Have you noticed that streaming services have embraced a series model that leans toward shorter seasons and higher production value? The British practically invented that approach, and it’s why British TV series remain in such high demand on this side of the Atlantic. These series may have fewer episodes, but it only makes them easier to binge on Netflix.
Looking for something other than Britain’s best? We’ve also put together guides to the best movies on Netflix and the best shows on Netflix, as well as a recap of what’s new on Netflix.
Recently added to Netflix
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Inside Man2022 -
The Crown2016
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1 Season
Genre
Drama, Crime, Mystery
Cast
David Tennant, Stanley Tucci, Dolly Wells
Created by
Steven Moffat
Within the miniseries Inside Man, two parallel stories unfold. Former criminology professor Jefferson Grieff (Stanley Tucci) is on death row for killing his wife and passing the time by consulting with the police on other crimes. Meanwhile, a vicar named Harry Watling (David Tennant) finds himself in a difficult position when one of his parishioners passes him some child porn. Rather than let his son, Ben (Louis Oliver), take the fall, Harry considers either taking the blame himself or murdering a woman to cover up the truth.
5 Seasons
Genre
Drama
Cast
Claire Foy, Matt Smith, Vanessa Kirby
Created by
Peter Morgan
The fifth season of The Crown moves the story to the ‘80s and ‘90s by ushering in the era of Prince Charles (Dominic West) and Princess Diana (Elizabeth Debicki). Queen Elizabeth (Imelda Staunton) is naturally less than pleased by the way Diana attracts attention, especially when her marriage to Charles inevitably falls apart in an epic scandal. As the Queen and the royal family contend with negative press, there are some who argue that the Queen needs to step aside in favor of Charles. And Charles may be among them.
1 Season
Genre
Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Action & Adventure, Mystery
Cast
Jay Lycurgo, Nadia Parkes, Emilien Vekemans
Created by
Joe Barton
The Bastard Son & the Devil Himself features Jay Lycurgo as Nathan Byrne, a 16-year-old boy who just so happens to be the son of Marcus Edge (David Gyasi), “the world’s most dangerous Blood Witch.” That’s why Nathan’s entire life has been spent under the scrutiny of the Council of Fairborn Witches and their rivals, the Blood Witches. As an open conflict between the factions breaks out, Nathan forms a bond with his fellow witches, Annalise O’Brien (Nadia Parkes) and Gabriel (Emilien Vekemans), as he goes on a quest to learn more about his emerging powers.
1 Season
Genre
Family, Drama, Mystery
Cast
Lashay Anderson, Amelia Brooks, Ashling O’Shea
Created by
Holly Phillips
Although Rebel Cheer Squad is a spinoff from a show called Get Even, knowledge about the previous series isn’t required. They simply share a setting at Bannerman School and the same basic premise. When one of their own flees Bannerman after being mercilessly bullied, cheerleaders Grace Ellington (Amelia Brooks), Rumi Joshi (Ashling O’Shea), and Clara Harris (Lashay Anderson) secretly form a group dedicated to expose bullies within their school. But when a mysterious person calling themself X emerges, the girls find that they may be at odds with a new rival.
1 Season
Genre
Drama
Cast
Sam Adewunmi, Sophie Wilde, Bukky Bakray
Samuel Adewunmi stars in You Don’t Know Me as Hero, a young man who is in about as much trouble as you can possibly imagine. While facing murder charges, Hero does a Hail Mary and fires his lawyer in order to directly address the jury for his closing statement as he tells them all about his love for a woman named Kyra (Sophie Wilde), as well as his close relationship with his sister, Bless (Bukky Bakray). Through flashbacks, we get an extensive look at how Hero became the man that he is today. Whether that’s enough to save him at a trial remains to be seen. You’ll just have to watch to find out.
6 Seasons
Genre
Crime, Drama
Cast
Cillian Murphy, Paul Anderson, Sam Claflin
Created by
Steven Knight
Peaky Blinders is over! All six seasons of the hit British crime drama are now on Netflix. Cillian Murphy stars in the series as Tommy Shelby, the leader of the Peaky Blinders gang. In the aftermath of World War I, Tommy has grand ambitions of expanding his criminal empire. Those plans soon draw the ire of Major Chester Campbell (Sam Neill), a detective chief inspector who makes it his mission to take Tommy and his gang down. However, Tommy’s plans can’t be stopped by any single man, except when the events of history and his ever-growing hubris encourage Tommy to make increasingly dangerous decisions.
2 Seasons
Genre
Drama, Mystery, Family
Cast
Rosie Dwyer, Savannah Baker, Dylan Brady
Created by
Dan Berlinka, Nina Metivier
The A List throws a teenager named Mia (Lisa Ambalavanar) into the summer camp of her nightmares. Although Mia quickly befriends her roommates, Kayleigh (Savannah Baker) and Alex (Rosie Dwyer), she also makes an enemy out of Amber (Ellie Duckles). And Amber is no mere teen, as she seems to have the ability to bend almost anyone to her will. Amber makes life a living Hell for Mia, but there’s someone at camp who hates Amber even more than Mia does. And that young woman’s actions will put the entire camp in danger.
2 Seasons
Genre
Crime, Drama
Cast
Lee Ingleby, Katherine Kelly, Rochenda Sandall
Created by
Jim Field Smith, George Kay
Can you really make a police procedural that only revolves around intense interviews with suspects? Apparently, you can do it at least four times, since Netflix has multiple versions of Criminal for different European countries. In Criminal: United Kingdom, Katherine Kelly leads the cast as Detective Chief Inspector Natalie Hobbs, and she’s in charge of an elite squad of interrogators. And just to twist the knife a bit with viewers, some of the suspected criminals are played by popular performers like David Tennant, Kit Harington, and Hayley Atwell.
5 Seasons
Genre
Action & Adventure, Drama
Cast
Alexander Dreymon, David Dawson, Emily Cox
Created by
Stephen Butchard
The fifth season of The Last Kingdom has arrived, but if you’re looking for a history lesson, then you’ve come to the wrong place. This adaptation of Bernard Cornwell’s The Saxon Stories takes a few liberties with history in the name of drama. All you really need to know is that 1,000 years ago, Uhtred (Alexander Dreymon) was taken by Vikings and eventually accepted as one of them. But when Uhtred’s new home is violently stripped away from him, he embarks on a journey to reclaim what was once his. Epic battles, deadly intrigue, and even romance ensue. We wouldn’t have it any other way.
3 Seasons
Genre
Crime, Drama
Cast
Anna Friel, Nicholas Pinnock, Ray Panthaki
Created by
Hans Rosenfeldt
Pushing Daisies veteran Anna Friel steps into the leading role of Marcella, a noirish crime drama from across the pond. Friel plays Marcella Backland, a woman whose deteriorating marriage to Jason (Nicholas Pinnock) leads her to resume her job as a Detective Sergeant for London’s Metropolitan Police Service. And for her first case back, Marcella has to open up a cold case to find a serial killer while dealing with her impending divorce. Additionally, Marcella suffers from blackouts that may threaten her personal and professional lives.
1 Season
Genre
Drama, Crime, Mystery
Cast
Laura Haddock, Nuno Lopes, Marta Milans
Created by
Álex Pina
White Lines puts a unique spin on a British crime series by setting most of its story in Spain. Laura Haddock stars as Zoe Walker, a woman who journeys to Ibiza after her brother’s body is discovered nearly 20 years after he disappeared. A powerful businessman named Andreu Calafat (Pedro Casablanc) suspects that Zoe’s brother was murdered by one of his family members. That’s why he orders his fixer, Duarte “Boxer” Silva (Nuno Lopes), to investigate. To get answers, Zoe and Boxer will have to team up as they face danger from unexpected directions.
5 Seasons
Genre
Comedy
Cast
Greg Davies, Helen Baxendale, Esther Smith
Created by
Kieron Quirke
Did you know that Andy Samberg starred in his own BBC comedy? He portrays Dale Ashbrick, the title character of Cuckoo. He’s a hippie who marries a young woman named Rachel (Tamla Kari), much to the alarm of her parents, Ken (Greg Davies) and Lorna (Helen Baxendale). And when neither Samberg nor Kari returned for the second season, Tyler Lautner was introduced as Dale’s long-lost son, Dale Jr., with Esther Smith taking over the role of Rachel. And the series only gets wilder from there.
1 Season
Genre
Drama, Crime, Mystery
Cast
Poppy Gilbert, Bethany Antonia, Richard Armitage
Created by
Harlan Coben
Stay Close is a mystery series that explores the unexpected connection between three apparent strangers. Megan Pierce (Cush Jumbo) is a woman who wants to leave her past behind and embrace life with her fiance, Dave Shaw (Daniel Francis). Meanwhile, Ray Levine (Richard Armitage) is a photographer who has never recovered from the disappearance of his girlfriend. Their lives are drawn together when DS Michael Broome (James Nesbitt) opens up a cold case about a man who disappeared 17 years earlier. And unfortunately for the trio, the danger to their lives is not hidden in the past. It’s happening right now.
1 Season
Genre
Mystery, Drama
Cast
Richard Armitage, Siobhan Finneran, Jennifer Saunders
Created by
Harlan Coben
Hannah John-Kamen stars as the title character in The Stranger, a young woman who hides her identity while exposing the secrets of others. How did the Stranger come by this information and what is her true agenda? An ordinary man, Adam Price (Richard Armitage), is forced to investigate the Stranger after she exposes his wife, Corinne Price (Dervla Kirwan), for faking a pregnancy and her possible infidelity. When Corinne goes missing, Adam’s desperation grows. Detective Sergeant (DS) Johanna Griffin (Siobhan Finneran) is officially searching for the Stranger, but there’s also a third party, policeman Patrick Katz (Paul Kaye), who is willing to kill in order to find and silence the Stranger.
1 Season
Genre
Action & Adventure, Sci-Fi & Fantasy
Cast
Katherine Langford, Devon Terrell, Gustaf Skarsgård
Created by
Frank Miller, Tom Wheeler
Cursed turns the familiar tale of King Arthur on its head by shifting the focus to Nimue (Katherine Langford), a young woman who is “cursed” to one day become the Lady in the Lake. Following the slaughter of her village by religious zealots, Nimue is tasked with returning the Sword of Power to Merlin (Gustaf Skarsgård). Arthur (Devon Terrell) is Nimue’s companion on this quest, even though he doesn’t immediately realize his own role in the coming drama. The future of England is at stake, and so is the soul of Nimue herself. But she may be damned by her own power.
1 Season
Genre
Drama, Mystery
Cast
Lydia Wilson, Joel Fry, Joanna Scanlan
Created by
Kris Mrksa
The question of identity hangs like a dark cloud over Requiem, as a world-famous cellist, Matilda Grey (Lydia Wilson), is forced to watch her mother, Janice Gray (Joanna Scanlan), commit suicide in front of her. When a second suicide is linked to her mother’s death, Matilda uncovers evidence that Janice may have been involved with the disappearance of a young girl named Carys Howell decades earlier. Much to her horror, Matilda suspects that she may be Carys herself. And yet her hometown seems to have little interest in helping Matilda solve this mystery, and certain “occult-y” incidents ratchet up the tension.
1 Season
Genre
War & Politics, Drama
Cast
Emma Appleton, Keeley Hawes, Brandon P. Bell
Created by
Bathsheba Doran
Traitors invites viewers back to the immediate aftermath of World War II, as the Allies begin to turn their eyes on each other. A young British woman, Feef Symonds (Emma Appleton), finds the excitement and purpose she seeks when she is seduced into spying on her own country to root out any Russian operatives in the government. Unfortunately for Feef, there really are Russian agents and they strike quickly at someone she loves. As Feef tries to expose the Russian mole, he in turn tries to draw her out and kill her before she can identify him. It’s a cat and mouse game with escalating stakes and consequences.
2 Seasons
Genre
Comedy, Crime
Cast
Rupert Grint, Nick Frost, Pippa Bennett-Warner
Created by
James Serafinowicz, Nat Saunders
Rupert Grint plays a very sick man in Sick Note, or so he thinks. Daniel Glass (Grint) has his life turned upside down when he is diagnosed with terminal cancer. The odd thing is that Daniel comes to enjoy the newfound kindness he experiences when people react to his condition. However, it was all a misdiagnosis made by Daniel’s doctor, Iain Glennis (Nick Frost). Since Dr. Glennis and Daniel would both prefer to keep the truth from getting out, they resolve to keep each other’s secrets. Unfortunately, their compounding lies only get them drawn into dangerous situations.
Digital Trends streaming roundup
1 Season
Genre
Crime, Drama
Cast
Takehiro Hira, Kelly Macdonald, Yosuke Kubozuka
Created by
Joe Barton
Japanese detective Kenzo Mori (Takehiro Hira) has a lot on his plate in the crime series Giri/Haji. When Kenzo’s brother Yuto (Yosuke Kubozuka) is accused of killing a powerful criminal’s nephew, the detective follows Yuto to an unfamiliar London not only to find his brother but to figure out if he’s truly a murderer. Like its title, Giri/Haji splits its time and focus in ways that shouldn’t work but do — divided between Japan and the U.K., between Japanese and English, and even occasionally transitioning to different visuals like black and white and animation. At the same time, it delivers a violent and beautifully filmed crime story. Despite near-universal acclaim — including being nominated for three British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) awards, with Will Sharpe taking one home — Giri/Haji was canceled after only one series. But the eight episodes of this stylish near-perfect thriller are available on Netflix for streaming.
1 Season
Genre
Comedy
Cast
Cara Theobold, Susan Wokoma, Arinzé Kene
Created by
Howard Overman
The United Kingdom has had some Buffy the Vampire Slayer-adjacent shows before, but Crazyhead may be the closest thing there is to a British Buffy. Cara Theobold stars as Amy, a young woman who has doubted her own sanity for years. That’s because Amy can see the demons hidden among us. Amy’s life changes forever when she meets Raquel Francis (Susan Wokoma), a fellow seer who has taken it upon herself to become a demon hunter. However, Raquel is more closely tied to the demon world than she believes, and her newfound connection to Amy only multiplies their problems.
2 Seasons
Genre
Comedy, Drama
Cast
Ricky Gervais, Tom Basden, Kerry Godliman
Created by
Ricky Gervais
Ricky Gervais created and stars in After Life, a series that brilliantly mixes dark comedy and drama. Gervais plays Tony Johnson, a happily married man, thanks to Lisa Johnson (Kerry Godliman). But when Lisa dies from breast cancer, Tony’s lone reason to keep on living is their dog, Brandy. To deal with his overpowering grief for his wife, Tony tries to take on a meaner persona and get his revenge on the world. Much to Tony’s surprise, the residents of his hometown, Tambury, seem determined to help him move past his depression … whether he wants them to or not.
1 Season
Genre
Documentary
Cast
Nicholas Day
Created by
Daniel Kontur, William Simpson
European mythology is very pervasive in western culture, especially here in America. The documentary series Myths & Monsters examines the origins and early versions of various legends while occasionally venturing into unexpected territory. For six episodes, host Nicholas Day dives into the genesis of heroes and villains, stories of war and the unknown, and tales of love and loss. More intriguingly, the final episode examines The End of All Things, which includes a look at life, death, and everything that comes after.
1 Season
Genre
Drama, Crime
Cast
Tahar Rahim, Jenna Coleman, Ellie Bamber
Created by
Mammoth Screen, Toby Finlay, Richard Warlow
A French serial killer of Indian and Vietnamese descent targeting victims in Thailand doesn’t sound like a very British show. But this BBC-commissioned limited series creates a universal feeling of uneasiness around Charles Sobhraj, who, in real life, committed at least 12 murders before being apprehended in 2003. Tahar Rahim plays Sobhraj with unnerving energy, truly encapsulating what gave “The Serpent” his nickname. The show does well in avoiding fetishizing Sobhraj’s crimes while paying proper respect to his victims. The pacing of the series does begin rather slowly, but it picks up over time until it reaches its dramatic conclusion. With just eight episodes, the captivating series can easily be binged over a day or the course of a weekend.
1 Season
Genre
Documentary
Cast
David Attenborough
Created by
Colette Beaudry (executive producer)
David Attenborough is now in his mid-90s, yet he shows no sign of taking a break from presenting awe-inspiring nature documentaries anytime soon. His latest, Life in Colour, explores how animals use color to navigate their own worlds. Unsurprisingly, the splashes of bright colors throughout the series create exquisite and unforgettable visuals. There were several camera technologies developed specifically for the series that provide further visual aids to viewers seeing color through a new light. The show is naturally reminiscent of Planet Earth, but with more of a technological focus as well as a less overt environmental message — the pictures paint the scene well enough in that regard.
1 Season
Genre
Drama, Comedy, Family
Cast
Grace Beedie, Dakota Taylor, Jeremias Amoore
Created by
Kirstie Falkous, John Regier
First, let’s just acknowledge that there’s no better name for a teen drama in 2021 than Zero Chill. It’s just perfect. The series captures all the young adult drama that comes with a family leaving everything behind to start a new life in another country. Zero Chill focuses on Kayla MacBentley (Grace Beedie), a talented figure skater, and her brother Mac (Dakota Taylor), a superstar hockey player. The drama begins when the MacBentley family oddly relocates from Canada (a country kind of known for hockey) to the United Kingdom so Mac can play for a prestigious team there. Okay. Regardless of the odd setup, the drama on the show is simply addicting and is relatively harmless to fans of all ages. This show isn’t pushing many boundaries, which may be what helps make it such an easy binge. By the end of the 10-episode first season, viewers will be on the edge of their skates wondering who the mysterious figure behind the mask is (it’ll make sense once you watch). It’s not clear if there’s more Zero Chill coming down the line, but the first season strikes a great tone for any potential future for the series.
6 Seasons
Genre
Drama, Sci-Fi & Fantasy
Cast
Caitriona Balfe, Sam Heughan, Richard Rankin
Created by
Ronald D. Moore
The British know how to tell a romance story, and this adaptation of Diana Gabaldon’s popular fantasy-romance series has been captivating swooning audiences for years. The time-traveling tale follows a married British combat nurse as she departs World War II for 1743 Scotland, where she falls in love with a Scottish warrior. Torn between two times, the crossed lovers must carry the weight of centuries between them.
1 Season
Genre
Drama, Mystery, Sci-Fi & Fantasy
Cast
Henry Lloyd-Hughes, Royce Pierreson, McKell David
Created by
Tom Bidwell
The Irregulars takes viewers back into the world of Sherlock Holmes, but with a much different perspective. The Baker Street Irregulars are employed by Dr. Watson to solve mysteries as intelligence agents stationed on the streets. The mysteries they’re solving are of a supernatural sort, however, putting them in increasing danger throughout the season. There are only eight episodes set for the series, so expect the action and character development to move at a brisk pace. Sherlock is one of the most beloved British series of all time; if The Irregulars achieves half the acclaim, it will be considered a success.
1 Season
Genre
Crime, Drama, Sci-Fi & Fantasy
Cast
Hannah Ware, Zoe Tapper, Dimitri Leonidas
Created by
Howard Overman
A DNA researcher (Hannah Ware) helps to create a new matchmaking service guaranteed to help people fall in love with the perfect partner to spend their life with — how sweet! This show is based in the science fiction realm, though, so don’t go into it expecting Are You The One? Instead, things go devastatingly wrong almost immediately in the eight-episode limited series. The show is based on a popular novel by John Marrs, which Netflix bought the rights to after it was published in 2017.
1 Season
Genre
Documentary
Cast
Nadiya Hussein
Baking shows have proven to be real comfort food to many over the past year, with people turning to The Great British Baking Show en masse. Season 6 winner Nadiya Hussein returns to the screen with her new show, Nadiya Bakes, which shows Hussein creating some delectable classics from the comfort of the kitchen. She’s had several shows air on BBC Two and make their way to Netflix, with this being the latest for one of the competition show’s most memorable victors.
1 Season
Genre
Drama
Cast
Simona Brown, Eve Hewson, Tom Bateman
Created by
Steve Lightfoot
Not every British show on Netflix is meant to be binged, but Behind Her Eyes is a major exception, especially helped by its brisk episode total. Based on the 2017 novel by Sarah Pinborough, this psychological thriller adaptation is a miniseries stretching just six episodes. Single mother Louise (Simona Brown) chooses to embark on an affair with her boss, David (Tom Bateman). At the same time, she also befriends David’s wife, Adele (Eve Hewson). The scandal-filled twists and turns of the series make this one of the most buzzed-about shows of the month.
1 Season
Genre
Drama
Cast
Edward Holcroft, Kevin Guthrie, Charlotte Hope, Niamh Walsh
Created by
Julian Fellowes, Oliver Cotton, Tony Charles
Sports are major business these days, but in the late 19th century, the idea of a “professional” league of players getting paid to play seemed like a fantasy. The English Game dramatizes the transformation of football (soccer) as it went from a game for the wealthy to a sport for the masses. Kevin Guthrie stars as Fergus Suter, a player recruited to leave his working-class football team behind to join an elite team. Fergus’ decision alienates some of his former teammates, but his journey helped redefine sports.
1 Season
Genre
Documentary, Crime
Cast
Alan Whitehouse, Keith Hellawell, Bruce Jones
Created by
Jesse Vile, Ellena Wood
Over four decades ago, the Yorkshire Ripper terrorized England as he killed 13 women and nearly claimed the lives of seven more women during a five-year period. The Ripper is a true-crime series that looks back at the killer’s reign of terror with survivors and family members of the victims. The investigators and reporters who worked on the case also share their own intimate stories as they tried to bring a dark chapter in British history to a close.
2 Seasons
Genre
Documentary
Cast
Dan Jones
Created by
Dan Jones
Castles capture the imagination as few structures can, and they remain living reminders of history. Historian Dan Jones created and starred in Secrets of Great British Castles, a 12-part documentary series that was split across two seasons. Each episode focuses on a single castle and explores the history and background that went into its creation and eventual function. Only the second season is currently on Netflix, but there are still plenty of enticing castle stories awaiting the curious.
1 Season
Genre
War & Politics, Drama, Action & Adventure
Cast
Louis Hunter, Bella Dayne, David Gyasi, Johnny Harris
Created by
David Farr
BBC’s Troy: Fall of a City tackles the epic 10-year story of the Trojan War, from its beginning, through the siege, and to its ultimate destruction. However, the series takes a few modern liberties with the legendary tale, including a good reason for the Trojans to accept the wooden horse as a gift. Most notably, this miniseries cast Black actors in two key roles: David Gyasi as Achilles and Hakeem Kae-Kazim as Zeus. The gods also have major parts to play in the conflict, as Zeus tries to remain above the fray. Yet it’s the human characters on both sides of the war who bear the burden and the curse of their actions.
1 Season
Genre
Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Drama
Cast
Sorcha Groundsell, Percelle Ascott, Guy Pearce
Created by
Simon Duric, Hania Elkington
At first glance, The Innocents could be mistaken for a typical Young Adults drama. Teenagers June McDaniel (Sorcha Groundsell) and Harry Polk (Percelle Ascott) love each other, but they feel the need to run away to fully be together and to be free of their past. However, June’s emerging shapeshifting ability casts the young lovers into an unexpected supernatural underworld. Guy Pearce co-stars as Bendik “Ben” Halvorson, an enigmatic man who has gathered other shifters at his Sanctum. Halvorson’s motives aren’t exactly pure, but he’s far from the only danger waiting for June and Harry on the road ahead.
1 Season
Genre
Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Action & Adventure, Family
Cast
Amir Wilson, Ruby Ashbourne Serkis, Thaddea Graham
Created by
William Davies
If you’re looking for a family-friendly fantasy series, The Letter for the King may be the show you’ve been seeking. Based upon Tonke Dragt’s Dutch novel, De brief voor de Koning, this series follows Tiuri (Amir Wilson), a young squire who has dreams of following in the footsteps of his stepfather as a noble knight. However, Tiuri’s emerging ability to hear otherworldly voices seemingly works against him. Regardless, Tiuri is charged with a desperate mission to deliver a letter to the king within two weeks, or else a disaster may strike the kingdom. That means it’s time for Tiuri to step up as a hero even if he’s not ready.
4 Seasons
Genre
Comedy
Cast
Graham Chapman, Michael Palin, Terry Jones
Created by
Ian MacNaughton, John Howard Davies
Legendary comedy group Monty Python created and starred in this sketch comedy series that premiered way back in 1969 and continued for four seasons (series, rather, as they say in the U.K.). Featuring Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Eric Idle, Terry Jones, Michael Palin, and Terry Gilliam, skits focused on absurd situations, observational humor, and lots of innuendo. Get some hearty belly laughs while watching the six main Pythons along with supporting cast members like Carol Cleveland and Connie Booth tackle issues around British life with an intellectual maturity that is second to none.
1 Season
Genre
Comedy
Cast
Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Jonathan Bailey, Julie Dray
Created by
Phoebe Waller-Bridge
Not to be confused with the American HBO comedy-drama of the same name that streams via HBO Max, this British comedy-drama originally aired on Channel 4 back in 2016. Created, written by, and starring multi-Emmy winner Phoebe Waller-Bridge (Fleabag, Killing Eve), it’s a six-part series about six 20-somethings living together in a disused hospital. They get cheap rent but, in exchange, they are tasked with caring for the property and keeping the building safe. Despite the familiar formula of six eclectic friends living in close quarters to one another, the unusual setting and Waller-Bridge’s signature spin on both the writing and her character make it a refreshing departure from the norm.
1 Season
Genre
Drama, Crime, Mystery
Cast
Carey Mulligan, Billie Piper, Jeany Spark
Created by
David Hare
This four-part British drama serial is an atypical police procedural that follows the story of Kip Glaspie (Carey Mulligan), a detective inspector looking into the murder of a pizza delivery man that balloons into something much bigger. As Sir David Hare’s first original series for television, his reputation preceded him with a pair of Academy Award nominations for The Hours and The Reader as well as plenty of success as a playwright. Co-produced by Netflix and released in 2018, it has been criticized for the overcrowded script, but strong performances by the cast make it a worthy watch.
2 Seasons
Genre
Drama
Cast
Ashley Walters, Kane Robinson, Micheal Ward
Created by
Ronan Bennett
With three seasons to date and a renewal for a fourth set to debut later, the British crime drama Top Boy is set in a fictional Summerhouse estate in London where a young and troubled man gets involved in the criminal underworld involving drugs, murder, and an intense struggle for power and money. With British rapper and songwriter Ashley Walters (Asher D) heading up the cast, Letitia Wright (Black Mirror, Black Panther) among the recurring characters, and Drake an executive producer, it unsurprisingly has a 95% score on Rotten Tomatoes. Be warned — Netflix has made it a little complicated to watch Top Boy in its entirety. The first two seasons stream on Netflix under the title Top Boy: Summerhouse (linked below), while the third and latest season is found separately as just “Top Boy”.
9 Seasons
Genre
Reality
Cast
Mary Berry, Paul Hollywood, Prue Leith
Created by
Andy Devonshire
Called The Great British Bake Off in the U.K., this baking series pits aspiring bakers against one another as they bake classic dishes outlined by the hosts and judges, showing their skills on both the technical and creative sides. Starring Mary Berry, Paul Hollywood, and Prue Leith as judges, your mouth will be watering as you watch the contestants bake everything from basic cookies (er, biscuits) to more elaborate cakes and pastries. The oddest (and best) part about this reality show? They’re all nice to each other!
3 Seasons
Genre
Comedy, Drama
Cast
Emma Mackey, Asa Butterfield, Gillian Anderson, Ncuti Gatwa, Connor Swindells
Created by
Laurie Nunn
Launched in January 2019, this British drama has been called heartfelt and surprisingly wise. It stars Asa Butterfield as a socially awkward teenager who is ambivalent about sex, largely due to his mother (Gillian Anderson) being a sex therapist. Netflix reports that the series had more than 40 million viewers after it launched on the site, and the third season is set to debut Friday, September 17.
1 Season
Genre
War & Politics, Crime, Drama
Cast
Richard Madden, Keeley Hawes, Sophie Rundle
Created by
Jed Mercurio
You’ll recognize the lead character in this series, Richard Madden, from his role as Robb Stark in Game of Thrones. He plays a police sergeant and British Army war veteran named David Budd who is suffering from PTSD. He is assigned to protect Home Secretary Julia Montague, with whom he disagrees politically, making for some tension and moral ambiguity. The series has been lauded for its commentary on government monitoring of private information as well the spotlight it sheds on PTSD. It’s also landed Madden in the conversation as the next James Bond.
1 Season
Genre
Drama, Action & Adventure
Cast
Claes Bang, Dolly Wells, Mark Gatiss
Created by
Mark Gatiss, Steven Moffat, Claes Bang, Dolly Wells
How do you follow a wildly successful modern reboot of Sherlock Holmes? Mark Gatiss and Steven Moffat decided that their Sherlock follow-up project would center on another Victorian literary icon: Dracula. While the new Dracula takes a few pointers from Bram Stoker’s original novel, Gatiss and Moffat have refocused the narrative to make Claes Bang’s Count Dracula the hero of his own show — even as he brutally murders several people along the way. The series also takes a few creative liberties with the story, as Dracula’s conflict with the Van Helsing family plays out across generations. It’s a delicious update on the classic tale, and we’re chomping at the bit to see if Dracula will get another season to haunt modern viewers yet again.
3 Seasons
Genre
Comedy
Cast
Johnny Flynn, Antonia Thomas, Daniel Ings
Created by
Tom Edge
Originally titled Scrotal Recall (really), this series started on Channel 4 and was commissioned as a Netflix original for seasons 2 and 3. It follows a group of friends living together in a house in Glasgow, Scotland, and their sexual exploits and blunders. From secret crushes to STD diagnoses, episodes are told mostly through flashbacks in the first season as the main character Dylan Witter (Johnny Flynn) attempts to contact all former sexual partners following a chlamydia diagnosis.
5 Seasons
Genre
Sci-fi, Psychological Thriller, Dystopia
Cast
Daniel Kaluuya, Wyatt Russell, Bryce Dallas Howard, Daniel Lapaine
Created by
Charlie Brooker
While Black Mirror was eventually expanded as a “Netflix original,” Charlie Brooker’s brilliant dystopian series first premiered on Channel 4 in the U.K. Most episodes look at dire, worst-case scenarios regarding our relationship with technology and modern reliance on it. With five seasons to date, this isn’t the type of show you’ll be able to binge-watch quickly. But you can watch in any order and are guaranteed to see your jaw drop by the end of each episode. It’s compelling, thought-provoking television.
2 Seasons
Genre
Comedy, Drama, Crime
Cast
Alex Lawther, Jessica Barden, Naomi Ackie
Created by
Charlie Covell, Jonathan Entwistle (based on the graphic novel by)
Based on the Charles Forsman mini-comics of the same name, this dark comedy-drama follows the life of 17-year-old James (Alex Lawther), who thinks he’s a psychopath. He befriends classmate Alyssa (Jessica Barden), who latches onto him to escape her troubled home life. Charlie Covell, who wrote the series, has said she does not plan to produce a third season. So check out the two, eight-episode seasons that have been praised for their taut balance of misanthropy and humor.
10 Seasons
Genre
Drama, Family
Cast
Jessica Raine, Miranda Hart, Laura Main
Created by
Heidi Thomas
Set in the East End of London in the late ’50s and ’60s, it follows a group of nurse midwives as they deal with major historical moments, discoveries, and periods in time and how they impacted the job, from the Baby Boom of the late ’50s, to poverty, post-war immigration, the introduction of gas for pain relief, and birth defects, along with other social issues like teen pregnancy, adoption, and miscarriages. The period drama, which aired on BBC in 2012, was originally based on the memoirs of Jennifer Worth, who worked with a convent in London. But as it continued for nine seasons, other topics were explored based on the sourcing of historical materials.
2 Seasons
Genre
Comedy
Cast
Saoirse-Monica Jackson, Louisa Harland, Nicola Coughlan
Created by
Lisa McGee
Two seasons aired on Channel 4 in 2018 and 2019, with a third scheduled for 2020. While it’s a British sitcom, the setting is Derry, Northern Ireland, where a group of teenage friends navigates life and coming-of-age while attending their local Catholic girls’ secondary school. The first season has an impressive perfect rating from critics on review aggregator site Rotten Tomatoes and a 97% from audiences, with critics praising the “irreverent charms” and “canny characterizations.”
4 Seasons
Genre
Comedy
Cast
Chris O'Dowd, Richard Ayoade, Katherine Parkinson
Created by
Graham Linehan
Developing a cult following, this hilarious sitcom looks deep into the inner workings of the information technology (IT) department of a fictional London company. Heavily exaggerated and stereotyped characters include the department head, who doesn’t really know anything about IT, and a goth technician who works from the dark server room. The series, of which there have been four seasons and a special, aired from 2006 to 2013 and starred Chris O’Dowd, Richard Ayoade, Katherine Parkinson, and Matt Berry.
1 Season
Genre
Drama, Crime
Cast
Kim Adis, Jessica Alexander, Bethany Antonia
Created by
Holly Phillips
When a group of school-aged girls decides to form a group called DMG (Don’t Get Mad) to take down school bullies, they get more than they bargained for. One student is murdered, a note left in their hand that reads “DMG,” suggesting the crew was responsible for the death. The British teen thriller, which first premiered on BBC iPlayer in February, is adapted from the book series Don’t Get Mad by Gretchen McNeil.
5 Seasons
Genre
Crime, Documentary
Cast
Paul Connolly, Raphael Rowe
Created by
Emma Read, Gabe Solomon
U.K. journalist Raphael Rowe takes viewers inside some of the roughest, toughest prisons from around the world, talking with both prison guards and prisoners themselves about what life is like behind bars. Rowe himself knows a thing or two about the subject and the hardships, having served 12 years in prison for a crime until finally being released and acquitted. There are five seasons thus far, the fourth having just debuted at the end of July. The British series originally aired on Channel 5 in the U.K., after which Netflix commissioned the subsequent seasons of this fascinating docuseries.
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