Top picks for UKTV Play

We’ve put together a list of some of the best things available to watch on UKTV Play this month.

Mercy Street

Mercy Street was an American period medical drama television series, created by Lisa Wolfinger and David Zabel. Set during the Civil War, the series followed two volunteer nurses from opposing sides who work at the Mansion House Hospital in Alexandria, Virginia.

Though it was cancelled after two seasons it’s still worth a watch, and all 12 episodes are available for a binge on UKTV Play.

Rake
Another show cancelled in its early days, Rake was an American comedy-drama series that was an adaptation of the Australian series of the same name, both of which were created by Peter Duncan.

Rake follows Keegan Deane, a criminal defense lawyer whose personal problems and self-destructive behavior have him battling wits and owing money to everyone around him, including his ex-wife, a couple of judges, an assistant district attorney, his bookie, a brothel owner, and the IRS.

Jo Brand’s Big Splash

This hilarious series combines comedy legend Jo’s iconic stand-up comedy with a series of tasks that all involve water in some way.

One of Brand’s stand-up comedy routines involving a live studio audience at the Hackney Empire was combined with specially shot films of her visiting various people in the UK who possessed a passion for water.

In every episode, another comedian joins Jo to take part in the water-related task. The final episode was an extended compilation of all the stand-up sections of the series.

Secret Eaters

Another British addition, Secret Eaters is a documentary television series about overeating. In each episode, presenter Anna Richardson meets with a group of people – usually a couple, friends or a family – who are overweight.

They are then filmed in their homes for a week and followed around by “private investigators”' Cameron Gowlett and Duncan Mee, who are there to monitor their every move and record everything they eat.

At the end of the week, they are confronted by Anna about what they munch, shown footage of their feeding sessions, and told how many calories they have consumed throughout the course of the week.

They are also given dietary advice by expert Lynne Garton and told how to incorporate healthy eating into their lives.

Crime Stories

This series originally aired on ITV back in 2012. Though described as "groundbreaking" television, it was panned by critics and viewers alike and axed after just one series.

The series starred Jane Antrobus, a former real-life Chief Superintendent, and Ben Hull as protagonists Jane Preston and Ben Shaw. Each episode features a select guest cast, made up of well-known actors including soap and drama stars, and follows the team as they investigate a crime, including collecting CCTV footage, witness statements and interviewing suspects, all within the confines of the station.

The show also made use of the set previously occupied by fellow ITV drama The Bill – sharing is caring, after all.