The show doesn’t merely copy specific genre touches but instead gives them a real, earned hazy feeling too.
The ability to change perspectives is fundamental to so many of the shows on this list. No other show takes that idea and makes it as slippery as “Landscapers,” a show dedicated to artifice from its opening frames. Ed Sinclair reimagines the true story of accused murderers Susan (Olivia Colman) and Christopher Edwards (David Thewlis) through a number of different lenses, brought to life by director and co-writer Will Sharpe. At points, both Susan and Christopher see themselves as stars of their own misunderstood tale, be it a classic Hollywood romance or a story set in a different era or continent. The show doesn’t merely copy specific genre touches but instead gives them a real, earned hazy feeling too. A tragic mix of dark comedy, warped rose-colored optimism, and the drudgery of investigative work, “Landscapers” is a triumph of design. Using that stylistic cornucopia as a starting point, the show is able to present a 360-degree view of how one action or choice can impact so many other lives. — SG