TV dramas to watch

“Orphan Black” has one of the most loyal fanbases in television—and for good reason. It follows a complex network of individuals linked by their DNA. Lead actress Tatiana Maslany has been nominated for an Emmy for the many roles she plays, from a frustrated soccer mom to a grad student with dreadlocks.

“Luther” has many of the same elements of other crime procedurals, but it also has Idris Elba. Its sharp writing and multidimensional characters don’t hurt, either. In it, Detective Chief Inspector John Luther uses his near-savant abilities to solve London crime while fighting corruption, conspiracy, and his own dangerous temper.

The BBC’s “Peaky Blinders” is a period drama with less emphasis on advantageous marriages and more emphasis on blood. It’s a crime series set in 1920s Birmingham, England complete with gangsters, family ties, and politics.

If you’ve ever seen “The Silence of the Lambs,” you’re familiar with Hannibal Lecter’s complex and terrifying character. The TV series follows criminal profiler Will Graham as he solves heinous crimes. To lighten his emotional burden, he consults with a therapist, Dr. Lecter, who isn’t quite as unfamiliar with the case as Graham thinks…

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FX’s “The Americans” debuted in 2013. Set in the early ’80s, it stars Keri Russell and Matthew Rhys as Soviet spies posing as a married Virginia couple. Created and executive produced by former CIA officer Joe Weisberg, it has been called “the best show no one’s watching” by the likes of Vulture, Vox, Salon, and more.

Kyle Chandler was recently nominated for an Emmy for his performance as the lead in Netflix’s “Bloodline.” The series explores the hidden darkness of the American household and family.

BBC’s “Black Mirror” first aired in 2011. It explores a dystopian future in which technology has overrun society. A slightly paranoid extrapolation, it’s sure to get you thinking about the darker possibilities of innovation.

When an 11-year-old boy dies, the entire town of “Broadchurch’’ comes under scrutiny and suspicion. Detectives Alec Hardy and Olivia Colman work to unravel the mystery, build a case, and maintain distance from the emotional fallout. “Broadchurch” asks what happens to a community torn apart by a murder.

“Fargo’’ is about to begin its second season on FX. Like the 1996 film of the same name, it’s a noir thriller in which crime and deception interrupt small-town, Midwestern life.

If you haven’t heard of “Orange is the New Black” by now, you’re probably not much of a TV watcher. But if you’ve been on the fence, hop off of it and onto your couch. The show integrates diverse personalities, motivations, and backstories, and butts them up against the constraints of life in prison.

“Ray Donovan” is a somewhat darker version of ABC’s “Scandal.” Liev Schriber plays Ray Donovan, a “fixer” for Hollywood’s celebrities, athletes, and businessmen. Despite his clients’ glamour, Donovan’s background as a South Boston thug continuously resurfaces–but not in a good way.

The spinoff series to “Breaking Bad,” “Better Call Saul” is set years before the Walter White storyline. It tracks the development of small-time lawyer Jimmy McGill into the ruthless Saul Goodman.