15 essential TV shows to watch this autumn 2019

Now that summer is almost behind us (let's face it, did it ever really arrive this year?!) we're about ready to settle back into our comfy woolly socks, turn the heating up and snuggle up with a good TV show. Luckily for us, there are more than enough amazing new TV shows to get stuck into over the next few months. From Netflix originals to BBC police dramas, check out our top 17 telly picks for this autumn…

On BBC

Peaky Blinders

Tommy Shelby is back in season five of this smash hit show about gangsters in the 1920s. The official synopsis reads: "Series five of Steven Knight’s crime family saga finds the world thrown into turmoil by the financial crash of 1929. Opportunity and misfortune are everywhere. When Tommy Shelby MP is approached by a charismatic politician with a bold vision for Britain, he realises that his response will affect not just his family’s future but that of the entire nation." The new series also sees Sam Claflin join the cast, and we can't wait to see him in action!

When is it out? 25 August

The Capture

Strike star Holliday Grainger plays Rachel, a detective inspector tasked with bringing down a suspect for assault and kidnap. After using surveillance to track down Shaun, a soldier who was previously accused of murder before the case was overturned, she begins to doubt herself, and the evidence, as he adamantly insists on his innocence.

When is it out? TBC - see the trailer here 

Dublin Murders

Killian Scott and Sarah Greene play detectives Rob Reilly and Cassie Maddox in this psychological drama. Based on Tana French's Dublin Murder Squad novels, the eight-part series will be set during the Celtic Tiger financial boom of the millennium, and will focus on two murder investigations, including a young ballerina found on a stone altar, and a free-spirited woman found in a famine cottage.

READ: Netflix's new show The Politician is our next obsession: watch the bonkers first trailer here

The synopsis reads: "The victims… are seemingly unrelated, but as we will discover, are actually knitted together by powerful shared themes - the macabre 'red in tooth and claw' elements of both stories, and their heart-thumping psychological thriller qualities."

When is it out? TBC

His Dark Materials

Based on the bestselling novels, the BBC adaptation of His Dark Materials sees wayward Lyra go on an unforgettable adventure with her daemon, Pantalaimon, as they uncover deep secrets, befriend armoured bears and meet witches. Starring James McAvoy, Lin Manuel Miranda and Ruth Wilson, this is set to be one of the biggest shows of the year – be ready!

When is it out? TBC - but you can watch the trailer here 

Giri/Haji

On BBC2, this drama follows a detective, Kenzo, who has to travel to London to track down his missing, estranged brother, Yuto. In London, he teams up with Met detective Sarah, and the pair begin to uncover more to the story than they ever imagined. Speaking about the show, creator and screenwriter Joe Barton said: “I’m incredibly excited to see it come to life with such a diverse and brilliant cast and crew. They’re all ridiculously talented which has the added bonus of making me look better. Which was my goal all along, frankly."

When is it out? TBC

World of Fire

Set in the first year of World War II, this seven-part drama looks at the human stories behind of the most significant events in modern history. Screenwriter Peter Bowker said: "From Harry, a young English translator in Warsaw caught up in negotiations with the Nazis and trying to smuggle his Polish lover Kasia out of the country, to Lois, the girl who is waiting for him at home, a young Mancunian factory worker who will come to take all the opportunities the war can offer to live a different kind of life…  These are the stories of the ordinary people who shaped our world. Stories of loyalty and brutality, courage and fear, hopes, stories of love and loss, hopes and dreams forged in extraordinary times."

When is it out? TBC

On ITV

Sanditon

Jane Austen's unfinished final novel is completed onscreen in this adaptation. The period drama, which will air on Sunday 25 August, seems to have all of the components of a classic Austen novel – plenty of drama, humour and a swoon-worthy suitor, played by Divergent's Theo James. The eight-part series will follow Charlotte, a young woman who visits the seaside resort of Sanditon and meets the haughty Sidney. We're going to guess romance follows!

When is it out? 25 August

A Confession

A Confession follows the real-life story of Detective Superintendent Steve Fulcher, who faced serious repercussions after breaking police protocol to gain a confession from a murderer, despite knowing it was the only way to track down the killer's victims. The series will look at the moral predicament the officer faced, and the families of those it affected. Imelda Staunton plays Karen Edwards, whose daughter Becky is one of the victims, and who firmly supports Steve in the fallout of his actions.

When is it out? TBC

On Netflix

13 Reasons Why season three

The controversial teen drama concludes with a murder mystery series, with the high school students, parents and the police alike asking, 'Who killed Bryce Walker?' Since Bryce was the villain of the piece for the first two seasons, it seems that everyone has a motive behind his death – but who did it? We can't wait to find out…

When is it out? 23 August

The Politician

Starring Ben Platt (Dear Evan Hanson), Zoey Deutch (Set it Up) and Gwyneth Paltrow, the official synopsis reads: "Payton Hobart, a wealthy student from Santa Barbara, California, has known since age seven that he's going to be the President of the United States. But first he'll have to navigate the most treacherous political landscape of all: Saint Sebastian High School."

READ: Great British Bake Off 2019 contestants revealed – meet them here!

"To get elected Student Body President, secure a spot at Harvard, and stay on his singular path to success, Payton will have to outsmart his ruthless classmates without sacrificing his own morality and carefully crafted image. Full of dark comedy and sly satire, Ryan Murphy's The Politician offers a rare glimpse into just what it takes to make a politician."

When is it out? 27 September

Criminal

Starring David Tennant and Hayley Atwell, Criminal is a cat and mouse drama focusing on what goes on in the interrogation room, and how detectives manage to get the truth from their suspects. Unusually, the series will consist of 12 episodes, with three episodes each taking a place in a different country including Germany, Spain, France and the UK.

When is it out? 20 September - watch the trailer

On NOW TV

Succession season two

Fans of Succession absolutely rave about it, and so it's not surprising that season two is already being lauded since dropped on NOW TV in early August. The HBO synopsis reads: "Season 2 follows the Roy family as they struggle to retain control of their empire, and while the future looks increasingly uncertain, it is the past that threatens to ultimately destroy them."

When is it out? Available now

Catherine the Great

Starring Helen Mirren, the series will look at the monarch and her relationship with general Grigory Potemkin. The synopsis reads; "Catherine and Potemkin’s story is one of obsessive love for each other and their country as they develop a unique and devoted relationship, overcoming their adversaries to build Russia’s reputation as one of the great European powers of the 18th Century."

When is it out? TBC

Temple

This remake of a Norwegian TV series sees Mark Strong play Daniel, a surgeon willing to illegally treat anyone who is willing to pay for his help, all with the help of transport employee Lee, and medical researcher Anne. It is described as a comic thriller, and we're already seriously intrigued!

When is it out? TBC

On Amazon Prime

Carnival Row

With an all-star cast including Orlando Bloom and Cara Delevingne, this is definitely not one to miss! Set in a Victorian fantasy world, mythological immigrant creatures have left their homes after they were invaded by men. The synopsis reads: "This growing population struggles to coexist with humans — forbidden to live, love, or fly with freedom. But even in darkness, hope lives, as a human detective, Rycroft Philostrate (Bloom), and a refugee faerie named Vignette Stonemoss (Delevingne) rekindle a dangerous affair despite an increasingly intolerant society."

When is it out? 30 August