10 shows to watch this autumn, picked by carers
As the evenings draw in and we spend more time at home, sharing a favourite show with someone else who's caring can feel like company on a night in.
Finding the time to watch TV can feel like a small luxury if we’re someone who cares, but getting lost in a show, even for 20 minutes, can be a good way to relax. In fact, in a Mobilise Moment earlier in the year, 89% of the Mobilise community strongly agreed that enjoying a TV show helps us unwind.
We asked carers in the Hub what's on their watch list this autumn, and here are their favourites, from Saturday night staples to series some of us are saving for a rare quiet hour.
1. Strictly Come Dancing
“Nothing says 'autumn' like the start of Strictly"
Strictly is discussed among carers more than any other show, and there's a fresh look this year, with Emma Willis, Johannes Radebe and Josh Widdicombe taking over as hosts, following the exit of Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman. One carer told us they watch it "for a bit of light relief", which feels like a fair description of the Saturday night sequin-fest. Next stop Christmas!
2. The Great British Bake Off
Bake Off wasn't far behind in popularity, with one carer telling us they "always look forward to the return of Strictly and [the] new series of Bake Off". This series has a big change in the tent, as Prue Leith has stepped away after nine years and Nigella Lawson has joined Paul Hollywood as judge. Mobilise Community Manager Nicola, is very excited for Nigella's debut and early signs look promising! New episodes air on Tuesdays on Channel 4.
3. The Celebrity Traitors
Many of us are eagerly awaiting the next series of the excellent Celebrity Traitors, which returns to BBC1 on 1st October. Claudia Winkleman presents the ten-episode series with 21 celebrities (real ones, that we’ve heard of!) competing to win £100,000 for a charity of their choice through cunning schemes and devilish dealings. Tune in for the TV event of the year!
4. Slow Horses
"Gary Oldman has been amazing as Jackson Lamb and Kristin Scott Thomas plays the steely Lady Di to perfection."
Slow Horses has some real fans in the Hub, and if you have Apple TV you’ll know it’s definitely the jewel in their crown, with Gary Oldman playing the seedy spycatcher Jackson Lamb. (Long time fans are hoping to find out what caused his feet to be so grim 😬). Alas, Apple is releasing the six new episodes one at a time, ending on the 21st of October, so we either need to wait until they’ve all dropped before beginning, or have the patience to wait a week before our next fix.
"[I’m] trying to hold off starting watching until all the episodes from this series are available but it's hard!"
5. The Blame
For anyone after a good mystery, one carer recommended Michelle Keegan's new ITV drama The Blame. Keegan plays DI Emma Crane, who is investigating the death of a teenage figure skater, and episodes air on ITV1 on Sunday and Monday nights, with the full six-episode boxset on ITVX. Handy for those of us who'd rather watch at our own pace...“I loved All Creatures. A gentle programme with humour.”
Watch The Blame here
6. All Creatures Great and Small
The recent reboot of comforting eighties classic All Creatures Great and Small has many a fan among the caring community. The new series moves the story on to 1946, with Skeldale House full again as everyone adjusts to peacetime. Catch it on Channel 5 on Thursdays at 9pm, with episodes free to stream on 5 afterwards.
“I watched the BBC version as a child and love this one just as much"
7. The Box
Some of us have been enjoying new game show The Box, which debuted on ITV this month. Presented by Gary Lineker, it sees ten celebrities locked in yellow containers and released to face challenges with very little instruction. One carer said it was "not bad for one of these celebrity shows", which is high praise indeed for the genre!
“Great fun”
8. Rivals
If you have Disney+ and haven’t watched Rivals yet, then now is the perfect time to start. Back on Disney+ in November with the second half of its second season, the first six episodes are already available to stream, so there's time to catch up before the new ones arrive. Dive into Jilly Cooper's world of 1980s television and Cotswolds scandal, with David Tennant's Tony Baddingham more determined than ever to bring down his rivals, and Hayley Atwell and Rupert Everett joining the cast.
9. Two to look forward to
If we're already thinking ahead to the darker evenings of December, there are two big adaptations on the way. Netflix's six-part Pride and Prejudice arrives on the 3rd December, with Emma Corrin as Elizabeth Bennet and Jack Lowden, who fans of Slow Horses will know as River Cartwright, as Mr Darcy. More star power comes from Olivia Colman as Mrs Bennet, which sounds like perfect casting to us!
Then, on Christmas Day, the new TV adaptation of the Harry Potter book series begins with Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone. The first season has eight hour-long episodes, and in the UK (we think) it will be available on Sky. We anticipate a cosy classic which all generations can enjoy together.
Seen any of these shows before? Or have a go-to comfort show that always hits the spot? Share your recommendations with fellow carers in the Mobilise Hub. Your next comfort show pick could be someone else’s perfect escape, too!
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