November is a surprisingly busy month for impressive new and returning television. So here is a good guide of what to expect so you don’t miss the big stuff.

Day of the Jackal Thursday 7th November 2024 Sky Atlantic – I recently wrote an opinion piece (which I completely stand by) about how Hollywood’s obsession with taking well known IP and turning them into TV shows was stifling a raft of new creative fresh ideas. So the idea that my recommendation is a TV remake of Day of the Jackal seems hypocritical to say the very least. BUT, it’s here because of the man behind it. Ronan Bennet’s last series Top Boy was one of the most involving and innovative of the last decade and I was always going to watch whatever he turned his hat to next. Yes, it’s a remake but I have faith he’ll have an interesting take on the story. Add in the casting of Eddie Redmayne in the lead as the assassin for hire, and I’m really hoping this will be one to look forward to. The character first appeared in Frederick Forsyth’s 1971 novel, which became a 1973 film with Edward Fox, but the story has been updated to the present. Now Lashana Lynch is Bianca, an MI6 agent determined to catch the Jackal. “I will find him and kill him myself,” she tells her sceptical bosses. He varies his look with disguises, eluding her as she chases him across Europe amid explosions and shootouts. It sounds full of potential.

Bad Sisters Wednesday 13th November 2024 Apple TV+

Easily one of the best shows of 2022, Bad Sisters, the twisty comedic thriller from Sharon Horgan about a group of tight-knit sisters who plot to murder their p**ck of a Brother-in-law was so much fun. So much so, that when the second series was announced by Apple I questioned how much more story there was here. BUT, (there’s a lot of but’s here already) I have seen the first few episodes and I can say, as a huge fan of the first, I fell instantly for this second run too. The core cast is so good it’s fun to spend time with them and this series is billed as Horgan’s idea whereas the first was a remake of a European show. In this series, the five Garvey sisters can’t avoid more fallout from the past even if Grace (Anne Marie-Duff) has been able to move on from the pr**k and find true love. Two terrific new cast additions include Fiona Shaw as a nosy neighbour and Thaddea Graham as a smart, underestimated young detective who has her suspicions about the Garveys. Any suggestion that the second series wouldn’t be able to match the energy level or excitement of the first are quickly put to bed and I can’t wait to see more.

Say Nothing Thursday 14th November 2024 Disney+

Say Nothing Thursday 14th November 2024 Disney+

This is dropping as a binge-watch the day after Bad Sisters. November is a good month for Irish dramas. Based on the best-seller by Patrick Radden Keefe this series promises to be a gripping story of murder and memory set in Northern Ireland during The Troubles, it spans four decades to follow various Irish Republican Army (IRA) members, the group suspected of being behind the real-life abduction of a 38-year-old widow and mother who was taken from her Belfast home, rumoured to be a British informant and never seen again.Anthony Boyle stars as Brendan Hughes, a charismatic but conflicted military strategist, and Josh Finan as Gerry Adams, a leading political operator who would go on to negotiate peace and has always denied having any involvement with the IRA. Maxine Peake stars as Older Dolours Price.

Dune: Prophecy Monday 18th November Sky Atlantic

Whilst not something I’m looking forward to, It would be remiss of me to ignore this big budget HBO series. This spinoff takes place in the same Dune universe, and tells the origin story of the Bene Gesserit. Emily Watson stars as Valya Harkonnen and Olivia Williams as her sister, Tula, founders of the order. As a wrote in a recent opinion piece, HBO is a very odd phase stuck between BIG IP that doesn’t pay off and new Orginials that feel anything but so it’ll be interesting to see what the perception of this when those in the know see it.

Interior Chinatown Tuesday 19th November 2024 Disney+

Based on Charles Yu’s book, the series follows the story of Willis Wu – a background character trapped in a police procedural called Black and White. Relegated to the background, Willis goes through the motions of his on-screen job, waiting tables and dreaming about a whole world beyond Chinatown. When he inadvertently becomes a witness to a crime, Willis begins to unravel a criminal web in Chinatown, his family’s buried history, and what it feels like to be in the spotlight. This has the feel of a smaller show that could surprise.

Silo Friday 15th November 2024 Apple TV+

Apple TV+ has cornered the market in accessible sci-fi and while we’re a couple of months away from Severence, the second season of Silo is also hotly anticipated. Based on Hugh Howey‘s novels, Silo is the story of the last ten thousand people on earth, their mile-deep home protecting them from the toxic and deadly world outside. However, no one knows when or why the silo was built and those who try to find out face fatal consequences. Rebecca Ferguson is incredibly compelling as Juliette, an engineer who seeks answers about a loved one’s murder and tumbles onto a mystery that goes far deeper than she could have ever imagined, leading her to discover that if the lies don’t kill you, the truth will.

A Man on the Inside Thursday 21st November 2024 Netflix

The Madness Thursday 28th November 2024  Netflix

Colman Domingo stars in this conspiracy thriller which centres on media pundit Muncie Daniels,  who must fight for his innocence and his life after he stumbles upon a murder deep in the Poconos woods. As the walls close in, Muncie strives to reconnect with his estranged family, and his lost ideals, in order to survive. As the walls close in and he fears a set-up to make him take the fall, Daniels strives to reconnect with his estranged family — and his lost ideals — in order to clear his name. It certainly sounds interesting and Domingo is a commanding figure so I’m interested in seeing this.

The Agency Friday 29th November Paramount+

Senna Friday 29th November 2024 Netflix

This is going to be fascinating. A six-part series on the life of the Formula One legend. Gabriel Leone will star in the lead role. Over the course of six episodes, Senna will show for the first time ever in a scripted series Ayrton’s journey through triumphs, disappointments, joys, and sorrows, revealing his personality and personal relationships. The fictional series starts at the beginning of the three-time Formula 1 champion’s motor racing career, from his early career kart years to when he leaves home to compete in Formula Ford in England, and up to his tragic accident in Imola, Italy, during the San Marino Grand Prix.

November has something for everyone and it’ll be really interesting to see which of these series breaks through and I really hope Say Nothing is as good as it appears and that Bad Sisters stays on the track I’ve seen thus far.