Summary

• British TV shows offer hidden gems that haven't been discovered by mainstream audiences, showcasing the country's dry wit and localized observations.
• From Ghosts to Lovesick, these underrated shows reflect diverse voices and tackle challenging real-world narratives.
• Happy Valley and A Spy Among Friends deserve renewed interest from American viewers, offering compelling storytelling and unique perspectives.

British TV has fascinated the global market with hits like Downton Abbey and Fleabag, but the United Kingdom also offers some hidden gems that have yet to be discovered by mainstream audiences. These include some cult favorites produced by local British networks like BBC and ITV, as well as productions picked up by streaming platforms like Netflix and HBO Max. What sets these shows apart from their American counterparts is the typical dry wit that categorizes British humor and localized observations on Britain’s changing social and cultural landscape. They defy the stereotypes of the usual period dramas that the UK television culture is associated with.

Over the last few years, American viewers have been introduced to wildly popular British shows on Netflix such as Sex Education, Peaky Blinders, and The Crown. Even relatively older shows like House and Luther have found a resurgence since they were made available on streaming. But amidst these mainstream titles, a few niche examples remain underrated. From humorous tragicomedies to introspective crime dramas, these shows end up reflecting diverse voices from the United Kingdom. This diversity is evident from the challenging real-world narratives they dabble in along with the vibrant creative minds behind them.

10 Ghosts (2019-Present)

Before it inspired the American supernatural comedy of the same name, Ghosts started out as a BBC sitcom. As the title implies, Ghosts revolves around its titular figures haunting a couple that has just moved into a decaying country house. Delightfully satirizing paranormal cliches, Ghosts elevates its simple premise into a surprisingly profound tale of love and loss. Each ghost dates from a particular historical period and has its own reason for haunting the protagonists. But the symbiotic relationship that blossoms between the humans and their spooky companions makes the show an optimistic watch for children and adults alike.

9 I May Destroy You (2020)

Emmy-winning writer and comedienne Michaela Coel earned her initial fame in the country as the creative force behind the sitcom Chewing Gum. However, upon encountering a traumatic incident during her early career, Coel chose to dramatize such true events for I May Destroy You. The harrowing dark comedy finds Coel playing a writer whose life changes forever after being sexually assaulted in a club. With a fine balance of human tragedy and observational humor, I May Destroy You addresses some difficult questions in a post #MeToo era. For its multiple tones and social commentary, Coel’s conversation-starter of a series arguably deserves the same level of recognition enjoyed by a tragicomedy like Fleabag.

8 Happy Valley (2014-2023)

Sarah Lancashire delivered a career-best performance as Police Sergeant Catherine Cawood in the three-season police procedural drama Happy Valley. Each season deals with a particular crime but the recurring theme that can grab viewers is the lead investigator’s personal and professional struggles. From the drama’s deadpan humor-evoking dialogues to slow-burning moments of lingering silence, Happy Valley is a rewarding watch for patient viewers. Even though the BBC One original earned 4 BAFTA Awards, the British show isn’t that popular in the States. But considering Americans’ fascination with genre favorites like True Detective and Mare of Easttown, Happy Valley deserves a renewed interest.

7 Man Like Mobeen (2017-Presents)

Man Like Mobeen explores the daily misadventures of its titular protagonist and his fellow Pakistani-origin British brethren. Instead of engaging in any preachy discourses on racial stereotypes, the bingeworthy comedy series creates drama out of mundane situations to explore the realities that many British immigrants face on a day-to-day basis. With showrunner Guz Khan exploring the emotional dilemmas of the reformed criminal Mobeen Deen, Man Like Mobeen truly ranks among the most underrated British shows on Netflix.

6 Spaced (1999-2001)

Before the comedic duo of Simon Pegg and Nick Frost ed forces with filmmaker Edgar Wright for the acclaimed Three Flavours Cornetto movies, the three comedic powerhouses collaborated for a massively under-watched sitcom. Spaced starts off with Simon Pegg and Jessica Stevenson playing two strangers who unexpectedly decide to move in together. In the midst of this new residential arrangement, these two mismatched leads along with Pegg’s on-screen best friend played by Nick Frost, embark on absurd adventures every day. Some episodes also find them going off on surrealistic, imaginary trips. With Wright churning out creatively absurdist humor out of low-budget settings, Spaced foreshadowed the British auteur’s rise to stardom.

5 The Essex Serpent (2022)

The Essex Serpent might seem like a conventional British period drama on the surface but as its plot unfurls like the titular creature, the show turns out to be a Gothic romance par excellence. Acclaimed talents like Claire Danes and Tom Hiddleston lead The Essex Serpent cast, adding an air of mystery and tragedy to their performance. While Danes plays a widow seeking a mythical serpent, Hiddleston stars as a pastor who makes the heroine question her own rationality. Apart from the leads’ Moby Dick-like pursuit of a fabled beast, The Essex Serpent is worth watching, if for no other reason than the debates it offers on science and skepticism in a bygone era.

4 Top Boy (2011-2023)

Exploring the personal lives of two London-based drug dealers, Top Boy offered a non-judgmental take on modern crime in the bustling capital of England. Despite Channel 4 dropping the show after two seasons, Netflix revived it with Canadian rapper Drake serving as an executive producer. Despite engaging a cult fandom and earning immensely positive reviews from critics, Top Boy remains an underappreciated British gem. Ashley Walters and Kane Robinson’s multidimensional performances as the morally gray leads make Top Boy a crime saga with immense emotional depth. With just five seasons, it’s a solid binge for non-British viewers.

3 Flowers (2016-2018)

While it continues to find its home in the hidden corners of Netflix, the Channel 4 comedy Flowers boasts a stellar ensemble led by Oscar-winner Olivia Colman, British comedic legend Julian Barratt and The White Lotus season 2 star Will Sharpe. Focusing on the tragic affairs of a dysfunctional family, Flowers subverts family drama tropes to paint an emotionally poignant tale of generational trauma. It does have its fair share of quotable one-liners but Flowers also addresses sensitive topics like depression and self-harm. And yet instead of fetishizing mental health issues, Flowers makes for a great, teary-eyed watch.

2 A Spy Among Friends (2022)

Much like the United States, Britain has no shortage of fast-paced spy thrillers. But in A Spy Among Friends, the espionage genre is worked around to address the heartbreaking end to a friendship. Inspired by true events during the Cold War, the historical drama miniseries stars Damian Lewis as a committed MI6 officer who is faced with the possibility of his professional peer and close friend (played by an equally convincing Guy Pearce) being a Soviet double agent. With dialogue-driven drama replacing action-packed thrills, A Spy Among Friends makes for a more philosophical spy drama that even Americans can enjoy if they are seeking a more unconventional Cold War story.

1 Lovesick (2014-2018)

Also known by its notorious original title Scrotal Recall, Lovesick is a sitcom about a playboy diagnosed with an STI. Upon hearing the news of his diagnosis, Johnny Flynn’s romantically-stunted protagonist goes on a journey of redemption, apologizing to every person that he has slept with in the past. Unabashedly raunchy and yet unexpectedly heartwarming in scenes, Lovesick is an entertaining comedy about how friendships and romances evolve over time. Each episode focuses on a particular partner from the hero’s past, dabbling in both flashbacks and present scenarios to explore these changes. Fans of self-reflective character-driven British comedies like After Life and Fleabag are bound to adore Lovesick.