BBC iPlayer is one of the best free streaming services around (you can see more best lists below). There’s always something new. Here are the latest TV series available to stream.
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Dramas On BBC iPlayer ~ Documentaries On BBC iPlayer ~ Films On BBC iPlayer ~ Comedies On BBC iPlayer
The Ridge (2024) – [Thriller/Drama]
For fans of: The Responder, Top of the Lake, Shetland
Set against the stark beauty of the Scottish Highlands, this slow-burn thriller follows a community unravelled by a mysterious disappearance. The landscape is as much a character as the people, with tension simmering beneath every silence. It’s haunting, atmospheric, and full of quiet dread.
Riot Women (2024) – [Drama/Comedy]
For fans of: Big Mood, We Are Lady Parts, Everything Now
Joanna Scanlan, Tamsin Greig, and Lorraine Ashbourne lead a riotous ensemble of women who form a punk band to rage against midlife invisibility. Created by Sally Wainwright (Happy Valley), it’s a fierce, funny, and gloriously chaotic celebration of rebellion and reinvention. Think menopause meets mosh pit.
Leonard and Hungry Paul (2024) – [Comedy/Drama]
For fans of: Detectorists, Colin from Accounts, The Durrells
Adapted from Rónán Hession’s cult novel, this gentle comedy follows two introverted friends navigating life’s small joys and quiet triumphs. Risteárd Cooper and Shane O’Regan bring warmth and wit to the title roles. It’s a soft-spoken gem that finds beauty in the mundane.
Blue Lights (2023– ) – [Crime/Drama]
For fans of: Line of Duty, The Fall, Bodyguard
New police recruits in Belfast face moral dilemmas and street-level danger in this gripping procedural. Sian Brooke leads a cast of rising talent in a show that’s as emotionally raw as it is tense. It’s grounded, gritty, and refreshingly unflashy.
Nine Bodies in a Mexican Morgue (2024) – [Mystery/Thriller]
For fans of: Narcos: Mexico, The Bridge, The Killing
A plane crashes in the jungle. Nine bodies are recovered—but one doesn’t belong. This stylish international thriller unravels identity, corruption, and conspiracy with every twist.
The Intruder (2024) – [Drama/Psychological]
For fans of: The Replacement, You, The Stranger
When a charming stranger inserts himself into a couple’s life, things spiral from awkward to sinister. Elaine Cassidy and Tom Meeten deliver unnerving performances in this slow-burning psychological drama. It’s a masterclass in tension and manipulation.
Film Club (2024) – [Documentary/Culture]
For fans of: Mark Kermode’s Secrets of Cinema, The Movies That Made Us, Talking Pictures
This heartfelt series explores the films that shaped lives, sparked obsessions, and rewired imaginations. Featuring directors, critics, and everyday cinephiles, it’s a love letter to cinema’s emotional power. Come for the nostalgia, stay for the tears.
Dreaming Whilst Black (2023) – [Comedy/Drama]
For fans of: I May Destroy You, Atlanta, Chewing Gum
Adjani Salmon stars as a struggling creative trying to break into the TV industry while dodging microaggressions and existential dread. Based on the viral web series, it’s sharp, funny, and painfully relatable. Ambition has never looked so exhausting—or so honest.
The Cry (2018) – [Drama/Mystery]
For fans of: Broadchurch, The Missing, The Slap
Jenna Coleman delivers a career-best performance as a mother whose child vanishes during a trip to Australia. The show unravels in non-linear fragments, mirroring the psychological collapse at its core. It’s gripping, devastating, and impossible to look away from.
Margaret (2009) – [Biopic/Drama]
For fans of: The Crown, Thatcher: The Final Days, The Iron Lady
Lindsay Duncan plays Margaret Thatcher in this intimate portrait of her final days in office. It’s a study in power, pride, and political isolation, directed with icy precision. A sharp, unsentimental look at a woman on the brink of losing everything.
The Missing (2014–2016) – [Crime/Drama]
For fans of: The Cry, Marcella, The Night Of
A child’s disappearance sets off a years-long investigation that spans countries and emotional wreckage. James Nesbitt and Tchéky Karyo lead this anthology series built on grief, obsession, and the slow drip of truth. It’s haunting, layered, and never lets go.
Informer (2018) – [Thriller/Crime]
For fans of: Spooks, Bodyguard, The Capture
Nabhaan Rizwan stars as a young man coerced into becoming a government informant, with Paddy Considine as the handler who pulls the strings. It’s a taut, morally murky thriller that explores identity, surveillance, and trust. Smart, stylish, and full of grey areas.
Witless (2016–2018) – [Comedy/Crime]
For fans of: The Wrong Mans, No Offence, Fleabag
Two flatmates enter witness protection and immediately make everything worse. Kerry Howard and Zoe Boyle are a chaotic delight in this fast-paced comedy of errors. It’s part sitcom, part crime caper, all panic.
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