did you miss any of the new shows from previous days, weeks, or months? Check out the British TV Viewing Guide and Archives to find out.
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For details about the July premieres of shows from Australia and New Zealand, visit The Down Under TV Place. For those about the debuts of original-language, English-subtitled programs from Europe, visit The Euro TV Place.
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