January TV Show Recommendations

Over the last month, with the holidays giving everyone an extra chance or two to get caught up on their favorite things, I took time to binge watch a couple of new dramas that I have been hearing about for a short time, but two shows that haven’t been big on the radar of most casual TV viewers.

Those two dramas are Ripple on Netflix, which debuted on December 3 and The Copenhagen Test on Peacock, which debuted on December 27.

What should be noted is that these two dramas couldn’t be any more different from each other. One is a straight-forward drama about a group of New Yorkers who become friends thanks to the ripple effect of how what one moment can change everything and the other is an action-packed fantasy/sci-fi drama about a government analyst who learns his brain has been hacked and the path he has to follow in order to identify the culprits.

Ripple was actually given a straight-to-series order at Hallmark+ and was produced by Lionsgate TV, but that streaming service decided not to put the show on their platform so it ended up on Netflix with little, to no, fanfare. Ripple then spent much of December in the Top 10 for Netflix.

Meanwhile, the drama The Copenhagen Test comes from Universal Content Productions (UCP), a division of Universal Studio Group, which is the studio behind shows like Umbrella Academy, Mr. Robot and Monk, and airs on Peacock.

The eight-episode feel-good drama Ripple explores how unexpectedly connected we are as human beings. The series is set in New York City, focusing on Nate, Kris, Walter and Aria who have crossed paths hundreds of times in the past, but yet they’ve never met…until they all have unusual encounters, most within Nate’s wine bar.

The main cast includes Frankie Faison (Do the Right Thing, The Wire and The Rookie: Feds) as Walter; Ian Harding (Pretty Little Liars) as Nate; Julia Chan (Saving Hope and Brilliant Minds) as Kris and Sydney Agudong (Lilo and Stitch) as Aria.

They are joined by Sarah Swire (Hudson & Rex, Murdoch Mysteries and The Last Frontier) as Nate’s employee Ellis; Marci T. House (Murder in a Small Town) as Tara, a new friend of widower Walt; Vanessa Smythe (The Expanse) as Nate’s soon-to-be-ex-wife Claire; Robert Bazzocchi (Gen V and Backstage) as Aria’s husband John; and relative newcomer Isabella Astbury (The Crow Girl) as Finn, a 9-year-old who Nate meets during a doctor’s appointment.

Some other familiar faces in the show include Nicola Correia-Damude (Shadowhunters, Resident Alien and Burden of Truth) as Tara’s girlfriend Sylvie; Tina Lifford (Queen Sugar) as Walter’s wife Brenda; Chantel Riley (Frankie Drake Mysteries and Wynonna Earp) as Aria’s therapist Dr. Anderson and LisaGay Hamilton (The Practice and Will Trent) in a special role for which I won’t spoil (in the hopes that you will check out the show).

Ripple could be considered a feel-good drama, given that it aired during December, but it is actually a study at not only how one ripple in the life of a person can affect so many others but also a look at the complex lives of the characters featured within as they deal with love, loss and friendship and how all of that binds them together in not so mysterious and very touching ways.

I can guarantee if you give this show a chance, it will make you cry, laugh, cheer and marvel at how the world really is a lot smaller and closer than you would ever expect and will make you want to see a second season, which sadly has not been announced yet.

It should also be noted that Amanda Tapping of Stargate: SG-1 fame served as director and executive producer along with relative newcomer to the industry Michele Giannusa, who is the creator of the series and Jocelyn Hamilton (who has worked on Burden of Truth, Cardinal and Moonshine) and Joni Lefkowitz (who has worked on Jane the Virgin, New Girl and Chasing Life), also both serving as executive producers.

You can watch the trailer for the first season of Ripple below:

As for The Copenhagen Test, the espionage thriller stars Marvel alum Simu Liu (Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings) as Alexander Hale, a first-generation Chinese American analyst who – as crazy as this sounds – learns his eyes and ears have been hacked by a super secret program, which is being used for nefarious reasons, of course – and he is drawn into a controlled world designed by his agency, you know one of those super spy American agencies, to draw out their enemies.

The rest of the primary cast includes Melissa Barrera (Vida and the box office movie In the Heights and the Scream franchise reboot) as Michelle; Brian d’Arcy James (2021’s West Side Story, Smash and Evil) as John Moria; Sinclair Daniel (The Other Black Girl) as Samantha Parker; Mark O’Brien (City on a Hill and the box office movie Ready or Not) as Edmund Cobb and Kathleen Chalfant (The Affair and the box office movie Old) as the mysterious character known as St. George.

Some other familiar faces include Saul Rubinek (Warehouse 13 and Hunters) as Victor Simonek; Adam Godley (The Umbrella Academy and Down Cemetery Road) as Frederick Schiff; Adina Porter (The 100 and American Horror Story) as Marlowe and Lauren Tom (Supernatural) as Helen Hale.

As farcical as the concept of this show might seem, and the fact that the lead character has to keep up a performance 24/7 to keep the culprits at bay but also his own agency from trying to end his life as well, the action is really great, the intrigue keeps you on the edge of your seat and the twists and turns keep you wondering just what in the hell is going on and how deep the conspiracy goes. The show also has a surprising cliffhanger and as of right now has yet to be renewed for a second season.

You can judge for yourself by watching the trailer for The Copenhagen Test below:

Ripple can currently be watched on Netflix and The Copenhagen Test can be watched on Peacock.