The 19 Best British Shows on Netflix (March 2024) - Collider
It's easier than ever to be an Anglophile these days, largely thanks to streaming services like Netflix, which have brought a wider variety of titles than ever across the pond and right to our doors (and/or our living room couches, as the case may be.) Love period pieces? You can now pick your preferred timeframe — from gangsters in the 1920s (Peaky Blinders) to the British Royal family in the 1960s (The Crown) and teens in 1990s Ireland (Derry Girls). Looking for a more fast-paced thriller? Binge Bodyguard or Collateral. Want to watch something buzzy and downright weird? Well, Black Mirror and The End of the F***ing World are here for you. There are even options for the British sci-fi fan that isn't interested in Doctor Who. (Crazyhead is an underrated gem, and we should all say so.) Here are the best British shows on Netflix.
For more recommendations, check out our list of the best shows on Netflix and best series to binge-watch on Netflix and across all platforms.
Disclaimer: These titles are available on US Netflix.
'Black Mirror' (2011 - Present)
Rotten Tomatoes: 83% | IMDb: 8.7/10
Black Mirror
- Release Date
- December 4, 2011
- Main Genre
- Sci-Fi
These days, it can often as though our reality is edging too close to the world presented in Charlie Brooker's dystopian science fiction anthology series Black Mirror. (Honestly, once you watch Season 4's "Metalhead," you will never be able to see another one of those Boston Dynamics robot videos again without physically cringing.) But the series is impossible to look away from, showing us the best and worst of humanity — often at the same time — while asking whether we can ever coexist alongside the terrifying technology we've made.
Part satire, part drama, and part unintentional prophecy, Black Mirror explores issues of tech and its unanticipated effects on modern society, using everything from dating sites and social media apps, to home security systems, online gaming, and robots. The episodes are essentially standalones with big budgets and often equally big-name cast members, stunning in both their variety and generally grim outlook on humanity and the world. (Pretty sure Season 3's "San Junipero" and Season 4's "Hang the DJ" are the only stories that have anything approaching a happy ending, so prepare your emotions and expectations accordingly.)
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'Everything Now' (2023 - Present)
Rotten Tomatoes: 82% | IMDb: 6.7/10
Everything Now
- Release Date
- October 5, 2023
- Cast
- Sophie Wilde , Vivienne Acheampong
Created by Ripley Parker, this British series follows the life of Sophie Wilde's Mia, who, after spending time in hospital for anorexia nervosa, is thrust back into her normal life and has to face the difficult task of rejoining her school. Already likened to shows like Heartstopper and Sex Education, Everything Now boasts a cast just as talented as the ensembles credited in the aforementioned comparatives, with the likes of Wilde, Vivienne Acheampong, Stephen Fry, and Sam Reuben, to name just four. Bringing a mixture of lighthearted comedy and emotive drama to a condition like anorexia that is rarely talked about in mainstream media, Everything Now is a beacon of not just humor but representation. - Jake Hodges
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'Heartstopper' (2022 - Present)
Rotten Tomatoes: 98% | IMDb: 8.6/10
Heartstopper
- Release Date
- April 22, 2022
- Cast
- Joe Locke , Kit Connor , William Gao , Yasmin Finney , Tobie Donovan , Olivia Colman
Created by Alice Oseman, based on her bestselling graphic novels, Heartstopper is one of the most beautifully crafted modern queer coming-of-age shows. Centering on perpetually awkward Charlie (Joe Locke), Heartstopper builds stories revolving around the importance of friendship, the blossoming of young love, and the rules of rugby. Co-starring as Charlie's band of misfits and outcasts are Yasmin Finney, Tobie Donovan, and William Gao, with Kit Conner (His Dark Materials) playing Charlie's love interest, Nick. With a first season focused on Charlie and Nick finding each other, season two welcomes more romance while diving into coming out narratives with an emphasis on staying true to yourself. – Yael Tygiel
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'Cunk on Earth' (2023)
Rotten Tomatoes: 100% | IMDb: 8.1/10
Cunk on Earth
- Release Date
- January 31, 2023
- Cast
- Diane Morgan
Actress and comedian Diane Morgan travels the world as the hilariously harebrained investigative journalist Philomena Cunk to dig into the history of the Earth. Morgan interviews experts and manages to keep a straight face as she asks the most inane questions to some of the world's leading historians. This mockumentary has a clever biting wit that's delivered through a dry and wry character, which makes every running gag and immensely patient scholar glitter like gold in a format that is typically reserved for simply laying out dull facts. You'll get this after you watch, but by the end, this show will really make you want to pump up the jam.
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'The Stranger' (2020)
Rotten Tomatoes: 83% | IMDb: 7.3/10
The Stranger
- Release Date
- January 30, 2020
The Stranger is a mysterious crime drama based on the novel by Harlan Coben. Starring Richard Armitage (Ocean's Eight), The Stranger follows a family from the English suburbs as a stranger (Hannah John-Kamen) inserts herself into their lives, revealing their secrets and upending their way of life. With unexpected discoveries over the course of eight episodes, The Stranger is an intensely thrilling story, captivating as each lie in the web is untangled. John-Kamen's portrayal of the intriguing stranger who knows too much is riveting, especially when facing established heavy hitters like Armitage, Anthony Head (Ted Lasso), and Jennifer Saunders. The Stranger is a suspenseful puzzle with unexpected twists at every turn. – Yael Tygiel
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'Peaky Blinders' (2013 - 2022)
Rotten Tomatoes: 93% | IMDb: 8.8/10
This endlessly addictive gangster period drama is set in the West Midlands industrial town of Birmingham in the 1920s, and follows the story of the series' titular gang, the Peaky Blinders, who earned their names thanks to the razor blades hidden in the brims of their caps. Cillian Murphy stars as Tommy Shelby, a World War I veteran turned gangland crime boss, who's determined to make his family one to be reckoned with, both financially and otherwise.
The result is five seasons (so far) of murder, betrayal, drug deals, blackmail, street fights, barroom brawls and shifting loyalties that's a thrilling rollercoaster ride from start to finish. Murphy's mercurial Tommy gets the lion's share of the limelight, battling everything from greed to ghosts to PTSD, but it's Helen McCrory's brassy Aunt Polly — a woman who's every inch as terrifying and capable as any of the gang's men — who repeatedly steals the show.
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'The Great British Baking Show' (2010 - Present)
Rotten Tomatoes: 87% | IMDb: 8.6/10
The most comforting and cozy reality TV series in existence, The Great British Baking Show will appeal to you even if your idea of baking is throwing some Betty Crocker brownie mix in a bowl. A cozy quest to find Britain's best baker, this is a series that's labeled as a competition, but is really just about everyone being super nice and supportive toward each other while making seriously amazing looking treats.
Known on the other side of the Atlantic as The Great British Bake-Off, this show feels like a breath of fresh air next to typical American cooking competitions like Top Chef, Chopped, or anything on which Gordon Ramsay appears. There's no backbiting, no sabotage, and its contestants are genuinely happy for and appreciative of their fellow bakers in the tent. Even the judges and hosts are kind, seeking to uplift and talk their charges through their various culinary crises, rather than mine the moments for tears. Occasionally, Mary Berry will pronounce something underbaked, or Paul Hollywood will side-eye a finished project before mentioning he'd like more or less of a certain flavor, but these low-stakes crises are exactly what we could all probably use more of right now.
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'The Crown' (2016 - 2023)
Rotten Tomatoes: 81% | IMDb: 8.6/10
Lavish historical drama The Crown is one of the most expensive Netflix series ever made — and certainly looks worth every penny. The story of the reign of Queen Elizabeth II, each season corresponds with roughly a decade of her time on the throne, and it has everything you could possibly want in a story of British royals — scandals, triumphs, intrigue and drama abound.
The series' rotating cast swaps out every two seasons to allow all the major players to age naturally, giving us fresh takes on both Her Majesty the Queen and all those around her. Claire Foy is a wonder as a young Elizabeth navigating the difficulties of coming to her throne, but her performance is more than equaled by Olivia Colman's turn as a middle-aged queen wondering if she's still a person beyond the crown she wears. (Imelda Staunton will debut as Elizabeth when the series reaches Season 5.) Though some of its historical moments aren't as accurate as they could be, the show's deft and honest presentation of both the weight and privilege the royal family entire is asked to carry will keep you coming back for more.
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'Derry Girls' (2018 - 2022)
Rotten Tomatoes: 99% | IMDb: 8.5/10
Derry Girls
- Release Date
- December 21, 2018
- Cast
- Saoirse-Monica Jackson , Louisa Harland , Tara Lynne O'Neill , Kathy Kiera Clarke
This loud, messy, heartfelt comedy follows the misadventures of six schoolgirls in Northern Ireland during the final days of the Troubles and is a sincere joy from start to finish. The potentially dark cloud of IRA bombings remains a constant presence in the background — see the episode in which an innocuous lie about a suitcase full of vodka brings in the bomb squad — but the series' late 1990s setting is as often conveyed as much by its excellent pop soundtrack as it is by terrorist threats.
Though this is probably a show you'll need to watch with the subtitles on – these accents are no joke – its relatable teen problems of unrequited crushes and unaffordable school trips are universal. The lead quartet of teens is wonderful, both individually and together - and whether brash Michelle, wistful Erin, goody-two-shoes Clare or weird Orla ends up being your ultimate favorite, you'll still love the awkward comradery between them all. Derry Girls is a story set in extraordinary times, but its very ordinariness is what makes it great.
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'Call the Midwife' (2012 - Present)
IMDb: 8.6/10
Call the Midwife
- Release Date
- January 15, 2012
- Cast
- Jenny Agutter , Judy Parfitt , Pam Ferris , Cliff Parisi
This heartwarming, emotional drama has been on the air for nine seasons so far and seems fairly set to run forever because there's always (I hope) going to be a space for stories about women helping other women. A period drama that began in the 1950s and has already reached the Swinging Sixties with no end in sight, Call the Midwife follows the story of the nuns and midwives of Nonnatus House, who serve the working-class families and immigrants of London's East End.
The series' rotating cast means a regular influx of fresh faces arriving on the scene, with a variety of backgrounds and stories of their own. (Miranda Hart's Chummy, a regular presence in the show's earlier seasons is a special delight.) Its utterly fearless attitude toward addressing the widest possible variety of heartbreaking physical and societal ailments means that the show tackles everything from abortion laws and poverty to miscarriages and thalidomide births. But though the show wholeheartedly celebrates life, death and tragedy are always lurking nearby, so keep a stack of Kleenex handy.
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