When Father Ted turned 30 earlier this year, I gave it another re-watch - and it remains as sharply hilarious as ever. Beginning at the end of this month, BritBox will beginning adding seasons of the show back to their platform, so if you haven't seen it before, you'll have the chance. The series follows a group of misfit priests living together on a little island off the coast of Ireland, and it remains one of the most influential comedies in British and Irish TV history (it's set in...
18 days ago • 3 min read
Detectorists is one of the most wonderfully unique, unmistakably British TV shows ever made - and its creator and star, Mackenzie Crook, has a new show coming soon. Small Prophets reunites Crook with Detectorists co-star Pearce Quigley, who stars as Michael Sleep, a lonely DIY store worker whose quiet life is upended when his father (Sir Michael Palin) shares a bizarre alchemical recipe that might just summon magical spirits with the power to predict the future. As Michael sets out to find...
21 days ago • 2 min read
Every now and then, we see a few older BBC shows popping up randomly over on Amazon Prime Video - often, shows that either haven't been on other major services or haven't been on them in a long time. We've just spotted a couple we hadn't seen on other services: A Thing Called Love (2004) - In Nottingham, a man seeks who paints and decorates houses seeks true love (but it doesn't always go smoothly for him and his girlfriend). Lead Balloon (2006) - This sitcom follows a struggling stand-up...
26 days ago • 2 min read
Today, Gavin & Stacey is 18! This charming classic series first aired on May 13th in 2007. The series follows the long-distance relationship between Gavin (Mathew Horne), an easygoing guy from Essex, and Stacey (Joanna Page), a sweet and slightly shy Welsh woman. As their romance blossoms, their eccentric families and outspoken best friends—Smithy (James Corden) and Nessa (Ruth Jones)—add plenty of chaos and laughs along the way. The show is unique in that many consider the titular characters...
30 days ago • 4 min read
This week, the British TV series MI-5 (aka Spooks) turns 23. First broadcast on May 13th in 2002, the fast-paced espionage drama became known for its gritty realism, shocking character deaths (don't get attached), and storylines that reflected real-world political tensions. Over its 10-series run, the series introduced audiences to a number of actors who have since become household names. Matthew Macfadyen (Succession) played original team leader Tom Quinn, while Keeley Hawes (The Durrells)...
about 1 month ago • 2 min read
This weekend marks 28 years since the premiere of Jonathan Creek, the clever and unconventional mystery series that quickly became a cult favorite. First airing on 10 May 1997, the show introduced us to the brilliant but eccentric Jonathan Creek, a magician’s consultant who used his keen eye for illusion and logic to solve seemingly impossible crimes. Played by Alan Davies, Creek was a refreshingly quirky addition to the world of British detectives, paired initially with journalist Maddy...
about 1 month ago • 2 min read
Today marks 15 years since the premiere of Luther, the now-classic British crime drama starring Idris Elba as a morally complex detective who struggles with the darkness of the world and its people. Ruth Wilson plays Alice Morgan, a brilliant but evil woman who enjoys making his life complicated. To celebrate the anniversary, we put together a fun minstrel-style song about Luther, which you can check out HERE. In the US, you can watch Luther on Acorn TV, AMC+, BritBox, Hulu, and Pluto TV...
about 1 month ago • 3 min read
Today marks 9 years since the 2016 premiere of the dark comedy Flowers, which starred Olivia Colman and Julian Barratt as heads of the deeply unconventional Flowers family. Set in a rambling, crumbling country house, it follows children’s book author Maurice (Barratt) and music teacher Deborah (Colman) as they navigate depression, dysfunction, and long-buried secrets alongside their eccentric adult twins and a live-in illustrator from Japan. The series blends offbeat humor with emotional...
about 2 months ago • 2 min read
Before we dive into this week’s British TV news, we want to take a moment to remember actress and screenwriter Jean Marsh, who died on April 13th. In 1971, Marsh co-created Upstairs, Downstairs—a groundbreaking drama that would go on to become one of the most beloved and influential series in British TV history. At a time when women in the UK still couldn’t apply for a mortgage without a male guarantor, Marsh’s achievement (alongside Dame Eileen Atkins) was nothing short of remarkable. She...
about 2 months ago • 3 min read