British TV Shows

I just got home and was settling down for the evening. I pulled up Hulu to find something to watch and was so happy to see they just started carrying Miranda! I’m so excited! It’s been on my list and I have only been able to find a few episodes on youtube. I have to say I love being able to watch British shows. I grew up on PBS so appreciate the dry humor. I’m inspired to list out some of latest favorites:

Dramas:
Survivors. It’s like a British version of Walking Dead, but instead of zombies it’s a deadly virus. Be forewarned that they only made two seasons and it ends abruptly – no closure. Netflix streaming.
Sherlock. The modern version with Bendict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman. I like the cinematography. Much better than the American version. Netflix streaming.

Detective:
Midsommer Murders. This show started in 1997 and is still running, kind of like the long running Law and Order. Instead of being set in NYC it’s in a quiet hamlet and there’s no order – just the detective work. Netflix streaming.
Inspector Lewis. A spin off from the Inspector Morris series and set in Oxford. Netflix (early seasons) and PBS (latest episodes) streaming.
Foyle’s War. A good period piece set during WWII. Netflix streaming.
Inspector Lynley. Pairs a posh aristocrat and a working class detective and based on mystery books that I have read before. Netflix streaming.
Luther. Different than the other British detective shows – this one is much more intense and set in London instead of some quiet country who dunit. Netflix streaming.

Comedy:
Coupling. Ok, this one has been off the air for ages and I watched it years ago, I still like rewatching it. It’s like a British version of Friends. Netflix streaming.
IT Crowd. Another series that’s done and over but I still rewatch it. Totally relate to the nerds! Netflix streaming.

InBetweeners.  This is about a group of awkward teenage boys.  I’m not the targeted audience but I was surprised to find I quite enjoyed the show.  Not quite sure what that says about me.  Plus there is a movie too.  Hulu Plus, Netflix Streaming.

SPY. Fun little family comedy. Divorced dad that’s trying to win over his sons affections and accidently ends up as a spy. Hulu Plus.
Whites. It’s like a funny version of Hell’s Kitchen. Ok not really, it’s just about the cooks in a hotel kitchen. Hulu Plus.
Not Going Out. This one is like Seinfield in that it’s based around a comedian – Lee Mack. Except he plays a less successful character in all things (business and romance). I stumbled upon it from WILTY (see below) that Lee Mack was on. And discovered Miranda from this since she was a character on the show. Youtube.
Miranda. I love her! She’s so funny and great at the physical humor. Her thing is to turn mid-scene and talk to the camera. The show was a surprise hit in the UK and has completely taken off. Hulu Plus.

Comedy/Drama:
Kingdom. Stars Stephen Fry who is a country solicitor. In American, a local lawyer in a small village. Netflix streaming.
Doc Martin. A big city surgeon is suddenly afflicted with an issue at seeing blood and is forced to become a general practitioner in a small village. Plus he’s socially awkward – talk about no bedside manner! Netflix streaming.

Late Night:
I’m not a big fan of Letterman or Leno so didn’t really think this was a genre for me… that is until I discovered the British version. It’s so more civilized – they actually spend longer chunks of time talking with the guests. I always feel like the US version assumes we all have limited attention spans. Plus they’ve figured out a gay host is so much more entertaining than some stiff straight guy in a suit.
Graham Norton Show. I’ve been watching this one a lot. Lots of American celebrities. Check out the one with Mark Walberg. He’s had a bit too much to drink. It’s a train wreck of a show but very entertaining. Youtube.
Chatty Man. My next favorite that has me in stitches sometimes. Alan Carr is so personable. I would love to be interviewed by him. I think he was friends with Adel before they both hit it big. Check out the first one she’s on the show with him. Although my favorites are the ones where he interviews One Direction. Youtube.
Jonathan Ross. Proof that you don’t have to be gay and can still have a great show. Check out the ones with Gordon Ramsay. He’s such a different character in real life than what he is on his Hell shows. Youtube.

Comedian Game Shows:
I didn’t even know this genre existed! I’m not a fan of game shows. But game shows with comedians as the contestants – absolutely!
Would I Lie To You (WILTY). This one is my favorite right now! It speaks to my love of making up stories. Two teams are anchored by comedians Lee Mack and David Mitchell who are awesome and work off each other well. Hosted by Rob Brydon who does some great impressions sometimes and is from Swansea! Youtube.
QI. Hosted by Stephen Fry who created the show in response to the decline of intellectual content in shows on TV these days. You learn marvelous obscure tidbits of knowledge about different subjects. Like Julius Caesar wore a laurel wreath because he was bald and vain. And the invention comb over is attributed to him. The contestants are composed of a variety of comedians plus comedian Alan Davies whose on every episode. Youtube.

List of shows I want to check out but can’t find yet (for free) beyond a random episode/clips:
Extras. A Ricky Gervais/Stephen Merchant comedy set in the world of Hollywood that has an outstanding list of guest stars.
Episodes. This one is on Showetime and BBC and is an American/British comedy starring Matt LeBlanc (from Friends). It’s set in the world of Hollywood too.
Black Mirror. A black comedy/drama about our use of technology. A sci-fi satire reminiscent of The Twilight Zone.
Mobile. Another drama critiquing our use of technology, specifically cell phones. This is just a 3-part series.

Writing it all down, it’s quite a list. Alot of the streaming is incomplete, especially for the shows that are still running. So you can pace yourself.  What’s crazy is the web of connections. You’ll see a lot of overlap of stars between the shows. The receptionist in Kingdom stars as the boss in The IT Crowd and the manager in Whites. The sous chef in Whites is the father in SPY. The lawyer in Kingdom is the host on QI. The anchor comedian on QI is the head chef in Whites. The star of Miranda is the cleaning lady on Not Going Out. The star of Not Going Out is a team leader on WILTY and guest on QI. You get the idea.

I love having all these viewing options. Paying for an internet connection and subscribing to Netflix streaming and Hulu Plus is so much cheaper than getting cable (which doesn’t have the selections anyways). And I can stream Netflix, Hulu and PBS on my TV through my Roku. I was on the fence of buying a second TV but came up with an ingenious alternative. I have an extra monitor that I hook up my ipad to and stream everything on, including youtube. Enjoy!