From new adaptations of famous novels by John Steinbeck and Stephen King to a maritime horror in Newfoundland starring Josh Hartnett, these are the best series to watch:

1. War

In this twisty, rich legal drama, Dominic West plays a tech billionaire (Morgan Henderson) and Sienna Miller portrays an actor (Carla Duval). They were in love when they married ten years ago, but are now pitted against each other in a bitter, high-stakes, headline-grabbing divorce. They are represented by two scheming law firms: one of London's most prestigious, and a new firm founded by a married couple who formerly worked at the established practice. Featuring betrayals, press leaks, dirty tricks, and an attorney who goes undercover at one firm to spy for the other, all unfolding across the city's most luxurious settings. George Kay, creator of Idris Elba's Hijack and the drama Gone, told EW that he got the idea for War after overhearing a woman "screaming from a rooftop" when her husband finalized their divorce papers after four years of wrangling. He said: "We wanted opulence. We wanted glamour. We wanted to show London at its most seductive."

2. East of Eden

In this new series adaptation of John Steinbeck's 1952 family saga, Florence Pugh takes center stage with a powerful performance as Cathy, the manipulative and deadly woman at the heart of a conflict between two brothers: Adam Trask (Christopher Abbott), whom she marries, and Charles (Mike Faist), who warns him about her. Years after its publication, the novel was adapted into a famous film starring James Dean and directed by Elia Kazan. Granddaughter, actor, and director Zoe Kazan created and wrote this series, taking a different approach by bringing Cathy to the forefront. While the movie adapted only a portion of the book, the series covers its entire timeline—from the post-Civil War years in New England to California during World War I. Tracy Letts plays the father of the Trask brothers, Ciarán Hinds is the patriarch of a neighboring family, and Hoon Lee portrays the Trasks' servant. Pugh told Vanity Fair regarding playing this antiheroine: "It was really important to me not to soften her or make excuses for her," but rather to "find tenderness and humanity in her without altering the core DNA of the character."

3. Kill Jackie

Catherine Zeta-Jones stars in this action-packed revenge thriller as Jackie Price, a former international drug dealer who, after 20 years of a quiet yet extraordinarily wealthy life selling fine art, becomes the target of assassins. She suspects the killers belong to a syndicate called the "Seven Devils," though many vengeful figures from her past could be hunting her down. As Jackie attempts to evade her enemies, the action is laced with dark humor. "I suppose I'm going to have to kill them all," she says, seemingly relishing a return to her former glamorous and dangerous life. The cast also includes Daniel Ings, Bill Paterson, Ron Perlman, and Sidse Babett Knudsen. Zeta-Jones was welcomed for using her native Welsh accent in the series, which was partially filmed in Swansea, Wales.

4. Carrie

Based on Stephen King's novel, the 1976 classic horror film Carrie is best known for the iconic imagery of Sissy Spacek as a prom queen drenched in pig's blood. Since then, there has been a sequel, two remakes, and a stage musical—and now comes this series from Mike Flanagan, the mind behind acclaimed horror shows such as The Haunting of Hill House. This new version translates Carrie (a bullied high school student) into the era of social media and smartphones, making abuse easier to inflict than ever. Summer H. Howell stars as Carrie, with Samantha Sloyan playing her overbearing mother, whose homeschooling failed to prepare her daughter for today's technological world or the wild realities of adolescence—especially regarding her telekinetic abilities. King himself recently offered his thoughts on the series and its fresh take on his classic book, writing on Threads: "Mike Flanagan's version of Carrie is brilliant. What it says about social media is shocking and true."

5. Small Prophets

Mackenzie Crook, creator and star of Detectorists and known for the UK version of The Office, created this whimsical show, which proved a huge hit in the UK when it aired on the BBC in February this year. Michael (Pearce Quigley) is completely broken because his partner, Cleo, disappeared seven years ago without a trace. His father (Brian / Michael Palin) possesses an ancient manuscript containing instructions to create miniature mythical creatures (Homunculi) capable of revealing truths. Despite doubts—Brian resides in a care home and his memory is unreliable—Michael gives it a try. In his everyday life, he forms a friendship with Cassie (Lauren Patel), his coworker at a shop, where both share a mutual dislike for their manager (played by Crook himself). The Australian newspaper The Age wrote of the show's distinct tone: "A gentle, jewel-like, unhurried masterpiece that is funny, profound, and equally breaks your heart and mends it." Unsurprisingly, it has been renewed for a second season.

6. Cupertino

Robert and Michelle King, who created this series, were also behind two of the best television legal dramas of all time: The Good Wife and The Good Fight. Their new show centers on a Silicon Valley concept that couldn't be more timely or compelling. Mike Colter plays Mike Price, an attorney who was squeezed out of his stock options by his tech startup partner. Rachel Keller portrays Olivia Sifre, a lawyer fired after confronting her abusive boss. Together, they launch a firm representing clients harmed by tech giants, fighting despite the power imbalance. Renée Elise Goldsberry plays Mike's ex-wife and former colleague who opposes him in court. Busy Philipps stars as the ex-wife of an AI billionaire who uses her fortune to fund the new law firm. Amid recent headlines regarding the risks of AI to humanity's future, Cupertino arrives at a very auspicious moment.

7. Below

The shadow of Jaws hangs over this horror series set and filmed in Newfoundland, starring Josh Hartnett as Calvin Penny, a local fisherman in a struggling economy. Dwindling fish stocks and financial troubles become the least of his and the town's worries when fish start disappearing, tourists go missing, and harvested iceberg ice—a local industry—begins to foul. Something sinister lurks beneath the sea, a threat that marine biologist Mackenzie Davis begins to investigate. Charlie Heaton plays Calvin's estranged son, Wade, who returns from the mainland with his two siblings for a family reunion at the worst possible time. The Toronto Star wrote of the show: "It's a story about the pain of change and the dangers of climate neglect, but ultimately it's just a simple classic tale: man versus monster."

8. The Lowdown

Filmmaker Sterlin Harjo's latest series was one of last year's standout hits, starring Ethan Hawke as corruption-exposing journalist and bookstore owner Lee Raybon, whose pursuit of truth leads to personal turmoil. However, the character chemistry and the nuanced portrayal of life in Tulsa, Oklahoma elevated The Lowdown above standard procedural fare. Now in its second season, several new characters promise to steer the show even stronger. Betty Gilpin plays a public defender who reluctantly teams up with Lee when her client mysteriously vanishes from prison. In an inspired casting choice, Tommy Lee Jones plays Lee's father, who abruptly turns up in town. This presents a problem, as Lee—a self-proclaimed "truth-seeker"—had told his young daughter that her grandfather was dead.

9. Vision Quest

As part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), Paul Bettany has always infused humanity into his android character, Vision. Now Vision has his own spin-off series following WandaVision. With Wanda gone, Vision is left only with memories void of emotion, prompting him to reconnect with his feelings by interacting with AI personas within himself. Chief among them is Ultron, a paternal figure portrayed in human form by James Spader, complete with a massive beard and a nonchalant attitude. Bettany described Ultron as "this psychopath that Vision has locked in the attic." Meanwhile, a bounty has been placed on Vision's head, forcing him on the run alongside teenager Thomas Shepherd—who is actually the reincarnated son of Vision and Wanda (Tommy Maximoff). As Spader's Ultron wryly notes in the trailer: "Nothing brings a family together quite like the threat of death."

10. Nocturne

Liev Schreiber stars in this crime drama based on two novels by Lars Kepler (the pseudonym of a Swedish husband-and-wife writing duo behind international bestsellers). Transpatterned from Scandinavia to the US, Schreiber plays Jonah Lin (Joona Linna in the books), a former soldier and homicide detective who relocates from Philadelphia to a quiet small town. Naturally, if the town remained quiet, there would be no story. Instead, a surviving victim of a serial killer named Jurek Walter turns up alive, sending Lin into a desperate race to find another missing person before it's too late. Zazie Beetz plays FBI Agent Saga Bauer, Lin's mentee who goes undercover to investigate Walter, giving the show a gritty Silence of the Lambs vibe.

Source: BBC Culture