5 binge-worthy shows everyone needs on their watchlist this week

Bridgerton fans, this one's for you! If you have a period drama-shaped hole in your viewing schedule and fancy a "lavish" look at Victorian England, then The Forsytes is for you. Based on John Galsworthy's novel series The Forsyte Saga, the show also features period acting royalty Tuppence Middleton (Downton Abbey: A New Era) and Eleanor Tomlinson (Poldark).

Written by Debbie Horsfield (Poldark), the series follows the wealthy Forsytes family, who constantly war between tradition and personal happiness. The synopsis continues: "Money and society dictate the rules in rapidly-changing Victorian London, where four generations of the wealthy Forsyte family of stockbrokers navigate high-risk investments and the even higher expectations of making the right marital match. In this reimagining of John Galsworthy's Forsyte novels, desire, ambition and betrayal all boil down to the eternal dilemma: should one be ruled by the head or the heart?"

HELLO!'s Acting TV Editor Nicky Morris said: "I'm personally very excited about this one. Not only is the show penned by acclaimed screenwriter Debbie Horsfield, who created the BBC's hit period drama Poldark, starring Aidan Turner, but it's based on Nobel Prize-winning material, which was last adapted for television over 20 years ago in ITV's The Forsyte Saga, starring Damian Lewis. It's about time the novels were adapted for the small screen again, and I can't wait!"

The Forsytes will be available to watch on 5 (formerly Channel 5) on Monday 20 October at 9pm.

For those wanting something a little grittier, then The Ridge sounds right up your street. This six-part psychological thriller follows Mia, played by Karen Pirie and Outlander actress Lauren Lyle, whose seemingly happy trip to New Zealand to see her sister get married quickly derails after she finds out her sister has mysteriously died. 

The synopsis reads: "As Mia grapples with the shock of her sister's death, she becomes entangled in the small town's web of secrets and lies. The deeper Mia investigates, the more convinced she becomes that her sister was murdered. Determined to uncover the truth about her sister's mysterious death, she soon finds that familiarity among a small community breeds lies and tensions, endangering the brittle fabric of the town itself. Undeterred, Mia embarks on a relentless search for buried secrets."

Viewers who have watched BBC's The Gone – which saw an Irish detective team up with a Kiwi copper – will love The Ridge. Not only does it combine Scottish and Kiwi culture in a twisty crime plot, but it also stars Lauren Lyle, who is seasoned at playing detective after her fantastic turn in ITV's crime drama Karen Pirie. 

The Ridge will be available to watch on BBC iPlayer, BBC Scotland, BBC Two, Sky Open and NEON from Tuesday 21 October. 

If there's anyone who knows how to write a twisty mystery thriller, it's author Harlan Coben, and his latest project with Prime Video definitely does not disappoint. As someone who's had the pleasure of watching the series already, I can safely say crime thriller fans will be chomping at the bit to binge all six episodes of this one!

Starring the brilliant Bill Nighy and Sam Claflin as a father-son duo, the six-parter follows forensic psychologist Joel (Sam), who returns home after the mysterious death of his father, Dr Jonathan Lazarus (Bill). The synopsis continues: "When he begins experiencing inexplicable phenomena, Joel suspects there's more to his father's death. His search for answers pulls him into a web of cold-case investigations linked to his sister's unsolved murder from 25 years ago."

HELLO!'s Acting TV Editor Nicky Morris said: "Bill Nighy is without a doubt one of my favourite British actors, having starred in some of my favourite films of all time, from action comedy Hot Fuzz to the Richard Curtis rom-com About Time, in which he was simply perfect as Tim's (Domhnall Gleeson) quirky, wise and deeply loving dad, James. I'm excited to see him in the role of Dr Laz in Prime Video's new thriller – and, it has to be said, that casting Sam Claflin and Bill as father and son is genius!"

Lazarus will be available to watch on Prime Video from Wednesday 22 October.

If you binged Monster: The Ed Gein story and are looking for something new, this four-part true crime series is sure to satisfy. Based on the real-life case of Il Mostro di Firenze, the show charts Italy's first-ever serial killer, who managed to evade detection for years during the 1970s and 80s.

After "17 years of terror" and dubbed one of the longest and most complex Italian investigations in history, the crime series focuses on the potential suspects or "monsters" in the investigation, which is still ongoing to this day. "In a story where there have been many possible monsters, over time and investigations, our story focuses on them, the possible monsters, from their point of view," reads the synopsis. "Because the monster, in the end, could be anyone."

This pick is not for the faint-hearted, so if you're easily disturbed by real-life events – especially those depicting violence – you may want to skip this one. However, as the show's director Stefano Sollima said: "Horror, to be truly told, must be faced, not avoided."

He continued: "And a story, to come through with clarity, without embracing a thesis, must begin at the very beginning. To recount it with honesty, respect and rigor must still carry meaning. Not to solve, not to explain, but simply to remember. A way to remain close to those who were left there, forever in the night."

The Monster of Florence will be available to watch on Netflix from Wednesday 22 October.

I've saved my most-anticipated pick for last – and with good reason! Nobody Wants This is without a doubt one of my all-time favourite TV shows, and I honestly couldn't tell you how many times I've rewatched it. Thankfully, the highly anticipated season two is finally dropping this week – and I can't wait to see how Noah and Joanne navigate their relationship after the cliffhanger of season one.  

Picking up from last series, which saw rabbi Noah decide to take a chance on love by choosing to stay with agnostic Joanne, the synopsis teases: "Joanne (Kristen Bell) and Noah's (Adam Brody) whirlwind romance encounters some turbulence as they deal with family drama, career struggles and one very big looming question."

HELLO!'s LA correspondent Rebecca Lewis can't wait for this one. She said: "Nobody Wants This struck a chord with viewers – including me – who couldn't get enough of the love story following two late-thirty somethings still hoping to find love in the City of Angels. Although season two has a lot to live up to, if they can keep the core principles the same, I have no worries."

Nobody Wants This season two will be available to watch on Netflix from Thursday 23 October.