The big dramas coming soon to a sofa near you

The Little Drummer Girl

BBC1, October

After The Night Manager comes another adaptation of a John Le Carre novel. The setting for the spy thriller this time is the 1970s and Florence Pugh, Alexander Skarsgard and Charles Dance are among the cast.

Butterfly

ITV, October

Anna Friel and Emmett J Scanlan star in a tale that’s a departure from more conventional ITV fare. Friel plays the mum of a transgender child in this three-parter.

War of the Worlds

BBC1 October, November

The much-filmed HG Wells novel gets another screen outing, this time starring Rafe Spall and Poldark’s Eleanor Tomlinson. The alien invasion epic unfolds over three episodes.

The Widow

Itv/amazon Autumn

The trend towards big Hollywood names being tempted on to TV continues with Kate Beckinsale taking the lead. She’s the wife, told her husband has been killed in the Congo, who then makes a shocking discovery.

House of Cards

Netflix, November

The sixth and final series of the global hit returns with a very notable absence. Kevin Spacey was axed in the light of the sexual harassment allegations, with his character killed off.