Daylight Savings Time begins this Sunday, which means stateside viewers will have an extra hour to watch four of the nineteen new shows and seasons premiering nationally this month.
For updates about shows from the UK, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, and Canada added to US channels and streaming services throughout the month, see the British TV Viewing Guide.
NATIONAL PREMIERES
George Gently: Series 8 (Final) (UK)
All good things must come to an end, and this hit mystery-crime drama series concludes its run after a decade, leaving its legions of fans devastated before the beginning of the end has even happened. The final series consists of two feature-length episodes, which you can read about here. George Gently: Series 8 premieres in the US on Wednesday, November 1st, exclusively on Acorn TV.
Back (UK)
The comedy duo of David Mitchell and Robert Webb (That Mitchell and Webb Look) are back in this new comedy, their first together since Peep Show ended two years ago. Mitchell plays Stephen Nichols, who’s about to take over the family’s pub business after the death of his father, only to have Andrew Donnelly (Webb), his estranged foster brother, back in his life and stealing his family. Back premieres in the US on Thursday, November 2nd, exclusively on Sundance Now.
Alias Grace (Canada)
Based on the historical fiction novel of the same name by Man Booker Prize winner Margaret Atwood (The Handmaid’s Tale), this biopic drama tells the story of Grace Marks (Sarah Gadon, Being Erica), a poor, young Irish immigrant and domestic servant in Upper Canada who, along with stable hand James McDermott (Kerr Logan, C.B. Strike), was convicted in 1843 of the brutal murders of their employer, Thomas Kinnear (Paul Gross, Slings and Arrows), and his housekeeper, Nancy Montgomery (Anna Paquin, True Blood). Alias Grace, a Netflix Global Original series, premieres in the US on Friday, November 3rd, exclusively on Netflix.
The Big Family Cooking Showdown (UK)
This new competition show is like Family Feud in the kitchen, only with three members per team engaged in cooking challenges. Hosted by Nadiya Hussain, winner of The Great British Baking Show: Season 3, and English TV and radio personality Zoë Ball, the program features eight weekly heats of three timed challenges, with winners moving on to the semi-finals and final. The judges are London-based, Michelin-starred Italian chef and author Giorgio Locatelli (Made in Italy: Food and Stories), and British chef, haute cuisine cookery teacher, and author Rosemary Shrager (Rosemary Shrager’s Absolutely Foolproof Food for Family & Friends). The Big Family Cooking Showdown, a Netflix Original series, premieres in the US on Friday, November 3rd, exclusively on Netflix.
The A Word: Season 2 (UK)
Set two years after Season 1, this drama’s new season finds Alison (Morven Christie, Grantchester) and Paul Hughes (Lee Ingleby, George Gently) and their extended family recognizing and accepting their son Joe’s (Max Vento, Cotton Wool) autism. They’ve also reinvented themselves, but Joe inadvertently exposes the truth behind their facades. Featuring Christopher Eccleston (Doctor Who), Vinette Robinson (Sherlock), Greg McHugh (Gary Tank Commander), and Molly Wright (Our Girl), The A Word: Season 2 premieres in the US on Wednesday, November 8th, at 10 PM ET, on SundanceTV.
Five by Five (UK)
Five writers. Five characters. One story. Set in London, this special is made up of five standalone short films that feature chance encounters between people, which question identity and change perceptions. At its center is a teenager looking to make his mark, but reality doesn’t quite deliver. A happenstance leads him to make a dangerous decision, which starts a chain reaction that plays out across the interconnected films. Idris Elba (Luther) leads the cast, which includes Georgina Campbell (Broadchurch), Ben Tavassoli (New Blood), and Sope Dirisu (The Halcyon). Five by Five premieres in the US on Wednesday, November 8th, exclusively on BritBox.
The Lord Mayor’s Show (UK)
One of the most ancient and impressive of London traditions continues this year, as the new Lord Mayor of London processes through its historic center on route to swear allegiance to the Crown. Now in its 802nd year, it features more than 140 floats of pageantry and military bands and attracts huge crowds to the capital city. The Lord Mayor’s Show premieres in the US on Saturday, November 11th, exclusively on BritBox. Note that this is a LIVE event, which starts at 9 AM BST with the flotilla. Visit the event’s website for more details.
Remembrance Sunday: The Cenotaph (UK)
This annual event from the Cenotaph in Whitehall pays tribute to the contribution of British and Commonwealth military and civilian servicemen and women in the two World Wars and later conflicts. For the first time since she ascended the throne, Queen Elizabeth II will observe the proceedings alongside Prince Philip from the balcony of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, where below the Prince of Wales will lay the wreath on her behalf. The Prime Minister, leading politicians, governments of the Commonwealth, the Armed Forces, and Faith Leaders will join thousands of veterans for the Two Minute Silence and a short Service of Dedication, followed by the march past the Cenotaph by serving and ex-service men and women. Remembrance Sunday: The Cenotaph premieres in the US on Sunday, November 12th, exclusively on BritBox. This is also a LIVE event, which starts at 11 AM BST.
Are You Being Served? (2016) (UK)
Last year the BBC celebrated 60 years of sitcoms at the network by “revisiting” a few of their classic shows with new casts. One was Are You Being Served?, which returned as this one-off special featuring Jason Watkins (W1A) as Mr. Humphries, Sherrie Hewson (Benidorm) as Mrs. Slocombe, John Challis (Only Fools and Horses….) as Captain Peacock, the late Roy Barraclough (Coronation Street) as Mr. Grainger, and Niky Wardley (The Catherine Tate Show) as Miss Brahms. Are You Being Served? (2016) premieres in the US on Wednesday, November 15th, exclusively on BritBox.
Porridge (2016) (UK)
Porridge, the iconic, BAFTA-winning 1970s prison-set comedy, was updated with Kevin Bishop (Super Fun Night) starring as Nigel Fletcher, grandson of (the original series’) Norman Fletcher. Like his granddad, Fletch finds himself in an almost identical situation and uses his charm and wit to navigate life in Wakeley Prison. Written by Dick Clement and Ian La Frenais, who penned the original series, and featuring Dave Hill (EastEnders) and Mark Bonnar (Shetland), Porridge premieres in the US on Wednesday, November 15th, exclusively on BritBox.
Young Hyacinth (UK)
Lastly, Keeping Up Appearances got the prequel treatment with original series writer Roy Clarke penning this one-off special. Set in the late 1950s, Hyacinth (Kerry Howard, Him & Her) dreams of her own home, matching china, and a bedroom painted in pastel shades. Sadly, her sisters Daisy (Katherine Pearce, Three Girls), Rose (Katie Redford, Doctors), and Violet (Tamla Kari, The Musketeers) don’t live up to her high standards. Rather, they all live together in a crowded canal cottage with their daddy (Mark Addy, Atlantis), a part-time brush salesman with a drinking problem. Young Hyacinth premieres in the US on Wednesday, November 15th, exclusively on BritBox.
GameFace (UK)
Written by and starring English comedienne and actress Roisin Conaty (Man Down), this comedy series follows thirty-something Marcella (Conaty) as she spiritedly crashes her way through life, assisted by her dubious life-coach (Karl Theobald, Plebs), best friends, and ever-patient driving instructor (Damien Molony, Suspects). Bouncing back from a seismic break-up, clinging on to her dream of becoming an actress, and (finally) learning to drive, Marcella is on a mission to change her future for the better. GameFace premieres in the US on Thursday, November 16th, exclusively on Hulu.
A Place to Call Home: Series 5 (Australia)
Opening in 1958, four years after the events in Series 4, the new season of this addictive period drama finds Sarah Adams (Marta Dusseldorp, Janet King), George Bligh (Brett Climo, Snowy River: The McGregor Saga), and the rest of the Bligh family and their intimates dealing with new as well as ongoing challenges — from differences of opinion and prejudices regarding race, religion, and sexual orientation, to marital, health, and societal issues… to the return of Regina Bligh (Jenni Baird, All Saints). A Place to Call Home: Series 5 premieres in the US on Thanksgiving Day, November 23rd, on Acorn TV.
Frontier: Season 2 (Canada)
Already renewed for a third season, this adventure drama series follows the chaotic and violent struggle to control wealth and power in the North American fur trade in the late 18th century. Starring Jason Momoa (Game of Thrones), Jessica Matten (Blackstone), and Landon Liboiron (Hemlock Grove), Frontier: Season 2, a Netflix Original series, premieres in the US on Friday, November 24th, exclusively on Netflix.
Trailer Park Boys: Out of the Park: USA (Canada)
The boys — Julian (John Paul Tremblay), Ricky (Robb Wells), and Bubbles (Mike Smith) — are back. Following their trip to Europe, the Canuck trio head south of the border and will undoubtedly drop f-bombs aplenty during their (typical) misadventures. Trailer Park Boys: Out of the Park: USA, a Netflix Original series, premieres in the US on Friday, November 24th, exclusively on Netflix. (Photo courtesy of Netflix)
Glitch: Season 2 (Australia)
One of the best new shows of 2016, this sci-fi drama returns with a new threat arriving in Yoorana while local cop James (Patrick Brammall, Offspring) continues to help the Risen. If they’re going to unravel the mystery of how and why they’ve returned from the dead, they’d better do it quickly, because the boundary they’ve been (re)living safely inside of is shrinking. Featuring Genevieve O’Reilly (Tin Star), Emma Booth (Underbelly), Ned Dennehy (Good Omens), and Rodger Corser (The Heart Guy), Glitch: Season 2, a Netflix Original series, premieres in the US on Tuesday, November 28th, exclusively on Netflix.
Vikings: Season 5 (Ireland/Canada)
Already renewed for Season 6, this historical drama’s fifth season opens soon after the Season 4 finale, with Ivar the Boneless (Alex Høgh Andersen, A War) asserting his leadership over the Great Heathen Army, while Lagertha (Katheryn Winnick, Bones) reigns as Queen of Kattegat and Ragnar’s sons plot their next moves after avenging their father’s death. Jonathan Rhys Meyers (The Tudors), now a series regular, returns as warrior bishop Heahmund, with Darren Cahill (Red Rock) joining the cast as Aethelwulf’s son, Aethelred, and Kieran O’Reilly (Love/Hate) coming on board as White Hair. Vikings: Season 5 premieres in the US on Wednesday, November 29th, on History.
I’m A Celebrity, Get Me Out Of Here (UK)
Hosted by the ultra-popular, multiple-award-winning presenting duo of Ant & Dec, this celeb reality-survival-competition show returns for its 17th season in the UK, its first in the US. Leaving their plush pads and luxuries far behind, celebrity campers spend up to three weeks taking on the harsh surroundings of the Australian jungle, with a whole host of brand-new nasty surprises created just for them as they battle for the title of King or Queen of the Jungle. I’m A Celebrity, Get Me Out Of Here premieres in the US (date TBA) exclusively on BritBox. (Photo courtesy of BritBox)
Love, Lies & Records (UK)
Written by BAFTA Awards winner Kay Mellor (In the Club), this drama stars Emmy® nominee Ashley Jensen (Agatha Raisin) as Kate Dickenson, a registrar juggling her personal life with the daily dramas of births, marriages and deaths, and the impact they have on her. Costarring Adrian Bower (The Last Kingdom), Kenny Doughty (Vera), Rebecca Front (Doctor Thorne), and Mark Stanley (Dickensian), Love, Lies & Records, an Acorn TV Original Series, premieres in the US (date TBA) exclusively on Acorn TV. (Photo courtesy of Acorn TV)
UPDATE: Love, Lies & Records premieres in the US on Monday, November 20th, on Acorn TV.
LOCAL PREMIERES
The first two series below begin their broadcast premieres starting this month. Air dates and times vary by market, so check your local listings or contact the public TV station that serves your area for details.
Hinterland: Series 3 (UK)
The third and final season of this Welsh noir crime drama finds DCI Tom Mathias (Richard Harrington, Poldark) and DI Mared Rhys (Mali Harries, The Indian Doctor) working to solve four cases, all while DS Sian Owen (Hannah Daniel, Keeping Faith) investigates the attack on Mathias and the fire that destroyed his home… as well as Mathias himself. The series finale is a can’t-miss humdinger. Hinterland: Series 3 is confirmed for airing on the following public TV stations and regional networks:
| STATE | CITY | STATION |
|---|---|---|
| ALASKA | Anchorage, Bethel, Juneau |  |
| CALIFORNIA | San Diego |  |
| COLORADO | Denver |  |
| CONNECTICUT | Fairfield, Hartford, New Haven, Norwich |  |
| DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA | Washington, DC |  |
| IDAHO | Boise, Coeur d’Alene, Moscow, Pocatello, Twin Falls |  |
| MASSACHUSETTS | Boston, Springfield |  |
| MONTANA | Billings, Bozeman, Great Falls, Kalispell, Missoula |  |
| NEW HAMPSHIRE | Durham, Hanover, Keene, Littleton |  |
| NEW YORK | Garden City, New York City |  |
| NEW YORK | Norwood, Watertown |  |
| OREGON | Bend, Corvallis, Eugene, La Grande, Portland |  |
| TEXAS | Austin |  |
| UTAH | Provo |  |
Penelope Keith’s At Her Majesty’s Service (UK)
Dame Penelope Keith (To the Manor Born) follows up her hugely popular series, Penelope Keith’s Hidden Villages, with this four-part program. Here she takes viewers behind the closed doors of Queen Elizabeth’s royal residences across the UK — Windsor in London, Hollyrood and Inverary in Scotland, Hillsborough in Northern Ireland, and Caernarfon in Wales — and gives us access to rooms not typically seen by tourists while showing us the daily life of palace staff. Read this article for details and the complete list of public TV stations that will air the show.
Life (UK)
Narrated by Sir David Attenborough, this fascinating documentary series explores global wildlife habitats and the obstacles that animals face and must overcome (through their often extraordinary strategies) in order to ensure their survival. Filmed across every continent on the planet, Life premieres November 7th, at 9 PM PT, on KCET, the largest independent public TV station in the country.
NON-PREMIERE PROGRAMS ADDED TO STREAMING SERVICES
Line of Duty: Series 3 (UK)
The key members of AC-12 — DS Steve Arnott (Martin Compston, In Plain Sight), DC Kate Fleming (Vicki McClure, Broadchurch), DS “Dot” Cottan (Craig Parkinson, Indian Summers), and Supt. Ted Hastings (Adrian Dunbar, Broken) — investigate Sgt. Danny Waldron (Daniel Mays, Mrs. Biggs) and the officers in his armed-response unit following the shooting death of a criminal suspect. Waldron & co. claim it was self-defense, despite the evidence suggesting it was cold-blooded murder. For details, read this article. With Series 5 in the works, Line of Duty: Series 3 begins streaming Monday, November 6th, on Acorn TV and the Acorn TV Channel on Amazon.
Poirot: Super Sleuths (UK)
Narrated by actor Sean Pertwee (Gotham), this behind-the-scenes documentary pays tribute to Agatha Christie and her most famous character, Hercule Poirot. Providing insight into the creation and TV adaptations of her “Poirot” stories are David Suchet (pictured), who starred as the Belgian detective in all 70 episodes of Agatha Christie’s Poirot; Hugh Fraser and Philip Jackson, who costarred as Hastings and Inspector Japp, respectively; and Anthony Horowitz, who wrote eleven of the episodes. Poirot: Super Sleuths begins streaming Monday, November 6th, on Acorn TV and the Acorn TV Channel on Amazon.
Alibi (UK)
Written by BAFTA winner Paul Abbott (Cracker), this psychological thriller stars Michael Kitchen (Foyle’s War) as Greg Brentwood, the hen-pecked husband of Linda (Phyllis Logan, Downton Abbey). After Greg’s post-anniversary party scuffle with his business partner leads to the latter’s death, he convinces catering server Marcey Burgess (Sophie Okonedo, Undercover) that it was an accident, and she helps him to clean up the mess and dispose of the body. Then the plot really thickens… Alibi begins streaming Monday, November 13th, on Acorn TV and the Acorn TV Channel on Amazon.
Trial & Retribution: Cases 15-22 (UK)
Created and written by Lynda La Plante (Prime Suspect), this intense and long-running detective drama stars David Hayman (The Paradise), Dorian Lough (New Blood), and Victoria Smurfit (Once Upon a Time). Guest stars in the final eight stories include John Lynch (The Fall), Tom Ellis (Lucifer), Kevin Doyle (Downton Abbey), Vincent Regan (Snatch), and Ruth Gemmell (Home Fires). Trial & Retribution: Cases 15-22 (the final ones) begins streaming Monday, November 13th, on Acorn TV and the Acorn TV Channel on Amazon.
East West 101: Complete Series (Australia)
Don Hany (Serangoon Road) stars as Zane Malik, a Muslim detective in Sydney’s Major Crime Squad, in this gritty, multi-award winning crime drama, whose themes highlight Eastern and Western culture clashes as well as the dichotomy between the lives of affluent Anglo-Australians living in Sydney’s eastern suburbs and the less-well-off immigrants in the western suburbs. Featuring Susie Porter (Janet King), Aaron Fa’aoso (The Straits), Daniela Farinacci (Glitch), Renee Lim (Please Like Me), and Tasneem Roc (Reef Doctors), East West 101: Series 1, 2 and 3 begins streaming Monday, November 20th, on Acorn TV and the Acorn TV Channel on Amazon.
(All photos in the above section courtesy of Acorn TV)
Home Fires: Series 2 (UK)
Opening a month after the Season 1 finale, this period drama finds war taking its toll on the community of Great Paxford. Yet life goes on, including marriage and divorce, secrets and scandals, love and friendship. Featuring an all-star cast led by Francesca Annis (Cranford) and Samantha Bond (Downton Abbey), Home Fires: Series 2 begins streaming Tuesday, November 7th, as an Amazon Prime Video selection.
(By the way, the novel Keep the Home Fires Burning, penned by Simon Block, who wrote the TV series, continues the Home Fires story from where Season 2 leaves off.)
Dark Angel (UK)
Inspired by the book Mary Ann Cotton: Britain’s First Female Serial Killer by David Wilson, this biopic drama stars Joanne Froggatt (Downton Abbey) as Cotton — the Victorian era serial murderer who killed multiple husbands for the insurance money. Featuring Alun Armstrong (Frontier) and Jonas Armstrong (Robin Hood), Dark Angel begins streaming Tuesday, November 21st, as an Amazon Prime Video selection.
Armadillo (UK/US)
Adapted by William Boyd from his best-selling novel, this miniseries stars James Frain (The Tudors) as Lorimer Black, a clever, insomniac insurance loss adjuster whose already-complicated life gets more so after he stumbles upon the body of a dead man and falls for an unhappily-married actress (Catherine McCormack, Genius). Featuring Hugh Bonneville (Downton Abbey), Stephen Rea (Dickensian), and Tom Hiddleston (The Night Manager), Armadillo begins streaming Wednesday, November 1st, exclusively on BritBox and the BritBox channel on Amazon.
The Coroner: Series 1 (UK)
Claire Goose (Waking the Dead) stars in this mystery drama series as Jane Kennedy, a solicitor who, after another failed romance, leaves London for her hometown in South Devon to be the coroner. There she investigates sudden, violent, and unexplained deaths with DS Davey Higgins (Matt Bardock, Casualty), her now-married childhood sweetheart and heart-breaker. The Coroner: Series 1 begins streaming Wednesday, November 1st, on BritBox and the BritBox channel on Amazon.
Churchill’s Darkest Hour (UK)
This docudrama traces the incredible experiences of Winston Churchill (Adam James, Doctor Foster) during the Great War — from his catastrophic fall into disgrace over the Dardanelles Campaign, to his redemption — and how they shaped and forged the man who would become Britain’s Prime Minister. Revealed through dramatizations and archival footage and photos, the story is told largely in Churchill’s own words, owing to intimate letters that he wrote to his wife Clementine (Verity Marshall, Black Mirror). Churchill’s Darkest Hour (aka Churchill’s First World War) begins streaming Saturday, November 18th, on BritBox and the BritBox channel on Amazon. (Image courtesy of BritBox)
The Mrs. Bradley Mysteries (UK)
Based on the protagonist in Gladys Mitchell‘s “Mrs. Bradley” novels, this classic whodunit series set in the 1920s stars Diana Rigg (Game of Thrones, The Avengers) as glamorous detective Adela Bradley. Assisted by her loyal and resourceful chauffeur George (Neil Dudgeon, Midsomer Murders), the intuitive crime-solver cracks five complex cases of blackmail, murder, sacrifice, and mistaken identity with style and grace. Mrs. Bradley Mysteries begins streaming Wednesday, November 22nd, exclusively on BritBox and the BritBox channel on Amazon.
Taboo: Season 1 (UK)
Co-written by Oscar® nominee Tom Hardy (The Revenant), his dad Chips, and Steven Knight (Peaky Blinders), this must-watch drama (renewed for Season 2) centers on James Keziah Delaney (Hardy), who returns to London from Africa in 1814 to attend his father’s funeral and to reclaim his inheritance — a bit of land in North America that the nasty Sir Stuart Strange (Jonathan Pryce, Game of Thrones), chairman of the East India Company, is willing to kill for. Taboo: Season 1 begins streaming Friday, November 10th, on Hulu.
Broadchurch: Series 3 (Final) (UK)
David Tennant (Good Omens) and Olivia Colman (Fleabag) reprised their roles as DI Alec Hardy and DS Ellie Miller one last time before this hit mystery-crime drama concluded its run. The detectives’ final case together involves a middle-aged woman (Julie Hesmondhalgh, Happy Valley) who was sexually assaulted. Broadchurch: Series 3 begins streaming Monday, November 27th, on Netflix.
Wolf Creek: The Series (Australia)
A spin-off of the Wolf Creek and Wolf Creek 2 movies, this horror-thriller series follows college student Eve Thorogood (Lucy Fry, Mako Mermaids), the only survivor of the slaughter of her family while on vacation in Northern Australia. Their attacker: Mick Taylor (John Jarratt, who reprises his role from the films), a sadistic serial killer who hunts and murders tourists in the Outback. Eve vows to bring him to justice or die trying, and evolves from child to adult, from prey to predator, in the process. Wolf Creek begins streaming Thursday, November 9th, exclusively on Shudder and the Shudder Channel on Amazon.
Rosehaven: Season 1 (Australia)
Real-life best friends and series creators-writers Celia Pacquola (Utopia, Offspring) and Luke McGregor (Utopia, Please Like Me) star in this acclaimed comedy series as fictional best friends Emma Dawes and Daniel McCallum, who are thrown into the center of small-town life soon after he returns to his Tasmanian hometown of Rosehaven to help with his mum’s business and she turns up after her husband left her and their marriage during their honeymoon. For further details, read this article. Rosehaven begins streaming Thursday, November 30th, exclusively on Sundance Now and the Sundance Now Channel on Amazon.
Did you miss any of the new shows from previous months? Check the British TV Viewing Guide 2017 Archives to find out.
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