British Comedy Rules!
I am so grateful I discovered the many fantastic shows made overseas! British humor is different than American humor, it is intelligent, sometimes outrageous, and hugely entertaining! So why do all the Birts I meet talk about our show, Friends!
Feel free to leave your favorites in the comments!
I will add shows from other countries as well. Smiley on Netflix is a new Spanish gay comedy and it is fantastic!
My Newest Discoveries:
Heartbreak High (Netflix) – Australian dramedy that tackles some heavy issues and is also funny and very well done, season two was just released!
The Gentlemen (Netflix) – Very dark comedy!
Renegade Nell (Disney Plus) – Louisa Harland from Derry Girls plays a character completely opposite from the ditz in DG. And she is brilliant. Nick Mohammed is a British treasure and he is in this as well. Completely riveting! Also listed as supernatural!
Geek Girl (Netflix) – It’s the old ugly duckling story, and icely doe for odern British times!
Last year’s discoveries:
The Heart Guy – (Acorn) is a great family comedy/drama from Australia, did not have a good page for this, so adding it here! Five seasons.
The Dry – (Acorn) an Irish lass tries to get sober, and calamity ensues. Good drama!
The Outlaws (Amazon) – Three seasons so far! A funny one from Stephen Merchant, highly recommend! With Christopher Walken!
Packed to the Rafters (HULU) – Six seasons an over 100 episodes of this Aussie family comedy/drama. Starring Erik Thomson from 800 Words, I just completed binging all six seasons for a second time!
Return to the Rafters (Prime) – we needed this update for the hugely popular show!
Aftertaste (ACORN) – Erik Thomson again! He’s a nasty & haughty chef, and his niece is a brilliant pastry chef. Some amazing moments!
The Other One (Prime) – Siobhan Finneran can do no wrong. When a family man dies, his wife and daughter find out he had a whole other family not far away. Season one was good, season two, even better!
These shows are perfect for binging at any time! The first three listed are more familiar to the American audience, the rest are mostly on the streaming channels form Britain that are available in the US.
You have all heard about Ted Lasso on Apple TV. Many popular Brits are in the cast, and they are wonderful, and the show is brilliant.
Sex Education on Netflix was very good, it took me a few episodes to get into it, love Gillian Anderson with her native British tongue! And then wham, season three was even better than the previous two.
Derry Girls on Netflix is terrific, and you may need to put on the subtitles to understand the Derry, Ireland accent. Season three was the end of the series and was extraordinary in the lessons it taught about the “troubles” in Ireland during this time.
Benidorm (was on Brit Box)– In the last century, travel agents in Britain came up with the idea to offer all-inclusive packages to Spanish towns on the beach. Benidorm is one such city, and this 10 season series spoofs some of the folks you might see in your less than three-star hotels. This show is hugely funny, occasionally bordering on the outrageously hilarious. Rewatched the entire 10 season series more than once, it is that good.
Mrs. Brown’s Boys (pictured above, and also on Brit Box) – is another top pick, a show I watch multiple times. I discovered this from little vignettes that I stumbled upon on my Facebook video tab. I subscribed to Brit Box just to see all the seasons. Hysterically funny and heartwarming at the same time. They add new episodes every year, and there is not enough! There is also a related talk show hosted by the character of the daughter (wife of the creator and actor who plays Mrs. Brown) this is found on youtube.
This next list are shows I absolutely love:
Ackley Bridge (was Acorn) – This drama/comedy is fantastic! Season Four is new, we are waiting for it to stream!
Mount Pleasant (Acorn) – Six seasons, and fantastic. Took a few episodes, then I became completely invested in the characters and the plot lines. Loved this show!
Not Going Out (Peacock) – Lee Mack writes and stars in this and he is a great comedian. Also, Miranda Hart was here for a few seasons!
Sando (Acorn) – Australian, very funny!
Monday, Monday (Acorn/Britbox) – Before they were on the Miranda Hart show together, we discover her and Tom Ellis (Lucifer!) here! Very cute show!
Vicious – Free on Tubi. Ian McKellen and Derek Jacobi as a bitchy gay couple. The script wrote itself, nothing special, but brilliantly funny!
You, Me & Them (Acorn) – Eve Myles (Torchwood) and Anthony Head (Buffy, The Vampire Slayer) co-star in this funny two season series about an older man and a younger woman’s relationship, and their judgmental families.
Edge of Heaven (BritBox) – cute comedy on Amazon Prime. And Rose Tyler’s mom is in it!
Shakespeare & Hathaway (Acorn) – Charming PI’s, solving one mystery per episode. Easy to binge and enjoy! She was the Principal in Ackley Bridge.
Threesome (Prime) – Funny comedy, two seasons, I enjoyed it!
GHOSTS (HBOMax) – The British version is funny!
Death in Paradise – (BritBox) Is a police drama/comedy set in the Caribbean. It is fun and funny, as well as charming. Currently binging season 10 as they are working on season 11, and a spin-off with a past detective!!
Living The Dream (Prime) – They leave England and buy an RV park in Orlando. Very enjoyable!
Ten Percent! (Acorn) – This is the British version of the French show, Call My Agent (a must see as well!). It’s very good, different enough to not be an exact copy, and the British stars that make appearances are perfect!
800 Words (Acorn) – An Australian show about a writer whose column must be 800 words. I resisted watching this show and then quickly fell in love! It is wonderful, a heartwarming family show, some drama, some comedy, it is just wonderful!
Birds of a Feather (VUDU Free) – Two sisters and one famous old friend. Very entertaining Comedy!
Upper Middle Bogan (Acorn) – Switched at Birth! Funny show. Aussie.
The Larkins (Acorn) – Set in the 1950’s, not my usual interest, and yet very charming and delicious!
My original list of favorite British comedies:
Absolutely Fabulous is one of the most brilliant satires ever written. Started in the early 1990’s, and ended with the recent full length movie. The series is my favorite comedy of all time. Started from a French & Saunders skit!
Gavin & Stacey (HBOMax) is a beautiful and hilarious comedy co-created by James Corden.
Coupling is a brilliant comedy based around the sex lives of three male and three female leads in their 20’s. This original British version (the Americans tried to copy it and failed) is brilliant with it’s terrific nuances and story lines.
Mum is a sweet story, labeled a comedy, and had me hooked from the first minute.
Keeping Up Appearances, starring Hyacinth Bucket, pronounced Bouquet. When you are almost posh in Britain, and your family isn’t! This is a classic.
The Vicar of Dibley from Dawn French is charming and witty and a delightful comedy.
Father Ted, haven’t seen this one in yea, but enjoyed it back in the day.
Derry Girls (Netflix) (Irish)! Everyone is discovering this show and it is a delight.
Catastrophe – he got her knocked up and a sweet, funny story ensued.
Fleabag – the first season had too much sex, but overall, this is an extremely entertaining comedy.
Afterlife (Netflix) with Ricky Gervais – even my husband enjoyed it, and we never agree on entertainment. I never saw the Office, or loved any of Ricky other stuff, but this is fantastic.
Chewing Gum (Netflix) – a little crazy, very enjoyable.
Chef, is another from the olden days, very charming comedy! He was married to Dawn French!
Good Omens was brilliant and hilarious.
Barbara – funny show about Barbara and her family!
Kath & Kim – Australian, very funny!
Last Tango in Halifax – a couple from high school reunite and get married. Drama and hilarity ensue.
Boy Meets Girl – And girl is a transexual. Absolutely charming show.
Flack – Anna Paquin stars, but this is a British show. It’s like Scandal, but on steroids, and a little trashier. So in a word, riveting!
Kate & Koji – It is as bad as any American comedy, but it stars Brenda Blethyn who I adore, and Jimmy Akingbola, and it deals with current immigration issues that are important.
The Durrells in Corfu – it took weeks to get through the first episode, and I am glad I did, I love this show, it is worth the binge!
Man Down – starring Greg Davies, a huge British comedian. Also co-starring comedienne Roisin Conaty.
Scarborough – it hasn’t gotten great reviews, but I enjoyed it. He also created Benidorm, one of my faves!
We Are Lady Parts – This series follows the adventures of an all-female Muslim punk band in London. This is ground breaking.
Turn Up Charlie – Netflix Original with Idris Elba. Cute and funny. An enjoyable quick binge. Did I mention Idris?
The Detectorists – Charming three season series about metal detector folks.
Other folks have some additional favorites, but I did not love them all.
Graham Norton is a brilliant talk show host, so he deserves mention, his show has been on in one form or another for over 20 years, and I even performed for him on the last show he filmed in NY in April, 2003! I am too embarrassed to leave a link, but it is somewhere on my youtube channel!
British comedians are brilliantly funny, and they do panel shows over there, and they are genius! Would I Lie To You, Countdown, 8 Out Of 10 Cats Does Countdown, and others. They are addictive! See more here.
Lastly, I also have lists of my favorite British/foreign supernatural and science fiction shows, and a separate list of police type dramas/mysteries, which include what the Brits call “Cozy Mysteries,” easy viewing shows with less drama, and usually good police/detective work with humor!
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