Entertainment

22 British Dramas to Binge This Weekend, Streaming Now

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2 weeks ago

October 6, 2024

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22 British Dramas to Binge This Weekend, Streaming Now

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From The Tudors to Steven Moffat and Mark Gatiss’ 21st-century Sherlock, no one does prestige drama quite like the British. Call me a UK fanatic, but there’s nothing that catches my eye like an Elizabethan collar, a thick Irish accent, or a hunt for justice on the dark streets of London — all of which are readily available in these wildly popular British drama TV shows. From period pieces to police procedurals, star-crossed lovers, and beyond, the best British dramas have centuries of material to draw on — and quite a bit more of it is available to stream right now than you may realize.

So, what UK world would you like to get lost in today? On Netflix, we have the crown jewel of British drama The Crown, starring Olivia Colman as the Queen, as well as 1920s crime drama Peaky Blinders. On Hulu, we have sexy, filled-with-longing love story Normal People — or, sexy, eye-catching crime drama Killing Eve, starring Sandra Oh and Jodie Comer. (Yes, all the shows on Hulu are sexy.)

And on Amazon, there’s a whole other treasure trove of British drama TV to be explored: the PBS Masterpiece channel, which houses fan faves like Sanditon, Grantchester, Inspector Lewis, and so many more. Binge at your own peril — and don’t blame us if you look up and find your weekend has suddenly vanished.

Ready to dive into some grade-A British TV? Here are all the must-see dramas, and where to watch.

A version of this article was previously published in July 2020.

‘A Discovery of Witches’

Image Credit: ©Sundance Film/Courtesy Everett Collection

Starring Teresa Palmer as Diana Bishop and Matthew Goode as Matthew Clairmont, A Discovery of Witches is about a with who’s trying to solve a bundle of msyerties, and then gets the help from the one person she shouldn’t: a vampire.

Watch it on here.
‘Sex Education’

Image Credit: ©Netflix/Courtesy Everett Collection

Everyone will both love the drama, and feel seen, when they watch Sex Education. The hit show follows the lives of people in the town of Moordale as they work through and explore various dilemmas, a lot of which has to do with sexuality.

Watch it here.
‘Sanditon’

Image Credit: ©PBS/Courtesy Everett Collection

Based on an unfinished manuscript of Jane Austen’s, Sanditon shows young Charlotte Heywood arriving in the seaside town, where her curious spirit and forthright nature are met with more hostility than expected. After irking a young Sidney Parker, an unlikely love story begins.

Watch here.
‘The Spanish Princess’

Image Credit: ©Starz! Movie Channel/Courtesy Everett Collection

Game of Thrones actress Charlotte Hope stars as the ambitous and strongwilled Spanish Princess vying for love and power in King Henry VIII’s England in the Starz adaptation of Philippa Gregory’s historical novels.

Watch here.
‘Downton Abbey’

Image Credit: Nick Briggs/Carnival Films.

This historical drama stars Hugh Bonneville, Maggie Smith, and more in its depiction of fictional Yorkshire country estate Downton Abbey in the early 20th century. Two world exist within the estate: the wealthy Crawley family that lives there, and those who serve them.

Watch here.
‘Inspector Lewis’

Image Credit: ITV.

A spin-off of Inspector Morse, this detective drama follows DI Lewis, DS Hathaway, and Dr. Hobson as they take on Oxford’s crime scene and find comfort in each others’ company.

Watch here.
‘Doctor Who’

Image Credit: ©BBC/Courtesy of Everett Collection.

We’re kicking off our list with one of the most British shows out there: Doctor Who. This series follows incarnations of The Doctor as they travel through space and time. The series originally premiered back in 1963 and has retained a loyal following for decades.

Watch here.
‘Poldark’

Image Credit: ©PBS/Courtesy Everett Collection.

Poldark premiered in 2015 decades after an initial iteration of the series came out in the ’70s. This time around, Aidan Turner plays the titular Ross Poldark, who returns to England from the War for Independence in America to find his life has been turned upside down.

Watch here.
‘All Creatures Great and Small’

Image Credit: ©PBS/Courtesy Everett Collection.

Based on the collection of books by Alf Wight, this iteration of All Creatures Great and Small premiered on PBS’ Masterpiece at the height of the pandemic in the United States. The series follows James Herriot (a proxy for real-life veterinarian Alf Wight) during his time in Darrowby, working with a small town veterinary practice. The wholesome series has earned a loyal following, and even leads Rachel Shenton and Nicholas Ralph shared with SheKnows how much the show has been a “tonic” for our troubled times.

Watch here.
‘Call The Midwife’

Image Credit: ©PBS/Courtesy Everett Collection.

Call The Midwife might just be one of the best series on TV about giving birth — seriously. The long-running show, which debuted in 2012, follows the nurses and nuns of Nonnatus House. Each episode puts a spotlight on women’s reproductive health and what healthcare for pregnant people really looked like in the 1950s and 1960s. You’ll laugh and cry with this one, and it’s all well worth it for such a thoughtful series.

Watch here.
‘Miss Scarlet & The Duke’

Image Credit: Courtesy of MASTERPIECE.

Kate Phillips and Stuart Martin star in this PBS Masterpiece drama about a female detective who muddles through doubting male colleagues and flirtatious sources to establish herself as a star sleuth.

Watch here.
‘The Crown’

Image Credit: Courtesy of Des Willie / Netflix.

With an all-star, revolving cast including Claire Foy, Olivia Colman, and Matt Smith, this period-piece recreation of Queen Elizabeth II’s reign from the 1940s on is a must-see for any follower of royal family drama, past or present.

Watch here.
‘Bridgerton’

Image Credit: ©Netflix/Courtesy Everett Collection

Bridgerton is a historical romance that follows a new couple every season. There’s sex, intrigue, deception, love, and did we mention lots of sex? Trust us, you’ll get all the drama you want from this aristocracy.

Watch it here.
‘Broadchurch’

Image Credit: Patrick Redmon/ITV.

Olivia Colman and David Tennant star in this crime drama set in the fictional small town of Broadchurch, England. When a young boy is murdered, DS Miller (Colman) and DI Hardy (Tennant) are tasked with solving the case as media attention and paranoia threaten to tear the town apart.

Watch here.
‘The Tudors’

Image Credit: Showtime.

Starring Jonathan Rhys, Henry Cavill, and many more cast members who can all fairly be described as eye candy, this period drama set in 16th-century England focuses on King Henry VIII’s reign. If you like 1500’s-era sex scenes, this is the show for you.

Watch here.
‘Marcella’

Image Credit: Netflix.

This detective series centers on London detective Marcella, drawn back to her work on an 11-year-old serial killer case that appears to be reopened, while juggling a falling-apart home life and custody battles.

Watch here.
‘Sherlock’

Image Credit: BBC One.

With Benedict Cumberbatch as the brilliant Sherlock Holmes, this 21st-century take on the classic detective series intertwines new technology and Sherlock’s unique psychology as both clues and obstructions to finding the truth — and if you fall in love with him along the way, you’re not alone.

Watch here.
‘Killing Eve’

Image Credit: BBC America.

This spy thriller stars Sandra Oh as a new-to-the-field British MI6 agent obsessed with tracking down the elusive, temperamental assassin Villanelle (Jodie Comer). What happens when the criminal you’re chasing likes being chased?

Watch here.
‘Normal People’

Image Credit: Hulu.

Based on Sally Rooney’s eponymous book, Normal People traces lovestruck Marianne and Connell’s romance from secret teen lovers to their meeting as adults, drawn in again and again by their same connection.

Watch here.
‘Luther’

Image Credit: BBC One.

This psychological crime drama stars Idris Elba as Detective Chief Inspector of Serious Crimes in London. Dedicated to his job to the point of obsession, he forms an unlikely relationship with criminal mastermind Alice Morgan.

Watch here.
‘Grantchester’

Image Credit: ITV.

This detective drama set in Granchester, Cambridgshire, in which vicar Sidney Chambers starts to lend a help to solving the town’s mysteries.

Watch here.
‘Peaky Blinders’

Image Credit: Courtesy of Netflix.

In 1920s Birmingham, England, the Peaky Blinders gang of the Shelby crime family run into trouble with a Major sent by Winston Churchill to suppress trouble. But the Peaky Blinders aren’t going down without a fight.

Watch here.