{"id":521073,"date":"2026-03-07T19:59:07","date_gmt":"2026-03-07T19:59:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/521073\/"},"modified":"2026-03-07T19:59:07","modified_gmt":"2026-03-07T19:59:07","slug":"the-best-british-tv-shows-and-where-to-stream-them","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/521073\/","title":{"rendered":"The best British TV shows and where to stream them"},"content":{"rendered":"

Great Britain knows great television, and these 27 shows are here as proof. From long-running cultural institutions like Doctor Who<\/a> (1963\u2013present) to recent Emmy favorites like Adolescence<\/a> (2025), the U.K. breeds a special kind of actor and a style of content that is uniquely its own. Served with a stiff upper lip \u2014 and often an even stiffer drink \u2014 the comedies, dramas, police procedurals, science fiction, thrillers, and other genre fusions on this list are some of the best series the country and medium have to offer.\n<\/p>\n

Read on for Entertainment Weekly’s guide to the 27 best British TV shows and how to stream them.<\/p>\n

Adolescence (2025) <\/p>\n

Mark Stanley as Paulie Barlow, Owen Cooper as Jamie Miller, and Stephen Graham as Eddie Miller in ‘Adolescence’.<\/p>\n

Courtesy of Netflix<\/p>\n

One of the most talked-about pieces of television from 2025 is Adolescence \u2014\u00a0a British crime drama about 13-year-old Jamie Miller, who is accused of murdering his classmate, with each of its four episodes shot in one continuous take<\/a>. The technical execution of the project is thrilling, and so is the show\u2019s depiction of how modern media affects the minds and actions of teenage boys.\n<\/p>\n

Young actor Owen Cooper makes a brilliant Emmy-winning debut as Jamie, and the scenes between him and his therapist (Erin Doherty) in episode 3 are some of the most affecting examples of storytelling in recent history. A miniseries that feels especially relevant as talk of incels and loneliness epidemics becomes more mainstream, Adolescence gets deep about what teenage boyhood really looks like today. \u2014Ilana Gordon\n<\/p>\n

Where to watch Adolescence: Netflix\n<\/p>\n

Director: Philip Barantini\n<\/p>\n

Cast: Stephen Graham, Ashley Walters, Erin Doherty, Owen Cooper, Faye Marsay\n<\/p>\n

Black Mirror (2011\u2013present) <\/p>\n

Myha’la as Pia and Samuel Blenkin as Davis McCardle in a season 6 episode of ‘Black Mirror’.
\nNetflix<\/p>\n

Charlie Brooker<\/a>\u2019s magnificent anthology series is one of the only examples of the form that rivals The Twilight Zone for mind-boggling twists and reality-shattering thrills. You could make a case for nearly every episode of Black Mirror<\/a> being the series\u2019 best, but its structure allows you to hop in wherever you\u2019d like. (The show is oddly rewarding for those who tackle it in non-consecutive order.)\n<\/p>\n

The pilot is always a good place to start, succinctly establishing the show\u2019s subversive tone and worldview, but the much-discussed \u201cSan Junipero\u201d (season 3, episode 4) is also a worthy (if less-twisted) launching point into Black Mirror\u2019s bleak universe. \u2014Declan Gallagher\n<\/p>\n

Where to watch Black Mirror: Netflix\n<\/p>\n

EW grade:\u00a0A\u2013\n<\/p>\n

Cast:\u00a0Bryce Dallas Howard,\u00a0Hayley Atwell,\u00a0Jon Hamm,\u00a0Anthony Mackie,\u00a0Daniel Kaluuya<\/p>\n

Broadchurch (2013\u20132017) <\/p>\n

Olivia Colman as D.S. Ellie Miller and David Tennant as D.I. Alec Hardy on ‘Broadchurch’.
\nITV<\/p>\n

Olivia Colman<\/a> and David Tennant<\/a> star as dour detectives investigating the murder of a young boy in this British series, which is essentially patient zero for every crime-busting BritBox show from the last decade. There are no better leads for Broadchurch<\/a> than Colman and Tennant, two actors firing on all cylinders here. (For Colman die-hards, this is a pivotal but oddly under-discussed part of her career.)\n<\/p>\n

Set in soggy coastal England, Broadchurch distinguishes itself from many similar series through the titular community\u2019s witty cast of characters. Viewers will be pleased to find three seasons’ worth of cases that are properly beguiling and sometimes a bit spooky. \u2014D.G.\n<\/p>\n

Where to watch Broadchurch: Peacock\n<\/p>\n

EW grade:\u00a0A\u2013\n<\/p>\n

Cast:\u00a0David Tennant, Olivia Colman, Jodie Whittaker, Jonathan Bailey\n<\/p>\n

Catastrophe (2015\u20132019) <\/p>\n

Sharon Horgan as Sharon Morris and Rob Delaney as Rob Norris on ‘Catastrophe’.
\nMark Johnson\/Amazon Prime Video<\/p>\n

Sharon Horgan<\/a> and Rob Delaney<\/a> created and starred in this terrific sitcom about a one-night stand that turns into a most unexpected partnership. Catastrophe established Horgan as a stellar comedic voice on par with Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Issa Rae, and Tina Fey \u2014 and it made quite a star out of Delaney, as well.\u00a0\n<\/p>\n

Their show is an indelible combination of hard jokes and genuine pathos; one minute you\u2019ll be gasping that they just went there, while the next you may get choked up by relatable and authentic developments. It\u2019s a tremendous, high-wire emotional balancing act. \u2014D.G.\n<\/p>\n

Where to watch Catastrophe: Amazon Prime Video\n<\/p>\n

Cast: Sharon Horgan, Rob Delaney\n<\/p>\n

Cunk on Earth (2022) <\/p>\n

Diane Morgan as Philomena Cunk in ‘Cunk on Earth’.<\/p>\n

Netflix\/Everett<\/p>\n

Comedian Diane Morgan stars in this miniseries as Philomena Cunk, a hopelessly daft television presenter who travels the world to interview (very real) experts about topics that make human existence so confounding.\n<\/p>\n

One could compare Morgan\u2019s schtick to Borat, but that wouldn\u2019t be giving her proper credit. Where Sacha Baron Cohen uses his characters to expose flaws in others, Morgan crafts an opposite approach that makes herself the butt of the joke. It\u2019s a gentler but no less hysterical spin on the mockumentary format. Our only complaint is that there are too few episodes. \u2014D.G.\n<\/p>\n

Where to watch Cunk on Earth: Netflix\n<\/p>\n

Cast: Diane Morgan\n<\/p>\n

Derry Girls (2018\u20132022) <\/p>\n

The cast of ‘Derry Girls’.<\/p>\n

Courtesy of Netflix<\/p>\n

This compulsively rewatchable series follows a handful of defiant Catholic school girls in Derry, Ireland, during the Troubles. Much like Catastrophe, Derry Girls<\/a> combines irreverent farce with weightier issues that sometimes take you by surprise but never betray the series\u2019 light-hearted metier. It may seem an odd comparison, but Derry Girls is as if the Sarah Jessica Parker classic Girls Just Want to Have Fun had a one-night stand with Kenneth Branagh\u2019s Belfast (2021).\u00a0\u2014D.G.\n<\/p>\n

Where to watch Derry Girls: Netflix\n<\/p>\n

Cast:\u00a0Saoirse-Monica Jackson,\u00a0Nicola Coughlan, Louisa Harland, Jamie-Lee O’Donnell, Dylan Llewellyn\n<\/p>\n

Doctor Who (1963\u2013present) <\/p>\n

Millie Gibson as Ruby Sunday and Ncuti Gatwa as the Doctor on ‘Doctor Who’.<\/p>\n

Lara Cornell\/Bad Wolf\/BBC Studio<\/p>\n

The seminal time-traveling sci-fi series remains one of Britain\u2019s most beloved entertainment exports. Many actors have assumed the titular role over the years, with recent iterations including David Tennant, Jodie Whittaker<\/a>, and Peter Capaldi<\/a>. With Ncuti Gatwa<\/a> playing the Fifteenth Doctor in the most recent seasons on Disney+, Doctor Who segued into an exciting new territory.\n<\/p>\n

Gatwa approaches the role with a childlike wonder that\u2019s both charming and quite fun to watch, lending the series an even more overtly playful, popcorn tone. It was revealed at the end of Gatwa’s second season that (SPOILER ALERT) he’s exiting, with Billie Piper presumably becoming the Sixteenth Doctor (though that has yet to be confirmed<\/a>). \u2014D.G.\n<\/p>\n

Where to watch Doctor Who: BritBox for most earlier seasons, Disney+ for Gatwa’s seasons\n<\/p>\n

Cast:\u00a0Matt Smith,\u00a0Peter Capaldi, Michael Jayston,\u00a0Jodie Whittaker,\u00a0Ncuti Gatwa\n<\/p>\n

Downton Abbey (2010\u20132015) <\/p>\n

The cast of ‘Downton Abbey’.
\nMasterpiece<\/p>\n

An updated take on Upstairs Downstairs, Downton Abbey follows the residents and staff of the eponymous Yorkshire estate across five seasons (and three movies), from the early-1900s through the First World War and into the late-1920s.\n<\/p>\n

Escapist but never lightweight, Downton Abbey is a high watermark for British costume dramas \u2014 which is really saying something. It combines the sweep of classic literature with pulpy soap opera and a bit of a history lesson enacted by some of Britain\u2019s best thespians. Chief among them is the late and especially great Dame Maggie Smith<\/a>, who gave one of her most powerful and enduring performances as the prim and wise Violet Crawley. \u2014D.G.\n<\/p>\n

Where to watch Downton Abbey: Peacock\n<\/p>\n

EW grade:\u00a0B\n<\/p>\n

Cast:\u00a0Hugh Bonneville, Jessica Brown Findlay,\u00a0Laura Carmichael,\u00a0Jim Carter, Brendan Coyle\n<\/p>\n

Fleabag (2016\u20132019) <\/p>\n

Phoebe Waller-Bridge as Fleabag and Andrew Scott as the Priest in season 2 of ‘Fleabag’.
\nSteve Schofield\/Amazon Studios<\/p>\n

Phoebe Waller-Bridge<\/a>\u2019s signature series, based on her equally compelling one-woman show of the same name, sees her play the titular wayward thirtysomething, a sexually liberated woman running a guinea pig cafe. Our awkward hero copes with grief through humor while navigating relationships with her type-A sister (Sian Clifford), her nasty stepmother (Olivia Colman), and, in season 2, a hot priest (Andrew Scott<\/a>).\n<\/p>\n

Fleabag<\/a>\u2019s greatest achievement is how well it evolves its characters and their personal tragedies in just two short seasons with sub-30-minute episodes. The series is a straight-faced coming-of-age yarn, but Waller-Bridge also deconstructs the rom-com mythos of the kooky, free-spirited single woman through well-executed fourth-wall breaks and wry, heartbreaking writing. \u2014D.G.\u00a0\n<\/p>\n

Where to watch Fleabag: Amazon Prime Video\n<\/p>\n

Cast:\u00a0Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Sian Clifford, Andrew Scott\n<\/p>\n

Gavin & Stacey (2007\u20132024) <\/p>\n

Matthew Horne as Gavin Shipman, Joanna Page as Stacey Shipman, James Corden as Neil ‘Smithy’ Smith, and Ruth Jones as Nessa Jenkins on ‘Gavin & Stacey’.<\/p>\n

BBC\/Courtesy Everett\u00a0<\/p>\n

This British series sees big-city businessman Gavin Shipman (Mathew Horne) fall in love with small-town Welsh woman Nessa Jenkins (Ruth Jones) through clandestine late-night phone calls. When they finally meet in person and fall deeply in love, their courtship rankles their respective close friends (James Corden<\/a> and Joanna Page).\n<\/p>\n

Eminently rewatchable, Gavin and Stacey is one of the merriest of BBC sitcoms. It evokes the small details of long-lasting friendships and family relationships, and the show\u2019s respect for its characters is always evident even as the jokes become increasingly broad. \u2014D.G.\n<\/p>\n

Where to watch Gavin & Stacey: BritBox\n<\/p>\n

Cast: Mathew Horne, Joanna Page, James Corden, Ruth Jones, Rob Brydon\n<\/p>\n

Ghosts (2019\u20132023) <\/p>\n

The cast of the original U.K. ‘Ghosts’.<\/p>\n

BBC<\/p>\n

This wry and supremely well-crafted sitcom follows Alison (Charlotte Ritchie), a young woman who inherits a decaying manse from a departed family member only to discover that it\u2019s chock-a-block with ghosts from vastly different eras.\n<\/p>\n

Ghosts fits within the innuendo-laden vein of Are You Being Served?, but is also a grounded and somewhat poignant examination of separate generations learning to co-exist as one. It\u2019s an interesting, lightweight spin on the domestic sitcom with enough horror flourishes to delight the average genre fan. (And, yes, there is a U.S. version of Ghosts<\/a>.) \u2014D.G.\n<\/p>\n

Where to watch Ghosts: Paramount+\n<\/p>\n

Cast: Charlotte Ritchie, Kiell Smith-Bynoe, Martha Howe-Douglas, Mathew Baynton\n<\/p>\n

The Girlfriend (2025) <\/p>\n

Robin Wright as Laura Sanderson and Olivia Cooke as Cherry Laine in ‘The Girlfriend’.<\/p>\n

Christopher Raphael\/Prime<\/p>\n

Yes, technically, The Girlfriend is a miniseries about two women fighting for a man\u2019s attention, but not in the way that you think. This psychological thriller tells the story of Daniel (Laurie Davidson), who brings his girlfriend, Cherry (Olivia Cooke<\/a>), home to meet his mother, Laura (Robin Wright<\/a>), only for the two women to engage in a power struggle for the ages.\n<\/p>\n

Set in London and Spain, the story unfolds across six episodes \u2014 Wright directed the first three \u2014 and cleverly heightens the tensions sometimes experienced in in-law relationships. The series skews soapy, and Cooke and Wright revel in putting each other through psychological hell. It\u2019s all leading up to what Wright calls<\/a> a \u201cpsychotic” ending, making The Girlfriend the perfect binge option. \u2014I.G.\u00a0\n<\/p>\n

Where to watch The Girlfriend: Amazon Prime Video\n<\/p>\n

Cast: Robin Wright, Olivia Cooke, Laurie Davidson, Waleed Zuaiter, Tanya Moodie\n<\/p>\n

Heartstopper (2022\u20132024) <\/p>\n

Joe Locke as Charlie Spring and Kit Connor as Nick Nelson on ‘Heartstopper’.
\nTeddy Cavendish\/Netflix<\/p>\n

Netflix\u2019s adaptation of Alice Oseman\u2019s graphic novels is a respectful yet passionate paean to first love. Nick (Kit Connor<\/a>) and Charlie (Joe Locke) are two high school outcasts whose friendship slowly blossoms into something more as they navigate the societal expectations of their peers and parents.\n<\/p>\n

Heartstopper is one of the few teen-centric romance\/drama series that stands alongside older-skewing shows in terms of writing and production quality. There is an emphatic truthfulness to the story and the performances that anchor it, which is both refreshing and innovative. Though the series ended after season 3, Nick and Charlie’s story will properly wrap up with an upcoming feature film, Heartstopper Forever, due to arrive on Netflix this year. \u2014D.G.\n<\/p>\n

Where to watch Heartstopper: Netflix\n<\/p>\n

Cast:\u00a0Kit Connor, Joe Locke, William Gao, Yasmin Finney\n<\/p>\n

Killing Eve (2018\u20132022) <\/p>\n

Jodie Comer as Villanelle and Sandra Oh as Eve Polastri on ‘Killing Eve’.
\nRobert Viglasky\/BBCAmerica<\/p>\n

Another hit British series produced by Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Killing Eve<\/a> has no shortage of cultural impact. MI5 security officer Eve (Sandra Oh<\/a>) becomes infatuated with master criminal Villanelle (Jodie Comer<\/a>), who represents a glamor that eludes Eve in her pencil-pushing day job.\n<\/p>\n

What begins as a fairly straightforward (though riotously paced) spy procedural slowly morphs into something much more subversive and, dare we say, erotic (in a thoughtful sort of way). All the while, Oh and Comer\u2019s slow dance of antagonism crossed with infatuation is some of the most thrilling acting in recent television memory. \u2014D.G.\n<\/p>\n

Where to watch Killing Eve: Netflix\n<\/p>\n

EW grade:\u00a0B+\n<\/p>\n

Cast:\u00a0Sandra Oh, Jodie Comer, Fiona Shaw,\u00a0Kim Bodnia\n<\/p>\n

Law & Order: UK (2009\u20132014) <\/p>\n

Harriet Walter as Natalie Chandler and Bradley Walsh as Ronnie Brooks on ‘Law & Order: UK’.<\/p>\n

BBC\/Acorn TV\/Everett<\/p>\n

The first American series to be adapted for British TV was none other than \u2014 dun-dun \u2014 Law & Order<\/a>. Dick Wolf took his operation across the pond to produce eight seasons of Law & Order: UK, all of which aired on ITV. Now operating within the British legal system, Americans might be surprised by the number of wigs worn in court, but the show\u2019s basic structure and arc are the same.\n<\/p>\n

The U.K. version follows Detective Sergeant Ronnie Brooks (Bradley Walsh) as he works cases in London\u2019s Major Incident Unit, mentors his junior partner, Detective Sergeant Matt Devlin (Jamie Bamber), and attempts to contend with his personal life. Law & Order: UK is the same show Americans know and love, but with fresh characters, different accents, and a new country\u2019s legal system to navigate. \u2014I.G.\n<\/p>\n

Where to watch Law & Order: UK: BritBox\n<\/p>\n

Cast: Bradley Walsh, Jamie Bamber, Harriet Walter, Ben Daniels, Freema Agyeman\n<\/p>\n

Luther (2010\u20132019) <\/p>\n

Idris Elba as John Luther on ‘Luther’.<\/p>\n

BritBox International<\/p>\n

Idris Elba<\/a> stars as the titular detective investigating brutal murder cases in this increasingly depraved psychological thriller, which is a spiritual cross between Dexter and The Wire. Elba\u2019s Luther is a terrific, haunted antihero who has more in common with the killers he hunts than he\u2019d likely care to admit. This is on the harder-edged side of British procedurals, with Elba displaying a fascinating duality in a series that isn\u2019t afraid to probe the darker recesses of its characters\u2019 psyches. \u2014D.G.\n<\/p>\n

Where to watch Luther: BritBox\n<\/p>\n

Cast: Idris Elba, Dermot Crowley, Michael Smiley, Warren Brown, Ruth Wilson\n<\/p>\n

Misfits (2009\u20132015) <\/p>\n

(Clockwise from left): Iwan Rheon as Simon Bellamy, Robert Sheehan as Nathan Young, Lauren Socha as Kelly Bailey, Antonia Thomas as Alisha Daniels, and Nathan Stewart-Jarrett as Curtis Donovan on ‘Misfits’.<\/p>\n

Clerkenwell Films<\/p>\n

This terrific teen superhero show preempted a great deal of the Marvel\/DC Universe output, and for our money, it\u2019s more consistent than better-known fare. The British series concerns a group of juvenile delinquents (chavs, really) who are accidentally imbued with incredible powers after getting caught in an electrical storm.\n<\/p>\n

Misfits is a great example of a show for a teenage audience that respects its demographic rather than talking down to them. It does a masterful job of interweaving sci-fi\/action plotting with thoughtful, well-placed beats about adolescent confusion \u2014 which is often far more vexing than any acquired supernatural ability. \u2014D.G.\n<\/p>\n

Where to watch Misfits: Peacock\n<\/p>\n

Cast:\u00a0Iwan Rheon, Robert Sheehan, Lauren Socha, Nathan Stewart-Jarrett, Antonia Thomas\n<\/p>\n

Mr. Bean (1990\u20131995) <\/p>\n

Rowan Atkinson as Mr. Bean on ‘Mr. Bean’.<\/p>\n

Tiger Aspect Productions\/Courtesy Everett Collection<\/p>\n

Americans are likely best acquainted with\u00a0Rowan Atkinson<\/a>\u00a0through his work in the 2003 holiday film\u00a0Love Actually. (Atkinson plays the jewelry counter clerk whose deliberate gift wrapping drives\u00a0Alan Rickman’s character to near breakdown.) But Brits best know the actor from\u00a0Mr. Bean, his 15-episode sitcom which aired across five years on ITV.\n<\/p>\n

Atkinson plays the titular role, a clueless man who lives alone, rarely speaks, and struggles to exist as a functional adult in the world. The show is a study in character creation, physical comedy, and nonverbal storytelling.\u00a0As a former EW senior writer explains<\/a>\u00a0in an overview of Atkinson\u2019s work, \u201cQuite simply, he\u2019s one of the finest silent comedians alive.\u201d\u00a0\u2014I.G.\n<\/p>\n

Where to watch\u00a0Mr. Bean: BritBox\n<\/p>\n

Cast:\u00a0Rowan Atkinson\n<\/p>\n

The Office (2001\u20132003) <\/p>\n

Mackenzie Crook as Gareth Keenan, Ricky Gervais as David Brent, Lucy Davis as Dawn Tinsley, and Martin Freeman as Tim Canterbury on ‘The Office’.<\/p>\n

BBC\/Courtesy Everett Collection<\/p>\n

Ricky Gervais<\/a>\u2019 seminal mockumentary about a desperate middle manager (Gervais) of a London-based paper company set the tone for many cringe comedy sitcoms (and movies) that followed in the early-2000s. And of course, it birthed the better-known NBC remake of the same name.\n<\/p>\n

No one does this sort of thing better than Gervais, though. He has a distinct ability to tease out empathy from awkwardness in scenarios that could otherwise seem mean-spirited or ill-conceived. Each of the two seasons is wonderfully structured. If Gervais never matches the excellence of this work, it\u2019s only because The Office set such a high bar. \u2014D.G.\n<\/p>\n

Where to watch The Office: Hulu\n<\/p>\n

Cast: Ricky Gervais, Martin Freeman, Mackenzie Crook, Lucy Davis, Stirling Gallacher\n<\/p>\n

Peaky Blinders (2013\u20132022) <\/p>\n

Cillian Murphy as Thomas Shelby on ‘Peaky Blinders’.
\nEverett Collection<\/p>\n

Just when you thought the gangster drama had said all there was to say, Peaky Blinders<\/a> came blazing onto the scene, reinventing the genre with a combination of skillful writing, galvanizing performances, and a modern (but never anachronistic) flair.\n<\/p>\n

World War I veteran Thomas Shelby (Cillian Murphy<\/a>) rules the titular crime family with an iron fist and a sharp blade. When given an opportunity to segue into a more legitimate business, Tommy risks hide and hair, going up against British and Irish brutes to make himself a fortune. \u2014D.G.\n<\/p>\n

Where to watch Peaky Blinders: Netflix\n<\/p>\n

Cast:\u00a0Cillian Murphy,\u00a0Sam Neill,\u00a0Helen McCrory, Paul Anderson\n<\/p>\n

The Responder (2022\u20132024) <\/p>\n

Adelayo Adedayo as Rachel Hargreaves and Martin Freeman as Chris Carson on ‘The Responder’.
\nBBC<\/p>\n

Martin Freeman<\/a> stars in this police drama as Chris Carson, a has-been urgent response officer tasked with working endless night shifts in gritty London opposite his less experienced but still game partner (Adelayo Adedayo).\n<\/p>\n

The Responder is a compelling variation on the procedural format, sharing more in common with American series like The Wire and True Detective than it does Broadchurch or Shetland. Freeman, so adept as a likable guy and a bit of a ne\u2019er-do-well, displays an altogether tougher (and dare we say steely) demeanor, which has us hankering to see him in more morally dubious action roles. \u2014D.G.\n<\/p>\n

Where to watch The Responder: BritBox\n<\/p>\n

Cast: Martin Freeman, Adelayo Adedayo, Warren Brown, MyAnna Buring, Emily Fairn\n<\/p>\n

Sherlock (2010\u20132017) <\/p>\n

Benedict Cumberbatch as Sherlock Holmes and Martin Freeman as Dr. John Watson on ‘Sherlock’.<\/p>\n

Colin Hutton\/BBC\/Courtesy Everett Collection<\/p>\n

Benedict Cumberbatch<\/a> stars as the titular Baker Street sleuth while Martin Freeman plays his doting companion, Watson. Sherlock<\/a> is an effortless update of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle\u2019s seminal detective novels, one that\u2019s brilliantly modernized while retaining all of the source material\u2019s classical charms. The series is witty, thrilling, and touching \u2014 usually all at once \u2014 and features a few of the most stunningly realized twists on modern television. \u2014D.G.\n<\/p>\n

Where to watch Sherlock: Hulu\n<\/p>\n

Cast: Benedict Cumberbatch, Martin Freeman\n<\/p>\n

Shetland (2013\u2013present) <\/p>\n

Douglas Henshall as DI Jimmy Perez and Catherine Walker as Alice Brooks on ‘Shetland’.
\nBritBox<\/p>\n

Along with Broadchurch, Shetland is the prototypical drizzly British procedural. DI Jimmy Perez (Douglas Henshall) patrols the eponymous rainy isle, where many people go missing and even more have a propensity for turning up dead.\n<\/p>\n

More serious than Broadchurch (though not by much), Shetland has similarly witty characters while going a bit deeper into the emotional chaos of it all. Henshall is a hoot as the tortured inspector, though the series has recently taken on a new dimension with the addition of Ashley Jensen (so brilliant in Ricky Gervais\u2019 Hollywood satire, Extras) as the formidable DI Ruth Calder. \u2014D.G.\n<\/p>\n

Where to watch Shetland: BritBox\n<\/p>\n

Cast: Douglas Henshall, Alison O’Donnell, Steven Robertson, Lewis Howden, Erin Armstrong\n<\/p>\n

Skins (2007\u20132013) <\/p>\n

The cast of ‘Skins’.
\nEverett Collection<\/p>\n

It\u2019s safe to say that without Skins, there would be no Euphoria. Taking inspiration from Degrassi, Skins follows a group of teens in dead-end Bristol who spice up their dull middle school existences with drinking, drugging, and saucy instant messaging (remember that?). For those who perhaps find Euphoria a touch too harrowing (or exaggerated) to watch, Skins provides a perfect middle-ground with more authentic adolescent experiences that still flirt with darkness. That said, it\u2019s probably best not to watch this one with your parents\u2026 \u2014D.G.\n<\/p>\n

Where to watch Skins: Hulu\n<\/p>\n

Cast: Nicholas Hoult, Hannah Murray, Larissa Wilson, Joe Dempsie, Mike Bailey\n<\/p>\n

Slow Horses (2022\u2013present) <\/p>\n

Gary Oldman as Jackson Lamb on ‘Slow Horses’.
\nJack English\/Apple TV+<\/p>\n

Gary Oldman<\/a> stars as the brilliantly repugnant Jackson Lamb, a crude government agent tasked with overseeing the MI5\u2019s division of \u201cslough horses\u201d \u2014 those who have screwed up in the line of duty and now have nowhere to go but down.\n<\/p>\n

Slow Horses, based on the book series by Mick Herron, is raucous, often anxiety-producing, and a bit grosser than you\u2019ve come to expect from British shows. It\u2019s also one of the most exciting programs currently on television. \u2014D.G.\n<\/p>\n

Where to watch Slow Horses: Apple TV\n<\/p>\n

Cast:\u00a0Gary Oldman, Jack Lowden, Kristin Scott Thomas, Jonathan Pryce\n<\/p>\n

Tracey Ullman’s Show (2016\u20132018) <\/p>\n

Tracey Ullman on ‘Tracey Ullman’s Show’.
\nRory Lindsay\/HBO<\/p>\n

Tracey Ullman<\/a> is a British national treasure with a comedic resume that sparkles as brightly as the crown jewels. Her sketch comedy show, Tracey Ullman\u2019s Show \u2014 not to be confused with her Fox sketch comedy variety show, The Tracey Ullman Show (1987\u20131990) \u2014 is a lovely example of Ullman doing what she does best.\n<\/p>\n

The series is the perfect receptacle to hold all of Ullman’s characters, impressions, and ruminations on British life. The show is worth your time just for the Dame Judi Dench and Dame Maggie Smith impressions alone, but Ullman also reminds you why she\u2019s one of the foremost character actors of all time. \u2014I.G.\n<\/p>\n

Where to watch Tracey Ullman’s Show: BritBox\n<\/p>\n

Cast: Tracey Ullman\n<\/p>\n

Years and Years (2019) <\/p>\n

Emma Thompson as Vivienne Rook in ‘Years and Years’.
\nRobert Ludovic\/HBO\/Everett<\/p>\n

Three years after the British populace voted on a referendum to leave the European Union, a limited series called\u00a0Years and Years\u00a0premiered on BBC One. A dystopian science-fiction miniseries told across six episodes and set over the course of 15 years, the drama follows Britain’s cultural and economic collapse, as experienced by the Lyons family. The country’s decline is accelerated by the likes of Vivian Rook (Emma Thompson<\/a>), a successful businesswoman turned populist politician whose proposed policies \u2014 like one that bars anyone with an IQ under 70 from voting \u2014 are a sobering reminder of how tenuous our global democracies are, and how easily freedom can free fall into fascism.\n<\/p>\n

Simultaneously compelling and horrifying,\u00a0Years and Years\u00a0is a political and social satire that would be a lot funnier if it didn’t feel so truthful.\u00a0\u2014I.G.\n<\/p>\n

Where to watch\u00a0Years and Years: HBO Max\n<\/p>\n

Cast:\u00a0Anne Reid, Rory Kinnear, Jessica Hynes, Emma Thompson<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Great Britain knows great television, and these 27 shows are here as proof. From long-running cultural institutions like…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":521074,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[29],"tags":[49,48,75,348],"class_list":["post-521073","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-tv","tag-ca","tag-canada","tag-entertainment","tag-tv"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/521073","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=521073"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/521073\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/521074"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=521073"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=521073"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=521073"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}