# Watching UK shows online **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 1, 2009, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/watching-uk-shows-online/495034 "2009-05-01T21:38:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![BrassyPhrase](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ea666f/32.png) [@BrassyPhrase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrassyPhrase)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2009, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/watching-uk-shows-online/495034/1 "2009-05-01T21:38:51Z")
UK Dopers, is there a site like Hulu or Sling that specializes in UK shows? Thanks! ---
**Author:** ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2009, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/watching-uk-shows-online/495034/2 "2009-05-01T21:52:52Z")
Each major ‘terrestrial’ station has online viewing. But unfortunately they are only available to UK residents. Often you can get the shows on youtube or if they are popular enough (top gear) you can dCOUGHownload them COUGH. ---
**Author:** ![longPath](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/bb73d2/32.png) [@longPath](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/longPath)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2009, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/watching-uk-shows-online/495034/3 "2009-05-01T22:01:36Z")
neither Sling nor Hulu work in Canada. Grrrrr. ---
**Author:** ![Smeghead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f1d935/32.png) [@Smeghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smeghead)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2009, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/watching-uk-shows-online/495034/4 "2009-05-01T22:24:14Z")
PM me. ---
**Author:** ![glee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b5a626/32.png) [@glee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/glee)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2009, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/watching-uk-shows-online/495034/5 "2009-05-01T22:24:30Z")
> [@Lobsang](#): > > Each major ‘terrestrial’ station has online viewing. But unfortunately they are only available to UK residents. [Here’s the BBC online viewer.](http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/) [And here’s Channel5 - which includes CSI and The Mentalist!](http://demand.five.tv/Home.aspx) ---
**Author:** ![BrassyPhrase](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ea666f/32.png) [@BrassyPhrase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrassyPhrase)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2009, 11:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/watching-uk-shows-online/495034/6 "2009-05-01T23:43:37Z")
> [@Lobsang](#): > > Each major ‘terrestrial’ station has online viewing. But unfortunately they are only available to UK residents. Often you can get the shows on youtube or if they are popular enough (top gear) you can dCOUGHownload them COUGH. Do ya’ll still have that TV tax thing? I’m just saying…dumping some tea… 😛 Thanks! ---
**Author:** ![Smeghead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f1d935/32.png) [@Smeghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smeghead)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2009, 12:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/watching-uk-shows-online/495034/7 "2009-05-02T00:11:34Z")
I know that at least the BBC online player won’t work for anyone coming from outside the UK. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Kobayashi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4af34b/32.png) [@Mr.Kobayashi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Kobayashi)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2009, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/watching-uk-shows-online/495034/8 "2009-05-02T00:24:24Z")
4od, ITV player, Sky player, for their respective networks. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2009, 5:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/watching-uk-shows-online/495034/9 "2009-05-02T05:38:22Z")
> [@](#): > > Here’s the BBC online viewer. Click on a link for a show and all we get is an announcement saying “Ha! That Revolution business doesn’t seem like such a smart idea now, does it, Yank?” Okay, actually it says “Currently BBC iPlayer TV programmes are available to play in the UK only.” And the Channel5 announcement is “Sorry this show is for UK audiences only.” ---
**Author:** ![Claire\_Beauchamp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ec9cab/32.png) [@Claire\_Beauchamp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Claire_Beauchamp)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2009, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/watching-uk-shows-online/495034/10 "2009-05-02T16:32:06Z")
There are a lot of UK shows (mostly older ones) on Netflix Instant. I’ve watched the entire run of _As Time Goes By_ there. ---
**Author:** ![choie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/choie/32/7829_2.png) [@choie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/choie)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2009, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/watching-uk-shows-online/495034/11 "2009-05-02T17:00:03Z")
Yes, Netflix “Watch Instantly” is great if you like older sitcoms and some dramas: Coupling Red Dwarf The Office Monty Python (first season only so far) Yes Minister Yes Prime Minister Good Life / Good Neighbors (very VERY underrated show) Fawlty Towers As Time Goes By Keeping Up Appearances Little Britain Waiting for God Chef Last of the Summer Wine Vicar of Dibley Several miniseries such as North and South, Wives and Daughters, Daniel Deronda, Middlemarch, Madame Bovary, Anna Karenina, The Way Things Are Now, Bleak House, He Knew He Was Right, and others Doctor Who (old and new) Spooks / MI5 All Creatures Great and Small Ballykissangel Monarch of the Glen Campion, Inspector Linley, Mrs. Bradley, Poirot and Miss Marple mystery series The Avengers (with Diana Rigg, woohoo!) Duchess of Duke Street The ooooold versions of Pride & Prejudice, Sense & Sensibility\*, Emma\*, Mansfield Park … and so on. - Ignore these and check out the 1995 / 1996 films, with Emma Thompson and Gwyneth Paltrow, both of which are available instantly as well) ---
**Author:** ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2009, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/watching-uk-shows-online/495034/12 "2009-05-02T18:42:59Z")
I believe it’s possible to trick a webpage into thinking you are in a country you’re not in. Our IT dept people do it often. I have no idea how, and the IT dept is not here for a few days. ---
**Author:** ![gaffa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e68b1a/32.png) [@gaffa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gaffa)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2009, 4:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/watching-uk-shows-online/495034/13 "2009-05-03T04:39:51Z")
> [@Lobsang](#): > > I believe it’s possible to trick a webpage into thinking you are in a country you’re not in. Our IT dept people do it often. > > I have no idea how, and the IT dept is not here for a few days. I’ve done it with a FireFox add-on called [FoxyProxy](http://foxyproxy.mozdev.org/). It relays your request through a proxy server. The problem is that you need a proxy address in the country you wish to view, and they appear and disappear constantly, requiring [web sites that list them](http://www.samair.ru/) and other sites with [configuration instructions](http://www.showmethetelly.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=2). Good luck! ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2009, 10:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/watching-uk-shows-online/495034/14 "2009-05-03T10:41:04Z")
> [@choie](#): > > Yes, Netflix “Watch Instantly” is great if you like older sitcoms and some dramas: Very nice. I have never taken advantage of that. Good to know.