show recs
Here are some suggestions of shows you might like, if you haven't seen them already. In ascending order of awesomeness.
This Is Going To Hurt Based on an English doctor's memoir, this is a black comedy and a moving documentary-style rollercoaster of his work through various hospital shifts in a London obstetrics ward. A bit grim and misogynist but thought provoking and funny.
Shogun. From a novel based on fact and set in 1600s Asia, this is the story of an English sailor who washes up in Japan and has to deal with love, political machinations, violence, and a culture that is so alien to him he might as well as be on Mars.
Line of Duty Fiction but draws on real life cases of a police internal affairs unit, with a strong cast who are led by a woman, an Irish guy, and a Scottish actor. So very enjoyable. Great relationships between the leads. Twisty plots, great acting, amazing writing. Nail-biting, edge of your seat stuff. OMG!
True Detective: Night Country Two women, detectives, in Alaska grapple with the fallout of the murder of an indigenous midwife and activist. The supporting characters such as the junior officer, the bar owner, and the lady played by Fiona Shaw were fantastic. This is the third series of True Detective; I hadn't seen the earlier ones and it didn't matter. Deeply spooky in parts and always gripping, I loved this and the ending had me literally punching the air in glee.
Happy Valley I can't say enough good things about this. A police officer in the North of England has a pressured life. She is a good person and has a backbone of titanium but she's raising her grandson after her daughter killed herself, and living with her recovering addict sister, and dealing with a very busy workload of some really vicious and brutal crimes. Then she hears that the scumbag who drove her daughter to suicide is getting out of jail. And then it really kicks off. The emotional depth of the writing and acting, the truth of what its like to have a recovering addict in the family, the fantastic fantastic fantastic plot, a vivid portrait of a whole community - I really think this is one of the finest and most enjoyable TV series that I have ever seen. And it's hilarious in parts too. I recommend this unreservedly.