Fortunately, this month’s lineup of must-watch shows offers plenty of excuses to escape, including a dramatization of one of the biggest scandals in cryptocurrency history, a return to the dystopian world of Blade Runner, and a dark comedy about desperate parents who turn to surveillance technology to find their missing daughter.
There’s also a return to Middle-earth, a deadly game of international espionage, and a mysterious archaeological discovery that sets off a globe-trotting conspiracy. Plus, we're revisiting two groundbreaking television series that helped shape our fascination with government secrets, surveillance, and conspiracy theories.
As always, we’re not just chasing the biggest names or the shows everyone is already talking about (as much as we do enjoy The Gilded Age). Instead, these picks reflect the kinds of stories WIRED covers every day, from technology and science to politics and culture, and the unexpected ways they often intersect.
Whether you’re in the mood for a mind-bending sci-fi thriller, a twisty international conspiracy, or a classic worth rediscovering, these are the TV shows worth making time for this month. Black Doves Ben Whishaw (Q in Daniel Craig’s Bond movies) is one of the finest actors working today, even if his name isn’t quite as recognizable as it should be.
Fortunately, Black Doves gives him plenty of opportunities to remind us why. The deliciously twisty British spy thriller stars Keira Knightley as Helen Webb, a seemingly ordinary wife and mother who just happens to be secretly passing government intelligence to a shadowy organization known as the Black Doves.
Whishaw plays Sam, her longtime friend and a professional assassin who gets pulled back into her dangerous double life. Then there’s the always-brilliant Sarah Lancashire (Happy Valley) as Helen’s formidable handler, Mrs. Reed. Season 2, which arrived November 5, raises the stakes considerably as Helen’s husband prepares to become Britain’s prime minister, putting her at the very heart of government.
It’s a wickedly entertaining mix of political intrigue, espionage, dark humor, and double-crosses, with a stellar cast that makes even the most murderous characters hard to resist. The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power If you thought things were looking bleak in Middle-earth at the end of Season 2, just wait. Amazon's spectacularly ambitious—and wildly expensive—prequel to J.R.R.
Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings returns for a third season, picking up five years after the fall of Eregion. Sauron (Charlie Vickers) has been busy building his armies and conquering much of Middle-earth, leaving the Elves, Dwarves, Men, and Wizards scrambling to stop him. Meanwhile, the Dark Lord is working on his most dangerous creation yet: the One Ring.
The new season promises plenty of political intrigue, epic battles, and the kind of jaw-dropping fantasy world-building that makes the series such a visual feast. Even if you know where Tolkien’s story ultimately leads, watching the pieces fall into place is half the fun. The first four episodes arrive November 11, with the remaining four rolling out over the following two weeks.
The Altruists Remember when cryptocurrency was going to change the world? For a while, Sam Bankman-Fried seemed poised to make that happen. The young entrepreneur became a billionaire seemingly overnight as the founder of FTX, a cryptocurrency exchange that promised to revolutionize finance. Then it all came crashing down in…
