# Any good British shows?



## mwhip (Jul 22, 2002)

Anything good in Britain I should download? 

As the IT Crowd thread reminded me there is usually some great shows I am missing. 

I usually prefer English or Australian comedies.


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## Malcontent (Sep 5, 2004)

mwhip said:


> Anything good in Britain I should download?
> 
> As the IT Crowd thread reminded me there is usually some great shows I am missing.
> 
> I usually prefer English or Australian comedies.


Luther
Shadowline
Sherlock
Jekyll
Life on Mars
Being Human - Seasons 1 + 2
Primeval
Misfits
Spooks - Known as MI-5 in the States
Whitechapel
Vexed - It's similar to Castle.
Line of Duty


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## MikeAndrews (Jan 17, 2002)

Based on the mention on the Leverage Thread, I recorded Hustle.

I would say that Leverage stole the concept but it may be the other way 'round.

The black guy is in charge and Robert Vaughn is a totterer in the background!


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## Satchel (Dec 8, 2001)

We've been watching Doc Martin on KERA.

Kind of reminds me of Northern Exposure set on the English coast. Quaint town, eccentric residents, doctor there kind of against his will.

All in all a very enjoyable show.


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## Cainebj (Nov 11, 2006)

My favorite British comedy of recent years was Gavin and Stacey - it's already 3 or 4 years old but I loved it and you might have already seen it.


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## MikeAndrews (Jan 17, 2002)

Satchel said:


> We've been watching Doc Martin on KERA.
> 
> Kind of reminds me of Northern Exposure set on the English coast. Quaint town, eccentric residents, doctor there kind of against his will.
> 
> All in all a very enjoyable show.


Yeah! I should have mentioned Doc Martin. I caught the whole run on Amazon Prime Instant.


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## cal_s7 (Oct 1, 2003)

My Hero

Its very funny, but they replaced the lead in the last season. That killed it. I loved the show till the last season. It was still ok but it just was not the same.


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## pdhenry (Feb 28, 2005)

Peep show is good.

Last week I saw one episode of Twenty Twelve, a mockumentary about staging the 2012 London games, with Hugh Bonneville. It felt a lot like a Rob Reiner/Christopher Guest production. Not on Netflix yet but available to purchase from Amazon (streaming or DVD)


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## macrho (Nov 19, 2005)

Survivors!


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## wprager (Feb 19, 2006)

The Two Ronnies
The Benny Hill Show

Going back a few years there


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## zordude (Sep 23, 2003)

netringer said:


> I would say that Leverage stole the concept but it may be the other way 'round.


Hustle debuted February 24, 2004
Leverage debuted December 7, 2008


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## pteronaut (Dec 26, 2009)

Wasn't there also a US production of Hustle?

Anyway, MWhip might also like QI.

It is a comedy quiz show of 'Quite Interesting' facts which challenge the facts that most of us grew up believing. Many of the episodes have an XL version, which contains a further 15 minutes of material cut from the production in order to fit the show into it's 30 minute timeslot, these are worth seeking out as they mostly contain the panelists (mostly comedians) becoming carried away with the humor of the subjects in focus.


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## KungFuCow (May 6, 2004)

Spy

Its on Hulu

They have a guy trying to portray an American accent. Funny to listen to when you hear his accent drop for a second. I bet British people dont even notice.


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## GoPackGo (Dec 29, 2012)

My teenage daughter and all her friends LOVE Skins.


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## TonyTheTiger (Dec 22, 2006)

pteronaut said:


> Wasn't there also a US production of Hustle?


No, never. There were several episodes filmed in the States, though.



pteronaut said:


> Anyway, MWhip might also like QI.
> 
> It is a comedy quiz show of 'Quite Interesting' facts which challenge the facts that most of us grew up believing. Many of the episodes have an XL version, which contains a further 15 minutes of material cut from the production in order to fit the show into it's 30 minute timeslot, these are worth seeking out as they mostly contain the panelists (mostly comedians) becoming carried away with the humor of the subjects in focus.


QI is great and one of my must-sees.


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## digdug (Jan 13, 2004)

Poirot of course!


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## JohnB1000 (Dec 6, 2004)

Red Riding.


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## innocentfreak (Aug 25, 2001)

Coupling.


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## RonDawg (Jan 12, 2006)

Malcontent said:


> Life on Mars


If you do get this, also get the follow-up series _Ashes to Ashes._



> Spooks - Known as MI-5 in the States


Other than a title change, I don't see what the advantage is in getting the UK version as opposed to an official US DVD of the show. Even if the TV version was hacked up for commercials, the DVD version is pretty much what was aired on the BBC. At least the episodes of the UK version of _Top Gear_ that I bought on iTunes appear to be that way.


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## markp99 (Mar 21, 2002)

Enjoying Peep Show lately on Netflix. Very very funny!

http://www.channel4.com/programmes/peep-show


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## Bob Coxner (Dec 1, 2004)

pdhenry said:


> Peep show is good.
> 
> Last week I saw one episode of Twenty Twelve, a mockumentary about staging the 2012 London games, with Hugh Bonneville. It felt a lot like a Rob Reiner/Christopher Guest production. Not on Netflix yet but available to purchase from Amazon (streaming or DVD)


The new season of Peep Show is airing on Hulu.


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## mwhip (Jul 22, 2002)

I am going to check out Doc Martin and Peep Show

I was really thinking newer stuff, I have watched a lot of the older stuff.

Black Adder
IT Crowd
Coupling 
Shameless
Hustle
Life on Mars
Spooks


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## Bob Coxner (Dec 1, 2004)

mwhip said:


> Anything good in Britain I should download?
> 
> As the IT Crowd thread reminded me there is usually some great shows I am missing.
> 
> I usually prefer English or Australian comedies.


If you like Australian, Rake is a fantastic dramedy. It's generally available on the Audience channel on DirecTV.

Listing good Brit comedies would take a few gigabytes, especially if you're willing to add in the old ones.

Just a sample:

Absolutely Fabulous (AbFab to fans)
Blackadder (my fave Brit comedy of all time)
Gavin and Stacey
Peep Show
Coupling (the UK version is phenomenal, the US version was total ****)
Are You Being Served
Good Neighbors (aka The Good Life in the UK)
Spy
Fawlty Towers
The Vicar of Dibley
Yes, Minister and Yes, Prime Minister
The Thick of It (basically a modern, ribald version of Yes, Minister)
Father Ted (a Brit show about an Irish priest)
Men Behaving Badly (much, much better than the US version)
Red Dwarf (a cult favorite)
To the Manor Born
The Office (Brit version)
The Young Ones
The Thin Blue Line
The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin (original, not the crap current remake)
The League of Gentlemen
Doc Martin
I'm Alan Partridge (you should really try to find this one)
Knowing Me, Knowing You (may remind you of Fernwood Tonight)
Goodnight Sweetheart
Spaced
Black Books
A Fine Romance (Judi Dench)
As Time Goes By (even better Judi Dench)
Till Death Do Us Part (remade here as All in the Family)
Only Fools and Horses
Green Wing
The Inbetweeners
Outnumbered
Mrs. Brown's Boys

I'm probably forgetting 100 others but this should get you started.


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## lpwcomp (May 6, 2002)

"Hustle" and "Leverage" aren't all that much alike.

Recommendations (some are Canadian) (* comedy):

Chef*
Jonathan Creek
Midsomer Murders
Murdoch Mysteries
No Heroics
No, Honestly*
Reboot (animated)
The Sarah Jane Adventures
Starhyke*
The Tribe
Wodehouse Playhouse*


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## supasta (May 6, 2006)

Fresh Meat
Spy
Mongrels
Peep Show
Pramface
Whites
The Inbetweeners


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## danterner (Mar 4, 2005)

It didn't get picked up for a second series, but I enjoyed The Fades (supernatural drama)


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## Bob Coxner (Dec 1, 2004)

There are a fair number of episodes available on YouTube, so you can check out the various series. I was touting I'm Alan Partridge. Here's a sample of it:





 part 1




 part 2




 part 3

Someone else mentioned Chef!. I can't believe I left it off my list. It's one of the greats.





 part 1




 part 2




 part 3


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## Edmund (Nov 8, 2002)

They're kind of Funny, "Rumpole of the Bailey", and "Lovejoy Mysteries", but hard to find.


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## cheesesteak (Jul 24, 2003)

Edmund said:


> They're kind of Funny, "Rumpole of the Bailey", and "Lovejoy Mysteries", but hard to find.


I used to watch Lovejoy years ago on the local PBS channel


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## Bob Coxner (Dec 1, 2004)

Edmund said:


> They're kind of Funny, "Rumpole of the Bailey", and "Lovejoy Mysteries", but hard to find.


Lovejoy is available on DVD from Netflix.

If anyone is really into Brit shows they should check out Acorn TV. http://acornonline.com/acorntv.aspx?&EID=TopLink They currently have a 14 day free trial. Think of it as an abbreviated version of Netflix that only shows Brit series. You can subscribe for only $30 a year. You can stream to your computer or Roku.

Currently they have all 5 series of Doc Martin plus series like Upstairs, Downstairs, Brideshead Revisited, Cracker, etc.

I've been using it for a few months and can definitely recommend it. I use it with my Roku. I also do Hulu and Netflix but Acorn carries series that I can't find anywhere else.

One other benefit that may appeal to some is that with your streaming subscription you get free shipping on any of their DVDs or gifts.


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## pgogborn (Nov 11, 2002)

Not top of my list but it hasn't been mentioned so far - Miranda.


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## tlrowley (Jun 10, 2004)

I first heard of Miranda when I was reading reviews of Call the Midwife. It seemed all the reviews mentioned how interesting it was to see Miranda Hart in a drama instead of her critically acclaimed comedy. Since I enjoyed her character in CtM, I looked up the Miranda series and I loved it - spent New Year's Day having a Miranda marathon.


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## pantherman007 (Jan 4, 2003)

No Heroics. I'm still gutted it only got one season.


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## mattack (Apr 9, 2001)

IT Crowd
Coupling
The Office -- I am possibly being sacreligious, but I think the US version (remake) is better.. but the U.K. version is funny too.

Blake's 7
Star Cops


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## Langree (Apr 29, 2004)

Bob Coxner said:


> If you like Australian, Rake is a fantastic dramedy. It's generally available on the Audience channel on DirecTV.
> 
> Listing good Brit comedies would take a few gigabytes, especially if you're willing to add in the old ones.
> 
> ...


Scary, I've seen almost all of these.

Just found Outnumbered, very funny. The impromptu aspect in regards to the dialogue (especially with the children) makes it great fun.

I also enjoy Keeping Up Appearances.

I also love the "skit" shows.

A Bit of Fry and Laurie (You'll never look at House the same)
Catherine Tate Show
Little Britain


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## Bob Coxner (Dec 1, 2004)

pantherman007 said:


> No Heroics. I'm still gutted it only got one season.


Rebekah Staton (She-Force) is a co-star on the current series Spy.

No Heroics is an undiscovered comedy treasure. It's yet another example of British humour that could never be recreated as an American series.

Here's the official trailer for it: 




There are also a fair number of extended clips on YouTube.

Here's a clip from Spy:


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## danterner (Mar 4, 2005)

No Heroics made it onto my radar last year but I haven't watched it yet. Now I'm thinking I may need to bump it up to the top of the queue.


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## pdhenry (Feb 28, 2005)

Ballykissangel hasn't been mentioned? Maybe it's too soapy for some.


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## dylanemcgregor (Jan 31, 2003)

We've been enjoying a New Zealand show, Outrageous Fortune, that's fairly amusing. There are a ridiculous amount of episodes, which is refreshing after discovering so many great UK shows only to find out that they had like 6 total episodes ever. it's available on Netflix streaming.


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## lpwcomp (May 6, 2002)

Slings & Arrows
Moving Wallpaper + Echo Beach


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## Bob Coxner (Dec 1, 2004)

lpwcomp said:


> Slings & Arrows
> Moving Wallpaper + Echo Beach


Trying hard not to be pedantic but S&A is Canadian. It's also some of the best tv ever.

I wouldn't mind a thread of the good Canadian shows. Trailer Park Boys, Slings and Arrows, Red Green, SCTV, Intelligence, Twitch City, Corner Gas, Degrassi High, The Yard, The Newsroom, The Kids in the Hall and numerous others.


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## Bob Coxner (Dec 1, 2004)

pdhenry said:


> Ballykissangel hasn't been mentioned? Maybe it's too soapy for some.


I love BallyK. I'm not sure where it fits. It was produced by BBC Northern Ireland but it was filmed south of Dublin and the fictional setting is Ireland (not Northern Ireland).

Downton Abbey is soap and it gets a lot of love. For me, BallyK is actually much better than Downton. The character development is fantastic in BallyK.

BallyK is only on DVD on Netflix. All 6 seasons are available for streaming on Amazon Prime. It's not on Hulu.

I'm remembering some other shows to add to the list:

Hamish McBeth - sort of a Scottish version of Northern Exposure
Clatterford - aka Jam and Jerusalem


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## Lee 2.0 (Jul 10, 2012)

Keen Eddie. Tragically murdered before its time.


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## TampaThunder (Apr 8, 2003)

Garth Marenghi's Darkplace which is a bizarre parody that I found to be hilarious. For you IT Crowd fans it stars Richard Ayoade.


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## danterner (Mar 4, 2005)

TampaThunder said:


> Garth Marenghi's Darkplace which is a bizarre parody that I found to be hilarious. For you IT Crowd fans it stars Richard Ayoade.


I love Garth Marenghi.

I've got a few episodes left of "Man to Man With Dean Learner" (which is also Richard Ayoade, playing the same character he did in GM), joined by other actors who appeared on GM. Also, note that Richard Ayoade is not the only IT Crowd actor in GM - Matt Berry also features prominently. (He played the second boss, on the IT Crowd).


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## TampaThunder (Apr 8, 2003)

danterner said:


> I love Garth Marenghi.
> 
> I've got a few episodes left of "Man to Man With Dean Learner" (which is also Richard Ayoade, playing the same character he did in GM), joined by other actors who appeared on GM. Also, note that Richard Ayoade is not the only IT Crowd actor in GM - Matt Berry also features prominently. (He played the second boss, on the IT Crowd).


Argh, forgot Matt Berry!  I'll have to track down Man to Man. Thanks for the pointer.

Added: Got Man to Man. Looking forward to this. Thanks again.


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## Bob Coxner (Dec 1, 2004)

TampaThunder said:


> Garth Marenghi's Darkplace which is a bizarre parody that I found to be hilarious. For you IT Crowd fans it stars Richard Ayoade.


You like bizarre? Snuff Box is Brit and bizarre comedy to the max. It's something of a cult favorite.






http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0775400/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1


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## Bob Coxner (Dec 1, 2004)

dylanemcgregor said:


> We've been enjoying a New Zealand show, Outrageous Fortune, that's fairly amusing. There are a ridiculous amount of episodes, which is refreshing after discovering so many great UK shows only to find out that they had like 6 total episodes ever. it's available on Netflix streaming.


Thanks for the tip! I watched the first episode and I'm hooked. It reminds me of The Riches.

The mother, Robyn Malcolm, plays a recurring character in my favorite Aussie series, Rake. In fact, her character is very similar in Rake.


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## Hcour (Dec 24, 2007)

Has anyone seen "Lark Rise to Candleford"? It has a very good rating on IMDb. Brendan Coyle, who is so good in Downton Abbey, is in it. Thought I might give it a try.


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## tlrowley (Jun 10, 2004)

I'm enjoying it a lot. I've watched season 1 and I'm about half-way through season 2. Like you, I started watching it because of Brendan Coyle and also Julia Sawalha. All the seasons are available on Amazon free Prime streaming, which seems to have a lot of British TV.


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## drjlb (Feb 2, 2004)

Bob Coxner said:


> If you like Australian, Rake is a fantastic dramedy. It's generally available on the Audience channel on DirecTV.
> 
> Listing good Brit comedies would take a few gigabytes, especially if you're willing to add in the old ones.
> 
> ...


This is a good list. Thanks.

My Family is one I didn't see on there.


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## Edmund (Nov 8, 2002)

Another good British series, sometimes very funny, is Dalziel & Pascoe. Only available on dvd, and later seasons only Dutch imports.


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## Bob Coxner (Dec 1, 2004)

Edmund said:


> Another good British series, sometimes very funny, is Dalziel & Pascoe. Only available on dvd, and later seasons only Dutch imports.


Very good series but it's one that I definitely need subtitles for. Not as bad as Trainspotting but very thick northern accents.


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