Colder weather is settling in, and that means a long evening curled in front of the TV under a blanket, with a glass of something special is the perfect night in. 

With an increasing flood of binge worthy TV shows hitting our screens, combined with the ‘watch a whole series in one go’ convenience of streaming and subscription services, there’s never been a better excuse to get the gang around for a night of drama, excitement and hilarity.

Of course, that doesn’t mean that Free To Air don’t have good shows to offer. There’s plenty to choose from there and most channels now also offer “catch up” or “on demand” services through their websites.

Here’s our guide to finding the best shows to suit your mood, and the perfect drinks to match. 

Crime

Set the scene with a bold, smooth Gentleman Jack on the rocks.

A good crime drama gets you hooked from the opening scene, and doesn’t let go. Notorious for causing many hours of lost sleep, since The Sopranos, CSI and Law & Order in the 90’s, crime dramas are the perfect binge-watch.

Best New Show

Our favourite has been the last 2 seasons of the beautifully quirky Fargo (Foxtel Play, Stan). With elements of black-comedy, over-the-top villains, and simple mid-western US folk that find themselves deeper and deeper in trouble, this absurdist saga is full of twists and moody, dark humour.

The new season (April 15, Foxtel, FX) promises to double the quirkiness with Ewan McGregor portraying two feuding brothers. Get a space booked on the couch for this one!

Best show you may have missed

On it’s way to being regarded as a true classic, Boardwalk Empire (Foxtel Play, iTunes) came along on the coattails of The Sopranos with a stylish, brutal and wholly engrossing depiction of Prohibition Era gangsters. Packed full of familiar faces, outstanding acting and cracking writing, it’s worth another look.

Comedy

Make it fruity and sophisticated with Jacobs Creek Classic Chardonnay.

There’s nothing better than a good laugh to get you out of a funk. Over the years we’ve laughed, cried and cringed with comedy shows like How I Met Your Mother, Seinfeld, Modern Family, The Big Bang Theory and Friends.

Best New Show

One of the best things to come from the streaming approach to TV, are series-length story lines which keep you engaged and wanting more. Allowing for deeper themes than your 20-minutes-and-you’re-done sitcoms, comedies like Atlanta (SBS Viceland) make for characters that you really get to know, and get hooked on. This eccentric, whip-smart and insightful look at navigating the road to hip-hop stardom, still manages to be very funny and worthy of an extended session on the couch.

Best show you may have missed

Largely missed by Australian audiences when new, the seven seasons of Parks and Recreation (iTunes) charmed with it’s heartfelt yet hilarious characters and cheerful optimism. You don’t need a full weekends’ commitment to enjoy the fun, but you might find yourself hooked to it’s snarky sweetness!

Super heroes

Keep it light, fresh and unexpected with a Strongbow Classic Apple Cider.

Thanks to the massive influx of successful comics-based movies over the last few years, we've seen a corresponding glut of superhero shows of varying quality. Great for a bit of escapism, these shows tend to combine classic good over evil themes with plenty of action, special effects and ‘leather’s-the-new-spandex’ costumes.

Best new shows

Our picks over the last few years have definitely been the Marvel/Netflix combos, with the first season of Daredevil and Jessica Jones being the standouts. This years cosmic martial arts themed Iron Fist is set in the same world (NYC under the control of the evil Hand), and is leading up to The Defenders team-up in mid 2017.

Another new entry is Legion (Foxtel FX, Foxtel Play) which is gaining notice due to its disorientating, schizophrenic mutant themes and visuals.

Best show you may have missed

A show that lead the way a few years before the new wave of super-powered TV, Heroes (Netflix) quickly become a standout for it’s portrayal of everyday people developing superpowers to prevent earth-wide destruction. What’s not to like?

Reality

Get ready to indulge in your ultimate guilty please with a Secret Stone Sauvignon Blanc

Reality shows, you either love or hate them, but we can’t deny they have definitely captured our attention. Once an insight into competing abilities and unsung heroes, reality TV these days runs toward the so-bad-it’s-good train wreck variety with shows like Married at First Sight (Channel 9) or Undressed (SBS). Either way, there is a show for every subject and taste (or lack thereof) and they are endlessly entertaining.

Best new show

The reality show that’s always strived for a dignified legitimacy is MasterChef Australia (Ten Network, new season starting ‘soon’). The focus is squarely on the subject of the show (cooking, surprisingly) without exploiting personality defects and clashes for drama. The big down side is seeing all that amazing food makes you very, very hungry.

Best show you may have missed

Survivor (9 Go) is seen by many as being the ultimate reality TV experience. Now into its 34th season, the multiple hardships of contestants competing and fending for themselves in an unforgiving wilderness, often resulting in messy, emotional moments…. And as luck should have it, the new season of Australian Survivor is starting soon!

Drama

Perfect with Tintara Shiraz.

There’s nothing like a bit of emotional investment to keep you glued to the sofa. Good dramas rely on pure, old-fashioned writing and great acting to keep you absorbed. Getting to know and love the characters keeps you coming back over and over again.

Best new show

Get engrossed in the latest drama deserving of your time, This is Us (Ten Network). Surprisingly emotionally uplifting and created by the same producer and screenwriter of “Crazy, Stupid, Love”, this drama received Golden Globe and Critics’ Choice Awards nominations for Best Drama Series and has already been renewed for 3 seasons.

Best show you may have missed

The Affair (Stan and Foxtel) is an engrossing drama about two affairs and the psychological/emotional effects on the lives of the people involved. These 10 hour-long episode seasons will keep you glued to your TV and running to your local IGA for another box of tissues.

So, that should get you going, but with such a huge choice these days, the scope is endless with many outstanding genres such as historical dramas, thrillers, documentaries etc, etc to spend your big night in!