· 41 comments · Save ·
For Sale Mar 31, 2026 at 9:27 PM

The 15 Greatest British TV Shows Of All Time, Ranked

Posted by Express-Citron-6387

Remember this one? David McCallum (NCIS) and Jonna Lumley (Absolutely Fabulous). **5. Sapphire & Steel** >Like a darker version of "Doctor Who" for older audiences, "Sapphire & Steel" starred Joanna Lumley and David McCallum as elements in human form who police the flow of time, looking for errors or anomalies that are often exploited by malevolent forces. The dangers are often attached to antiques, or even more abstract concepts like old nursery rhymes.
The 15 Greatest British TV Shows Of All Time, Ranked - TVLine
TVLine
The 15 Greatest British TV Shows Of All Time, Ranked - TVLine
In many cases, the greatest British television shows are a cut above what we see on U.S. network TV. Here are 15 of the U.K.'s best TV series ever.
🚩 Report this post

41 Comments

Sign in to comment — or just click the box below.
🔒 Your email is never shown publicly.
SkookumSquirrel Mar 31, 2026 +19
Damn, a list that includes Teletubbies and Sherlock but not Blackadder makes me question how they decided things. Teletubbies especially... that wasn't some educational kids show like Sesame Street, it was a screen saver for toddlers.
19
Sonichu- Apr 1, 2026 +2
A crime to be anything below top 5
2
kirby2000 Apr 1, 2026 +1
It's not even the best British kids TV show.
1
jackyLAD Mar 31, 2026 +11
Don't feel like this writer has actively watched much British TV to be fair....
11
chefdangerdagger Mar 31, 2026 +11
Wait no Line of Duty, or Happy Valley, or The Office, or The IT crowd, or Only Fools and Horses, or Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, or House of Cards, or Blackadder, or Peep Show, or In The Thick of It, but they've got Sherlock and Downton Abbey... this is not a serious list
11
Express-Citron-6387 Mar 31, 2026 +1
There is another list that has all those. The best 25 British Shows of all time.
1
Soddington Apr 1, 2026 +1
I Claudius, Yes Minister, The Thick of It. There's another three contenders for the top s*** that don't make this list. As listicals go, this is indeed a shit one.
1
Tallozz Mar 31, 2026 +9
I feel like Absolutely Fabulous and Are You Being Served should be here, but I know that someone will miss the cut.
9
SarahArabic2 Apr 1, 2026 +1
abFab ♥️
1
ukbiffa Mar 31, 2026 +15
Line Of Duty Peep Show
15
Randvek Mar 31, 2026 +10
Blackadder IT Crowd Father Ted Red Dwarf A lot of tough omissions.
10
tdmoney Mar 31, 2026 +3
Red Dwart was on there
3
gramfer Apr 1, 2026 +2
Jeeves and Wooster Yes, Minister
2
spoonly711 Mar 31, 2026 +4
I’ve recently started the 1985 miniseries Edge of Darkness about a conspiracy around the UK’s nuclear program. Been great so far.
4
Warhammer_Wes Apr 1, 2026 +2
Fantastic show
2
Express-Citron-6387 Mar 31, 2026 +1
ohhh...never heard of that one. IO was hoping that this post would bring new mentions to me.
1
spoonly711 Mar 31, 2026 +2
Another one I’ve had on my list forever is The Sandbaggers, a 70s British spy show. Was recommended to me in The Wire sub a while back but still have yet to start it.
2
eekamuse Apr 1, 2026 +1
Epic show. Been looking to re-watch it forever
1
Ok_Mix_7126 Mar 31, 2026 +6
Not only does Sherlock have a famously bad last season, its also not even the best British TV adaptation of Sherlock Holmes. How is it making multiple greatest lists? If you want a great adaptation, check out the one starring Jeremy Brett that went from 1984-1994
6
a-hthy Mar 31, 2026 +12
Life on Mars should be on there
12
marianitten Mar 31, 2026 +3
Theres is no way that Britain has no better shows than Sherlock and Teletubbies.. come on
3
frank9rizzo Mar 31, 2026 +3
Rumpole of the Bailey erasure
3
Celestial_Cowboy Mar 31, 2026 +3
Author can't write an article without some major spoilers, including major deaths and ends points of series lame
3
MyLittleShadowStitch Mar 31, 2026 +2
Ever thought I see the day that Robin of Sherwood would be on a list like this. My sister had a poster of Michael Praed on our bedroom wall, and it kickstarted the family obsession with Clannad and down the slippery slope to Enya iykyk
2
Positive-Quantity143 Mar 31, 2026 +2
Broadchurch?!
2
cnp_nick Apr 1, 2026 +2
No I, Claudius but they put Sherlock on there?
2
Express-Citron-6387 Apr 1, 2026 +2
So, I am oldie. And on this and the best 25 - I should have found a best 100 list! - I would have included the following: The Singing Detective, Pennies from Heaven, We, the Accused, I Claudius, The Chamomile Lawn, Elizabeth R (1971 with Glenda Jackson), The Six Wives of Henry VIII (1970), Brideshead Revisited, The Bounder....
2
Pentax25 Mar 31, 2026 +3
Lost me at Sherlock. Sherlock is that guy who’s in the friend group so they always get invited to things but no one really enjoys their company cos they always ask you riddles that there’s no way you could possibly get cos they didn’t tell you all the details and then act like they’re the only clever one in the village for knowing the answer
3
flowerpanes Mar 31, 2026 +2
Yes, you could have put something more original like “Life on Mars” there and I would have been much happier with this list.
2
mvrander Mar 31, 2026 +2
I was expecting to be horrified by this list but it's actually pretty decent If you ask 100 people you'll get 100 different lists but there's some decent choices in there
2
Toadfinger Mar 31, 2026 +1
How did Vicar of Dibley get missed? It's a masterpiece!
1
Express-Citron-6387 Mar 31, 2026 +1
Here is another list by Screen Rant. 35 Best British TV Shows of All Time: From Doctor Who to Fleabag [https://screenrant.com/best-british-shows-of-all-time/](https://screenrant.com/best-british-shows-of-all-time/)
1
Alucard1138 Mar 31, 2026 +1
No love for Lovejoy? For shame...
1
SarahArabic2 Apr 1, 2026 +1
no coupling or secret diary … 😔
1
kirby2000 Apr 1, 2026 +1
"or secret diary..." . Do you mean "of Adrian Mole" or "of a Call Girl"? There is a huge difference!
1
Phantom-Finger Apr 1, 2026 +1
What a f****** terrible list Are You Being Served? Only Fools and Horses (greatest show of all time, period) Blackadder Atrocious list. Author needs an uppercut.
1
Express-Citron-6387 Apr 1, 2026 +1
There are lots of other lists. Ones that have the best 25 or 50 or more. I was to stimulate discussion. You are free to share other lists :) I posted another one that has 25.
1
StupidMastiff Apr 1, 2026 +1
Only Fools and Horses should be a contender for the top spot, and it's not even on the list... Shite list.
1
HasSomeSelfEsteem Apr 1, 2026 +1
How the f*** are Sherlock and Teletubbies on this list?
1
Ashrod63 Mar 31, 2026 -2
Yes she is absolutely hilarious, but I don't think that's what you meant
-2
Express-Citron-6387 Mar 31, 2026 -6
lllooll....corrected. I have a quirky mind.
-6
← Back to Board