‘Sheer genius’: your best TV of 2026 so far

Legends drew praise for its tension, thrills and occasional humour, with an evocative early-90s soundtrack and a morally nuanced turn from Johnny Harris as Eddie McKee. Viewers noted the show, though fictionalised, highlighted the long-hidden work of Customs, and even included a glimpse of Thatcher’s tearful leaving speech.

The Boroughs was hailed as edgy, creative and unpredictable, with Alfre Woodard singled out for her role as Judy. Criminal Record earned acclaim as a superior police drama: Cush Jumbo and Peter Capaldi are cast as opposing principles, while Dustin Demri-Burns’s Cosmo drives a tense plot that uses a mole to try to stop a terrorist attack.

DTF St Louis impressed as deeply moving and quirkily hilarious, helped by the performances of Jason Bateman and David Harbour and a non-linear, multi-perspective structure.

United Kingdom

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