{TV} The art form of TV is NOT yet dead! Proven by these programmes; whether in the format of drama, comedy drama, ents, or factual
by SceneByScene | created - 12 Feb 2018 | updated - 1 week ago | PublicThese are TV programmes that show that great television is still being made. They prove that well-thought-out craftsmanship is the basis of a good TV programme.
In this list are TV broadcasts that are either in the format of a dramatic tale, a sitcom/comedy drama, an entertainment programme, or a documentary/factual production. Some are a multi-episode series, and some are a 1-off programme.
All are programmes that stand out from the overall TV output. They are particularly well put together in their artistic style - be it ground-breaking, different, or just plain good.
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NOTE re TV programmes I have chosen to include in this list:
In order to keep this list pertinent to its implication - by the "yet" in the list title - that the programmes cited are of a more recent TV output, I chose to leave out older series. Superb series - e.g. programmes from the 1990s - such as 'Drop the Dead Donkey' (1990–98) spring to mind; and still older series that snaked back into the '80s! - e.g. 'Seinfeld' (1989–98).
I thus opted to include only TV progs made from (approx.!) the year 2000 onwards.
However, a few of the older greats just crept their way ,-) onto the list! (Although they were, at least, all from the final decade of the last century . . . rather than rolling back further still ,-) to the 1980s!) I have included several outstanding series, that lasted till the Noughties but began back in the '90s. These include, amongst other great TV programmes, the sitcoms 'Frasier' (1993–2004) & '3rd Rock from the Sun' (1996–2001). I have also included a FEW programmes of the 1990s: they had just stuck in my mind as so memorable. One of these was a superb miniseries - 'Takin' Over the Asylum' (1994) - starring Ken Stott & a very young man now well-known to viewers: David Tennant. It is so brilliant a programme in concept & delivery that I automatically put it on this list before I remembered it was such an early TV drama! I had watched it 25 years before I created this list (!), but I still remembered the programme's powerful effect on me. That is the timelessness & quality of certain TV programmes.
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{w.i.p. - i.e. list is not yet fully updated in this respect:}
NOTE re date I first watched the programmes in this list:
If no watch date is notated by me in this list, then I watched the programme when it was INITIALLY broadcast on UK TV.
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1. Inside No. 9 (2014– )
TV-MA | 30 min | Comedy, Crime, Drama
Genre-mixing anthology series, inviting viewers into some very different and enigmatic No. 9s.
Stars: Reece Shearsmith, Steve Pemberton, Derek Jacobi, Aimee-Ffion Edwards
Votes: 19,655
2. Dates (2013)
210 min | Drama, Romance
The social minefield that is 21st century dating.
Stars: Oona Chaplin, Ben Chaplin, Will Mellor, Gemma Chan
Votes: 1,870
3. Keeping Faith (2017–2021)
Not Rated | 60 min | Drama, Mystery, Thriller
Faith, a small-town Welsh lawyer, is forced to cut short her extended maternity leave when her husband and business partner, Evan, goes missing. As the truth of his actions surface, Faith must fight to protect her family and her sanity.
Stars: Eve Myles, Bradley Freegard, Mark Lewis Jones, Hannah Daniel
Votes: 5,834
Having now watched the last series (Series 3), I have had to reduce my rating of this show to only 5/10 stars. This is a reduction from the 8/10 I gave as a rating after watching Series 1. This rating change is because the programme faltered after Series 1. It somehow lost its way.
IMHO the programme could/should have ended after Series 1, with of course a neater last episode to that series. That final episode could have pulled together all the last - open - threads to the story, giving the ending to the drama the definition it needed.
If the programme HAD ended after Series 1, it would have retained the rating of 8/10 stars. If it had even ended after Series 2, then I would have rated it 7/10 stars. As it was, after Series 3 the programme dropped - greatly - in my estimation.
4. Human Trafficking (2005)
13+ | 63 min | Crime, Drama, Mystery
Girls that have been kidnapped a d sold as slaves, police find and help them back to their home and family.
Stars: Robert Carlyle, Mira Sorvino, Donald Sutherland, Anna Hopkins
Votes: 7,158
5. McMafia (2018)
TV-14 | 60 min | Crime, Drama, Thriller
Alex Godman has spent his life trying to escape the shadow of his family's past. But when a murder unearths their past, Alex is drawn into the criminal underworld where he must confront his values to protect those he loves.
Stars: Yoalah Brinson, James Norton, Merab Ninidze, Kirill Pirogov
Votes: 17,039
6. The Night Manager (2016–2024)
TV-14 | 346 min | Crime, Drama, Mystery
The night manager of a Cairo hotel is recruited to infiltrate an arms dealer's inner circle.
Stars: Tom Hiddleston, Hugh Laurie, Elizabeth Debicki, Olivia Colman
Votes: 103,231
7. Mum (2016–2019)
TV-14 | 30 min | Comedy
After the death of her husband, a woman attempts to rebuild her life while surrounded by her sometimes problematic family and friends.
Stars: Lesley Manville, Peter Mullan, Sam Swainsbury, Lisa McGrillis
Votes: 3,699
8. Roger & Val Have Just Got In (2010–2012)
29 min | Comedy
Comedy drama about the day to day lives of husband and wife, Roger and Val. After they've just got in from work.
Stars: Dawn French, Alfred Molina, Theo Efrimidis
Votes: 408
9. Boss (2011–2012)
TV-MA | 60 min | Crime, Drama
Mayor Tom Kane, diagnosed with a dementia disorder, struggles to keep his grip on power in Chicago.
Stars: Kelsey Grammer, Connie Nielsen, Hannah Ware, Jeff Hephner
Votes: 18,361
10. Ripper Street (2012–2016)
TV-MA | 59 min | Crime, Drama, Mystery
The streets of Whitechapel are the haunt of Detective Inspector Edmund Reid and his team of officers, who aim to maintain law and order in a place once terrorized by Jack the Ripper.
Stars: Matthew Macfadyen, Adam Rothenberg, MyAnna Buring, Jerome Flynn
Votes: 22,515
11. Being Human (2008–2013)
TV-14 | 60 min | Comedy, Drama, Fantasy
A werewolf, a vampire, and a ghost try to live together and get along.
Stars: Lenora Crichlow, Russell Tovey, Aidan Turner, Sinéad Keenan
Votes: 26,544
12. Friday Night Dinner (2011–2020)
TV-14 | 24 min | Comedy
Two siblings share their Friday-night dinners at their parents' home and, somehow, something always goes wrong.
Stars: Tamsin Greig, Simon Bird, Paul Ritter, Tom Rosenthal
Votes: 22,219
13. Episodes (2011–2017)
TV-MA | 30 min | Comedy
A couple of British TV producers move to Hollywood to export their most popular series, and find it is not what they expected.
Stars: Matt LeBlanc, Stephen Mangan, Tamsin Greig, John Pankow
Votes: 36,573
14. Humans (2015–2018)
TV-14 | 42 min | Drama, Sci-Fi
In a parallel present where the latest must-have gadget for any busy family is a 'Synth'--a highly-developed robotic servant that's so similar to a real human--is transforming the way we live.
Stars: Katherine Parkinson, Gemma Chan, Lucy Carless, Tom Goodman-Hill
Votes: 42,458
15. The Good Wife (2009–2016)
TV-14 | 43 min | Crime, Drama, Mystery
Alicia Florrick has been a good wife to her husband, a former state's attorney. After a very humiliating sex and corruption scandal, he is behind bars. She must now provide for her family and returns to work as a litigator in a law firm.
Stars: Julianna Margulies, Chris Noth, Josh Charles, Matt Czuchry
Votes: 82,784
16. Sherlock (2010–2017)
TV-14 | 90 min | Crime, Drama, Mystery
The quirky spin on Conan Doyle's iconic sleuth pitches him as a "high-functioning sociopath" in modern-day London. Assisting him in his investigations: Afghanistan War vet John Watson, who's introduced to Holmes by a mutual acquaintance.
Stars: Benedict Cumberbatch, Martin Freeman, Una Stubbs, Rupert Graves
Votes: 999,302
17. Derek (2012–2014)
TV-MA | 23 min | Comedy, Drama
Derek is a loyal nursing home care assistant who sees only the good in his quirky co-workers as they struggle against prejudice and shrinking budgets to care for their elderly residents.
Stars: Ricky Gervais, Kerry Godliman, David Earl, Tim Barlow
Votes: 35,599
18. Tracey Ullman's Show (2016–2018)
TV-MA | 30 min | Comedy
Tracey Ullman returns to British screens with this new sketch show, introducing us to a slew of new comic characters and impersonations of celebrities.
Stars: Tracey Ullman, Lucy Montgomery, Jason Forbes, Tony Gardner
Votes: 708
19. Tracey Breaks the News (2017–2018)
30 min | Comedy
Tracey Ullman impersonates political figures as well as everyday people all reacting to the aftermath of the 2017 British election and one year anniversary of Brexit in this one-off satirical comedy special.
Stars: Tracey Ullman, Tony Gardner, Laurence Howarth, Laurence Rickard
Votes: 183
20. Popstar to Operastar (2010– )
90 min | Music, Reality-TV
Eight pop stars or musicians have to learn how to sing opera. They are mentored by classical singer Katherine Jenkins and opera singer Rolando Villazon. One will get voted off each week until there is a winner.
Stars: Myleene Klass, Katherine Jenkins, Rolando Villazón, Simon Callow
Votes: 23
21. Great Performances (1971– )
TV-G | 180 min | Music, Musical
Filmed and televised versions of theater productions, such as plays, musicals, operas, ballets, and concerts from around the world.
Stars: Scott Yoo, Julie Andrews, Renée Fleming, Plácido Domingo
Votes: 896
This webpage is IMDb's only citation of the UK programme 'Operatunity', broadcast in the UK in 2003. P.S. The lack of an IMDb webpage covering the TV series 'Operatunity' itself is clearly a fault at IMDb.com! ,-)
SYNOPSIS of 'Operatunity' (2003):
This TV series is about a group of people in the UK who have a keen desire to sing opera, but have not had the opportunity to do so. Over the duration of the programme the participants are put through intensive auditions and training. At the end of the series one of the contestants will be voted the winner by the panel of judges, and as a prize will get to star in a real opera performance.
[Reason for citation at IMDb webpage re 'Great Performances' (1971 TV series):
This webpage re the programme 'Great Performances' is does not cover the TV programme 'Operatunity' per se. Instead it details a DIFFERENT TV series, from the US, named 'Great Performances' (a long-standing programme that started in 1971). In the US series 'Great Performances' there was 1 episode that formed a compilation of parts of the UK's 'Operatunity' TV series.]
22. Up the Women (2013–2015)
TV-PG | 174 min | Comedy, History
A group of Suffragists band together to spread the word--but they need to learn their own lessons first.
Stars: Jessica Hynes, Vicki Pepperdine, Emma Pierson, Judy Parfitt
Votes: 427
23. Jane the Virgin (2014–2019)
TV-PG | 60 min | Comedy
A young, devout Catholic woman discovers that she was accidentally artificially inseminated.
Stars: Gina Rodriguez, Andrea Navedo, Yael Grobglas, Justin Baldoni
Votes: 59,081
24. Medium (2005–2011)
TV-14 | 60 min | Crime, Drama, Fantasy
Suburban mom Allison DuBois attempts to balance family life with solving mysteries using her special gift. The dead send her visions of their deaths or other crimes while she sleeps.
Stars: Patricia Arquette, Miguel Sandoval, Jake Weber, Sofia Vassilieva
Votes: 31,131
25. Car Share (2015–2020)
30 min | Comedy
Assistant manager John Redmond and promotions rep Kayleigh Kitson are forced to commute together every day. But will they get along?
Stars: Peter Kay, Sian Gibson, Danny Swarsbrick, Guy Garvey
Votes: 5,574
26. No Offence (I) (2015–2018)
TV-MA | 42 min | Crime, Drama, Mystery
Follows a group of police officers on the front line wondering what they did to end up where they are now, on the ugly side of Manchester.
Stars: Joanna Scanlan, Elaine Cassidy, Will Mellor, Paul Ritter
Votes: 6,727
27. Shooting the Past (1999– )
182 min | Drama, History
A US property developer realises that he has a battle on his hands when he tries to renovate a London building containing a vast photographic collection and discovers that the library employees will resort to anything to thwart him.
Stars: Lindsay Duncan, Timothy Spall, Liam Cunningham, Billie Whitelaw
Votes: 1,307
28. House M.D. (2004–2012)
TV-14 | 45 min | Drama, Mystery
Using a crack team of doctors and his wits, an antisocial maverick doctor specializing in diagnostic medicine does whatever it takes to solve puzzling cases that come his way.
Stars: Hugh Laurie, Omar Epps, Robert Sean Leonard, Jesse Spencer
Votes: 513,971
29. Nip/Tuck (2003–2010)
TV-MA | 44 min | Drama
Two plastic surgeons--one a dedicated family man and one an unscrupulous playboy--strive to maintain their business whilst having to work their way through numerous hardships ranging from personal to clients with criminal connections.
Stars: Dylan Walsh, Julian McMahon, Joely Richardson, John Hensley
Votes: 58,679
30. Rellik (2017)
60 min | Crime, Drama, Mystery
Told in reverse, the show follows DCI Gabriel Markham and his team as they try to hunt down a serial killer.
Stars: Richard Dormer, Jodi Balfour, Kieran Bew, Lærke Winther
Votes: 2,659
31. Age Before Beauty (2018)
Not Rated | 56 min | Drama
Age Before Beauty centers around an eclectic crew of characters who manage a family-owned beauty salon.
Stars: Polly Walker, James Murray, Sue Johnston, Robson Green
Votes: 414
[Watched: 2018]
32. Luther (2010–2019)
TV-MA | 60 min | Crime, Drama, Mystery
John Luther is a brilliant homicide detective with a knack for getting inside the minds of murderers. Unfortunately, his unconventional methods and personal demons put him at odds with his team.
Stars: Idris Elba, Dermot Crowley, Michael Smiley, Warren Brown
Votes: 154,397
33. Scott & Bailey (2011–2016)
TV-14 | 45 min | Crime, Drama, Mystery
Detectives Janet Scott & Rachel Bailey investigate murders with Manchester Police's Major Incident Team.
Stars: Suranne Jones, Lesley Sharp, Tony Mooney, David Prosho
Votes: 11,049
34. Happy Valley (2014–2023)
TV-MA | 60 min | Crime, Drama, Thriller
Yorkshire-based crime drama centering on the personal and professional life of Police Sergeant Catherine Cawood.
Stars: Sarah Lancashire, Siobhan Finneran, James Norton, Rhys Connah
Votes: 64,646
35. Ghost Whisperer (2005–2010)
TV-PG | 60 min | Drama, Fantasy
Melinda Gordon, a newly married woman, possesses the gift of communicating with the dead. With her best friend Andrea's assistance, she helps the earthbound spirits to find peace and cross over.
Stars: Jennifer Love Hewitt, David Conrad, Camryn Manheim, Christoph Sanders
Votes: 49,816
36. The Good Place (2016–2020)
TV-PG | 1,303 min | Comedy, Drama, Fantasy
Four people and their otherworldly frienemy struggle in the afterlife to define what it means to be good.
Stars: Kristen Bell, William Jackson Harper, Jameela Jamil, D'Arcy Carden
Votes: 189,518
37. Catastrophe (2015–2019)
TV-MA | 601 min | Comedy
American man Rob gets Irish woman Sharon pregnant when they hook up for a week while he is on a business trip in London.
Stars: Sharon Horgan, Rob Delaney, Mark Bonnar, Ashley Jensen
Votes: 23,708
38. Two Doors Down (2016– )
28 min | Comedy
Comedy centered around a couple and their insufferable neighbors.
Stars: Arabella Weir, Elaine C. Smith, Alex Norton, Jonathan Watson
Votes: 2,218
39. Two Doors Down (2013 TV Movie)
53 min | Comedy
It's Hogmanay in Glasgow and Eric and Beth are hoping soldier son Angus will be back from Iraq in time. Their other son Ian turns up to the party with boy-friend Tony as do Beth's ... See full summary »
Director: Catherine Morshead | Stars: Alex Norton, Arabella Weir, Daniela Nardini, Doon Mackichan
Votes: 203
. . . this was so good it turned into a pilot for the subsequent TV series
40. The Office (2001–2003)
TV-MA | 30 min | Comedy, Drama
The story of an office that faces closure when the company decides to downsize its branches. A documentary film crew follow staff and the manager David Brent as they continue their daily lives.
Stars: Ricky Gervais, Martin Freeman, Mackenzie Crook, Lucy Davis
Votes: 123,195
41. Peep Show (2003–2015)
TV-MA | 25 min | Comedy
Mark and Jez are a couple of twenty-something roommates who have nothing in common - except for the fact that their lives are anything but normal. Mayhem ensues as the pair strive to cope with day-to-day life.
Stars: David Mitchell, Robert Webb, Matt King, Olivia Colman
Votes: 66,635
42. The Cry (I) (2018)
Not Rated | 58 min | Drama, Mystery, Thriller
A young woman crumbles after her baby disappears. Though the public is quick to place blame, the truth proves to be more complex.
Stars: Jenna Coleman, Ewen Leslie, Asher Keddie, Alex Dimitriades
Votes: 5,659
43. Fleabag (2016–2019)
TV-MA | 30 min | Comedy, Drama
Series adapted from the award-winning play about a young woman trying to cope with life in London whilst coming to terms with a recent tragedy.
Stars: Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Sian Clifford, Olivia Colman, Jenny Rainsford
Votes: 201,708
44. Perception (2012–2015)
TV-14 | 42 min | Crime, Drama, Mystery
Dr. Daniel Pierce is an eccentric neuropsychiatrist who uses his unique outlook to help the federal government solve complex criminal cases.
Stars: Eric McCormack, Rachael Leigh Cook, Kelly Rowan, Arjay Smith
Votes: 22,858
One particular feature of the show showed a contribution to the art form of TV: the lead protagonist's 'visions'
45. Sunny D (2016)
Comedy
30 something male lives at home with his parents. He dislikes his job, loves his girlfriend, and dislikes his twin sister. He works hard to make everything better, yet some how makes things worse in a hilarious manner.
Stars: Dane Baptiste, Don Warrington, Liz Hume Dawson, Gbemisola Ikumelo
Votes: 73
One particular feature of the show showed a contribution to the art form of TV: the lead protagonist's 'day dreams', etc.
46. Years and Years (2019)
TV-MA | 60 min | Drama, Sci-Fi
As Britain slowly turns into a dictatorship throughout the years, the lives of a typical busy family from Manchester converge on one crucial night in 2019.
Stars: Anne Reid, Rory Kinnear, Jessica Hynes, T'Nia Miller
Votes: 33,164
47. Killing Eve (2018–2022)
TV-14 | 42 min | Action, Adventure, Drama
After a series of events, the lives of a security operative and an assassin become inextricably linked.
Stars: Jodie Comer, Sandra Oh, Fiona Shaw, Kim Bodnia
Votes: 135,319
48. Zapped (2016–2018)
30 min | Comedy, Fantasy
James Buckley is transported to a parallel world featuring "psychopathic Fairies, Shell Men, seductive Demi-Fins and vicious Throcks".
Stars: Paul Kaye, Sharon Rooney, James Buckley, Kenneth Collard
Votes: 1,597
49. MotherFatherSon (2019)
TV-MA | 57 min | Drama, Thriller
A fractured family at the heart of politics and power is pulled together under catastrophic circumstances.
Stars: Richard Gere, Billy Howle, Helen McCrory, Paul Ready
Votes: 4,049
50. Spaced (1999–2001)
TV-14 | 25 min | Comedy
Friends Tim and Daisy, 20-something North Londoners with uncertain futures, must pretend to be a couple to live in the only apartment they can afford.
Stars: Simon Pegg, Jessica Hynes, Julia Deakin, Nick Frost
Votes: 57,684
51. Harrow (2018–2021)
Not Rated | 60 min | Crime, Drama, Mystery
Harrow tells the story of Dr. Daniel Harrow, a forensic pathologist with a total disregard for authority.
Stars: Ioan Gruffudd, Darren Gilshenan, Damien Garvey, Ella Newton
Votes: 10,218
In the style of this programme there is nothing in this series that is particularly standout or artistic - ground-breaking or different - so perhaps in all truth the programme doesn't really belong on this list about TV that proves the art form is not dead . . .
BUT . . . in fact it DOES belong on this list as it is, put plainly, so good. This proves that the art form of TV IS still alive & well, through this programme being such a well-made series!
After so much dross being peddled to TV viewers for far too long, a great detective series was long overdue! Purported TV drama this programme is not: it IS drama! And the good stuff, too.
52. Hinterland (2013–2016)
TV-14 | 90 min | Crime, Drama, Mystery
A noir crime drama set in Aberystwyth, Wales, where troubled DCI Tom Mathias solves murders while searching for redemption.
Stars: Richard Harrington, Mali Harries, Alex Harries, Hannah Daniel
Votes: 15,119
In the style of this programme there is nothing in this series that is particularly standout or artistic - ground-breaking or different - so perhaps in all truth the programme doesn't really belong on this list about TV that proves the art form is not dead . . .
BUT . . . in fact it DOES belong on this list as it is, put plainly, so good. This proves that the art form of TV IS still alive & well, through this programme being such a well-made series!
After so much dross being peddled to TV viewers for far too long, a great detective series was long overdue! Purported TV drama this programme is not: it IS drama! And the good stuff, too.
53. Semi-Detached (2019–2020)
24 min | Comedy
Real-time sitcom following the hapless Stuart struggling between his new family and ex-wife, who lives across the road
Stars: Lee Mack, Patrick Baladi, Neil Fitzmaurice, Sarah Hoare
Votes: 476
54. Takin' Over the Asylum (1994)
TV-14 | 50 min | Drama
A salesman starts to run a hospital radio station inside a facility for people with mental heath needs.
Stars: Ken Stott, Katy Murphy, David Tennant, Ruth McCabe
Votes: 1,176
Oops! This is one of the oldest TV programmes to be included on this list: 1994's 'Takin' Over the Asylum'.
It is so brilliant a drama in concept & delivery that I automatically put it on this list - that otherwise consists mainly of TV issue made post-2000 - before I remembered it was such an early production!
Such is the memorability of certain TV programmes, like this superlative mini-series, that the viewer remembers it as dateless! It becomes timeless! So I have left it here.
55. dinnerladies (1998–2000)
TV-14 | 34 min | Comedy
Comedy about the workers in a factory canteen.
Stars: Victoria Wood, Thelma Barlow, Andrew Dunn, Shobna Gulati
Votes: 2,775
56. Guilt (2019–2023)
660 min | Comedy, Crime, Drama
Two brothers accidentally run over and kill an old man. They cover their tracks, but their lives start to fall apart when neighbors and relatives of the dead doubt the way he died.
Stars: Mark Bonnar, Emun Elliott, Henry Pettigrew, Jamie Sives
Votes: 5,366
57. Hustle (2004–2012)
TV-14 | 60 min | Crime, Drama, Mystery
A motley group of London con artists pulls off a series of daring and intricate stings.
Stars: Robert Glenister, Robert Vaughn, Rob Jarvis, Adrian Lester
Votes: 23,556
58. Red Dwarf (1988– )
TV-14 | 30 min | Comedy, Sci-Fi
The adventures of the last human alive and his friends, stranded three million years into deep space on the mining ship Red Dwarf.
Stars: Chris Barrie, Craig Charles, Danny John-Jules, Robert Llewellyn
Votes: 37,302
Couldn't resist adding this old classic to a list that is largely of later issue that the late-'80s . . .
Once TV companies replicate - on a REGULAR basis - the standard of this superb series, then I will KNOW television is back to a satisfactory level of quality.
59. Doctors (2000–2024)
30 min | Drama
The daily lives of staff at a Birmingham medical practice, including their often-dramatic involvements with their patients.
Stars: Adrian Lewis Morgan, Jan Pearson, Matthew Chambers, Diane Keen
Votes: 1,701
Various episodes of this long-running drama series have shown outstanding artistic merit.
An example of a recent episode - just one of the more noteworthy stories - is Series 21 Episode 118 "Matchmaker" (writer: Rob Kinsman) (broadcast: 6 May 2020).
Not to mention other superb episodes such as the half-hour slots recreating famous tales of Jane Austen & William Shakespeare - i.e. interpolating the stories into a modern framework.
For a continuing drama, this series has a VERY high quality standard. Some episodes are completely original in the way that they use TV to tell a tale. A true art form.
60. Uncle (2012–2017)
30 min | Comedy
An amateur musician of stunted emotional growth is reluctant to take care of his young nephew, but as his reluctance grows, his other emotions begin to follow to the fore, meaning he may even become a better, more-rounded person.
Stars: Nick Helm, Elliot Speller-Gillott, Daisy Haggard, Daniel Lawrence Taylor
Votes: 4,383
61. Rev. (2010–2014)
30 min | Comedy
The misadventures of an Anglican vicar, his wife, and a small but odd group of parishioners in London.
Stars: Tom Hollander, Olivia Colman, Steve Evets, Miles Jupp
Votes: 2,805
62. Ladies of Letters (2009– )
Not Rated | 25 min | Comedy
Two middle-age crazy English widows become best friends via letters, over many misadventure-filled years. Having met under a table at a wedding, when both were drunk with merriment, misunderstanding comes naturally to them.
Stars: Anne Reid, Maureen Lipman, Morag Siller, Daniel Crowder
Votes: 248
63. Scrubs (2001–2010)
TV-14 | 22 min | Comedy, Drama
In the unreal world of Sacred Heart Hospital, intern John "J.D." Dorian learns the ways of medicine, friendship and life.
Stars: Zach Braff, Donald Faison, Sarah Chalke, John C. McGinley
Votes: 270,708
64. Pushing Daisies (2007–2009)
TV-PG | 44 min | Comedy, Drama, Fantasy
A pastry chef with the power to bring dead people back to life solves murder mysteries with his resurrected childhood sweetheart, a cynical private investigator, and a lovesick waitress.
Stars: Lee Pace, Anna Friel, Chi McBride, Jim Dale
Votes: 59,576
65. Outnumbered (2007–2016)
TV-14 | 30 min | Comedy, Drama
A part-improvised comedy about a couple bringing up their three young children.
Stars: Hugh Dennis, Claire Skinner, Tyger Drew-Honey, Daniel Roche
Votes: 12,181
66. Psych (2006–2014)
TV-PG | 44 min | Comedy, Crime, Mystery
When a novice sleuth convinces the police he has psychic powers, he and his reluctant best friend are hired on as consultants to help solve complicated cases.
Stars: James Roday Rodriguez, Dulé Hill, Timothy Omundson, Corbin Bernsen
Votes: 105,840
67. King Gary (2018–2021)
30 min | Comedy
A sitcom that follows the trials and tribulations of family man Gary King and his wife Terri as she aspire to achieve success in competitive suburbia--and impress Gary's dad Big Gary.
Stars: Tom Davis, Laura Checkley, Camille Coduri, Simon Day
Votes: 1,426
68. Pete Versus Life (2010–2011)
30 min | Comedy, Drama
Pete, a journalist, is an average bloke, but what sets him apart is that his life is observed, analysed and commented on by two sports commentators.
Stars: Rafe Spall, Simon Greenall, Ian Kirkby, Pippa Duffy
Votes: 908
69. Waiting for God (1990–1994)
TV-14 | 30 min | Comedy
When Tom Ballard moves to Bayview Retirement Vilage, he meets Diana Trent, a feisty old woman who complains about everything and wants nothing more than just to die. Much to the dislike of ... See full summary »
Stars: Graham Crowden, Stephanie Cole, Daniel Hill, Janine Duvitski
Votes: 2,007
70. One Foot in the Grave (1990–2001)
TV-PG | 90 min | Comedy, Drama
Victor Meldrew is a retiree who attracts bad luck. If he's not driving his long suffering wife Margaret crazy with his constant moaning, he's fighting with neighbours.
Stars: Richard Wilson, Annette Crosbie, Doreen Mantle, Owen Brenman
Votes: 7,325
71. The Worst Week of My Life (2004–2006)
29 min | Comedy
Mel and Howard's wedding is one week away. Howard experiences a series of humiliating disasters in the week leading up to the ceremony.
Stars: Ben Miller, Sarah Alexander, Alison Steadman, Geoffrey Whitehead
Votes: 1,973
72. Cold Feet (1997–2020)
TV-PG | 45 min | Comedy, Drama, Romance
The show follows the lives of 30-something couples Adam and Rachel, Pete and Jenny, and David and Karen as they navigate love and life in Manchester.
Stars: James Nesbitt, Robert Bathurst, John Thomson, Hermione Norris
Votes: 4,812
73. This Life (1996–1997)
TV-MA | 45 min | Drama
A series following the lives of Miles, Milly, Warren, Egg and Anna, five young legal professionals.
Stars: Jack Davenport, Amita Dhiri, Andrew Lincoln, Daniela Nardini
Votes: 2,584
74. Twin Peaks (1990–1991)
TV-MA | 50 min | Crime, Drama, Mystery
An idiosyncratic FBI agent investigates the murder of a young woman in the even more idiosyncratic town of Twin Peaks.
Stars: Kyle MacLachlan, Michael Ontkean, Mädchen Amick, Dana Ashbrook
Votes: 215,534
75. Detectorists (2014–2022)
TV-14 | 30 min | Comedy
The lives of two eccentric metal detectorists, who spend their days plodding along ploughed tracks and open fields, hoping to disturb the tedium by unearthing the fortune of a lifetime.
Stars: Mackenzie Crook, Toby Jones, Rachael Stirling, Gerard Horan
Votes: 21,372
76. The Sounds (2020)
44 min | Drama, Thriller
Maggie and Tom Cabbott move to the town of Pelorus to escape the oppressive influence of Tom's family. But when he disappears, unsettling facts about Tom soon come to light and the search brings long-buried wounds to the surface.
Stars: Rachelle Lefevre, Matt Whelan, Matt Nable, Emily Piggford
Votes: 1,375
77. Roadkill (2020)
57 min | Drama, Thriller
Politician Peter Laurence's private life is falling apart. Shamelessly untroubled by guilt or remorse, he seeks to further his own agenda while others plot to bring him down. Can he outrun his own secrets to win the ultimate prize?
Stars: Hugh Laurie, Helen McCrory, Olivia Vinall, Jennifer Hennessy
Votes: 5,917
78. My Family (2000–2011)
TV-14 | 50 min | Comedy
Ben Harper, a misanthropic dentist, has little time for most people, including his wife Susan, and their children Nick, Janey, and Michael.
Stars: Robert Lindsay, Zoë Wanamaker, Gabriel Thomson, Daniela Denby-Ashe
Votes: 10,548
79. Not Going Out (2006– )
TV-14 | 30 min | Comedy
The mishaps of slacker Lee and the love of his life, Lucy along with their friends & family.
Stars: Lee Mack, Sally Bretton, Katy Wix, Hugh Dennis
Votes: 7,913
80. Miranda (2009–2015)
TV-MA | 30 min | Comedy
Socially inept Miranda always gets into awkward situations; working in her joke shop with best friend Stevie, being hounded by her pushy mother, and around her crush Gary.
Stars: Miranda Hart, Patricia Hodge, Tom Ellis, Sarah Hadland
Votes: 17,148
81. Newton's Law (2017)
Not Rated | 55 min | Drama
The 'Upstairs Downstairs' of legal dramas follows Josephine Newton as she juggles the high-powered barrister's world of Knox Chambers and the haphazard legal tangles of her former solicitor's office.
Stars: Claudia Karvan, Toby Schmitz, Georgina Naidu, Sean Keenan
Votes: 775
[Watched: 2020]
82. Spy in the Wild (2017–2020)
TV-PG | Documentary
Animatronic spy creatures infiltrate the animal world to observe their behavior.
Stars: David Tennant, Birute Galdikas, Rob Pilley, Jill Pruetz
Votes: 554
83. Spy in the Snow (2018 TV Movie)
58 min | Documentary
Spy in the Wild (2017) franchise returns with a brand new wintertime entry about animals that live in the coldest places in the world.
Director: John Downer | Star: David Tennant
Votes: 67
A 1-off spin-off of 'Spy in the Wild' (2017).
84. The Human Body (1998)
50 min | Documentary
The BBC explores the human body from the inside out as never before.
Stars: Robert Winston, Andrew Blackall, Phillippa, Jeff
Votes: 732
85. Walking with Dinosaurs (1999)
TV-14 | 30 min | Documentary, Animation, History
Documentary-style series about the era of the dinosaurs, mixing real locations and CGI.
Stars: Nikolay Drozdov, Kenneth Branagh, Avery Brooks, Craig Sechler
Votes: 6,885
86. Walking with Monsters (2005)
Not Rated | 90 min | Documentary
The final installment in the "Walking with" series is a 90-minute documentary about the evolution of life before the dinosaurs.
Stars: Kenneth Branagh, Edward Gero
Votes: 2,413
87. Sensitive Skin (2005–2007)
29 min | Comedy, Drama, Romance
A 61-year-old woman copes with her life's unexpected problems.
Stars: Joanna Lumley, Nicholas Jones, Oliver Cotton, James Lance
Votes: 326
88. Us (I) (2020)
TV-MA | 58 min | Drama
The poignant and hilarious story of the Petersens during their vacation across Europe where the father Douglas tries to win back the love of his wife Connie and become reconciled with their son Albie.
Stars: Tom Hollander, Saskia Reeves, Tom Taylor, Gina Bramhill
Votes: 3,134
[Watched: 2021]
89. Staged (2020–2023)
TV-MA | 22 min | Comedy, Drama
David Tennant and Michael Sheen star as two actors whose West End play has been put on hold due to Covid-19, but whose director has persuaded them to carry on rehearsing online.
Stars: David Tennant, Michael Sheen, Georgia Tennant, Anna Lundberg
Votes: 10,177
[Watched: during COVID-19 pandemic lockdown 2020 +]
90. Broadchurch (2013–2017)
TV-MA | 1,143 min | Crime, Drama, Mystery
The murder of a young boy in a small coastal town brings a media frenzy, which threatens to tear the community apart.
Stars: David Tennant, Olivia Colman, Jodie Whittaker, Andrew Buchan
Votes: 127,359
Great (until series 2 & 3 were unnecessarily made, & depleted the quality of the programme).
91. Dun Breedin' (2020– )
14 min | Drama
Dun Breedin is a hot, sweaty, flashy and brutally honest show about the taboo subject that is the menopause. A show that puts women's sexuality, agency and worth under the spotlight. Set it... See full summary »
Stars: Julie Graham, Tracy-Ann Oberman, Tamzin Outhwaite, Angela Griffin
Votes: 12
[Watched: during COVID-19 pandemic lockdown 2020 +]
92. Spirited (2010–2011)
60 min | Comedy, Drama, Fantasy
A dentist Suzy meets the ghost of an 80s English rock star Henry Mallet.
Stars: Claudia Karvan, Matt King, Rodger Corser, Belinda Bromilow
Votes: 1,274
One of the most compelling love stories ever made for television. But also touching, funny, original, & stylish . . . Just brilliant.
[Watched: 2021]
93. Five Bedrooms (2019– )
44 min | Comedy, Drama, Romance
After meeting on the singles table at a wedding, five humans down on their luck in both love and life jokingly arrive at a solution to their real estate angst as solo flyers: they could pitch in and buy a house together.
Stars: Kat Stewart, Stephen Peacocke, Doris Younane, Katie Robertson
Votes: 2,231
Great (until the quality was dropped by series 2, when it became soap-y & humdrum, so I stopped watching at the end of that series).
94. National Treasure (2016)
TV-MA | 48 min | Drama
Paul Finchley (Robbie Coltrane) is a bona fide "national treasure", one half of a popular, long-running comedy double act. However, the famous comedian's world is thrown into chaos when he is accused of historic sexual abuse.
Stars: Robbie Coltrane, Julie Walters, Andrea Riseborough, Babou Ceesay
Votes: 3,298
95. Back (2017– )
TV-MA | 24 min | Comedy, Drama
Sitcom following estranged foster-brothers Stephen and Andrew as they vow to take over the family business following their father's death.
Stars: David Mitchell, Robert Webb, Louise Brealey, Penny Downie
Votes: 3,546
96. Motherland (I) (2016–2022)
TV-MA | 30 min | Comedy
This is a programme about navigating the trials and traumas of middle-class motherhood. It looks at the competitive side and unromantic tale on parenting--not the cute, acceptable face of motherhood.
Stars: Anna Maxwell Martin, Lucy Punch, Diane Morgan, Paul Ready
Votes: 8,155
97. Finding Joy (2018– )
TV-14 | 25 min | Comedy
A woman finds herself thrust into the limelight when she gets a job filling in for Ireland's most-beloved vlogger, Flora the Happy Hunter.
Stars: Amy Huberman, Paul Reid, Hannah James-Scott, Peter McDonald
Votes: 724
N.B. This TV drama - 'Finding Joy' - is included in this list only because of the drama's first series (Series 1).
The only other series - Series 2 - changes timbre altogether; and to the programme's detriment. The second series is very poor in its overall quality. And - astoundingly - it is played out as if it's a completely different drama programme!
This is why, after watching Series 2, I had to reduce my initial rating of 7 or 8 stars for this series, to just 3 stars.
98. Mr & Mrs Murder (2013)
TV-14 | 613 min | Comedy, Mystery
The series follows the adventures of married couple Nicola and Charlie Buchanan, who run an industrial cleaning business while solving the most baffling murder mysteries.
Stars: Shaun Micallef, Kat Stewart, Jonny Pasvolsky, Lucy Velik
Votes: 1,587
[Watched: c. late 20teens]
99. The Cleaner (2021– )
TV-14 | 30 min | Comedy
Paul 'Wicky' Wickstead, a state-certified cleaning technician, is responsible for the removal of any signs of death from crime scenes.
Stars: Greg Davies, Zita Sattar, Jane Lewis, Sam Ward
Votes: 6,309
Series 1: This new comedy is marvellous. An original concept, & very funny.
Series 2: Sadly the programme seems to be losing a lot of its comedy in Series 2, and instead appears to have a content of greater pathos. It is now more about the tragedy of the human condition. I have a feeling this change in style might well be something to do with the concurrent advent of the COVID-19 pandemic. If so, such a dark change in output would be understandable. But still: I miss the great black comedy we saw in Series 1.
100. Jack Irish (2016–2021)
Not Rated | 52 min | Crime, Drama
Jack is engaged to find a missing person, only to be later framed for his murder. Jack is quickly caught up in a complex web of powerful vested interests that stretches from his home town of Fitzroy to a remote village in the Philippines.
Stars: Guy Pearce, Aaron Pedersen, Roy Billing, Damien Garvey
Votes: 3,355
And all the TV movies in the 'Jack Irish' saga.
[Watched: 2020-2021]
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