Best British TV Shows Ever

Fawlty Towers

Only twelve episodes, yet John Cleese's manic hotelier is arguably the funniest sitcom character Britain ever produced. Its farcical precision, especially 'The Germans', set a bar for sitcom writing that's rarely been matched. Proof that quality can trump quantity entirely.

Years Aired: 1975-1979Genre: SitcomEpisodes: 12Critical Acclaim: 9.5/10Cultural Influence: 9/10

added by IJRin 3 rankingsFawlty Towers

Doctor Who

A time-traveling alien who can regenerate into a new actor gave the BBC the ultimate survival mechanism, spanning six decades and counting. From Tom Baker's scarf to David Tennant's comeback, it's a cultural institution woven into British childhoods. Few shows anywhere have this

Years Aired: 1963-presentGenre: Sci-fiEpisodes: 870Critical Acclaim: 8.5/10Cultural Influence: 9.5/10

added by IJRin 4 rankings

The Office (UK)

Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant's cringe-comedy about a hapless paper company manager reinvented the mockumentary format and spawned a global franchise. David Brent's dance and 'that's what she said' energy changed sitcom DNA forever. Twelve episodes and a Christmas special, y

Years Aired: 2001-2003Genre: Mockumentary SitcomEpisodes: 14Critical Acclaim: 9.3/10Cultural Influence: 9.5/10

added by IJRin 8 rankings

Blackadder

Rowan Atkinson's sardonic schemer navigated four historical eras with some of the sharpest dialogue ever written for TV. The final episode's silent walk into no-man's-land remains one of British television's most devastating gut-punches. Wit this dense rarely survives translation

Years Aired: 1983-1989Genre: Historical SitcomEpisodes: 24Critical Acclaim: 9.2/10Cultural Influence: 8.5/10

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Line of Duty

Jed Mercurio's anti-corruption thriller turned police procedurals into must-watch appointment television, with interrogation scenes stretching to nail-biting lengths. 'Bent coppers' and the identity of 'H' became national obsessions, dominating water-cooler conversation for years

Years Aired: 2012-2021Genre: Crime DramaEpisodes: 36Critical Acclaim: 8.8/10Cultural Influence: 8.5/10

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Sherlock

Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman dragged Conan Doyle's detective into smartphone-era London with dazzling visual flair and rapid-fire wit. The Reichenbach Fall cliffhanger left the internet in meltdown for two years. It briefly made Sherlock Holmes the coolest man on telev

Years Aired: 2010-2017Genre: Crime DramaEpisodes: 13Critical Acclaim: 8.7/10Cultural Influence: 8.5/10

added by IJRin 6 rankings

Monty Python's Flying Circus

Absurdist sketch comedy that threw out narrative logic entirely, giving the world the Dead Parrot, the Spanish Inquisition, and the Ministry of Silly Walks. Its surrealism directly shaped generations of comedians from Eddie Izzard to the Kids in the Hall. Nothing before it looked

Years Aired: 1969-1974Genre: Sketch ComedyEpisodes: 45Critical Acclaim: 9.1/10Cultural Influence: 9.7/10

added by IJRin 2 rankings

Downton Abbey

Julian Fellowes' upstairs-downstairs saga became a global phenomenon, exporting a nostalgic vision of Edwardian England to over 200 territories. Its blend of soapy melodrama and lavish period detail made it one of Britain's biggest cultural exports of the 2010s. The Dowager Count

Years Aired: 2010-2015Genre: Period DramaEpisodes: 52Critical Acclaim: 8.3/10Cultural Influence: 8.5/10

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Peaky Blinders

Cillian Murphy's razor-capped gangster Thomas Shelby turned Birmingham's Small Heath into a stylised, anachronistic-soundtrack crime epic that became a genuine fashion and meme phenomenon. Its slow-motion strolls set to Nick Cave redefined how British drama could look and feel. A

Years Aired: 2013-2022Genre: Crime DramaEpisodes: 36Critical Acclaim: 8.6/10Cultural Influence: 8.7/10

added by IJRin 6 rankings

The Crown

Peter Morgan's lavish dramatisation of Queen Elizabeth II's reign combined immense production values with real royal intrigue, sparking constant debate over historical accuracy. It reshaped how streaming-era audiences consumed British history as prestige entertainment. Claire Foy

Years Aired: 2016-2023Genre: Historical DramaEpisodes: 60Critical Acclaim: 8.4/10Cultural Influence: 8/10

added by IJRin 6 rankings

Only Fools and Horses

Del Boy Trotter's get-rich-quick schemes and eternal catchphrase 'this time next year, we'll be millionaires' made this Peckham sitcom a genuine national treasure. The chandelier-falling scene is routinely voted Britain's favourite sitcom moment. It topped BBC polls for decades r

Years Aired: 1981-2003Genre: SitcomEpisodes: 64Critical Acclaim: 9/10Cultural Influence: 9/10

added by IJROnly Fools and Horses

Black Mirror

Charlie Brooker's anthology of technological nightmares turned unease about smartphones and social media into genuinely disturbing prestige television. 'San Junipero' and 'White Bear' became instant cultural touchstones, spawning endless think-pieces. It gave the term 'Black Mirr

Years Aired: 2011-presentGenre: Sci-fi AnthologyEpisodes: 28Critical Acclaim: 8.5/10Cultural Influence: 8.8/10

added by IJRin 6 rankings

Coronation Street

The world's longest-running soap opera has chronicled a fictional Manchester street since before the Beatles topped the charts, tackling social issues decades ahead of its time. Its sheer longevity makes it a living archive of British social history. Generations have grown up wit

Years Aired: 1960-presentGenre: Soap OperaEpisodes: 10,800Critical Acclaim: 7.5/10Cultural Influence: 8.5/10

added by IJRCoronation Street

Gavin & Stacey

A cross-cultural romance between Essex and Barry, Wales, spawned one of the most quoted sitcoms of its generation, with Nessa's 'what's occurin'?' entering the vernacular instantly. Its 2019 Christmas special became the most-watched scripted show of the decade. Few sitcoms have g

Years Aired: 2007-2019Genre: SitcomEpisodes: 24Critical Acclaim: 8.6/10Cultural Influence: 8/10

added by IJRGavin & Stacey

Broadchurch

A child's murder tears apart a small Dorset seaside town in this taut whodunit anchored by David Tennant and Olivia Colman's detective partnership. Its first season became a genuine national conversation, with viewers begging journalists not to spoil the killer's identity. It pro

Years Aired: 2013-2017Genre: Crime DramaEpisodes: 24Critical Acclaim: 8.3/10Cultural Influence: 7.5/10

added by IJRBroadchurch

Absolutely Fabulous

Jennifer Saunders and Joanna Lumley's champagne-soaked, chain-smoking Edina and Patsy skewered fashion-world excess with gloriously unrepentant selfishness. Their catchphrases and Bolly-fuelled chaos became instantly iconic across the world. A sitcom that never once apologised fo

Years Aired: 1992-2012Genre: SitcomEpisodes: 39Critical Acclaim: 8.4/10Cultural Influence: 8/10

added by IJR

Killing Eve

A cat-and-mouse chase between an MI5 officer and a flamboyant assassin subverted spy-thriller conventions with dark humour and Jodie Comer's magnetic, unpredictable performance. Its stylish violence and queer tension made it an instant awards darling. Comer's Villanelle became on

Years Aired: 2018-2022Genre: Spy ThrillerEpisodes: 32Critical Acclaim: 8.2/10Cultural Influence: 7.8/10

added by IJRKilling Eve

The Inbetweeners

Four hapless sixth-formers bumbling through disastrous holidays and house parties captured teenage embarrassment with brutal, quotable accuracy. 'Bus wanker' and 'clunge' entered British slang almost overnight. It defined a generation's coming-of-age comedy in just three short se

Years Aired: 2008-2010Genre: SitcomEpisodes: 18Critical Acclaim: 8.2/10Cultural Influence: 7.8/10

added by IJR