5 Best ITV Series to Binge-Watch This Week (November 9–15, 2026)

A good week of television does not always require a new episode every night. Sometimes the best plan is a complete box set: one absorbing story, a strong cast, and enough room to let the next episode start before the credits have cooled. For November 9–15, ITVX has a particularly strong run of recent British dramas to catch up on, with crime, politics, family secrets and the kind of relationship decisions that make a quiet evening feel suddenly tense.

The timing is useful. ITV’s October streaming report named Winter, The Blame, Adultery and The Party among the platform’s top titles for the month. It also reported that The Blame reached a peak consolidated episode audience of 8.3 million, making it the broadcaster’s biggest new drama of 2026 across any channel or streamer. Those figures give the list a clear centre of gravity, but popularity alone does not decide the order: each pick earns its place through the sort of story it tells and how well it suits a week-long binge.

Our countdown starts with Winter, a forensic procedural set in Bristol, and moves through the class-conscious friendship thriller The Party, the volatile family drama Adultery and Gemma Arterton’s espionage series Secret Service. At number one is The Blame, the crime drama that turned a murder investigation into a national conversation about trust, policing and the people who may be hiding in plain sight.

Weekly watchlists can feel dated when every title is framed as a premiere, so this one focuses on series you can start now and actually finish. The October streaming report signals audience interest, but these dramas are not interchangeable and they are not all new releases. We have ranked them by the strength of their central hook, performances, complete box-set run and the way each episode invites you to continue. If you only have time for one, the top pick offers a compact mystery with a satisfying payoff; the others bring a different kind of evening, from political tension to family fallout.

All five have completed episodes available as ITVX box sets at the time of writing, so they work for viewers who want a proper weekend binge as well as anyone who prefers one episode after work. These are adult dramas with murder, betrayal, infidelity, violence or strong language, so check each ITVX programme page for content guidance. We’ve kept the descriptions spoiler-light and included what kind of viewer each series best suits, making it easier to choose between a case to solve, a political secret to unpick or a family mess to watch unfold. Let’s get into it 👇

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5. Winter

Richard Armitage and Annabel Scholey in ITV drama Winter

Set against the grey streets and coastal weather of Bristol, Winter follows Dr Ethan Winter, an unconventional forensic pathologist played by Richard Armitage. A frozen body and a string of complex murder cases bring him into close working contact with DI Lauren Bell, played by Annabel Scholey, and DS Ellis Daldry. Winter’s ability to notice what other investigators miss makes him valuable, but his methods do not always sit comfortably with police procedure. Alongside the weekly cases, he is carrying a private secret and an unresolved mystery that gives the series a longer emotional thread.

The appeal is the contrast between clinical observation and personal unease. Winter approaches a body as a source of evidence, while Bell is attentive to the people and institutions surrounding a crime. That difference creates a natural investigative partnership: one character may see the physical clue, the other the motive or consequence. Armitage makes Winter intellectually alert without turning him into a superhuman puzzle machine, and Scholey gives Bell the steady confidence to challenge his methods. Bristol also works as more than a backdrop; its damp streets, older buildings and open spaces give the cases a grounded atmosphere. The six-part run has a satisfying procedural rhythm, but the unresolved personal story supplies a reason to keep pressing play.

Why it ranks here: It opens the list at number five because it is a confident, accessible crime drama with a familiar weekly structure. That makes it a strong choice for viewers who want a case to follow without committing to a sprawling multi-season story. It ranks below the more distinctive political and emotional dramas because its main ingredients are recognisable, and its central partnership is still building its own identity. Its craft and pace make it an easy recommendation even if it is not the week’s most surprising pick.

Who should watch: Choose Winter for a forensic-led detective story, a character with unusual methods and a Bristol setting that feels atmospheric rather than glossy. It should suit fans of British police dramas who like clues and character in roughly equal measure.

Where to watch: The complete six-part series is listed on ITVX. Check ITVX for the current box set and episode availability.

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4. The Party

Luke Evans stars as Martin Gilmour, a journalist whose life has been shaped by his friendship with Ben Fitzmaurice, a wealthy and charismatic politician played by Tom Cullen. The two men first meet at an elite boarding school, where Martin arrives on a scholarship after being raised by his working-class mother, Sylvia. Ben and his family offer the belonging Martin has long wanted, and Martin repays that welcome with unwavering loyalty. Years later, at a lavish birthday gathering at the Fitzmaurice country home, Ben’s political ambitions and a buried tragedy pull their old bond into dangerous territory. The party becomes a pressure cooker for questions about what Martin knows, what he owes Ben and how long the past can stay hidden.

The series has the makings of a sharp political thriller, but its most interesting subject is intimacy: the closeness between two friends whose lives were never equally balanced. Martin’s gratitude and loyalty are sincere, yet the friendship also gives Ben an unusual degree of influence over him. The country-house setting intensifies that imbalance, surrounding a public political decision with private memory and old resentments. Evans plays Martin as intelligent and observant, but not immune to the need for acceptance; Cullen gives Ben the easy charm of someone accustomed to being welcomed into every room. At five episodes, the drama can sustain the mystery without losing sight of the emotional cost of their history.

Why it ranks here: This lands fourth because it combines a clear central relationship with a story that keeps shifting between political opportunity and personal loyalty. It is more psychologically focused than a standard campaign thriller, and the class difference gives the friendship a useful edge. It sits below the higher-ranked titles because its appeal depends on the slow unpicking of one bond rather than the broader investigative engine of The Blame or the high-stakes spy plot of Secret Service. The compact five-episode format makes its controlled tension easy to binge.

Who should watch: Pick it if you like country-house secrets, political manoeuvring and friendships that become harder to defend as the truth emerges. It also suits viewers drawn to character drama about class and belonging.

Where to watch: The five-part drama is available on ITVX. The programme page lists all five episodes and content guidance.

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3. Adultery

Cast still from ITV drama Adultery, Season 1

Adultery starts with two teenage sweethearts whose all-consuming relationship brings their parents into each other’s orbit. Tom Kirkman, played by Dominic Cooper, is Jess’s father; Beth Brookes, played by Romola Garai, is the mother of Jess’s boyfriend, Ollie. An unexpected meeting sparks an intense affair between Tom and Beth, putting both families at risk. Tom is married to Hannah, played by Shelley Conn, while Beth’s husband Neil, played by Matthew McNulty, is drawn into the fallout. As the adults try to keep their choices separate from their children’s lives, the consequences push into questions of class, grief, parenthood and the permanence of what can be shared online.

The premise gives the drama a deliberately uncomfortable mirror: the teenagers’ intense young romance and the adults’ affair run alongside one another, but their circumstances and responsibilities are not the same. That parallel lets the series ask whether people recognise their own behaviour when they see it in someone younger, and whether desire feels less reckless simply because it arrives later in life. Cooper and Garai carry much of the tension through moments where attraction, self-justification and fear of exposure compete. Conn and McNulty matter because the consequences do not belong only to the couple at the centre; the spouses have their own emotional realities. Six episodes give the affair room to evolve from a secret into a force affecting two households.

Why it ranks here: It earns third place for the combustible premise and the strength of its ensemble, which make every decision feel as though it may land on several people at once. The series is more intimate than Secret Service and less procedural than The Blame, but that focus gives it a distinct binge appeal: each episode changes the balance of a family rather than simply extending a mystery. It stays below the top two because the subject matter can be uncomfortable and its melodrama is intentionally heightened. For viewers who enjoy emotionally messy relationships, that is the point, not a flaw.

Who should watch: This is the pick for viewers who like adult relationship dramas about desire and consequence, and who are comfortable with infidelity, family conflict and mature themes. It is not a cosy romance.

Where to watch: The full six-episode series is on ITVX; its page includes content warnings.

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2. Secret Service

Gemma Arterton plays Kate Henderson, a senior MI6 officer who heads the Russia Desk while maintaining the appearance of an ordinary family life with her husband Stuart, played by Rafe Spall, and their teenage children. During covert work, Kate uncovers evidence that a high-ranking British politician may be a Russian asset. Before she can establish who is compromised, a brutal murder pushes the intelligence team into public view and raises the stakes of every decision. Kate must identify the source of the threat while protecting her operations, her family and her own credibility. The five-part story places an intelligence investigation beside the domestic cost of keeping secrets from the people closest to her.

The series has a timely hook, but the strongest tension comes from the way secrecy follows Kate home. She is not simply racing to expose a traitor; she is managing a job that requires concealment while trying to remain present as a partner and parent. That double life gives even routine conversations a second meaning. Arterton anchors the story with a controlled performance, while Spall’s Stuart becomes part of the pressure around her rather than a convenient spectator. The five episodes also suit the material: the story can move between briefings, field operations and family scenes without stretching one revelation across a full season. The Malta and London locations give the spy plot scale while keeping the personal stakes close.

Why it ranks here: It takes second place because it delivers the sharpest high-stakes thriller in this week’s group. The concealed Russian asset, threatened family and political consequences create a brisk binge engine, and the performances keep the premise focused on people rather than abstract geopolitics. It falls just short of the top spot because The Blame has both the strongest verified audience momentum and a more layered small-town investigation. Still, viewers who want espionage, conspiracy and a lead character working under pressure may find Secret Service the most immediately gripping choice.

Who should watch: Choose it for a compact spy thriller with political conspiracy, intelligence tradecraft and a family caught in the blast radius. It is a good match for fans of British espionage stories that balance operations with character drama.

Where to watch: All five episodes are available on ITVX. Check the programme page for content guidance and current access.

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1. The Blame

Michelle Keegan and Douglas Booth in ITV crime drama The Blame

In the fictional town of Wakestead, a teenager’s murder draws DI Emma Crane, played by Michelle Keegan, and DI Tom Radley, played by Douglas Booth, into an investigation that quickly becomes much bigger than an obvious suspect. A first lead points the detectives in one direction, but new evidence forces them to look again and ask what is happening inside the police station itself. As Emma and Tom follow a web of lies, institutional cover-ups and moral compromise, Emma’s sense of whom she can trust is tested at work and in her personal life. The six-part story uses the murder case to examine the people and systems meant to deliver justice.

The show’s strongest move is making trust part of the investigation rather than an answer the detectives can take for granted. Every new clue can change the case and the viewer’s understanding of the people handling it. Keegan gives Emma a directness that makes the character’s professional instincts easy to follow, while Booth’s Tom adds another perspective to the partnership. The small-town setting heightens the effect: a compromised institution is not a distant abstraction when the same people keep appearing at the station, in the community and in the detectives’ private lives. ITVX describes the series as a twisty thriller, and the episode guide signals a continuing mystery across all six instalments. It is built for the “one more episode” decision.

Why it ranks here: It takes number one because it combines the week’s most compelling crime engine with the strongest current viewing proof. ITV reported that its peak episode reached a consolidated audience of 8.3 million and named it the biggest new drama of 2026 across channels and streamers. That figure is not a substitute for quality, but it matches what the series offers: a concise six-episode case, a lead detective under pressure and enough institutional suspicion to keep the mystery alive. It outranks Secret Service because the investigation’s local and personal layers are unusually well matched; it beats the other three through pace, scale and the desire to see how the whole case resolves.

Who should watch: Start here if you want a twist-led British crime binge, a central detective with personal stakes and a completed mystery to follow through the week. Check the ITVX content notices before watching.

Where to watch: The complete six-part box set is on ITVX. ITV’s latest October report names it among the platform’s leading dramas.

How to Choose Your ITVX Binge This Week

If you want to finish one series in a single evening, start with The Party or Secret Service, each a five-part run. The former is a friendship thriller with a slow unpicking of old loyalties; the latter has the forward pull of a spy operation and the pressure of a family kept in the dark. Both are compact enough to watch across a weekend without losing track of the central question.

For a more traditional investigation, Winter and The Blame each offer six episodes, but they take different routes. Winter leans into forensic detail and the working relationship between a pathologist and detectives. The Blame builds a wider suspicion around a murder and the institution investigating it. Adultery is the most relationship-led choice: its binge rhythm comes from watching one secret spread through two families. Pick by mood, not just episode count, and check ITVX’s programme pages for current availability and content notes.

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Conclusion

ITVX’s best binge this week depends on what you want from a drama. Winter gives forensic crime fans an atmospheric new investigator and a strong Bristol setting. The Party turns an old friendship into a political pressure point, while Adultery follows the difficult ripple effect of an affair across two families. Secret Service is the most direct choice for espionage and conspiracy, with Kate Henderson balancing a national threat against her home life.

The number-one pick is The Blame, because its six-part murder story pairs a clear binge hook with a deeper question about trust inside the police. Its exceptional audience figure confirms that viewers have been following the case, but the recommendation rests on the drama’s pace and layered mystery too. All five series are available as completed ITVX box sets at the time of writing, so you can choose one full story or sample a few opening episodes before committing. Which one are you adding to your watchlist this week—and which ITV drama should make the next list?

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Frequently Asked Questions

Are these ITV series available to binge-watch from 9–15 November 2026?

Yes. At the time of writing, ITVX lists complete episode runs for all five: Winter, The Party, Adultery, Secret Service and The Blame. Streaming catalogues can change, so use the ITVX programme links in the article to confirm the episodes remain available during your week. The list focuses on completed box sets rather than a promise that each drama has new episodes airing on every date.

Where can I stream these five ITV dramas in the UK?

The five series are listed on ITVX, ITV’s UK streaming service. Each show page links to its episode list; the service may show different sign-in or membership options depending on the programme and your account. If you are planning a full binge, check the relevant programme page first to confirm the complete run is still available.

How many episodes are in Winter?

Winter is a six-part crime drama. It follows forensic pathologist Dr Ethan Winter and detectives DI Lauren Bell and DS Ellis Daldry as they investigate complex murder cases in Bristol. The ITVX page lists the episodes, including the series finale, so viewers can follow the complete first run as a box set.

Is The Party based on a book?

Yes. ITV’s five-part drama is based on Elizabeth Day’s novel of the same name and adapted for television by Sarah Solemani. Luke Evans plays journalist Martin Gilmour, whose lifelong friendship with politician Ben Fitzmaurice becomes the centre of a story about class, loyalty, secrets and political ambition.

What is Adultery about on ITVX?

Adultery follows Tom Kirkman and Beth Brookes, whose affair threatens the lives of the two families around them. Their teenage children, Jess and Ollie, are already in an intense relationship, which brings the parents into one another’s orbit. The six-part drama explores passion, parenthood, grief, class and the consequences of keeping a secret.

Who stars in Secret Service?

Gemma Arterton stars as Kate Henderson, a senior MI6 officer who heads the Russia Desk. Rafe Spall plays her husband Stuart. The ensemble also includes Mark Stanley, Amaka Okafor, Rochenda Sandall, Alex Kingston and Roger Allam. The five-part thriller is adapted from Tom Bradby’s novel and follows Kate as she investigates a suspected Russian asset in British politics.

Why is The Blame ranked number one?

The Blame offers the strongest combination of a focused six-episode investigation, personal stakes for its lead detective and a mystery that expands into questions about institutional trust. ITV also reported a peak consolidated episode audience of 8.3 million, making it the biggest new drama of 2026 across any channel or streamer. That audience figure supports its place in the weekly guide, while the story’s pace is the main recommendation.

Can I watch The Blame without spoilers?

Yes. The ITVX series page introduces the murder investigation and describes the early episode setups without requiring viewers to know the ending. This article also avoids naming the final revelation. Because the story builds across six episodes, it is best to avoid episode synopses if you want to preserve every clue and suspect turn.

Which ITVX series is shortest to binge this week?

The Party and Secret Service are five-part series, making them the shortest by episode count among these five picks. Winter, Adultery and The Blame each have six episodes. Individual running times vary, so check the ITVX listing if you are choosing a series to finish in one sitting.

Are these recommendations suitable for younger viewers?

These are mostly adult dramas and are not all suitable for children. ITVX’s listings flag content such as strong language, violence, sexual material, drug use or distressing scenes depending on the show. Check each programme page and household parental controls before watching with younger viewers.

More Places to Find Great TV

For official programme and episode information, visit ITV’s Press Centre and the individual ITVX show pages. UK television schedules and reviews are also covered by Radio Times; use broadcaster listings for current availability and critics’ guides for broader discovery.

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5 Best ITV Series to Binge-Watch This Week (November 9–15, 2026)

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5. Winter

4. The Party

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3. Adultery

2. Secret Service

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How to Choose Your ITVX Binge This Week

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Conclusion

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Frequently Asked Questions

Are these ITV series available to binge-watch from 9–15 November 2026?