5 unmissable BBC shows to binge this week – recommended by a TV writer

From gripping mysteries to heartwarming nature documentaries

Annika

Nicola Walker fans, listen up! The Unforgotten and The Split star has returned to our screens in the long-anticipated return of hit crime drama Annika – and viewers can’t get enough.

The series follows the sharp and witty Detective Inspector Annika Strandhed, who leads Glasgow’s Marine Homicide Unit as they investigate the strange and often baffling murders that surface along Scotland’s waterways.

First airing on BBC One in May 2023 (after originally debuting on Alibi in 2021), the second season finally made its return to the BBC on 2 August.

Thoughtful, darkly funny and steeped in atmosphere, Annika is a must-watch if you like your crime with a side of quirkiness – and a clever breakdown of the fourth wall.

With a 93% Popcornmeter score on Rotten Tomatoes, it’s no surprise viewers are already calling for season three.

Both seasons of Annika are available on BBC iPlayer now.

Parenthood

When I say this is a TV show about parenthood, you’d be forgiven for assuming it was another family drama – except this special series follows the heartwarming journey of parenting in the animal kingdom.

Narrated by Sir David Attenborough, the natural history series shows just how inventive – and sometimes extreme – animal parenting can be: from orcas teaching their young to hunt blue whales to hippo mothers risking nighttime ambushes from lions.

Filmed over three years across six continents, the five-part series shines a light on just how much skill, instinct and risk go into survival when you’re raising offspring in the wild.

Parenthood begins at 19:20pm BST on Sunday 3 August on BBC One. All five episodes will also be available on BBC iPlayer.

3/5

What happened at Hiroshima

What Happened at Hiroshima is a powerful documentary marking the 80th anniversary of the atomic bombings.

BBC journalist and narrator Jordan Dunbar guides viewers through the events of August 1945 – speaking with some of the few surviving witnesses, known as hibakusha, who were children at the time of the explosion.

The synopsis continues: “Jordan looks at what led to the events of August 1945, talks to some of the last survivors of the bombing of Hiroshima – and asks what we can learn to stop history from repeating itself.”

As survivors express growing concern over a new arms race, Jordan asks a vital question: “What happens when the last generation of the only people to really have experienced what an atomic bomb is like, are gone?”

The documentary airs on BBC One and iPlayer on Monday 4 August, and internationally via the BBC World Service YouTube channel.

4/5

The Gone

This gripping Irish-New Zealand mystery full of twists and turns has been causing a buzz with fans of the genre ever since season two made its way back on to the BBC on Thursday 31 July.

When a young Irish couple disappears in rural New Zealand, a dual investigation begins – one led by Kiwi detective Diana Huia (Acushla-Tara Kupe), the other by Irish officer Theo Richter (Richard Flood), who’s flown in to assist.

HELLO!’s Acting TV Editor Nicky Morris said of the show: “BBC iPlayer has a number of compelling crime dramas on offer right now, but nothing quite beats this gritty mystery set against a stunning countryside backdrop.”

Hailed by one viewer as “an intriguing NZ-Irish whodunnit crime drama set in a stunning part of the world with some fascinating and poignant insights on Māori culture,” this one is perfect for fans of Top of the Lake or Broadchurch.

Both seasons of The Gone are now available on BBC iPlayer.

5/5

Chloe Ayling: My Unbelievable

Told over three parts, this documentary series charts the abduction of 20-year-old glamour model Chloe Ayling.

In 2017, Chloe was in Milan for what she believed to be a photoshoot – until she was drugged and held captive for six days by a man who threatened to sell her on the dark web.

After her release, Chloe faced widespread public skepticism, with many doubting the truth of her story. This documentary explores her ordeal, the intense scrutiny she endured and aims to provide her with a platform to tell her full story.

All three episodes of Chloe Ayling: My Unbelievable will be available to watch on BBC iPlayer on 4 August.