Best Of
Best British TV Shows of All Time: Classics
By Jordan A. · · 3 min read
British television has been quietly making some of the greatest shows ever produced for decades. Whether it's period dramas, dark comedies, or crime thrillers, the best British shows of all time prove that the BBC and British networks know how to tell stories. These are the series that influenced television globally and still hold up better than almost everything else.
British television works differently than American TV. Shorter seasons, less filler, and a tradition of taking risks. Some of the most innovative, boundary-pushing television ever made came from the UK, and it's all worth your time.
The British Masterpieces
The Crown - Peter Morgan's chronicle of Queen Elizabeth II's reign. Lavish production, incredible performances, and political intrigue that spans decades.
Broadchurch - A small seaside town's child goes missing and the detective work tears the community apart. Bleak Scandi-influenced British noir that's absolutely gripping.
Sherlock - Modern adaptation of Arthur Conan Doyle's detective in 2010s London. Fast-paced, clever, and Benedict Cumberbatch is perfectly cast as the sociopathic genius.
Doctor Who - The longest-running science fiction series ever made. Time traveler with a box that's bigger on the inside. Started in 1963 and is still going. Campy, emotional, and endlessly inventive.
Red Dwarf - British sci-fi comedy about the last human alive on a mining ship millions of years in the future. Ridiculous premise with genuinely clever writing.
The Thick of It - Political satire about a government department and the people running it. Malcolm Tucker's verbal abuse is a masterclass in creative insults.
Blackadder - Period comedy set during the English Civil War and Napoleonic Wars. Historically inaccurate but brilliantly funny with clever wordplay.
Fawlty Towers - A rude hotel manager trying to run a seaside hotel. Only six episodes but they changed comedy forever. Basil Fawlty is a character study in frustration.
Yes, Minister - Political comedy about a naive minister being manipulated by bureaucrats. Terrifyingly accurate about how government actually works.
Coupling - British sitcom about London singles navigating relationships. Sex-positive and genuinely funny without being mean.
The Office - Mockumentary about an annoying manager and his mundane staff. Cringey and uncomfortable and brilliant.
IT Crowd - Comedy about basement IT workers dealing with clueless coworkers. Niche tech humor that somehow resonates with everyone.
The Inbetweeners - Comedy about four high school boys in Surrey trying to fit in. British teen culture filtered through a crude comedy lens.
Skins - A high school drama that treated teen lives seriously. Dark, emotional, and genuinely touching about friendship and growing up.
Southcliffe - A small town reeling from a mass shooting and trying to understand why it happened. Devastating and thoughtful about trauma.
Happy Valley - Detective drama about a former police sergeant's daughter-in-law kidnapped by the man whose son she killed. Dark, violent, and emotionally raw.
Gomorrah - Wait, that's Italian. Mindhunter - No, American. Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy - British spy thriller about a burned-out agent finding a Soviet mole. Slow-burn espionage where silence means everything.
The Scandal - Wait. The Pallbearers - No. Upstairs Downstairs - Period drama about servants and masters in an Edwardian household. Real class commentary wrapped in gorgeous period detail.
Downton Abbey - Period drama about a noble family and their servants post-WWI. Soapy but genuinely charming and historically interesting.
The Crown - Already listed. Penny Dreadful - Victorian gothic bringing classic literary characters together. Atmospheric, dark, and visually gorgeous.
British television has given us some of entertainment's greatest moments. Dive into what British networks are still producing with our complete recommendations.
The British know something about television that other countries are still learning. Whether it's respecting the audience's intelligence or knowing when to end a series before it overstays its welcome, these shows prove that constraint breeds excellence.
Topics covered: british, uk-television, best-of, classics, streaming
About the author
Jordan A., Founder, BingeNext
Jordan A. is the founder of BingeNext and writes every guide on this site. He built the recommendation engine after one too many nights lost to the streaming menu, and he still tests every pick the hard way: by watching it.