With over 9,000 hours of premium content from Australia and around the globe, it is understandable that some top-quality TV shows that have recently arrived at may have passed you by. From dramas, action epics, feel-good stories and of course our speciality, Nordic noir, you'll be wanting to add these hidden gems to your favourites list.
Deliver Us
This Danish psychological thriller takes place in a provincial town that on the surface looks like most other small towns. Except for Mike, who's terrorising actions began as subtle, but now the community believe he's gotten away with the murder of an innocent boy. Together they take up the battle to get rid of who they believe to be the source of the town's misery. They vow to carry out the perfect murder, unaware that when you start to play God, you risk ending up becoming the Devil. Deliver Us is a series about what happens when people let their innermost primitive instincts take over – with revenge, hatred and wrath. At the same time, it's a story about love: About how far we are willing to go to protect those we love.
Darkness: Those Who Kill
Seventeen-year-old Julie is kidnapped on the streets of the Copenhagen suburb Greve late one night. Six months later, investigator Jan Michelsen is the only one who believes Julie is still alive. Jan brings in an expert on serial killers: Louise Bergstein. Having left the world of criminal profiling she now works as a therapist for rape victims. That same night, the perpetrator kidnaps yet another young woman, Emma. When Emma comes to, 12 hours later, she is locked up in a basement, with Julie. Jan and Louise constantly move around in the thrilling periphery of a murderer's view as they link a series of killings. This Nordic noir is a remake of a 2011 Danish series that didn't quite catch on. This time, they've found the winning formula – it's very dark and very compelling.
Party Of Five
From Christopher Keyser and Amy Lippman, the creators of the original Party Of Five, this modern-day update tackles the issue of deportation in the US. When Gloria and Javier Acosta are taken to a detention centre awaiting return to Mexico, their five children are left behind. The eldest, 24-year-old Emilio, takes on the challenge of not only caring for his younger siblings, including a baby, but also trying to keep his music career alive and the family restaurant afloat. This sadly timely series is moving but also uplifting, making this not just another teen series.
Darklands
From the makers of Love/Hate this Irish drama delves into gang culture. Damien Dunne is a young man who aspires to be a professional MMA fighter, but brother Wesley's involvement with one of Dublin's most dangerous gangs drags him into the world he's trying to avoid. When Wesley goes missing following a botched drug deal, Damien takes it upon himself to uncover the truth about his brother's disappearance. Darklands offers a rare opportunity to view gang crime through the eyes of the young people so often caught within it.
Read more about 'Darklands'
‘Darklands’ uncovers the gritty world of Irish gang crime
Nudes
In the vein of the SBS Original , the Norwegian anthology series Nudes, is the story of three teens who are facing a crisis when nude photos get into the wrong hands. Sofia, 16, and Axel have sex at a party. The next day a film of them is sent around their school. She and her friends go on a pursuit to find out who filmed it. Ida, 14, meets a guy on Tinder. Later, she's contacted by Jan, who tells her that a nude of her is posted on a closed forum. He can help her, but he needs something in return. Viktor, 18, is accused of child pornography because of a film he's posted on Snapchat. He tries to get Miriam to drop the charges, but his actions have huge consequences. Each in his or her own way is plunged deep into a life crisis due to the leaked nudes and are forced to handle the situation to regain control of their own lives.
Seizure
This Norwegian crime drama is Nordic noir with a supernatural twist. On their first day as partners, Detectives Max Sorenson and Sander Holm are called in to investigate the mysterious death of four immigrant boys. There are no signs of violence or drugs, but there are eels crawling around at the crime scene. The detectives both start seeing things they can't quite explain – and the feeling of time and place slowly disappears. Max and Sander have to confront their worst nightmares and cope with the misdeeds of their pasts to resolve the matter, or lose everything.
Naked
This Brazilian drama, created by Carolina Jabor and Anne Pinheiro Guimarães, aims to explore and deconstruct female sexuality. It is an anthology series consisting of nine independent short stories, each one focusing on a different woman's sexual fantasy. Portraying women of different ages, tastes and social status – from a motel housekeeper to a wealthy socialite – each woman's fantasies and desires are brought to vivid life. The final episode is a 'making of' which highlights the majority female crew that made the series. This is the female gaze amplified.
Team Chocolate
If you are after something heart-warming, then this Belgian drama is for you. Jasper Vloemans, a young man with Down Syndrome, falls in love with Tina Dibrani, one of his colleagues at the small chocolate factory where they work. When Tina is deported to Kosovo, Jasper and his co-workers, all differently abled, embark on a road trip to find her. Meanwhile they have no idea that the boss is fighting to prevent the company being overtaken by rich foreign investors. Friendship, family and falling in love form the heart of this deliciously feel-good series with wonderful performances.
The Attaché
If you have already watched , then the new Israeli drama The Attaché might be for you. The Attaché tells the story of Avshalom, an Israeli Jewish man of Moroccan descent, a successful musician who relocates to Paris for his wife Annabelle’s new job as the Attaché to the Israeli embassy there. When they arrive, they are greeted by terrorist attacks, and the dream of a romantic year abroad soon turns into a nightmare. Together and separately, Avshalom and Annabelle deal with issues such as anxiety, career and love, all of which shake their sense of belonging and challenge their relationship. Writer and director of the series Eli Ben-David also stars as Avshalom, and took inspiration from his own life to create the series.
The Longest Day In Chang’an
With 2 seasons now available to stream at SBS On Demand, The Longest Day in Chang'an is essential viewing for action epic enthusiasts. It's 744AD and a former detective turned convicted criminal becomes China's last hope to thwart mysterious invaders who threaten the empire's capital city on the day before the Lantern Festival. Fans of 24 will be familiar with the structure of this Chinese period drama, which follows one very stressful day in the cosmopolitan heart of the Tang dynasty, Chang’an. The series takes place over 48 episodes, each accounting for 30 minutes of the day. Based on Ma Boyong’s novel of the same name, the series is visually stunning with high production values, with the clothing, make-up and architecture all authentic to the time.
YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE
'The Hot Zone' is the viral thriller that couldn’t be more topical
