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Top 15 British TV Series of All Time: Must-Watch Classics and Modern Hits

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Ignacio Weil

Entertainment - September 15th 2025, 17:00 GMT+2

Adolescence 2025 — Adolescence (2025)

This Netflix limited series grips you from the first take – literally: each episode is shot in a real-time, one-shot style, so there’s nowhere to hide when the tension builds. It explores what happens when a 13-year-old boy is accused of murdering a classmate, threading together family, social media, radicalization, and how society reacts under pressure. There are moments so raw you’ll wince, but also quiet spaces that make you think. The writing by Stephen Graham and Jack Thorne doesn’t pretend to have easy answers. Visually, the Yorkshire locations and minimalist camera work make it almost claustrophobic in its realism. It’s modern British TV confronting alarming issues with urgency and artistry, and not shying from discomfort. | © Warp Films

Cropped Derry Girls 2018 2022 — Derry Girls (2018–2022)

Watching *Derry Girls* is like being handed nostalgia through a lopsided grin: it’s funny, it’s affectionate, and it knows the weird mix of fear and hope that comes with growing up during turbulent times. Lisa McGee draws on her own memories of Derry in the 1990s, and the result is a sitcom that feels deeply personal – characters are messy, parents are chaotic, school is absurd – but the comedy never cheapens the historical backdrop. Between political curfews, pop-culture obsessions, and the rabble of teenage friendships, the show balances lightness and weight with uncanny skill. There are episodes where the laughter masks deep sadness, and that contrast is what makes it stick. The characters – Erin, Orla, Clare, Michelle, James – are so alive you might think you know someone just like them. Add in music, local colour, and biting wit, and you have a show that’s both wildly entertaining and quietly meaningful. | © Hat Trick Productions

Cropped Fleabag 2016 2019 — Fleabag (2016–2019)

Self-aware, borderline anarchic, and bristling with wit, *Fleabag* turns the “messy woman in London” trope into something fresh, painful, hilarious – and deeply human. Phoebe Waller-Bridge created a show that breaks the fourth wall so often it’s part monologue, part confessional, and part dare-you-to-look-away. Relationships of every kind – family, romantic, platonic – are under the microscope, and often, under pressure. The humour is sharp but never cruel; the sorrow is sudden but earned. Every season builds to emotional moments that catch you off guard, because the show lulls you with laughter before pulling the rug. Also, visually, it’s intimate: tight shots, interior spaces, shifting moods. The result? A show that feels like it's speaking to you, not at you. | © Two Brothers Pictures

Peaky Blinders 2013 2022 — Peaky Blinders (2013–2022)

It’s about swagger: the flat caps, the jackets, the industrial smoke, the brim of Tommy Shelby’s hat cutting a silhouette – *Peaky Blinders* leans hard into style without losing grip on grit. Post-World War I Birmingham is more than setting; it’s a character – raw, violent, beautiful in its decay. The story of the Shelby family climbing their way through crime, politics, bugs, betrayal, and love gives us sprawling arcs, moral ambiguity, and characters whose loyalties shift as fast as their fortunes. Soundtrack choices are ferocious (and occasionally surprising), dialogue often clipped but potent, and atmosphere thick: you can almost taste the soot. As seasons progress, you see how power changes people, how trauma reverberates, and how family binds and destroys. It’s epic in every sense: ambition, tragedy, exhilaration. | © Caryn Mandabach Productions

Cropped Broadchurch 2013 2017 — Broadchurch (2013–2017)

What starts with a child’s body on a Dorset beach soon becomes something much more than mystery: it’s a study of community, grief, suspicion, and how every neighbor might know something they won’t say. Chris Chibnall’s writing invites you in gently, then tightens the screws: secrets, motives, the emotional fallout. Detective Hardy and Detective Miller are both haunted – externally by the case, internally by past failures and personal loss – and their investigations force ordinary people into moral reckonings. The small town becomes a landscape of pain and resilience, and Olivia Colman and David Tennant carry that weight with impeccable nuance. Cinematic photography of the cliffs, the sea, the wind – all of it adds to the sense that nature itself responds to tragedy. By the end, Broadchurch isn’t just about who did it; it’s about what we do after it’s done. | © Kudos & Imaginary Friends

Black Mirror (2011–present)

If technology had a therapist, *Black Mirror* would be its nightmare diary. Charlie Brooker’s anthology doesn’t just spin dystopian tales; it magnifies our everyday habits until they feel grotesque – and then asks, “Still having fun?” Episodes range from heartbreaking dramas to pitch-black comedies, each one independent but tethered by unease. Part of its genius lies in its unpredictability: you never know if you’ll be laughing nervously or staring blankly at the wall after an episode. The show captures the way screens, algorithms, and human impulses collide in ways that feel terrifyingly possible. No wonder “it’s like a Black Mirror episode” has entered the cultural dictionary. | © Zeppotron

Cropped Downton Abbey 2010 2015 — Downton Abbey (2010–2015)

Think high society manners, sprawling estates, and… a surprisingly gossipy undercurrent that keeps you hooked. *Downton Abbey* may dress itself in period-drama finery, but beneath the elegance lies a soap opera that knows exactly how to entertain. Upstairs are the Crawley family, clinging to tradition in a rapidly changing 20th century; downstairs are the servants, whose own intrigues rival their employers’. The push and pull between old class systems and new ideas gives the show its heartbeat. Viewers don’t just watch; they luxuriate in the drama, the costumes, the etiquette breaches, and the scandals whispered in candlelight. And let’s be honest – Maggie Smith’s one-liners could have carried the whole series on their own. | © Carnival Film & Television

Misfits 2009 2013 — Misfits (2009–2013)

What happens when a lightning storm turns juvenile delinquents into reluctant superheroes? Pure, chaotic brilliance. *Misfits* took the superhero genre, dunked it in sarcasm, and served it with a distinctly British edge. Forget polished capes and noble ideals – these characters swear, screw up, and often make their new powers worse rather than better. The tone is unapologetically raw, balancing dark comedy with flashes of genuine tragedy. Each season isn’t afraid to reinvent itself, sometimes jarringly, but always with creative bite. It’s messy, loud, and unforgettable, just like its gang of orange jumpsuit-wearing antiheroes. | © Clerkenwell Films

Skins 2007 2013 — Skins (2007–2013)

We've all been teenagers ourselves, and that's why *Skins* feels like a punch to the gut, in the best way. Every new “generation” of characters brought fresh faces, fresh chaos, and fresh heartbreak, ensuring the show never grew stale. What made it stand out wasn’t just the parties or the reckless choices, but the way it showed vulnerability beneath all that bravado. Mental health, sexuality, friendship, and fractured families were tackled head-on, with a rawness that made it unlike anything else on TV at the time. The mix of dark humour, shocking storylines, and painfully real performances earned it a cult following worldwide. It’s edgy, it’s unfiltered, and it made growing up look both terrifying and exhilarating. | © Company Pictures

Cropped The IT Crowd 2006 2013 — The IT Crowd (2006–2013)

Down in a forgotten basement, surrounded by old pizza boxes and malfunctioning gadgets, lies one of British comedy’s most absurd treasures. *The IT Crowd* thrived on taking the mundane world of tech support and exaggerating it until it became hilariously surreal. Between Moss’s oddball genius, Roy’s sarcasm, and Jen’s endless blagging, the workplace sitcom formula was turned into a playground of ridiculous scenarios. Catchphrases like “Have you tried turning it off and on again?” became memes before memes ruled the internet. What keeps it enduring isn’t just the jokes, but the way it celebrated awkwardness and geekdom without apology. It’s proof that some of the funniest TV comes from places where the Wi-Fi probably doesn’t even work. | © Talkback Thames

Cropped The Thick of It 2005 2012 — The Thick of It (2005–2012)

Politics has never looked this chaotic – or funny. *The Thick of It* dives into the backrooms of British government, where spin doctors, ministers, and advisers bicker, bluster, and swear their way through crises. Armando Iannucci’s creation thrives on rapid-fire dialogue and verbal gymnastics, often leaving viewers dizzy with laughter and awe at the sheer chaos. Malcolm Tucker, in particular, became an icon of political fury, his tirades both terrifying and oddly cathartic. The show doesn’t just lampoon politics – it exposes the absurdity of power in all its forms. Watching it feels like peeking behind the curtain of a system designed to look serious, but is hilariously human at its core. | © BBC

Cropped Peep Show 2003 2015 — Peep Show (2003–2015)

Life through the eyes of Mark and Jeremy is awkward, hilarious, and painfully relatable. *Peep Show* is a sitcom like no other: POV shots, inner monologues, and cringe-worthy situations combine to create comedy gold. The genius lies in how the show makes the audience complicit – you hear every embarrassing thought and every failed plan as if they’re yours too. From dating disasters to workplace misery, Mark and Jeremy fumble through life with a mix of neurotic panic and lazy charm. The humour is dark, sharp, and sometimes uncomfortable – but always addictive. This is British comedy distilled into its purest, most awkward essence. | © Objective Productions

The Office 2001 2003 — The Office (2001–2003)

Mockumentary format? Check. Awkward silences? Check. David Brent’s painfully earnest attempts at leadership? Absolutely. *The Office* changed the game, turning the everyday mundanity of office life into a goldmine of comedy. Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant’s writing makes the small moments – awkward conversations, ill-timed jokes – into comedy masterpieces. Beyond the laughs, it has surprising depth, revealing the loneliness, ambition, and tiny victories of ordinary people. Watching it, you laugh, cringe, and sometimes wonder if you’ve seen your own office reflected on screen. Its influence on global comedy is undeniable, spawning remakes from the US to India. | © BBC

Monty Pythons Flying Circus — Monty Python's Flying Circus (1969–1974)

The absurd, surreal, and downright brilliant. *Monty Python’s Flying Circus* redefined sketch comedy, turning nonsense into an art form and leaving a legacy that still inspires today. Whether it’s the Ministry of Silly Walks, the dead parrot sketch, or bizarre animations by Terry Gilliam, the show refused to play by the rules. It’s anarchic, irreverent, and unapologetically British, blending satire, slapstick, and sheer imagination. Humor here isn’t just for laughs – it’s a lens on society, authority, and human foolishness. Watching Monty Python is like stepping into a dream that’s part logic-defying chaos, part razor-sharp wit. Its influence on comedy is immeasurable, echoing in shows from *The Simpsons* to *Saturday Night Live*. | © BBC

Doctor Who (1963–present)

Regeneration, time travel, and an alien in a blue box – that’s *Doctor Who* in a nutshell. Few shows in TV history have lasted this long while staying inventive and exciting. From the classic era to the modern revival, it combines adventure, science fiction, and human emotion in a way that appeals to children, adults, and generations in between. The Doctor is endlessly fascinating: brilliant, flawed, funny, and brave, constantly reinventing who they are and how they confront challenges. Episodes can range from terrifying to tear-jerking, from whimsical to deeply philosophical. Whether it’s Daleks, Cybermen, or unexpected emotional revelations, *Doctor Who* proves that imagination and heart are timeless. | © BBC

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British television has produced some of the most iconic and influential series in entertainment history. From groundbreaking dramas that shaped global storytelling to witty comedies that still make audiences laugh decades later, the UK has a rich tradition of unforgettable TV. Whether you’re new to British television or a longtime fan looking to revisit timeless favorites, this list of the Top 15 British TV Series of All Time highlights the shows that have left a lasting mark on audiences worldwide. Get ready to explore a mix of classic masterpieces and modern hits that define the very best of British TV.

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British television has produced some of the most iconic and influential series in entertainment history. From groundbreaking dramas that shaped global storytelling to witty comedies that still make audiences laugh decades later, the UK has a rich tradition of unforgettable TV. Whether you’re new to British television or a longtime fan looking to revisit timeless favorites, this list of the Top 15 British TV Series of All Time highlights the shows that have left a lasting mark on audiences worldwide. Get ready to explore a mix of classic masterpieces and modern hits that define the very best of British TV.