The Best British TV Shows on Netflix Right Now (August 2021)

While anyone living in the United States used to either buy their own copies of British series or wait for PBS or a cable outlet to carry them, Netflix has made things a lot easier for us. The way British shows are presented can seem strange to American audiences, particularly because they tend to not last quite as many seasons as American shows, and even those seasons tend to be shorter. But what shows from across the pond lack in quantity they make up for in quality. Still, particularly if you’re not familiar with British programming, it can be tough to dig through Netflix’s offerings to find something to your taste. That’s why we’ve already put together this list of the best British TV shows on Netflix.

Looking for something other than Britain’s best? We’ve also put together guides to the best movies on Netflix and the best shows on Netflix, as well as a recap of what’s new on Netflix.

Giri/Haji

Japanese detective Kenzo Mori (Takehiro Hira) has a lot on his plate in the crime series Giri/Haji. When Kenzo’s brother Yuto (Yosuke Kubozuka) is accused of killing a powerful criminal’s nephew, the detective follows Yuto to an unfamiliar London not only to find his brother but to figure out if he’s truly a murderer. Like its title, Giri/Haji splits its time and focus in ways that shouldn’t work but do — divided between Japan and the U.K., between Japanese and English, and even occasionally transitioning to different visuals like black and white and animation. At the same time, it delivers a violent and beautifully filmed crime story. In spite of near-universal acclaim — including being nominated for three British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) awards, with Will Sharpe taking one home — Giri/Haji was canceled after only one series. But the eight episodes of this stylish near-perfect thriller are available on Netflix for streaming.

Created by: Joe Barton
Cast: Takehiro Hira, Kelly Macdonald, Yosuke Kubozuka, Will Sharpe
Number of seasons: 1

Watch on Netflix

Doctor Foster

When Dr. Gemma Foster (Suranne Jones) finds a blond strand of hair on her husband Simon’s scarf, it’s the beginning of the end for the idyllic life she enjoys. Suspecting Simon (Bertie Carvel) of cheating, Gemma investigates, and what she discovers changes everything. Gemma manipulates everyone and everything she can — including forgetting any of her ethical concerns as a doctor — in order to get back to the way things were but falls deep into the bowels of insanity on the way there.

Created by: Mike Bartlett
Cast: Suranne Jones, Bertie Carvel, Clare-Hope Ashitey
Number of seasons: 2

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Crazyhead

The United Kingdom has had some Buffy the Vampire Slayer-adjacent shows before, but Crazyhead may be the closest thing there is to a British Buffy. Cara Theobold stars as Amy, a young woman who has doubted her own sanity for years. That’s because Amy can see the demons hidden among us. Amy’s life changes forever when she meets Raquel Francis (Susan Wokoma), a fellow seer who has taken it upon herself to become a demon hunter. However, Raquel is more closely tied to the demon world than she believes, and her newfound connection to Amy only multiplies their problems.

Created by: Howard Overman
Cast: Cara Theobold, Susan Wokoma, Lewis Reeves, Arinze Kene, Riann Steele
Number of seasons: 1

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Hinterland

Police procedurals are common on both sides of the pond. But Hinterland stands out from the crowd because it takes place in Wales and actually embraces the Welsh culture and language. Richard Harrington stars as Detective Chief Inspector Tom Mathias alongside Mali Harries’ Detective Inspector Mared Rhys. Tom and Mared are no strangers to murders and mysteries, and dark secrets seem to be par for the course as they investigate local cases. At the same time, Tom’s personal and professional lives threaten to come crumbling down around him. And a few of the cases will hit much closer to home than either Tom or Mared suspect.

Created by: Ed Talfan, Ed Thomas
Cast: Richard Harrington, Mali Harries, Alex Harries, Hannah Daniel, Aneirin Hughes
Number of seasons: 3

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After Life

Ricky Gervais created and stars in After Life, a series that brilliantly mixes dark comedy and drama. Gervais plays Tony Johnson, a happily married man, thanks to Lisa Johnson (Kerry Godliman). But when Lisa dies from breast cancer, Tony’s lone reason to keep on living is their dog, Brandy. To deal with his overpowering grief for his wife, Tony tries to take on a meaner persona and get his revenge on the world. Much to Tony’s surprise, the residents of his hometown, Tambury, seem determined to help him move past his depression … whether he wants them to or not.

Created by: Ricky Gervais
Cast: Ricky Gervais, Diane Morgan, Tom Basden, Tony Way, Mandeep Dhillon, Ashley Jensen
Number of seasons: 2

Watch on Netflix

Myths & Monsters

European mythology is very pervasive in western culture, especially here in America. The documentary series Myths & Monsters examines the origins and early versions of various legends while occasionally venturing into unexpected territory. Over the course of six episodes, host Nicholas Day dives into the genesis of heroes and villains, stories of war and the unknown, and tales of love and loss. More intriguingly, the final episode examines The End of All Things, which includes a look at life, death, and everything that comes after. 

Created by: William Simpson
Cast: Nicholas Day
Number of seasons: 1

Watch on Netflix

The Serpent

A French serial killer of Indian and Vietnamese descent targeting victims in Thailand doesn’t sound like a very British show. But this BBC-commissioned limited series creates a universal feeling of uneasiness around Charles Sobhraj, who, in real life, committed at least 12 murders before being apprehended in 2003. Tahar Rahim plays Sobhraj with unnerving energy, truly encapsulating what gave “The Serpent” his nickname. The show does well in avoiding fetishizing Sobhraj’s crimes while paying proper respect to his victims. The pacing of the series does begin rather slowly, but it picks up over time until it reaches its dramatic conclusion. With just eight episodes, the captivating series can easily be binged over a day or over the course of a weekend.

Created by: Mammoth Screen
Cast: Tahar Rahim, Jenna Coleman, Billy Howle
Number of seasons: 1

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Life in Color with David Attenborough

David Attenborough is now in his mid-90s, yet he shows no sign of taking a break from presenting awe-inspiring nature documentaries anytime soon. His latest, Life in Color, explores how animals use color to navigate their own worlds. Unsurprisingly, the splashes of bright colors throughout the series create exquisite and unforgettable visuals. There were several camera technologies developed specifically for the series that provide further visual aids to viewers seeing color through a new light. The show is naturally reminiscent of Planet Earth, but with more of a technological focus as well as a less overt environmental message — the pictures paint the scene well enough in that regard.

Created by: Colette Beaudry (executive producer)
Cast: David Attenborough
Number of seasons: 1

Watch on Netflix

Zero Chill 

First, let’s just acknowledge that there’s no better name for a teen drama in 2021 than Zero Chill. It’s just perfect. The series captures all the young adult drama that comes with a family leaving everything behind to start a new life in another country. Zero Chill focuses on Kayla MacBentley (Grace Beedie), a talented figure skater, and her brother Mac (Dakota Taylor), a superstar hockey player. The drama begins when the MacBentley family oddly relocates from Canada (a country kind of known for hockey) to the United Kingdom so Mac can play for a prestigious team there. Okay. Regardless of the odd setup, the drama on the show is simply addicting and is relatively harmless to fans of all ages. This show isn’t pushing many boundaries, which may be what helps make it such an easy binge. By the end of the 10-episode first season, viewers will be on the edge of their skates wondering who the mysterious figure behind the mask is (it’ll make sense once you watch). It’s not clear if there’s more Zero Chill coming down the line, but the first season strikes a great tone for any potential future for the series.

Created by: Kirstie Falkous, John Regier
Cast: Grace Beedie, Dakota Benjamin Taylor, Jade Ma
Number of seasons: 1

Watch on Netflix

The Crown

The Crown isn’t just one of the best British shows on Netflix, it’s one of the best shows, period. Creator Peter Morgan put together an incredible cast to chronicle the life and reign of Queen Elizabeth II. For the first two seasons, Claire Foy portrayed Elizabeth, with former Doctor Who star Matt Smith as her husband, Prince Philip. Olivia Colman and Tobias Menzies took over the roles of Elizabeth and Philip in the third and fourth seasons. Remarkably, The Crown has been able to mine drama from reality, rather than play fast and loose with historical accuracy. The fourth season features Elizabeth Debicki as Diana, Princess of Wales, and Gillian Anderson as Margaret Thatcher. Netflix has already committed to two more seasons to close out The Crown. Long may she reign!

Created by: Peter Morgan
Cast: Claire Foy, Matt Smith, Vanessa Kirby
Number of seasons: 4

Watch on Netflix

Outlander

The British know how to tell a romance story, and this adaptation of Diana Gabaldon’s popular fantasy-romance series has been captivating swooning audiences for years. The time-traveling tale follows a married British combat nurse as she departs World War II for 1743 Scotland, where she falls in love with a Scottish warrior. Torn between two times, the crossed lovers must literally carry the weight of centuries between them.

Created by: Ronald D. Moore
Cast: Caitriona Balfe, Sam Heughan, Tobias Menzies
Number of seasons: 4

Watch on Netflix

The Irregulars

The Irregulars takes viewers back into the world of Sherlock Holmes, but with a much different perspective. The Baker Street Irregulars are employed by Dr. Watson to solve mysteries as intelligence agents stationed on the streets. The mysteries they’re solving are of a supernatural sort, however, putting them in increasing danger throughout the season. There are only eight episodes set for the series, so expect the action and character development to move at a brisk pace. Sherlock is one of the most beloved British series of all-time; if The Irregulars achieves half the acclaim, it will be considered a success.

Created by: Tom Bidwell
Cast: Henry Lloyd-Hughes, Royce Pierreson, Clarke Peters
Number of seasons: 1

Watch on Netflix

The One

A DNA researcher (Hannah Ware) helps to create a new matchmaking service guaranteed to help people fall in love with the perfect partner to spend their life with — how sweet! This show is based in the science fiction realm, though, so don’t go into it expecting Are You The One? Instead, things go devastatingly wrong almost immediately in the eight-episode limited series. The show is based on a popular novel by John Marrs, which Netflix bought the rights to after it was published in 2017.

Created by: Howard Overman
Cast: Hannah Ware, Zoe Tapper, Dimitri Leonidas
Number of seasons: 1

Watch on Netflix

Nadiya Bakes

Baking shows have proven to be real comfort food to many over the past year, with people turning to The Great British Baking Show en masse. Season 6 winner Nadiya Hussein returns to the screen with her new show, Nadiya Bakes, which shows Hussein creating some delectable classics from the comfort of the kitchen. She’s had several shows air on BBC Two and make their way to Netflix, with this being the latest for one of the competition show’s most memorable victors.

Created by: N/A
Cast: Nadiya Hussein
Number of seasons: 1

Watch on Netflix

Behind Her Eyes

Not every British show on Netflix is meant to be binged, but Behind Her Eyes is a major exception, especially helped by its brisk episode total. Based on the 2017 novel by Sarah Pinborough, this psychological thriller adaptation is a miniseries stretching just six episodes. Single mother Louise (Simona Brown) chooses to embark on an affair with her boss, David (Tom Bateman). At the same time, she also befriends David’s wife, Adele (Eve Hewson). The scandal-filled twists and turns of the series remains one of the most buzzed about shows of the month.

Created by: Steve Lightfoot
Cast: Simona Brown, Tom Bateman, Eve Hewson
Number of seasons: 1

Watch on Netflix

The English Game

Sports are major business these days, but in the late 19th century, the idea of a “professional” league of players getting paid to play seemed like a fantasy. The English Game dramatizes the transformation of football (soccer) as it went from a game for the wealthy to a sport for the masses. Kevin Guthrie stars as Fergus Suter, a player recruited to leave his working-class football team behind in order to join an elite team. Fergus’ decision alienates some of his former teammates, but his journey helped redefine sports.

Created by: Julian Fellowes, Tony Charles, Oliver Cotton
Cast: Edward Holcroft, Kevin Guthrie, Charlotte Hope, Niamh Walsh
Number of seasons: 1

Watch on Netflix

The Ripper

Over four decades ago, the Yorkshire Ripper terrorized England as he killed 13 women and nearly claimed the lives of seven more women during a five-year period. The Ripper is a true-crime series that looks back at the killer’s reign of terror with survivors and family members of the victims. The investigators and reporters who worked on the case also share their own intimate stories as they tried to bring a dark chapter in British history to a close.

Created by: Jesse Vile, Ellena Wood
Cast: N/A
Number of seasons: 1

Watch on Netflix

Secrets of Great British Castles 

Castles capture the imagination like few structures can, and they remain living reminders of history. Historian Dan Jones created and starred in Secrets of Great British Castles, a 12-part documentary series that was split across two seasons. Each episode focuses on a single castle and explores the history and background that went into its creation and eventual function. Only the second season is currently on Netflix, but there are still plenty of enticing castle stories awaiting the curious.

Created by: Dan Jones
Cast: Dan Jones
Number of seasons: 2

Watch on Netflix

Troy: Fall of a City

BBC’s Troy: Fall of a City tackles the epic 10-year story of the Trojan War, from its beginning, through the siege, and to its ultimate destruction. However, the series takes a few modern liberties with the legendary tale, including a good reason for the Trojans to accept the wooden horse as a gift. Most notably, this miniseries cast Black actors in two key roles: David Gyasi as Achilles and Hakeem Kae-Kazim as Zeus. The gods also have major parts to play in the conflict, as Zeus tries to remain above the fray. Yet it’s the human characters on both sides of the war who bear the burden and the curse of their own actions.

Created by: David Farr
Cast: Louis Hunter, Bella Dayne, David Gyasi, Johnny Harris
Number of seasons: 1

Watch on Netflix

The Innocents 

At first glance, The Innocents could be mistaken for a typical Young Adults drama. Teenagers June McDaniel (Sorcha Groundsell) and Harry Polk (Percelle Ascott) love each other, but they feel the need to run away in order to fully be together and to be free of their past. However, June’s emerging shapeshifting ability casts the young lovers into an unexpected supernatural underworld. Guy Pearce co-stars as Bendik “Ben” Halvorson, an enigmatic man who has gathered other shifters at his Sanctum. Halvorson’s motives aren’t exactly pure, but he’s far from the only danger waiting for June and Harry on the road ahead.

Created by: Simon Duric, Hania Elkington
Cast: Sorcha Groundsell, Percelle Ascott, Guy Pearce
Number of seasons: 1

Watch on Netflix

The Letter For the King

If you’re looking for a family-friendly fantasy series, The Letter For the King may be the show you’ve been seeking. Based upon Tonke Dragt’s Dutch novel, De brief voor de Koning, this series follows Tiuri (Amir Wilson), a young squire who has dreams of following in the footsteps of his stepfather as a noble knight. However, Tiuri’s emerging ability to hear otherworldly voices seemingly works against him. Regardless, Tiuri is charged with a desperate mission to deliver a letter to the king within two weeks or else a disaster may strike the kingdom. That means it’s time for Tiuri to step up as a hero even if he’s not ready.

Created by: Will Davies
Cast: Amir Wilson, Ruby Ashbourne Serkis, Thaddea Graham
Number of seasons: 1

Watch on Netflix

The Frankenstein Chronicles

Forget everything you think you know about Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein. The Frankenstein Chronicles doesn’t pretend to be a faithful retelling of the novel. Instead, it charts its own path in an alternate version of 1827. Game of Thrones’ Sean Bean headlines the series as John Marlott, a London police inspector tasked with uncovering the truth behind a horrific corpse that consists of body parts from eight different missing children. Mary Shelley (Anna Maxwell Martin) and her husband, Percy Bysshe Shelley (Richard Clements), both play a role in the series, as does Charles Dickens/Boz (Ryan Sampson). But the two-season series is carried by Marlott, as he pays a high personal and professional price to bring the killer or killers to justice.

Created by: Benjamin Ross, Barry Langford
Cast: Sean Bean, Tom Ward, Richie Campbell
Number of seasons: 2

Watch on Netflix

Monty Python’s Flying Circus

Legendary comedy group Monty Python created and starred in this sketch comedy series that premiered way back in 1969 and continued for four seasons (series, rather, as they say in the U.K.). Featuring Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Eric Idle, Terry Jones, Michael Palin, and Terry Gilliam, skits focused on absurd situations, observational humor, and lots of innuendo. Get some hearty belly laughs while watching the six main Pythons along with supporting cast members like Carol Cleveland and Connie Booth tackle issues around British life with an intellectual maturity that is second to none.

Created by: Monty Python
Cast: Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Eric Idle
Number of seasons: 4

Watch on Netflix

Crashing

Not to be confused with the American HBO comedy-drama of the same name that streams via HBO Max, this British comedy-drama originally aired on Channel 4 back in 2016. Created, written by, and starring multi-Emmy winner Phoebe Waller-Bridge (Fleabag, Killing Eve), it’s a six-part series about six 20-somethings living together in a disused hospital. They get cheap rent but, in exchange, they are tasked with caring for the property and keeping the building safe. Despite the familiar formula of six eclectic friends living in close quarters to one another, the unusual setting and Waller-Bridge’s signature spin on both the writing and her character make it a refreshing departure from the norm.

Created by: Phoebe Waller-Bridge
Cast: Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Jonathan Bailey, Julie Dray
Number of seasons: 1

Watch on Netflix

Collateral

This four-part British drama serial is an atypical police procedural that follows the story of Kip Glaspie (Carey Mulligan), a detective inspector looking into the murder of a pizza delivery man that balloons into something much bigger. As Sir David Hare’s first original series for television, his reputation preceded him with a pair of Academy Award nominations for The Hours and The Reader as well as plenty of success as a playwright. Co-produced by Netflix and released in 2018, it has been criticized for the overcrowded script, but strong performances by the cast make it a worthy watch.

Created by: David Hare
Cast: Carey Mulligan, John Simm, Billie Piper
Number of seasons: 1

Watch on Netflix

Top Boy: Summerhouse

With three seasons to date and a renewal for a fourth set to debut later, the British crime drama Top Boy is set in a fictional Summerhouse estate in London where a young and troubled man gets involved in the criminal underworld involving drugs, murder, and an intense struggle for power and money. With British rapper and songwriter Ashley Walters (Asher D) heading up the cast, Letitia Wright (Black Mirror, Black Panther) among the recurring characters, and Drake an executive producer, it unsurprisingly has a 95% score on Rotten Tomatoes. Be warned — Netflix has made it a little complicated to watch Top Boy in its entirety. The first two seasons stream on Netflix under the title Top Boy: Summerhouse (linked below), while the third and latest season is found separately as just Top Boy.

Created by: Ronan Bennett
Cast: Ashley Walters, Kane Robinson, Micheal Ward
Number of seasons: 3

Watch on Netflix

Broadchurch

This British serial crime drama, which aired on ITV from 2013 to 2017, is set in the eponymous fictional English town in Dorset, and follows the activities of police detective Alec Hardy (David Tennant). The premise from the onset centers around the death of an 11-year-old boy. Praised for its writing, cinematography, and character development, and also starring The Crown‘s Olivia Colman, you can binge all 24 episodes of the three seasons pretty quickly.

Created by: Chris Chibnall
Cast: David Tennant, Olivia Colman, Jodie Whittaker
Number of seasons: 3

Watch on Netflix

The Great British Baking Show

Called The Great British Bake Off in the U.K., this baking series pits aspiring bakers against one another as they bake classic dishes outlined by the hosts and judges, showing their skills on both the technical and creative sides. Starring Mary Berry, Paul Hollywood, and Prue Leith as judges, your mouth will be watering as you watch the contestants bake everything from basic cookies (er, biscuits) to more elaborate cakes and pastries. The oddest (and best) part about this reality show? They’re all nice to each other!

Created by: Andy Devonshire
Cast: Mary Berry, Paul Hollywood, Prue Leith
Number of seasons: 8

Watch on Netflix

Peaky Blinders

This crime drama set in Birmingham, England, follows the story of the Shelby crime family after World War I. The family is loosely based on the real 19th-century urban youth gang of the same name and stars Cillian Murphy as gang leader Tommy Shelby. Five seasons have aired thus far of the series, all of which are available to stream. The series has been heavily praised as riveting and fast-paced with great writing, acting, visuals, and cinematography.

Created by: Steven Knight
Cast: Cillian Murphy, Sam Neill, Helen McCrory
Number of seasons: 5

Watch on Netflix

Sex Education

Launched in January 2019, this British drama has been called heartfelt and surprisingly wise. It stars Asa Butterfield as a socially awkward teenager who is ambivalent about sex, largely due to his mother (Gillian Anderson) being a sex therapist. Netflix reports that the series had more than 40 million viewers after it launched on the site, and the third season is set to debut Friday, September 17.

Created by: Laurie Nunn
Cast: Asa Butterfield, Gillian Anderson, Ncuti Gatwa
Number of seasons: 2

Watch on Netflix

Bodyguard

You’ll recognize the lead character in this series, Richard Madden, from his role as Robb Stark in Game of Thrones. He plays a police sergeant and British Army war veteran named David Budd who is suffering from PTSD. He is assigned to protect Home Secretary Julia Montague, with whom he disagrees politically, making for some tension and moral ambiguity. The series has been lauded for its commentary on government monitoring of private information as well the spotlight it sheds on PTSD. It’s also landed Madden in the conversation as the next James Bond.

Created by: Jed Mercurio
Cast: Richard Madden, Keeley Hawes, Gina McKee
Number of seasons: 1

Watch on Netflix

Dracula 

How do you follow a wildly-successful modern reboot of Sherlock Holmes? Mark Gatiss and Steven Moffat decided that their Sherlock follow-up project would center on another Victorian literary icon: Dracula. While the new Dracula takes a few pointers from Bram Stoker’s original novel, Gatiss and Moffat have refocused the narrative to make Claes Bang’s Count Dracula the hero of his own show — even as he brutally murders several people along the way. The series also takes a few creative liberties with the story, as Dracula’s conflict with the Van Helsing family plays out across generations. It’s a delicious update on the classic tale, and we’re chomping at the bit to see if Dracula will get another season to haunt modern viewers yet again.

Created by: Mark Gatiss, Steven Moffat
Cast: Claes Bang, Dolly Wells, John Heffernan
Number of seasons: 1

Watch on Netflix

The Last Kingdom

Originally produced for BBC, The Last Kingdom is now fully a Netflix original series, with four seasons under its belt and a fifth season yet to come. The show is based upon Bernard Cornwell’s The Saxon Stories novels and technically falls under historical fiction. The series takes place well over 1,000 years ago, as Uhtred (Alexander Dreymon) is taken from his home by Vikings and eventually adopted as one of their own. Once Uhtred is of age, he is torn between the kingdom of his birth and his newfound family as intrigue and treachery surround him. The Last Kingdom isn’t strictly historically accurate, and changes have been made for a stronger narrative. But the result is an epic show that definitely shouldn’t be ignored by anyone.

Created by: Stephen Butchard
Cast: Alexander Dreymon, David Dawson, Emily Cox
Number of seasons: 4

Watch on Netflix

Lovesick

Originally titled Scrotal Recall (really), this series started off on Channel 4 and was commissioned as a Netflix original for seasons 2 and 3. It follows a group of friends living together in a house in Glasgow, Scotland and their sexual exploits and blunders. From secret crushes to STD diagnoses, episodes are told mostly through flashbacks in the first season as the main character Dylan Witter (Johnny Flynn) attempts to contact all former sexual partners following a chlamydia diagnosis.

Created by: Tom Edge
Cast: Johnny Flynn, Antonia Thomas, Daniel Ings
Number of seasons: 3

Watch on Netflix

Black Mirror

While Black Mirror was eventually expanded as a “Netflix original,” Charlie Brooker’s brilliant dystopian series first premiered on Channel 4 in the U.K. Most episodes look at dire, worst-case-scenarios regarding our relationship with technology and modern reliance on it. With five seasons to date, this isn’t the type of show you’ll be able to binge-watch quickly. But you can watch in any order and are guaranteed to see your jaw drop by the end of each episode. It’s compelling, thought-provoking television.

Created by: Charlie Brooker
Cast: N/A
Number of seasons: 5

Watch on Netflix

The End of the F***ing World

Based on the Charles Forsman mini-comics of the same name, this dark comedy-drama follows the life of 17-year-old James (Alex Lawther), who thinks he’s a psychopath. He befriends classmate Alyssa (Jessica Barden), who latches on to him in order to escape her troubled home life. Charlie Covell, who wrote the series, has said she does not plan to produce a third season. So check out the two, eight-episode seasons that have been praised for their taut balance of misanthropy and humor.

Created by: Charlie Covell
Cast: Alex Lawther, Jessica Barden, Gemma Whelan
Number of seasons: 2

Watch on Netflix

Call the Midwife

Set in the East End of London in the late ’50s and ’60s, it follows a group of nurse midwives as they deal with major historical moments, discoveries, and periods in time and how they impacted the job, from the Baby Boom of the late ’50s, to poverty, post-war immigration, the introduction of gas for pain relief, and birth defects, along with other social issues like teen pregnancy, adoption, and miscarriages. The period drama, which aired on BBC in 2012, was originally based on the memoirs of Jennifer Worth, who worked with a convent in London. But as it continued on for nine seasons, other topics were explored based on the sourcing of historical materials.

Created by: Heidi Thomas
Cast: Jessica Raine, Miranda Hart, Laura Main
Number of seasons: 9

Watch on Netflix

Derry Girls

Two seasons aired on Channel 4 in 2018 and 2019, with a third scheduled for 2020. While it’s a British sitcom, the setting is Derry, Northern Ireland, where a group of teenage friends navigates life and coming-of-age while attending their local Catholic girls’ secondary school. The first season has an impressive perfect rating from critics on review aggregator site Rotten Tomatoes and a 97% from audiences, with critics praising the “irreverent charms” and “canny characterizations.”

Created by: Lisa McGee
Cast: Saoirse-Monica Jackson, Louisa Harland, Nicola Coughlan
Number of seasons: 2

Watch on Netflix

The IT Crowd

Developing a cult following, this hilarious sitcom looks deep into the inner workings of the information technology (IT) department of a fictional London company. Heavily exaggerated and stereotyped characters include the department head, who doesn’t really know anything about IT, and a goth technician who works from the dark server room. The series, of which there have been four seasons and a special, aired from 2006 to 2013 and starred Chris O’Dowd, Richard Ayoade, Katherine Parkinson, and Matt Berry.

Created by: Graham Linehan
Cast: Chris O’Dowd, Richard Ayoade, Katherine Parkinson
Number of seasons: 5

Watch on Netflix

Get Even

When a group of school-aged girls decides to form a group called DMG (Don’t Get Mad) to take down school bullies, they get more than they bargained for. One student is murdered, a note left in their hand that reads “DMG,” suggesting the crew was responsible for the death. The British teen thriller, which first premiered on BBC iPlayer in February, is adapted from the book series Don’t Get Mad by Gretchen McNeil.

Created by: Holly Phillips
Cast: Kim Adis, Mia McKenna-Bruce, Bethany Antonia
Number of seasons: 1

Watch on Netflix

Operation Ouch! 

This education series aims to teach children all about the human body, how it works, and what is happening when things go wrong. The twin doctors, along with a third doctor who was introduced in season five, conduct various experiments so kids can learn what literally makes them tick. Kids can also follow along with experiments they can do from home. The series also showcases the doctors joining personnel and patients at a local children’s hospital as they respond to emergencies. There have been 10 seasons to date touching on everything from teeth to the human brain and joints, and topics like why bones break and why sweat is salty. You’ll be able to stream the first season as well as a special.

Created by: Dr. Chris van Tulleken, Dr. Xand van Tulleken
Cast: N/A
Number of seasons: 1

Watch on Netflix

Inside the World’s Toughest Prisons

U.K. journalist Raphael Rowe takes viewers inside some of the roughest, toughest prisons from around the world, talking with both prison guards and prisoners themselves about what life is like behind bars. Rowe himself knows a thing or two about the subject and the hardships, having served 12 years in prison for a crime until finally being released and acquitted. There are five seasons thus far, the fourth having just debuted at the end of July. The British series originally aired on Channel 5 in the U.K., after which Netflix commissioned the subsequent seasons of this fascinating docuseries.

Created by: Emma Read, Gabe Solomon
Cast: Paul Connolly, Raphael Rowe
Number of seasons: 5

Watch on Netflix

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