Television series
Meantime
Other titles called Meantime: the 1983 film.
A Glasgow noir-comedy about Felix, a man deep in addiction whose best friend turns up dead—and he's the obvious suspect. With a washed-up ex-detective and a chaotic mate in tow, he lurches through Scotland's criminal underworld trying to clear his name. Dark, funny, propulsive: crime thriller as darkly comic survival story.
Should you watch it?
Watch it if you like crime stories where the comedy comes from a panicked protagonist's shaky logic and a Glasgow setting that feels lived in, and you enjoy James McAvoy's knack for fast, unreliable charm.
Skip it if you want something fully made to sink into, since this is still in development with no episodes to see yet, so any verdict is a bet on the pitch.
What it asks of you: Little to commit to yet: no episodes are listed, so you cannot judge its length or speed, only trust the premise's tone for now.
Not sure? Find tonight's pick in a minute.
If you liked this
Trainspotting1996
The template for stylish, unflinching British crime storytelling where addiction isn't glamorised but lived viscerally. McAvoy's Felix shares that same wired energy and moral vertigo.
But The 90s-ness dates some of it. The violence and drug use aren't softened for comfort.
In Treatment2008
Claustrophobic psychological intensity with a protagonist making terrible decisions under pressure. The rhythm of desperation and revelation—and how quickly things spiral—feels kindred.
But Slow, talky, entirely interior. No action. Demands patience with deeply flawed people.
Peaky Blinders2013
British crime family saga with real wit, period texture, and a hero drowning in his own neuroses while trying to solve murders. Stylish, dark, frequently funny without undercutting the stakes.
But Tries very hard to be cool sometimes. The later seasons lose focus. Heavy on aesthetics over plot.
Not sure tonight? Get a pick in a minute, starting from Meantime
The wildcard
Something you would not have found on your own.
Filthy Rich2020
Both are comedies about morally compromised people in criminal chaos, where the humour comes from character and situation spiralling, not jokes landing on a punchline beat.
A Southern gothic crime comedy about trash, money, and the bizarre things people do. It finds comedy in desperation and moral chaos without ever losing grip on real consequences.
But Southern noir that trades in stereotypes, even if affectionately. Cancelled after one season. Aggressively weird tonal shifts.
More like this (7)
Veep2012
Proof that chaos, incompetence, and clever people can fuel comedy-thriller tension. The constant escalation and increasingly absurd consequences mirror what Meantime seems to be doing.
But American politics; some may find the satire dated or too in-the-weeds. Relentlessly cynical.
Kiss Kiss Bang Bang2005
A crime thriller that's genuinely hilarious, narrated by someone unreliable and paranoid. Proves the genre can do comedy without losing menace.
But Very LA-centric. The meta-commentary gets fussy. Requires affection for Downey Jr. being insufferable.
Sneaky Pete2015
A con man trying to survive in a criminal world while keeping his life together. Fast-paced, funny, with real stakes and a protagonist you root for despite his chaos.
But Cancelled after three seasons. The tone shifts season-to-season. Comes to feel slight despite good ideas.
Withnail & I1987
Two broke, desperate men stumbling through a criminal underworld while falling apart. Endlessly quotable, achingly funny about addiction and friendship gone wrong.
But Cult film, not mainstream. The plot barely matters. Won't land if you're not in the mood for pure character comedy.
True Detective2014
Visually stunning crime mystery with real comedic moments and damaged protagonists searching for truth in a hostile landscape. Recent, so the energy feels contemporary.
But The first season is the gold standard; later ones are uneven. Bleak in ways that can feel punishing.
The Guard2011
Rural British Isles crime story where a misfit protagonist and an older unlikely ally navigate criminal underworld, finding gallows humour in desperation—same emotional register, different country.
An Irish policeman and an FBI agent hunt a drug-trafficking gang across rural Ireland. Sharp, profoundly funny, with the Emerald neighbour's version of Britain's crime-comedy DNA.
But Very regional Irish humour. The fish-out-of-water FBI plot is slight. Some may find it meandering.
The Go-Between1971
Both explore how a protagonist's attempts to navigate a situation spiral toward disaster they can't control—the engine is helplessness rather than action, and the tragedy comes from things breaking invisibly before the surface cracks.
A boy becomes unwitting messenger in an affair between two class-divided lovers. Quiet, devastating, about how chaos spirals from small compromises. Haunting and architecturally perfect.
But A period film about emotional restraint. No plot pyrotechnics. Requires patience and investment in mood over event. Very slow.
People
Cast
Production
- Alex MoodyExecutive Producer
- Eric CoulterExecutive Producer
- Frankie BoyleExecutive Producer
- James McAvoyExecutive Producer
- Jon S. BairdExecutive Producer
- Neil WebsterExecutive Producer
- Nerys EvansExecutive Producer
- Eric CoulterProducer