Television series

The Nevers

Name: The Nevers
Genre: Drama, Science Fiction, Supernatural
Released: 2021
Cast: Laura Donnelly, Olivia Williams, James Norton, Tom Riley, Ann Skelly

Victorian London gets shaken by a supernatural event that grants extraordinary abilities to ordinary people, mostly women. Amalia True and Penance Adair lead a ragtag sanctuary for the gifted and hunted. It's *X-Men* remixed through gaslit feminism, gorgeously shot, morally complicated, and built on genuine character work beneath the spectacle.

TVMaze rating

3.9

Should you watch it?

Watch it if you like gaslit Victorian fantasy with a superhero-team streak, where the found-family bonds and the scrappy, brawling heroines matter more than the lore.

Skip it if you want a tidy, fast-moving mystery, since it takes its time assembling its world and its ensemble, and some of the early episodes feel more like setup than payoff.

What it asks of you: Settle in for twelve hour-long episodes that build slowly, with a dark, bleak undertow and plenty of stop-start attention needed to track who is who.

Not sure? Find tonight's pick in a minute.

If you liked this

Penny Dreadful2014

Supernatural horror woven through Victorian London with similar themes of outcasts gathering against darkness. Richly atmospheric, gorgeously acted, and unafraid to let its monsters be complex.

But Slower pacing and heavier on gothic dread than action. Some storylines peter out before satisfying conclusions.

Sense82015

Ensemble cast of misfits discovering extraordinary abilities and building found family across the world. Same DNA of connection, solidarity, and people learning to trust their strangeness.

But Deliberately oblique plotting can feel scattered. Some episodes prioritize spectacle and romance over narrative momentum.

The Umbrella Academy2019

Superpowered siblings rejected by society learn to use their gifts to save the world. Visually inventive, darkly funny, and genuinely moving about belonging and chosen family.

But Tonal shifts between gothic melodrama and comedy can feel uneven. Second season loses some of the first's momentum.

Not sure tonight? Get a pick in a minute, starting from The Nevers

The wildcard

Something you would not have found on your own.

The Lodger: A Story of the London Fog1927

Both use the same trick: hide monstrous knowledge in plain sight within a domestic space. The danger lives upstairs; ordinary people stumble onto truth they can't unsee.

Hitchcock's silent masterpiece about a mysterious lodger suspected of being a serial killer in London. Gothic atmosphere, mounting dread, and visual storytelling that's hypnotic—no dialogue needed.

But Silent film with intertitles. Pacing and narrative logic operate differently than you're used to.

The Lodger: A Story of the London Fog poster

Carnival Row2019

Fantasy creatures hunted and marginalized in a corrupt Victorian-inspired city. Lush world-building, strong performances, and a clear-eyed look at systemic prejudice wearing a period costume.

But Plot tangles get convoluted. Some character motivations strain credibility in the second half.

Watchmen2009

Deconstructs superhero mythology with moral complexity and real consequences. If *The Nevers* intrigues you about power and corruption, this film does the same with cold precision.

But Dense, deliberately paced, and deeply cynical. Not interested in catharsis or simple heroism.

Broadchurch2013

A small community fractured by darkness and secrets, anchored by David Tennant's extraordinary performance. Same commitment to character over spectacle and moral ambiguity.

But Grim and relentless. If you want lightness or hope, look elsewhere.

The Magicians2015

Misfits learn magic and become powerful while uncovering vast conspiracies. Balances humor with genuine stakes and treats its gifted outcasts with real dignity.

But Early seasons uneven in tone. Quality varies significantly between episodes.

American Gods2017

Supernatural beings hiding in plain sight, persecuted and desperate, with stunning production design and a sweeping sense of mythic stakes.

But Meandering narrative that loses focus. Second season particularly struggles with pacing and coherence.

Shadowhunters: The Mortal Instruments2016

Young people discovering hidden powers and joining a persecuted group fighting in the shadows. Lighter than *The Nevers* but with the same core themes of acceptance and alliance.

But CW-show constraints show in budget and occasionally clunky dialogue. Campy in ways that don't always work.

Shadowhunters: The Mortal Instruments poster

Firebrand2024

Both understand that supernatural threat is often metaphor for the very real violence of those already in power. The true monsters don't need abilities; they have authority.

A young boy caught in royal court politics where power games mean death. Intimate, wickedly written, and absolutely riveting about how the powerless survive surrounded by monsters.

But Released quietly and rarely seen. Short runtime but intensely concentrated emotional weight—exhausting in the best way.

Les Misérables1998

Both are about people society deems disposable fighting to exist. *The Nevers* uses supernatural gifts; this uses the language of social realism to ask identical questions about who deserves protection.

Stéphane Demoustier's intimate drama about police violence and marginalized kids in Paris. Shot like poetry, acted with devastating authenticity, and about survival and dignity against systemic oppression.

But In French with subtitles. Deliberately anticinematic—long takes, natural light, no score. Can feel slow if you're expecting narrative momentum.