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The Best British TV Shows To Binge Now
From Baby Reindeer to the adaptation of David Nicholls' bestseller One Day, these are the best British TV shows to watch now.
If there's one thing the British can do well, it's make a television series. From cosy period dramas to electrifying thrillers – via characteristically dry comedies and heartbreaking romances – there are brilliant shows waiting in every genre.
British TV shows may call to mind fictional dramatisations, which often have a historical angle (here's looking at you, The Crown) but there are a loads of memorable original stories to dive into as well. Some of the best of these come from young women writer-creators, like Michaela Coel's I May Destroy You and Phoebe Waller-Bridge's Fleabag.
If you're after a crime drama, there are classics like Luther and The Night Manager (which has just been renewed for two more series) joined by rightfully hyped newer series, including Slow Horses and The Gentlemen.
As for comedy, look to Derry Girls and Sex Education for some light – but still meaningful – relief. And if you can't stand the idea of any of them, the best option might be to stick on any one of the six series of Charlie Brooker's dystopian cult classic, Black Mirror (and be glad the show's creator didn't end up using the episode written by ChatGPT, which he described as sh*t). That, or get ready to cry it out to One Day.
Covering Netflix, BBC iPlayer, Apple TV+ and more, there are options across the streaming board, so you can use whatever membership you've happened to forget to cancel this month...
Baby Reindeer (2024)
Baby Reindeer, which began life as an Edinburgh Fringe show, is the jaw-dropping limited series that's caught everybody's attention, but if it's slipped under your radar since its release in April 2024, then remedy that now by marking it as one to watch. Based on Richard Gadd, the writer and creator of the show's real experience of being the victim of sexual abuse and stalking, the show is a simmering meditation on victimhood, the aftermath of abuse and how the systems we are meant to trust are not adequately equipped to support us.
I May Destroy You (2020)
Michaela Coel's masterpiece centres on the sexual assault of the protagonist, Arabella (Coel), as she tries to process the act of violence. The series also takes on the complex subjects of sexuality, gender and race in Britain.
The Night Manager (2016)
Tom Hiddleston, Hugh Laurie and Olivia Colman star in this tense, stylish thriller adapted from the novel by spy master John Le Carré. Two more series have just been announced, so it's the perfect time to catch up (or relive it).
Scoop (2024)
Netflix's new fictional dramatisation offers an insider look at how the women of Newsnight secured one of the most infamous interviews in British history: Prince Andrew by Emily Maitlis. Billie Piper and Gillian Anderson star.
Fleabag (2016)
Electrifying and heartbreaking at the same time, Fleabag made a superstar of its writer and creator Phoebe Waller-Bridge thanks to its two perfectly formed series covering love, loss and Hot Priests.
One Day (2024)
Everyone who's watched Netflix's adaptation of David Nicholls' 2009 novel of the same name seems to say the same thing: you might not be able to stop crying by the end, but you have to watch it in any case.
Slow Horses (2022)
Witty, dry and action-packed, this spy drama follows MI5's most dysfunctional team of agents, the 'Slow Horses', as they attempt to protect England from some sinister forces.
Killing Eve (2018)
Bold, brutal and surprisingly funny, Killing Eve is a must-watch for many reasons: the intriguing energy between its two leads Eve (Sandra Oh) and Villanelle (Jodie Comer); its twisty plot; its fabulous fashion – and more.
Luther (2010)
Starring Idris Elba, this beloved drama focuses on a brilliant yet troubled detective who consistently treads the line between personal and professional as he investigates crimes in London.
Sex Education (2019)
It's easy to see why this Netflix series has won the hearts and minds of so many viewers. It focuses on a teenage boy with a sex therapist mother (played by Gillian Anderson), who sets up an underground sex therapy clinic at school.
The Crown (2016)
It doesn't get much more British than The Crown, a fictional dramatisation that focuses on Queen Elizabeth II and the events that shaped her reign – both political and personal.
Boarders (2024)
This series centres on a group of five talented Black scholarship students, who arrive at an elite private school – and delivers a pointed satire in the process.
Peaky Blinders (2013)
Prepare to fall for Tommy Shelby (Cillian Murphy) and his fearsome family, a notorious gang in 1919 Birmingham. He's intent on moving up in the world – whatever the cost.
Derry Girls (2018)
This candid, award-winning comedy features a group of young women growing up in Northern Ireland in the early 1990s. It's heartwarming and hilarious, and stars Bridgerton's Nicola Coughlan.
The Gentlemen (2019)
An aristocratic man inherits a family estate then finds it's home to a huge drug empire (and that its proprietors aren't moving...) An action-comedy from Guy Ritchie, this is a spin-off series from the 2019 film of the same name.
Black Mirror (2011)
There are six series of Charlie Brooker's deliciously dark cult series to enjoy. The episodes play on humanity's worst traits – as well as some of our greatest innovations – in often trippy fashion.
Naomi May is a freelance writer and editor with an emphasis on popular culture, lifestyle and politics. After graduating with a First Class Honours from City University's prestigious Journalism course, Naomi joined the Evening Standard as its Fashion and Beauty Writer, working across both the newspaper and website. She is now the Acting News Editor at ELLE UK and has written features for the likes of The Guardian, Vogue, Vice and Refinery29, among many others.
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