Liz Joyce: I don't like Monday - but I'm all Four Sunday

What inbox horrors will Monday morning bring?

Is that presentation good enough?

Have the kids done all their homework?

What we need is a ruddy good distraction: something glossy and absorbing to lose ourselves in before we're back on that motorway at 7am beeping at an Argos lorry hogging the middle lane.

Thank goodness then for Channel 4, which has well and truly cracked Sunday nights.

Its 9pm slot is the last-minute rescue remedy for many a worried weekender.

While the other channels churn out gentle murder mysteries, clip shows or the blimmin' snooker, C4 has carved out a niche for high-profile, high-octane, highly-addictive thrillers.

The Returned, Homeland and now the delightfully dark Fargo have all held the prestigious spot, making C4 the only place to be come 9pm, cup of tea in one hand, sharing pack of Minstrels in the other.

These A-list dramas are escapism at its very best. They captivate us, entertain us and leave us wondering "What will happen on next week's show?" instead of "What will happen in the Monday morning meeting tomorrow?".

I for one lay my head on the pillow at 10pm thinking about Lorne Malvo's wondrous fringe and Lester Nygaard's orange Puffa jacket instead of the usual back-to-work gubbins – and for that, Channel 4, I thank you.

Fargo really is proving to be a masterclass in understated yet blistering drama.

Martin Freeman's landed the role of a lifetime as Lester, the put-upon insurance salesman whose life takes a bizarre and murderous turn after meeting bonkers drifter Lorne.

By the way, is it wrong to fancy Billy Bob Thornton in this role? I know a psychopathic killer isn't everyone's idea of the perfect mate but there's just something about him. Maybe it's the fringe? Or maybe it's lines such as: "Highly irregular is the time I found a human foot in a toaster oven." Whatever it is, I'm Team Lorne.

The stark backdrop of Minnesota and a plot with more twists and turns than Sideshow Bob's 'fro have made it unmissable telly. Allison Tolman as Molly and Colin Hanks (yes, Hanks as in Hanks) are scene-stealers, which isn't easy when you're competing with pig's blood showers or supermarkets infested with locusts.

If you've missed the first few episodes, get them on demand now and sink into a snowy world where nothing is what it seems and men freeze to death in their pants.

But what else has C4 got up its sleeves? If it wants to hang on to its drama crown, it's got to keep coming up with the goods.

Well, shooting's about to start on new sci-fi drama, Humans.

The eight-parter is based on the Swedish series Real Humans and being produced by the same team that brought us Broadchurch and The Tunnel. It takes place in a parallel world where the most popular gadget is a Synth: a robotic servant similar to a human. However, when a suburban father of three purchases a second-hand Synth, it creates serious complications for his family. Eek.

The cameras will also roll this summer on 10-part epic drama, Indian Summers, which tells the explosive story of the decline of the British Empire and birth of modern India. It's set to be another addictive serial.

Better start stocking up on Minstrels now then . . .