BBC iPlayer is home to some of the best British dramas free to watch, it’s difficult to keep up with what’s actually worth watching. I’ve gathered the best dramas that scored at least 7 on IMDb and 70 on Rotten Tomatoes to find the shows you should definitely add to your watchlist. It’s a pretty long list, so I’ve categorised by genre. Just click the plus sign to expand and read a short synopsis of each show.
WYALAN star rating explained:
- 5 stars – Highly enjoyed and would highly recommend as a must watch
- 4 stars – Enjoyed and would watch again in the future
- 3 stars – Glad I watched it once, but I’ll probably never watch it again
- 2 stars – Watched to the end, but I wouldn’t watch it again
- 1 star – DNF (did not finish)
More must-watch films and series: Best Dramas on ITVX ~ Best Dramas on Disney ~ Best Dramas on Channel 4 ~ Best Crime Dramas on ITVX ~ Best Foreign Dramas on Channel 4 ~ Best Crime Dramas on BBC iPlayer ~ Best A24 Drama Movies ~ Best Apple TV Dramas ~ Best Dramas on Sky and Now TV ~ Best Crime Series on Netflix ~ New Dramas on ITVX ~ Best Thrillers on ITVX ~ Best Psychological Thrillers on BBC iPlayer
Blue Lights (2023) – Crime/Procedural
For fans of The Responder, Line of Duty, and Red Rock
Three rookie officers navigate divided communities, criminal gangs, and personal pressure on the streets of Belfast. Created by Declan Lawn and Adam Patterson (The Salisbury Poisonings).
Shetland (2013) – Crime/Island Mystery
For fans of Vera, Annika, and Broadchurch
A detective investigates murders across the remote Shetland Islands, where isolation breeds secrets. Based on Ann Cleeves’ novels, starring Douglas Henshall.
Peaky Blinders (2013) – Crime/Period
For fans of Boardwalk Empire, Ripper Street, and Taboo
A gang of razor-cap-wearing brothers rise through Birmingham’s underworld after World War I. Created by Steven Knight (Dirty Pretty Things, Locke), starring Cillian Murphy. WYALAN Rating – 3/5
The Missing (2014) – Crime/Mystery
For fans of Baptiste, The Tunnel, and The Five
A child disappears on holiday in France, triggering an international investigation and years of obsession. Written by Harry and Jack Williams (Baptiste, The Tourist).
Line of Duty (2012) – Crime/Corruption
For fans of Bodyguard, Trigger Point, and The Capture
AC-12 investigates corrupt officers within the police force, uncovering a web of cover-ups and organised crime. Created by Jed Mercurio (Bodyguard, Critical). WYALAN Rating – 5/5
Sherlock (2010) – Crime/Modern Mystery
For fans of Elementary, Luther, and Miss Sherlock
A consulting detective solves crimes in modern-day London with his flatmate Dr. Watson. Created by Steven Moffat and Mark Gatiss, starring Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman. WYALAN Rating – 5/5
Luther (2010) – Crime/Psychological
For fans of The Fall, River, and Hannibal
A brilliant but volatile detective hunts killers while battling his own demons. Idris Elba stars as DCI John Luther in this BAFTA-winning series. WYALAN Rating – 4/5
The Fall (2013) – Crime/Serial Killer
For fans of Luther, Marcella, and Ragdoll
A Belfast detective hunts a charming family man who’s secretly a methodical killer. Gillian Anderson and Jamie Dornan star in this slow-burn psychological thriller.
C.B. Strike (2017) – Crime/Private Investigator
For fans of Rebus, Magpie Murders, and The Chelsea Detective
An ex-army investigator and his assistant tackle high-profile cases across London. Based on the novels by Robert Galbraith (J.K. Rowling). WYALAN Rating – 3.5/5
Happy Valley (2014) – Crime/Community
For fans of Sherwood, The Responder, and Scott & Bailey
A Yorkshire sergeant confronts drug gangs, kidnappings, and personal grief in a tightly wound valley town. Sarah Lancashire stars in this BAFTA-winning drama. WYALAN Rating – 5/5
Kin (2021) – Crime/Family
For fans of Gangs of London, Top Boy, and Animal Kingdom
A Dublin crime family faces internal power struggles and external threats after a deadly feud erupts. Charlie Cox and Clare Dunne lead this slow-burning saga.
Annika (2021) – Crime/Maritime
For fans of Shetland, Vera, and DI Ray
A marine homicide detective solves cases along Scotland’s waterways while breaking the fourth wall. Based on the BBC Radio 4 drama, starring Nicola Walker.
Informer (2018) – Crime/Undercover
For fans of The Night Manager, The Capture, and Spooks
A young British-Pakistani man is coerced into becoming a counterterrorism informant. Nabhaan Rizwan and Paddy Considine star in this tense six-parter.
Black Snow (2022) – Crime/Cold Case
For fans of Mystery Road, The Twelve, and Top of the Lake
A time capsule unearths clues to a teenager’s murder in a sugar town with deep cultural divides. Travis Fimmel stars in this Australian mystery.
The Responder (2022) – Crime/Night Shift
For fans of Blue Lights, Happy Valley, and The Force
A crisis-hit officer works the night shift in Liverpool, juggling mental health, corruption, and survival. Martin Freeman stars in this gritty character study. WYALAN Rating – 5/5
The Outlaws (2021) – Crime/Community Service
For fans of Brassic, Guilt, and The Cleaner
Seven strangers on community payback get entangled in a criminal conspiracy. Created by Stephen Merchant (Extras, Hello Ladies), co-starring Christopher Walken.
Sherwood (2022) – Crime/Political
For fans of Happy Valley, The Long Shadow, and Ridley Road
Two murders in a Nottinghamshire mining town reopen wounds from the 1980s strike. Written by James Graham (Quiz, Brexit: The Uncivil War), starring David Morrissey and Lesley Manville.
The Light in the Hall (2022) – Crime/Welsh Mystery
For fans of Keeping Faith, Craith, and The Pact
A journalist returns to her hometown to confront the man convicted of her friend’s murder. Joanna Scanlan and Iwan Rheon star in this bilingual psychological drama.
Guilt (2019) – Crime/Dark Comedy
For fans of The Outlaws, Fargo, and Inside No. 9
Two brothers accidentally kill a man and spiral into lies, paranoia, and blackmail. Mark Bonnar and Jamie Sives star in this Edinburgh-set thriller.
And Then There Were None (2015) – Crime/Classic Mystery
For fans of Poirot, Miss Marple, and The Pale Horse
Ten strangers are invited to a remote island and picked off one by one. Adapted from Agatha Christie’s novel, starring Charles Dance and Aidan Turner.
Dublin Murders (2019) – Crime/Procedural
For fans of The Fall, Marcella, and The Killing
Two detectives investigate a child’s murder in the woods and a linked case that echoes buried trauma. Based on Tana French’s novels, starring Killian Scott and Sarah Greene.
Showtrial (2021) – Crime/Legal
For fans of Fearless, The Twelve, and The Trial of Christine Keeler
A privileged student is accused of murdering her classmate, triggering a media circus and courtroom clash. Written by Ben Richards (COBRA, The Tunnel).
Magpie Murders (2022) – Crime/Meta Mystery
For fans of C.B. Strike, Whitstable Pearl, and Only Murders in the Building
An editor investigates her author’s death while decoding his final manuscript. Adapted by Anthony Horowitz from his own novel.
Moonflower Murders (2024) – Crime/Meta Mystery
For fans of Magpie Murders, The Club, and The Lying Game
A hotel murder in Cyprus may be linked to a fictional mystery from years earlier. Lesley Manville returns in this sequel to Magpie Murders, adapted by Anthony Horowitz.
Wallander (2008) – Crime/Scandi Noir
For fans of The Bridge, Beck, and Rebecka Martinsson
Kenneth Branagh plays Swedish detective Kurt Wallander, solving bleak cases while battling personal demons. Based on Henning Mankell’s novels.
Four Lives (2022) – Crime/True Crime
For fans of Des, Maxine, and The Sixth Commandment
Stephen Merchant plays serial killer Stephen Port, whose victims were ignored by police despite clear warning signs. Based on the real case and the families’ fight for justice.
Thirteen (2016) – Crime/Kidnapping
For fans of The Victim, The Girl Before, and The Replacement
A young woman escapes captivity after thirteen years, but her return raises more questions than answers. Jodie Comer stars in this psychological mystery.
Ordeal by Innocence (2018) – Crime/Classic Mystery
For fans of And Then There Were None, The ABC Murders, and Death Comes to Pemberley
A wealthy matriarch is murdered, and her adopted children become suspects. Adapted from Agatha Christie’s novel, starring Bill Nighy and Anna Chancellor.
Steeltown Murders (2023) – Crime/Cold Case
For fans of The Pembrokeshire Murders, Sherwood, and The Sixth Commandment
Detectives reopen a 1973 double murder using new DNA technology and face the ghosts of their own past. Based on the real Port Talbot case, starring Philip Glenister.
McMafia (2018) – Crime/Global Conspiracy
For fans of Gangs of London, The Night Manager, and ZeroZeroZero
A London banker is drawn into the world of organised crime after his family’s Russian past resurfaces. Created by Hossein Amini and James Watkins, inspired by Misha Glenny’s book.
Rillington Place (2016) – Crime/True Crime
For fans of Des, The Reckoning, and A Cruel Love
Tim Roth plays serial killer John Christie, whose murders led to one of Britain’s most notorious miscarriages of justice. Based on the real case that shook 1940s London.
The Salisbury Poisonings (2020) – Crime/Public Health
For fans of Breathtaking, The Undeclared War, and COBRA
A nerve agent attack in Salisbury triggers a city-wide emergency response and a race to contain the fallout. Based on the real 2018 poisoning of Sergei and Yulia Skripal.
The Sixth Commandment (2023) – Crime/True Crime
For fans of Four Lives, The Reckoning, and Rillington Place
A charismatic church warden manipulates and murders two vulnerable men in a quiet English village. Timothy Spall and Anne Reid star in this dramatisation of the Peter Farquhar case.
The Night Manager (2016) – Thriller/Espionage
For fans of Slow Horses, Treason, and The Ipcress File
A hotel manager is recruited by British intelligence to infiltrate the inner circle of an arms dealer. Adapted from John le Carré’s novel, directed by Susanne Bier, starring Tom Hiddleston and Hugh Laurie.
SAS Rogue Heroes (2022) – Thriller/Action
For fans of Band of Brothers, Peaky Blinders, and The Liberator
In WWII North Africa, a group of misfits form the SAS and rewrite the rules of warfare. Created by Steven Knight (Peaky Blinders, Taboo), based on Ben Macintyre’s book.
Killing Eve (2018) – Thriller/Psychosexual
For fans of Fleabag, Barry, and The Fall
A bored MI5 analyst becomes obsessed with a glamorous assassin, triggering a deadly game of cat and mouse. Created by Phoebe Waller-Bridge, based on Luke Jennings’ novels.
Vigil (2021) – Thriller/Submarine
For fans of Bodyguard, Trigger Point, and The Capture
A detective boards a nuclear submarine to investigate a suspicious death while navigating military secrecy and geopolitical tension. Suranne Jones and Rose Leslie star in this underwater conspiracy drama.
The Little Drummer Girl (2018) – Thriller/Spycraft
For fans of The Spy, Homeland, and The Honourable Woman
An actress is recruited by Mossad to infiltrate a Palestinian terror cell in 1970s Europe. Directed by Park Chan-wook (Oldboy, Decision to Leave), adapted from John le Carré’s novel.
The Split (2018) – Legal/Thriller
For fans of The Good Wife, Anatomy of a Scandal, and The Affair
A high-profile divorce lawyer juggles elite clients, family rivalries, and buried secrets. Created by Abi Morgan (River, The Hour), starring Nicola Walker.
The Game (2014) – Thriller/Cold War
For fans of Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, A Spy Among Friends, and Traitors
MI5 agents uncover a Soviet plot in 1970s London while questioning loyalty within their own ranks. Written by Toby Whithouse (Being Human, Doctor Who).
Reunion (2025) – Thriller/Revenge
For fans of Sherwood, The Victim, and The Light in the Hall
A deaf man is released from prison and begins to unravel the truth behind the crime that destroyed his life. Written by William Mager, the series features a bilingual cast using British Sign Language.
The Tourist (2022) – Thriller/Amnesia
For fans of The Missing, The Capture, and The Sinner
A man wakes up in the Australian outback with no memory and a target on his back. Jamie Dornan stars in this twist-heavy mystery from the creators of The Missing.
Death Valley (2025) – Thriller/Comedy Mystery
For fans of Only Murders in the Building, McDonald & Dodds, and Shakespeare & Hathaway
A retired actor and a detective sergeant team up to solve murders in South Wales, blending eccentricity with deduction. Created by Paul Doolan, starring Timothy Spall and Gwyneth Keyworth.
The Narrow Road to the Deep North (2025) – Thriller/War Romance
For fans of The Pacific, The English, and The Luminaries
An Australian army surgeon survives a WWII prisoner-of-war camp while haunted by a forbidden love. Adapted from Richard Flanagan’s novel, written by Shaun Grant and directed by Justin Kurzel.
The Gold (2023) – Thriller/True Crime
For fans of McMafia, The Curse, and Guilt
The 1983 Brink’s-Mat robbery triggers a sprawling investigation into money laundering, corruption, and criminal reinvention. Hugh Bonneville and Dominic Cooper star in this dramatisation of the £26 million heist.
Doctor Who (2005) – Sci-Fi/Time Travel
For fans of Torchwood, Primeval, and The Sarah Jane Adventures
An alien Time Lord travels through space and history in a blue police box, regenerating into new forms and facing cosmic threats. Revived by Russell T Davies (Years and Years, It’s a Sin), with multiple Doctors across the decades.
Doctor Who (1963) – Sci-Fi/Time Travel
For fans of Blake’s 7, Sapphire & Steel, and Quatermass
The original incarnation of the Doctor begins his journey through time and space with his granddaughter and two schoolteachers. Created by Sydney Newman, this long-running BBC series laid the foundation for British science fiction.
His Dark Materials (2019) – Fantasy/Multiverse
For fans of Shadow and Bone, The Magicians, and The Wheel of Time
A girl with a truth-telling compass uncovers a cosmic conspiracy involving parallel worlds, daemons, and destiny. Adapted from Philip Pullman’s trilogy, starring Dafne Keen, Ruth Wilson, and James McAvoy.
Life on Mars (2006) – Fantasy/Time-Bending Mystery
For fans of Ashes to Ashes, The OA, and Quantum Leap
After a car accident, a modern detective wakes up in 1973 and must solve crimes while questioning his reality. Created by Matthew Graham and Tony Jordan, starring John Simm and Philip Glenister. WYALAN Rating – 4/5
Superman and Lois (2021) – Fantasy/Superhero Family
For fans of Smallville, Arrow, and The Flash
Clark Kent and Lois Lane raise two teenage sons while defending Earth from emerging threats. Tyler Hoechlin and Elizabeth Tulloch star in this grounded take on DC mythology.
Merlin (2008) – Fantasy/Arthurian Legend
For fans of Robin Hood, Atlantis, and The Witcher
A young warlock hides his powers while protecting Prince Arthur in a kingdom where magic is outlawed. Colin Morgan and Bradley James lead this BBC reimagining of Camelot.
The English (2022) – Fantasy/Revisionist Western
For fans of Godless, The Luminaries, and The Nevers
An Englishwoman and a Pawnee ex-cavalry scout cross 1890s America in search of justice and identity. Created by Hugo Blick (The Honourable Woman, Black Earth Rising), starring Emily Blunt and Chaske Spencer.
Interview with the Vampire (2022) – Supernatural/Gothic Horror
For fans of Penny Dreadful, True Blood, and The Strain
A journalist interviews a centuries-old vampire whose story spans love, betrayal, and blood-soaked immortality. Adapted from Anne Rice’s novel, starring Jacob Anderson and Sam Reid.
Being Human (2010) – Supernatural/Flatshare
For fans of Crazyhead, Misfits, and In the Flesh
A vampire, a werewolf, and a ghost share a house in Bristol while trying to live normal lives. This British cult hit balances horror mythology with everyday emotional struggles. WYALAN Rating – 3/5
In the Flesh (2013) – Supernatural/Post-Zombie
For fans of The Returned, Dead Set, and The OA
A rehabilitated zombie returns to his village after a government programme restores his humanity, facing stigma and memory. Created by Dominic Mitchell, starring Luke Newberry.
Torchwood (2006) – Supernatural/Sci-Fi Hybrid
For fans of Doctor Who, Primeval, and Class
A covert team investigates alien activity and supernatural threats in Cardiff, led by immortal ex-Time Agent Captain Jack Harkness. Created by Russell T Davies (Doctor Who, Years and Years).
The Fades (2011) – Supernatural/Apocalyptic
For fans of The Innocents, The Enfield Haunting, and The Bastard Son & The Devil Himself
A teenager begins seeing ghostly remnants of the dead, triggering a battle between humanity and vengeful spirits. Written by Jack Thorne (His Dark Materials, Skins), starring Iain De Caestecker.
Pride and Prejudice (1995) – Romantic/Period
For fans of Emma, Sense and Sensibility, and Persuasion
Elizabeth Bennet clashes with the aloof Mr Darcy in this six-part adaptation of Jane Austen’s novel. Written by Andrew Davies (Bleak House, War & Peace), starring Jennifer Ehle and Colin Firth.
Taboo (2017) – Historical/Noir
For fans of Peaky Blinders, Ripper Street, and The Essex Serpent
A presumed-dead adventurer returns to 1814 London to claim his inheritance and confront colonial corruption. Created by Steven Knight and Tom Hardy, with Hardy in the lead role.
Wolf Hall (2015) – Historical/Tudor Politics
For fans of The Crown, Versailles, and Becoming Elizabeth
Thomas Cromwell rises through Henry VIII’s court, navigating religious upheaval and ruthless ambition. Adapted from Hilary Mantel’s novels, starring Mark Rylance and Damian Lewis.
War and Peace (2016) – Historical/Romantic Epic
For fans of Vanity Fair, Anna Karenina, and The Forsyte Saga
Aristocrats and soldiers face love and loss during Napoleon’s invasion of Russia. Adapted by Andrew Davies from Tolstoy’s novel, starring Lily James and Paul Dano.
Around the World in 80 Days (2021) – Adventure/Period
For fans of Gentleman Jack, The Musketeers, and Doctor Who
Phileas Fogg bets he can circumnavigate the globe in eighty days, joined by a journalist and a valet. David Tennant stars in this reimagining of Jules Verne’s classic.
Little Dorrit (2008) – Historical/Victorian Mystery
For fans of Bleak House, The Woman in White, and The Crimson Petal and the White
Amy Dorrit’s life inside a debtors’ prison intertwines with a mysterious inheritance and government scandal. Adapted from Charles Dickens’ novel, written by Andrew Davies.
Gentleman Jack (2019) – Historical/LGBTQ+ Biopic
For fans of The Confessions of Frannie Langton, Anne Lister Revealed, and The Secret Diaries of Miss Anne Lister
Anne Lister defies 1830s gender norms as a landowner, diarist, and lover of women. Created by Sally Wainwright (Happy Valley, Last Tango in Halifax), starring Suranne Jones.
Life After Life (2022) – Historical/Time-Bending
For fans of The Time Traveler’s Wife, Atonement, and The English
Ursula Todd lives and dies repeatedly across the 20th century, subtly altering fate with each cycle. Adapted from Kate Atkinson’s novel, starring Thomasin McKenzie.
Emma (2009) – Romantic/Period
For fans of Pride and Prejudice, Sanditon, and Vanity Fair
A wealthy young woman meddles in the love lives of her neighbours with unintended consequences. Romola Garai and Jonny Lee Miller star in this BBC adaptation of Austen’s novel.
Jane Austen: Rise of a Genius (2023) – Biopic/Literary History
For fans of Becoming Jane, Miss Austen, and The Romantics and Us
This documentary-drama traces Austen’s life, legacy, and literary impact through dramatised scenes and expert commentary. Produced by BBC Arts, starring Poppy Gilbert as Austen.
Miss Austen (2025) – Biopic/Literary Mystery
For fans of Life After Life, The Miniaturist, and The Pursuit of Love
Cassandra Austen protects her sister Jane’s legacy while confronting secrets of her own. Adapted from Gill Hornby’s novel, starring Keeley Hawes.
The English (2022) – Historical/Revisionist Western
For fans of Godless, The Luminaries, and The Nevers
An Englishwoman and a Pawnee ex-cavalry scout cross 1890s America in search of justice and identity. Created by Hugo Blick (The Honourable Woman, Black Earth Rising), starring Emily Blunt and Chaske Spencer.
Small Axe (2020) – Historical/Anthology
For fans of Uprising, Red, White and Blue, and The Long Song
Five standalone films explore Black British life in West London from the 1960s to the 1980s. Created and directed by Steve McQueen (12 Years a Slave, Widows).
Mr Loverman (2025) – Historical/LGBTQ+ Caribbean-British
For fans of Small Axe, It’s a Sin, and The Larkins
A closeted Antiguan man in Hackney reconsiders his marriage and identity after decades of secrecy. Adapted from Bernardine Evaristo’s novel, starring Lennie James.
Lost Boys and Fairies (2025) – Historical/LGBTQ+ Adoption Drama
For fans of It’s a Sin, Close, and The A Word
A gay couple in Cardiff navigate trauma and bureaucracy while trying to adopt a child. Written by Daf James, starring Sion Daniel Young and Fra Fee.
Uprising (2021) – Historical/Documentary
For fans of Small Axe, The Unwanted, and The Riots 1981
This three-part documentary examines the 1981 New Cross fire, the Black People’s Day of Action, and the Brixton riots. Directed by Steve McQueen and James Rogan.
Love, Lies and Records (2017) – Contemporary/Registry Office Drama
For fans of Last Tango in Halifax, The Split, and The A Word
A registrar juggles births, deaths, marriages, and personal upheaval in a busy Leeds office. Created by Kay Mellor (Fat Friends, In the Club), starring Ashley Jensen.
Trying (2020) – Comedy/Parenting
For fans of Catastrophe, Breeders, and Motherland
A couple desperate to start a family navigate the adoption process and their own emotional growing pains. Rafe Spall and Esther Smith star in this warm-hearted Apple TV+ series. WYALAN Rating – 5/5
The Office (2001) – Comedy/Workplace
For fans of Parks and Recreation, People Just Do Nothing, and Extras
A documentary crew captures the awkward lives of employees at a Slough paper company under an oblivious boss. Created by Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant. WYALAN Rating – 5/5
Fleabag (2016) – Comedy/Grief
For fans of Crashing, I Hate Suzie, and This Way Up
A sharp-tongued woman breaks the fourth wall while navigating sex, loss, and family dysfunction in London. Created by and starring Phoebe Waller-Bridge. WYALAN Rating – 4.5/5
Colin from Accounts (2022) – Comedy/Romance
For fans of Catastrophe, Starstruck, and Offspring
Two flawed strangers are brought together by a car accident and an injured dog named Colin. Created by and starring Patrick Brammall and Harriet Dyer. WYALAN Rating – 4.5/5
Inside No. 9 (2014) – Comedy/Dark Anthology
For fans of Black Mirror, The League of Gentlemen, and Dead Set
Each episode tells a self-contained story behind a different door marked No. 9, blending horror, farce, and tragedy. Created by Reece Shearsmith and Steve Pemberton, often starring themselves. WYALAN Rating – 4/5
Back to Life (2019) – Comedy/Reintegration
For fans of Fleabag, The Outlaws, and This Country
A woman returns to her seaside hometown after 18 years in prison and tries to rebuild her life. Created by Daisy Haggard and Laura Solon, starring Haggard and Geraldine James. WYALAN Rating – 4/5
Ludwig (2024) – Comedy/Absurdist
For fans of Toast of London, Inside No. 9, and Mandy
A man with a mysterious past and a fondness for pigeons drifts through surreal misadventures in a seaside town. Created by and starring David Earl. WYALAN Rating – 4/5
This Is Going to Hurt (2022) – Comedy/Medical
For fans of Scrubs, Breathtaking, and Getting On
A junior doctor juggles brutal NHS shifts, personal breakdowns, and moral compromises on an obstetrics ward. Adapted by Adam Kay from his memoir, starring Ben Whishaw.
Normal People (2020) – Romantic/Coming-of-Age
For fans of Conversations with Friends, One Day, and The Sex Lives of College Girls
Two Irish teenagers form a complicated bond that stretches from school to university and beyond. Adapted from Sally Rooney’s novel, starring Daisy Edgar-Jones and Paul Mescal.
Industry (2020) – Drama/Finance
For fans of Succession, WeCrashed, and Bad Behaviour
Graduate hires compete for survival at a ruthless London investment bank where ambition trumps ethics. Created by Mickey Down and Konrad Kay, produced by HBO and the BBC.
Gavin and Stacey (2007) – Comedy/Romance
For fans of The Royle Family, Mum, and Stella
A long-distance couple from Essex and Barry bring their eccentric families together for weddings, babies, and awkward holidays. Created by Ruth Jones and James Corden.
Dreaming Whilst Black (2023) – Comedy/Creative Struggle
For fans of Atlanta, Chewing Gum, and I May Destroy You
A frustrated office worker tries to break into the film industry while navigating microaggressions, family pressure, and self-doubt. Created by Adjani Salmon, based on his web series.
Better Things (2016) – Comedy/Parenting
For fans of Transparent, Louie, and Somebody Somewhere
A single mother and working actor raises three daughters while juggling ageing parents, career chaos, and personal growth. Created by Pamela Adlon and Louis C.K., starring Adlon.
Such Brave Girls (2023) – Comedy/Family Dysfunction
For fans of Big Boys, Am I Being Unreasonable?, and Back to Life
Two sisters and their emotionally erratic mother navigate trauma, therapy, and oversharing in suburban Britain. Created by Kat Sadler, starring Kat and Lizzie Davidson.
What It Feels Like for a Girl (2024) – Comedy/Coming-of-Age
For fans of In My Skin, Everything I Know About Love, and Such Brave Girls
A teenage girl in 1990s Belfast explores sexuality, friendship, and grief in a world of Catholic guilt and club nights. Adapted from Paris Lees’ memoir.
The Other One (2020) – Comedy/Family Secret
For fans of Motherland, The Cleaner, and Not Going Out
Two half-sisters discover each other after their father’s sudden death and try to bond despite wildly different upbringings. Created by Holly Walsh, starring Ellie White and Lauren Socha.
Staged (2020) – Comedy/Meta
For fans of W1A, The Trip, and No Activity
Two actors rehearse a play over Zoom during lockdown, bickering, riffing, and breaking the fourth wall. Created by Simon Evans, starring David Tennant and Michael Sheen as fictionalised versions of themselves.
The Best Man: The Final Chapters (2022) – Comedy/Reunion
For fans of Harlem, Run the World, and The Game
Old friends reunite for a destination wedding and confront unresolved tensions, secrets, and midlife shifts. A continuation of The Best Man film series, starring Morris Chestnut and Taye Diggs.
Everything I Know About Love (2022) – Comedy/Coming-of-Age
For fans of Girls, My Mad Fat Diary, and Lovesick
Four friends navigate messy relationships, career failures, and flatmate drama in early-2010s London. Adapted by Dolly Alderton from her memoir, starring Emma Appleton and Bel Powley.
Best Interests (2023) – Drama/Family Ethics
For fans of Help, The A Word, and Three Girls
A couple fights a legal battle over their disabled daughter’s right to life when doctors recommend ending treatment. Written by Jack Thorne (National Treasure, Help), starring Sharon Horgan and Michael Sheen.
The A Word (2016) – Comedy/Family
For fans of Parenthood, The Letdown, and Best Interests
A family adjusts to their young son’s autism diagnosis while confronting their own communication breakdowns. Adapted from the Israeli series Yellow Peppers, starring Lee Ingleby and Morven Christie.
In My Skin (2018) – Comedy/Coming-of-Age
For fans of What It Feels Like for a Girl, My Mad Fat Diary, and Skins
A Welsh teenager hides her chaotic home life while trying to fit in at school and find her voice. Created by Kayleigh Llewellyn, starring Gabrielle Creevy.
Rain Dogs (2023) – Comedy/Working-Class Survival
For fans of I May Destroy You, Fleabag, and This Is Going to Hurt
A single mother and her queer best friend hustle through poverty, addiction, and class barriers in London. Created by Cash Carraway, starring Daisy May Cooper and Jack Farthing.
Ralph and Katie (2022) – Comedy/Spin-Off
For fans of The A Word, Call the Midwife, and Still Up
Newlyweds Ralph and Katie navigate married life and independence with warmth, humour, and support from their community. A spin-off of The A Word, starring Leon Harrop and Sarah Gordy.
Twisted Metal (2023) – Action/Post-Apocalyptic
For fans of Blood Drive, Z Nation, and Mad Max: Fury Road
A motor-mouthed courier teams up with a car thief to deliver a mysterious package across a lawless wasteland. Based on the PlayStation game, starring Anthony Mackie and Stephanie Beatriz.
SAS Rogue Heroes (2022) – Action/War
For fans of Band of Brothers, Peaky Blinders, and The Liberator
In WWII North Africa, a group of misfits form the SAS and rewrite the rules of warfare. Created by Steven Knight (Peaky Blinders, Taboo), based on Ben Macintyre’s book.
Superman and Lois (2021) – Action/Superhero Family
For fans of Smallville, Arrow, and The Flash
Clark Kent and Lois Lane raise two teenage sons while defending Earth from emerging threats. Tyler Hoechlin and Elizabeth Tulloch star in this grounded take on DC mythology.
The Night Manager (2016) – Action/Espionage
For fans of Treason, Condor, and The Old Man
A hotel manager is recruited by British intelligence to infiltrate the inner circle of an arms dealer. Adapted from John le Carré’s novel, directed by Susanne Bier, starring Tom Hiddleston and Hugh Laurie.
The English (2022) – Action/Revisionist Western
For fans of Godless, The Luminaries, and The Nevers
An Englishwoman and a Pawnee ex-cavalry scout cross 1890s America in search of justice and identity. Created by Hugo Blick (The Honourable Woman, Black Earth Rising), starring Emily Blunt and Chaske Spencer.
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