Philosopher Jean–Jacques Rousseau once said, “The world of reality has its limits. The world of imagination is boundless.” The three shows that I write about this time probably epitomise this statement.

Dept. Q

Dept. Q revolves primarily around DCI Carl Morck, a detective who is equal parts brilliant and arrogant. Matthew Goode as Morck brings an almost effortless charm to his portrayal without ever failing to communicate the anguish and guilt that Morck is burdened with. Alexej Manvelov as the Watson-like Akram Salim is impressive; I do, however, hope that future seasons will reveal more about the character. In all fairness, I have to point out that Morck is not constructed as a sociopathic genius. Instead, he is a much more grounded detective who has been forced by his circumstances and past trauma to detach from those around him.

The titular department is one that deals with unsolved and cold cases — it starts off more as an idea for a PR exercise for the police department than an actual, pragmatic attempt at tackling crime rates. However, what was essentially supposed to be a one-man department run by the detestable Morck becomes the means by which men are put back together. To reveal more than that or even explore Morck's own history would probably take away from the viewing experience.

The show has been shot with a lot of style and panache, but the winning strokes come from Michelle Tesoro, the editor of the show, in the form of its narrative patterns and pacing. It takes its time to get you invested in the characters emotionally, but also manages to surprise you and keep you hooked with its thriller elements. At a time when thrillers form the dominant genre, especially when it comes to streaming services, whodunnits and cop dramas have almost become a dime a dozen. Unfortunately, most shows fail to rise beyond tropes and gimmicks and hence they are seldom more than mediocre. Dept. Q is a fascinating character study and one of the most well-constructed offerings of the genre in recent times.

Platform: Netflix

Stick

Stick has been one of my most fulfilling and surprisingly emotional viewing experiences of recent times. Once a celebrated golf pro, Pryce Cahill (Owen Wilson) hit rock bottom and then decided to keep digging. A tragic loss has caused his entire life to unravel faster than he could have possibly gotten a grip on himself. He is going through a divorce, has lost his house. Along with his former caddy Mitts (Marc Maron), he now performs elaborate hustles to make ends meet. It is under these dubious circumstances that he first spots Santi Wheeler (Peter Dager) at a driving range.

Wheeler is what one might call a God-gifted prodigy, destined for greatness if and only if he can manage to move out of his own way. Cahill sees the boy's natural and rare talent and sets out to redeem himself through him. What he did not take into account, however, was that somewhere along the way in this underdog story, he would form genuine human connections that would mean so much more to him than the game itself.

Stick's writing, while predictable and at times heavy-handed in its political commentary, still manages to etch out a beautiful narrative structure. In particular, the mastery with which the character arcs have been drawn. Owen Wilson has never been presented like this. Nor have we ever seen him perform from such depths with such emotional maturity. Watching him reinvent himself at this age was an absolute revelation. Peter Dager should not be limited to the teenage heartthrob slots. With the substance he displays as Wheeler, I am certain that he is one actor who will gift us with many memorable and praiseworthy performances in the future.

Lilli Kay as Zero has the most eccentric character graph of the lot but she excels in every single scene and owns her space. The show stealers, however, are Mariana Trevino as Wheeler's fiercely protective mother Elena and Marc Maron as Mitts, Cahill's former caddy, lifelong friend, confidante, philosopher and guide who finds renewed purpose for himself amidst all the chaos. Stick is beautiful and an absolute must-watch. You do not need to know anything about golf to enjoy the show.

Platform: Apple TV+

FOUNDATION

Many, many years into the future, perhaps centuries or even millennia, our species has left the humble confines of Earth behind. We now number in the trillions and have spread to almost every habitable planet in the galaxy. Needless to say, humans have mastered almost every form of technology. AI has been discovered, mastered and then wiped out after a long war between robots and mankind. Space travel is now as easy as driving to the next township. Most importantly, genetic engineering has been mastered and is easily accessible. The entire species is now governed by The Empire – three clones of Emperor Cleon I, three versions of him at three different stages of his life, Dawn, Day and Dusk. The Empire's rule is unquestionable and absolute.

It is during these seemingly and deceitfully peaceful times that a brilliant mathematician, Hari Seldon, develops a form of predictive mathematics that can predict the actions of large populations. His prediction of a revolution in the near future, one that will topple the Empire, leading to a dark age that will last a millennium, is seen as a threat by the Empire. Simultaneously, on a planet where the population has rejected science and given in to religious fanaticism, a young Gaal Dornick has to leave her home world and her family to be able to explore her own potential. Gaal soon becomes Hari's apprentice. However, what Gaal herself is yet to discover is that she is fated to be so much more than just an apprentice. She is fated to become the messiah. Gaal and Hari are exiled under the guise of having been tasked by the Emperor to establish The Foundation – an expansive encyclopedia that will aid the generations of humans to come after the dark age in reestablishing civilisation.

Let's be very honest here — Foundation is not the casual viewer's cup of tea. Not that one cannot watch the show simply for the spectacular visuals, the cutting-edge VFX work or the masterful world building. The full experience will require an affinity for science fiction and at least a passing interest in cosmology. Isaac Asimov needs no introduction when it comes to sci-fi geekdom, nor does the series of books by him that the show is based on require one. His masterful crafting of stories on worlds that are still far beyond our reach, his predictions of the future of robotics – specifically the directives his works predicted that AI would have to be based upon long before the term invaded every conversation and his vision of the future have captured the imaginations of billions across generations. The show is expansive not just in terms of the number of worlds the characters hop but also thematically.

Needless to say, the show has been made on a humongous budget and makes generous use of the latest breakthroughs in filmmaking technology. The visuals, however, are just the tip of the iceberg. Foundation provides fascinating insight as far as the human condition is concerned. Specifically, its take on power mongering and explorations of themes like the cost of scientific advancement or issues like classism are exemplary.

While the show boasts of some very powerful performances, Jared Harris, Ben Daniels, Laura Birn and Lee Pace are the ones that I simply must talk about, especially Lee Pace as the show's primary antagonist, Emperor Day. Kubbra Sait plays an important character on the show and as always, her performance made me wonder why we don’t see her more frequently in our own mainstream fare.

Platform: Apple TV+