Top gritty dramas to binge-watch in 30 minutes

If you’re looking for a dark comedy with a clever double act, then look no further than Dead To Me. 

Netflix’s three-season drama follows recently widowed Jen, who’s determined to solve the hit-and-run crime that killed her husband.

When she joins a local support group, she strikes up an unexpected friendship with free-spirited Judy, bonding over their shared grief.

But nothing is quite as it seems – and Judy has secrets of her own that connect her to Jen in ways she could never imagine…

I know Netflix is saturated with shows right now, but if you missed this one, Christina Applegate and Linda Cardellini’s on-screen chemistry is reason enough to watch.

And with showrunner Liz Feldman – known for her work on No Good Deed, One Big Happy, 2 Broke Girls, The Ellen DeGeneres Show and Hot in Cleveland – at the helm, you’re in safe hands. 

Basing a whole TV series on a sandwich shop may sound pretty dull, but The Bear is anything but. 

This tense series, currently in its fourth season, stars Jeremy Allen White as Carmen “Carmy” Berzatto, a chef who throws in his fine-dining gig to return home to Chicago to run his late brother’s sandwich shop. 

What’s waiting for him is a chaotic, debt-ridden business. 

Between clashing with staff, battling financial trouble and navigating his grief, Carmy’s life becomes a pressure cooker – and just watching him makes you feel like he’s about to explode.

The episodes may be short, but they’re packed with flavour – add a pinch of Jeremy Allen White, mixed in Ayo Edebiri and finish with a dash of Ebon Moss-Bachrach and you’re bound to be one happy customer!

No one does a gritty drama quite like Steve Carell, and Disney+’s ten-episode psychological thriller is a must-watch for fans of the genre. 

The Oscar-nominated actor plays troubled therapist Dr. Alan Strauss, who is mourning the death of his wife when he takes on a new patient, Sam (played by Donald Gleeson). 

But things take a chilling turn when Sam, a serial killer, kidnaps Alan, forcing him to provide unconventional (and bloody) therapy for his homicidal urges. To survive, Alan must confront his own past. 

If you saw Domhnall Gleeson in Echo Valley alongside Julianne Moore and Sydney Sweeney, you’ll know he thrives in dark, unsettling roles – and The Patient is no exception.

What do you get when a hitman decides he wants to chuck in his day job for a turn on the stage? Barry!

Boasting a near-perfect score (98%) on Rotten Tomatoes, this four-season comedy-drama stars Bill Hader as Barry Berkman, a depressed hitman who stumbles into an amateur acting class while on a job in Los Angeles. 

Hired to take out an aspiring actor, Barry instead finds himself drawn to the idea of a new life. But his violent past, and the people in it, refuse to let him go quietly.

Barry finds the perfect balance between laugh-out-loud moments and twisty action. A truly unique watch.

If you haven’t heard of Baby Reindeer (hello, where have you been?), then you’re in for a real treat. 

Based on a chilling true story, the seven-episode series follows Donny, a comedian working in a London pub.

After a small act of kindness toward a customer, Donny finds himself the target of her obsession – and is relentlessly stalked both online and in person.

The Netflix original became an instant hit, collecting multiple awards, including an Emmy for Outstanding Limited or Anthology Series.

HELLO!’s Acting TV Editor Nicky Morris added: “Baby Reindeer is one of those shows that stays with you long after you’ve watched it. 

“This chilling stalker drama from comedian Richard Gadd is tense, creepy and absolutely addictive. 

“While I did have to pause my binge-watch after the fourth episode (if you’ve seen it, you’ll know why), this brilliant series kept me glued to my sofa.”

Starring another Echo Valley alum, Kevin Bacon delivers in this supernatural thriller as Hub, a bounty hunter brought back from the dead.

Despite his hopes for a do-over – including resurrecting his long-lost music career – Hub realises he’s actually been enrolled as a killer for the Devil, and is tasked with trapping and sending demons who have escaped the prison of Hell.  

The synopsis continues: “By chasing down those demons with the help and hindrance of his estranged family, Hub learns how his own sins got his soul condemned – which pushes him to seek a second chance at life, love and country music.”

With just one season, it’s the perfect one-night binge.

Dark, awkward and utterly addictive, The End of the F*ing World is the kind of watch that has you hooked from start to finish.

Based on Charles Forsman’s graphic novel, the two-season series follows James (Alex Lawther), a 17-year-old self-proclaimed psychopath.

After growing bored of killing animals, James sets his sights on a human target: his rebellious classmate Alyssa (Jessica Barden).

When Alyssa suggests they hit the road, James agrees, seeing it as his chance to strike. 

But as mishaps, petty crimes and unexpected moments unfold, the two form a strange bond neither could have predicted.