10 Shows Like The New Force You Must See

Created by Patrik Ehrnst and Rojda Sekersöz, ‘The New Force‘ is set in 1958 Stockholm, Sweden, when the first batch of female police officers in the country graduates. The path toward gender equality is laced with challenges, from uncomfortable uniforms to public ridicule. The media looks down on them, as do their male colleagues. Soon, the women realize that despite being placed in the crime-infested Klara police district, their actual fight is against the general mindset of society. Originally titled ‘Skiftet,’ the series blends social justice issues with procedural crime drama set in the scenic European cityscape. If you are in search of more shows similar to ‘The New Force,’ the following list is meant for you.

10. Tenko (1981-1984)

Created by Lavinia Warner, ‘Tenko’ centers around a group of British, Australian, and Dutch women who are imprisoned by the Japanese following the latter group’s invasion and taking over Singapore in February 1942. The captives are held in a fictional internment camp on an island between Singapore and Australia, and later transferred to other places. With the British War Office being otherwise occupied during World War II, the women learn to live under the harsh conditions, battling diseases, torture, and death. Much like ‘The New Force,’ the series depicts the resilience of the women in the face of great odds.

9. Gentleman Jack (2019-2022)

Based on the diaries of Anne Lister, ‘Gentleman Jack’ by Sally Wainwright tells the story of Anne (Suranne Jones), who inherits the Shibden Hall estate in Halifax, England, from her uncle in 1832. She reopens a coal mine present underneath her land, and gets involved in a romantic relationship with Ann Walker (Sophie Rundle), a fellow landowner occupying the nearby Crow Nest Estate. Similar to ‘The New Force,’ the two women are forced to confront many challenges as they forge a path of their own by getting out from under the shadow of the patriarchy and the heteronormative society.

8. The Crimson Field (2014)

Created by Sarah Phelps, ‘The Crimson Field’ is set against the backdrop of World War I. Kitty Trevelyan (Oona Chaplin) is among three young girls who are sent as Voluntary Aid Detachments to the fictional Hospital 25A, near the frontline in Boulogne, France. There, they witness the horrors of war as well as the power plays and politics that go on at camp. Like the women in ‘The New Force,’ those in ‘The Crimson Field’ bravely take on whatever comes their way.

7. The Paradise (2012-2013)

Based on Émile Zola’s novel ‘Au Bonheur des Dames,’ ‘The Paradise’ by Bill Gallagher, Sarah Brown, and Sarah Barton revolves around the titular department store, which is considered to be the first of its kind in England. Under the ownership of John Moray (Emun Elliott), the business becomes extremely successful. Denise Lovett (Joanna Vanderham), a girl from Scotland whose uncle is a struggling shopkeeper in the city, seeks and secures a job at The Paradise, and is soon considered a model employee by John. This does not sit well with many other women, including Katherine (Elaine Cassidy), whose father, Lord Glendenning, helps John financially. Denise makes a name for herself on the professional front, much like the women officers aspire to do in ‘The New Force.’

6. The Hour (2011-2012)

Set in the 1950s, ‘The Hour’ by Abi Morgan follows a team at the BBC who create the titular news magazine. As renegade journalist Frederick Lyon (Ben Whishaw), producer Isabel Rowley (Romola Garai), and anchor Hector Madden (Dominic West) work together on the program in the Cold War era, they get involved in a love triangle as well as a murder investigation that gives rise to behind-the-scenes drama among them. In the turmoil preceding the birth of a New World Order, the individuals struggle to find their place but refuse to give up, similar to the women in ‘The New Force.’

5. Bomb Girls (2012-2014)

Created by Michael MacLennan and Adrienne Mitchell, ‘Bomb Girls’ is set against the backdrop of World War II and revolves around a group of women who go to work at a munitions factory in Canada, after the men leave to fight overseas. The employment provides them with a newfound social and economic liberty, which the individuals interpret and utilize in their own ways. For some, it becomes a chance to escape their oppressive homes, while for others, it becomes a place to connect and seek happiness. Like ‘The New Force,’ the workplace ultimately becomes a revolutionary place for the sisterhood.

4. Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries (2012-2015)

Adapted from the literary works of Kerry Greenwood, ‘Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries’ by Deb Cox and Fiona Eagger centers on Phryne Fisher (Essie Davis), a glamorous private detective fighting crime in 1920s Melbourne. Armed with her razor-sharp wit and pearl-handled pistol, Phryne fights for the helpless class, such as the exploited workers and missing girls. However, she also pursues a personal vendetta against Murdoch Foyle (Nicholas Bell), whom she holds responsible for the disappearance of her younger sister in the past. Much like the women officers in ‘The New Force,’ Phryne makes a reputation for herself in the underworld for cracking down on crime and corruption.

3. Prime Suspect (2011-2012)

Inspired by an eponymous British series created by Lynda La Plante, ‘Prime Suspect’ by Alexandra Cunningham follows Detective Jane Timoney (Maria Bello) of the New York City Police Department homicide squad. Getting transferred to a new squad, Jane is surrounded by colleagues who do not look favorably upon her. However, she does not allow it to affect her work and remains confident, focused, and occasionally restless as she goes up against notorious criminals. Similar to ‘The New Force,’ ‘Prime Suspect’ follows a female law enforcement officer taking on a crime-infested underworld.

2. The Bletchley Circle (2012-2014)

From the mind of Guy Burt, ‘The Bletchley Circle’ is about four women who worked as cryptographers at Bletchley Park to break the German Enigma cipher with mathematicians during World War II. In 1952, when the murders of several women in quick succession make the news, one of the women notices a pattern to the crime. When the police refuse to listen to her theory, she turns to her old friends and co-workers for help in investigating the case. The group of women rises above the social ridicule and decides to seek justice on their own, similar to ‘The New Force.’

1. Call the Midwife (2012-)

Based on the memoirs of nurse and midwife Jennifer Worth, ‘Call the Midwife’ tells the story of Jenny Lee (Jessica Raine). As a newly qualified midwife in the 1950s, Jenny finds herself at a convent instead of a private hospital. The unexpected situation is unsettling for her at first, but she soon finds her place among the nuns at Nonnatus House. She becomes friends with her co-workers, as well as bonds with the families that the convent treats. There are many similarities between the Heidi Thomas creation, ‘Call the Midwife,’ and ‘The New Force,’ both of which showcase women entering a new profession, doubting their abilities and circumstances, and yet rising above challenges to carve out their own space.