Television series
Death Comes to Pemberley
A murder mystery grafted onto Austen's most beloved story. Six years after Pride and Prejudice, Elizabeth and Darcy's world is disrupted by death at their estate. It's a crime drama wrapped in Regency silks—smart, atmospheric, and genuinely unsettling in ways the source material never was. For viewers who want their Austen with intrigue and darker edges.
If you liked this
Sherlock2010
Modern mystery writing at its sharpest, with the same intellectual pleasure and plot mechanics that make Death Comes to Pemberley so gripping. Moffat and Gatiss excel at layering puzzle and character.
But The first series is uneven, and later seasons lose focus. Also genuinely cynical in ways that might exhaust you.
Bodyguard2018
A six-part thriller where every episode reframes what you thought you knew. Jed Mercurio creates genuine dread through misdirection and moral complexity. Utterly addictive.
But Relentlessly bleak and violent. The pacing occasionally sacrifices credibility for shock, and the ending divides people sharply.
The Night Manager2016
Susanne Bier directs le Carré's espionage novel into tense, gorgeous television. Tom Hiddleston and Olivia Colman are magnetic, and the writing treats its audience as intelligent.
But Slower-paced than you might expect, and morally murky without clear heroes. Some find it distant.
Not sure tonight? Get a pick in a minute, starting from Death Comes to Pemberley
The wildcard
Something you would not have found on your own.
The Little Stranger2018
Both take Austen-era social structures (class, marriage, propriety) and infect them with menace. Wickham's charming predatoriness finds its echo in Waters' manipulative interloper.
Sarah Waters' Gothic mystery translated to film by Lenny Abrahamson. A doctor insinuates himself into a crumbling aristocratic household after the war, and something is profoundly wrong. Slow-burn dread that accumulates invisibly.
But Nothing happens in any conventional sense. It's mood and implication, not plot. Demands active viewing and tolerates ambiguity; many find it frustrating.
More like this (8)
Downton Abbey2010
Historical drama where secrets and class collisions drive character as much as plot. Julian Fellowes understands how to weave mystery through domestic spaces. Warm where Pemberley is cold.
But Becomes increasingly soap-opera-like as it continues. Early seasons are tighter; later ones meander.
The Miniaturist2017
A three-part period mystery set in 1600s Amsterdam, built on atmosphere and visual storytelling. Unsettling and hypnotic, with genuine supernatural unease. Beautifully shot and confidently paced.
But Deliberately cryptic—if you dislike ambiguous endings or feel patronised by non-literal storytelling, this will frustrate you.
Complicit2013
A two-part psychological thriller where nothing is as it seems. David Tennant is phenomenal, and the writing respects your intelligence enough not to over-explain itself.
But Only two episodes. Some viewers find the twist retroactively ruins the story rather than enriching it.
The ABC Murders2018
Agatha Christie adapted with real visual flair by Euros Lyn. John Malkovich's Poirot is unexpected and fascinating, and the production values are immaculate. A classic reimagined for now.
But Deviates significantly from the source material in ways book purists may resent. The supporting cast sometimes feels like window-dressing.
Grantchester2014
A vicar detective solving murders in 1950s Cambridge. It's cosy on the surface but genuinely inventive in its plotting. Character-driven and warm without being saccharine.
But Can feel repetitive if you watch too much at once. Some cases are far stronger than others, and the romance subplots are occasionally overdone.
The Bletchley Circle2012
Post-war female codebreakers solving murders in 1950s Britain. Clever, character-rich, and genuinely interested in how these women exist after the war ends. The first season especially is superb.
But Only two seasons. The second feels rushed and less focused. Some plot elements strain credulity.
Beloved1998
Both are mysteries where the real revelation concerns what people have been hiding—not whodunit, but what unbearable truth someone will kill (or die) to conceal.
Toni Morrison's novel of slavery, trauma, and supernatural haunting adapted by Jonathan Demme. Oprah Winfrey and Danny Glover anchor a shattering story about what the past does when it won't stay buried. Powerful and necessary.
But Deliberately fragmentary in structure. The supernatural elements confuse some viewers, and the historical trauma is not softened for comfort.
The Apothecary Diaries2023
Shares Pemberley's fascination with how intelligence and observation reveal hidden crimes within insular, hierarchical worlds. Both centre detection as intimacy—understanding through close attention.
A Chinese historical mystery anime set in a medieval-style pharmacy and imperial palace. A brilliant, observant poisoner becomes an investigator. Visually stunning, plotted like clockwork, and genuinely funny despite dealing with murder and abuse.
But It's anime, which may put you off for format reasons alone. Some episodes wade through lore. The subject matter (poison, trafficking, abuse) is handled unflinchingly.
