Summer is upon us, and I’d like to fill some evenings with good, new-to-me, television watching via Netflix. So…
Which of your television shows do you think an American would enjoy? Recent or older, dramas or comedies or non-fiction, cop shows or doctor shows or historical or… whatever, it’s all good.
(I don’t have cable, so even shows that have been on BBC America qualify as “new” for me.)
I’m an American, but I vote for Coupling. One of the best-written comedies ever.
Yes, Coupling is pretty funny, or at least for the first 3 series anyway. I think the last one is lame.
The Office is very good, if you haven’t seen it already.
If you like spy show, MI-5 (it’s actually called Spooks in the UK) is also pretty good. However, I’ll warn you that the Netflix Watch Instantly version of this show is an edited version of the original, and I highly recommend that you get the DVD in the mail instead. Both the original broadcast and the DVD are 58 minutes per episode, whereas the Watch Instantly version has been edited down to 50 minutes only.
I haven’t seen them, but Torchwood and Doctor Who are popular and supposed to be good. I’ll get to them some day…
FWIW, there are approximately eleven gazillion “Recommend me some good British shows” threads out there, which would probably give you all you need for the foreseeable future.
I liked Shameless (series set on a Manchester public housing estate and focusing on a disfunctional family), of which one season (of seven in total) is available via Netflix and Skins (series about teenagers in college in Bristol), of which three series (of four in total) are available via Netflix. And I also recommend Slings & Arrows (Canadian series about a Shakespearean theater company), of which three seasons (of three in total) are available via Netflix.
Edited to add that I agree with the recommendations of MI-5 (aka Spooks), The Office and Coupling.
A couple of guys I know get paid to sit in the pub on the Shameless series.
Not a Brit, but Black Books is amazingly good.
Doctor who is good fun, but feels a bit cheesy sometimes.
Gavin & Stacey
Don’t know if the appeal will cross the atlantic, but with half hour episodes you won’t waste much time finding out.
And since it was mentioned in another thread, I was reminded of Father Ted, which is hilarious.
Excellent! A handful of shows I’ve never heard of before to check out. Thanks!
And Waffle Decider, thanks for the warning on MI5/Spooks.
The Smoking Room and Green Wing are truly incredible British sitcoms, although the latter stretches all boundaries of conventional sitcoms, and is a little more difficult to get into. However, it is entirely worth it.
There’s also a very short-lived series called My Life in Film which has just six episodes, and was never released on DVD. It should be rattling around the internet somewhere if you’re willing to partake in such treachery, and I highly recommend that you do, because it’s inspired.
Other nods go to the charming original six-episode 1981 television adaptation of The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, as well as the recent series Dead Set about a zombie epidemic sweeping through Britain, leaving the inhabitants of the Big Brother house as the only survivors.
As mentioned earlier, I’m not sure how well any of these will translate to a US audience, but they’re all fantastic. I also fervently second the recommendation of Black Books.
Black Books gets several mentions already but no-one has recommended Spaced?
Spaced
Job done.
Oh, if you like Black Books and Spaced see also The IT Crowd and Lab Rats.
From a recent thread, I’ve discovered QI on youtube.
Two of a kind here. Recently we had the series Rome, and in the late 70’s/early 80’s (not sure which) there was I Claudius with Dereck Jacoby.
Sci-Fi wise try the six part series Ultraviolet.
A comedy show that apparently ony I liked was Nightingales, about 3 nightwatchmen in an office block.
One of my all time favourites is The Young Ones. A documentary about student life at an English university.
And as it was originaly filmed over here I also mention The Muppet Show.
rofl 
I’m an American who likes British shows. I recommend Ideal to anyone who likes Weeds, Being Human to folks who like True Blood, and Primeval to people who liked Jurassic Park but wishes it was sillier/had a higher body count of the main cast.
“Yes, Minister” and “Yes, Prime Minister” are both available on Netflix streaming.