Television highlights of 2015: Sue Perkins and Mel Giedroyc's chat show and Mad Men finale
Your guide to the shows that will have you glued to your sofa this year
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Any Nordic noir fan will recognise this as a dream come true. It’s a murder mystery set in a close-knit Arctic Circle community, with an impressive ensemble cast. Stanley Tucci, Michael Gambon, Christopher Eccleston and The Killing’s Sofie Grabol star.
Sky Atlantic, January
Better Call Saul
Breaking Bad creator Vince Gilligan has several projects in the pipeline, but this prequel is the one he’s closest to. Corrupt lawyer Saul was one of the show’s beloved characters – and the other, P.I. Mike Ehrmantraut, appears too.
Netflix, February
Mel & Sue
Remember Light Lunch? That was the under-appreciated Channel 4 daytime series that launched the TV careers of comedy duo Mel Giedroyc and Sue Perkins, so their new daily chat show feels like coming home. But will they be looser than ITV’s Loose Women?
ITV, January
Cucumber/Banana
Sixteen years after Queer as Folk, Russell T Davies returns with two interlinked series about gay life in Manchester. The Thick of It’s Vincent Franklin appears in both, as a 40-something who leaves his long-term relationship and moves into a shared accommodation.
Channel 4, Spring
Wolf Hall
Damian Lewis plays Henry VIII, Hilary Mantel says it has “exceeded” all her expectations and special technology enabled the BBC to film in authentic Tudor candlelight. There’s no doubting this adaptation of the Booker Prize-winning novel will be spectacular.
BBC2, January
Mad Men, Series 7, Part II
It’s the end of an era as Mad Men screens its last – very last – seven episodes, set in 1969 (and maybe later?). Will Don Draper (Jon Hamm) meet with triumph or tragedy? And what about those other characters we’ve grown to love?
Sky Atlantic, Spring
Dementiaville
Dementia is a ticking time-bomb predicted to affect one in three of us. This series of documentaries explores both the heart-breaking experiences of those with dementia and a ground-breaking new approach to their care.
Channel 4, Summer
Morning Has Broken
More than a decade since Nighty Night established Julia Davis’s reputation for caustic character comedy, she’s back with a new creation. In this six-part series, we meet TV presenter Gail Sinclair – a female Alan Partridge?
Channel 4, Autumn
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