With such an overflow of content on television, it can sometimes be difficult to decide what to watch. Here’s Instep’s pick of shows to check out with two already airing, while the remaining three set to premiere soon.
Patience
(PBS – June 15)
Who doesn’t love a twisty detective show? Enter Patience, a light-hearted procedural-meets-prestige drama that focuses on DI (Detective Inspector) Bea Metcalf (Laura Fraser) and Patience Evans (Ella Maisy Purvis), a neurodivergent archivist whose skill at spotting patterns makes her invaluable—even if the work challenges her in other areas.
The silver lining? Purvis, who is autistic herself, brings authenticity and subtlety to Patience and avoids the usual tropes. Her flow-chart approach to social anxiety and a literal, no nonsense logic gives the character a sort of dry humour that’s at once grounded and charming. And the chemistry between Fraser Purvis is strong: her mentor-officer dynamic never feels strained, and the banter never feels forced. The downside? Some critics complain that the plotting is a little unfocused, lacking the tension you’d expect from a mystery. While using pattern-recognition suicides as the central twist is gripping, it relies more on coincidence than careful plotting. Storylines can stray from comfortable procedural territory into filler material, which makes it much less engaging. Nevertheless, it’s difficult not to root for a show that makes neurodiverse representation a priority both in front of and behind the camera—including a number of neurodivergent writers and actors. Visually, too, the transition from York’s slick cityscapes to the tight spaces of police stations reflects Patience’s inner tension—juggling an attention to detail even in chaotic surroundings.
Verdict: Patience isn’t reinventing the detective wheel, but it adds a welcome dose of authenticity and empathy to the genre. Its charms outweigh its plotting misfires, making it well worth your time.
The Waterfront
(Netflix – June 19)
Have you ever thought about what would happen if Ozark turned beachy? Netflix’s The Waterfront dives right into that territory, a tightly wound family crime series that feels like Succession with a coastal setting. The Buckleys, led by patriarch Harlan (Holt McCallany), are a North Carolina fishing clan whose empire—built on back-breaking labour and borderline legality—is beginning to capsize after Harlan’s heart attacks. Belle (Maria Bello) and their son Cane (Jake Weary) are put to the test as they try to hold things together, and stave off a drug smuggling racket that threatens to destroy everything they’ve worked for. Add in the volatile subplot between Bree (Melissa Benoist) and the shady newcomer Grady (Topher Grace), and you have a explosive brew of family feud and crime.
Credits to Kevin Williamson (Dawson’s Creek, The Vampire Diaries) for interlacing personal origins—his fisherman father who supposedly became involved in smuggling during the ‘80s—into this story. That autobiographical subtext lends what might have been a typical crime saga a bittersweet Southern authenticity. The cast is strong: McCallany conveys measured menace, Bello finds maternal toughness mingling with grief, and Benoist provides vulnerability that grounds the story. Grace portrays Grady as appropriately refined but uncomfortable—the classic dangerous outsider.
The potential weakness? With only eight episodes, the narrative risks falling into common clichés: power battle, lucrative crime, moral disintegration. Critics fear that pure drama will crowd out nuance. The rich coastal scenery, beautiful though it is, could encourage the show to prioritise setting over substance.
Verdict: The Waterfront isn’t anything new, but with a great cast and authentic Southern grit, it’s a compelling dive into blue-collar family desperation. And it isn’t exactly based on the success of Succession, which is a good thing.
Countdown
(Prime Video – June 25, 3-episode premiere)
If high-stakes thrillers get your heart pumping, then you should clear your calendar for Countdown on Prime Video. After a Department of Homeland Security officer is murdered, LAPD detective Mark Meachum (Jensen Ackles) is recruited by an elusive task force—one that operates behind closed doors —to unmask the killers. Ahead of the release, details remain somewhat unclear.
Ackles does, however, bring the sort of hardened calm he’s established himself with (Supernatural, The Boys), suggesting Meachum won’t be your run-of-the-mill hot-headed detective. The three-episode trailer teases a dramatic arc—ideal for audiences who are growing weary of drawn-out procedurals. The premise seems ambitious: linking federal intrigue with city-level grit, for both political nuance and personal drama. Imagine Jack Ryan meets True Detective with fewer episodes and, hopefully, tighter construction. Which leaves us with the question: Can Countdown provide depth in just three episodes? That’s its greatest challenge. Otherwise, viewers might not return for the rest of the series.
Verdict: Countdown presents an intriguing setup, and Ackles provides the necessary star power. If the writing delivers, those three hours could pack the punch of a loaded six-part series—direct, deadly, and sharp.
Ballard
(Prime Video – July 9)
Ballard—a spin-off of Bosch: Legacy—revives Maggie Q as Renée Ballard—a detective whose story begins where Bosch: Legacy Season 3 left off. Ballard’s world is part serial procedural, part legacy thriller. Think street-level policing infused with the moral whispers of Bosch.
Maggie Q brings a deliberate intensity—steady and layered. Ten episodes allow for nuance without TV bloat. But can Ballard hold her own with viewers who have not watched Bosch: Legacy? That is the true test, and it hinges on writing depth. Pulp crime writing, emotional impact and actual texture is what the show is promising. There is a chance that Ballard may blend in with all the existing detective shows—unless it really leans into the heritage of its franchise and gives Q something personal to sink her teeth into. As an actor, she hasn’t been given enough roles where she can shine.
Verdict: Ballard will satisfy fans of Bosch: Legacy and appeal to newcomers who enjoy female-led crime thrillers—provided it learns to balance police-craft with character development.
Too Much
(Netflix – July 10)
What does a broke New Yorker do when they move to London after a breakup? Netflix’s new series is going to tell you. Among the creators is Lena Dunham (Girls), signalling a mix of self-deprecation, emotional ups and downs, and neurotic charm.
Megan Stalter, known for her supporting role in Hacks, stars as our heart-on-her-sleeve expat, trying to figure out heartbreak and cultural whiplash. Picture Fleabag meets High Fidelity—a woman putting herself back together in a new city. Stalter’s funny in a brittle-yet-willowy way, which makes her seem wounded, as if she snapped in half but soldiered on. The setting is London’s hipster landscape—bustling coffee shops, muttered apologies on the streets and outside tube stations. It all sounds very exciting. Based on Dunham’s track record, the writing will balance between honest and cringeworthy—in that painfully authentic, unflinchingly real style. The big question: will the show explore genuine emotional growth, or will every episode function as a standalone jagged skit? Depending on direction, there’s room for both. This might turn out to be a show where character development evolves along with the story and episodic hilarity is on display across the series.
Verdict: Too Much has the makings of a chaotic yet likeable emotional rollercoaster—messy, relatable, and sometimes even triumphant. If Stalter’s raw vulnerability pairs with smart writing, this could be the perfect summer antidote for those weary of traditional rom-coms.
Final word:
If you’re charting your summer TV queue, here’s what it looks like: some shows dive deep (Patience, The Waterfront), others demand immediate payoff (Countdown), and a few promise character-led development (Ballard, Too Much). It’s an amalgamation of mystery, moral ambiguity, and emotional transformation—just enough to keep you engaged through summer’s blazing heat. Happy binging.
