By Arabella Peterson Entertainment 20.05.2018

The Best British Shows To Binge This Long Weekend

From gritty new dramas to feel-good favourites, here are the best British shows to keep you hooked all weekend.

Everyone loves a glitzy Hollywood TV show every now and then, or a buzzy binge-watch from another far-flung shore. A K-drama, French mystery, or Scandi thriller, perhaps?

But sometimes, all you want to do is curl up with a cup of tea and Hobnobs and watch a home-grown programme. Whether it’s hard-hitting dramas or dry-witted comedies, the UK is known for its excellent premium television.

The long weekend is the perfect excuse to finally jump into that series you’ve been meaning to watch, or discover a hidden gem you missed the first time around. So if you're stuck in a content rut, you're sure to find a British binge here that tickles your fancy.

Dramas

1. Adolescence

Where Can I Watch It? On Netflix.

Unless you've been living under a rock this year, chances are you've either already binged Adolescence or it's on your to-watch list. If you're in the latter category, this is your sign to queue it up this weekend. Tense, intimate, and brilliantly acted, this four-part thriller unfolds in real time – and will leave you thinking about it long after the credits roll. It deals with some very heavy themes, so consider following it up with one of the comedies on this list.

2. Top Boy

Where Can I Watch It? Netflix.

An unflinching look at gang life in East London, Top Boy blends social realism with gripping storytelling and complex character arcs. Originally airing on Channel 4 before being revived by Netflix with the backing of rapper Drake, the series follows drug kingpins Dushane and Sully as they navigate power, loyalty, betrayal, and survival in a world shaped by poverty and systemic inequality. The final season, which aired in 2023, brought the story to a powerful close and cemented Top Boy as one of the most important British dramas of the decade.

3. Happy Valley

Where Can I Watch It? BBC iPlayer.

Set in the rugged hills of West Yorkshire, Happy Valley is a crime drama for the ages, anchored by Sarah Lancashire’s phenomenal performance as police sergeant Catherine Cawood. What starts as a missing person case quickly spirals into a tangled web of drugs, violence, and grief. Creator Sally Wainwright expertly tackles bleak themes with empathy, exploring addiction, family, and the failures of the justice system. The final season, which aired in 2023 after a six-year break, brought the trilogy to a jaw-dropping close and confirmed the show’s status as one of British TV’s finest.

4. Sherwood

Where Can I Watch It? BBC iPlayer.

Inspired by real events, Sherwood is a taut, politically charged crime drama set in a former mining village in Nottinghamshire. When a local man is murdered with a crossbow, it reopens old wounds from the miners’ strikes of the 1980s and exposes long-held divisions in a fractured community. With a stellar ensemble cast including David Morrissey, Lesley Manville, and Adeel Akhtar, the series expertly weaves together personal grief, police investigation, and political history. Not your average whodunit, Sherwood is a poignant exploration of class and the lingering impact of collective trauma.

5. Somewhere Boy

Where Can I Watch It? All 4.

A tender, haunting drama with a uniquely British voice, Somewhere Boy follows 18-year-old Danny, who’s spent his entire life locked away by his grieving father, convinced the outside world is too dangerous to survive. When tragedy forces him into the real world for the first time, Danny must navigate grief, connection, and everything he’s been shielded from. Lewis Gribben gives a devastating performance in this beautifully shot, emotion series. Understated – and under-appreciated in our opinion – Somewhere Boy is a hidden gem that you'll be glad you found.

Comedies

6. This Way Up

Where Can I Watch It? All 4

Created by and starring Aisling Bea, This Way Up is a sharp, tender comedy-drama about a woman putting her life back together after a “teeny little nervous breakdown.” Set in London, the series follows Áine, a witty and quietly vulnerable English-language teacher, as she navigates recovery, complicated family dynamics, and the awkwardness of modern dating. With standout performances from Bea and Sharon Horgan (who also executive produced), the show balances laugh-out-loud moments with genuine emotional depth.

7. The Outlaws

Where Can I Watch It? BBC iPlayer.

From creator Stephen Merchant, The Outlaws is a clever comedy-drama about a mismatched group of strangers brought together through community service in Bristol. As they clean up a derelict building, they become entangled in a criminal conspiracy that’s far more than they bargained for. With an ensemble cast including Merchant himself, Rhianne Barreto, and a scene-stealing turn from Christopher Walken, the show is part crime caper and part character study, The Outlaws is a witty, compassionate series that finds pathos in the most unlikely places.

8. Big Boys

Where Can I Watch It? All 4.

Created by comedian Jack Rooke, Big Boys is a sweet coming-of-age comedy that follows Jack, a grieving fresher at a British uni, as he navigates mental health, masculinity, and identity. Paired unexpectedly with Danny, his laddish roommate with struggles of his own, the two form an unlikely friendship that’s hilarious and moving. Set in the early 2010s and packed with nostalgic bangers, the show is one of the most endearing comedies on British TV.

9. Chewing Gum

Where Can I Watch It? All Four.

Before I May Destroy You, there was Chewing Gum. Created by and starring the incredible Michaela Coel, this wildly original, fourth-wall-breaking comedy follows a 24-year-old shop assistant desperate to shed her religious upbringing. Set on a London council estate, the show is explicit and fiercely funny – a surreal coming-of-age story that tackles sex and shame with boundless energy and zero filter. This is a cult favourite for good reason.

10. Pure

Where Can I Watch It? Amazon Prime Video.

Based on the memoir by Rose Cartwright, Pure is a bold and darkly funny series about Marnie, a 24-year-old woman who moves to London after being plagued by intrusive sexual thoughts – a symptom of a lesser-known form of OCD. What could’ve been played for shock is instead handled with empathy and wit. It's awkward and unexpectedly uplifting, offering a refreshingly honest take on mental health and the messy process of growing into yourself.

Sci-Fi and Fantasy

11. Bodies

Where Can I Watch It? Netflix

A gripping sci-fi crime thriller with a time-bending twist, Bodies begins with one murder – the same body, found in the exact same spot – across four different time periods: 1890, 1941, 2023, and 2053. As four detectives investigate the mystery in their respective eras, their timelines slowly begin to intersect, revealing a conspiracy that spans over a century. This high-concept series is stylish and ambitious with a captivating ensemble cast and a tightly woven narrative.

12. The Lazarus Project

Where Can I Watch It? Sky Max

A gripping combo of sci-fi and action-thriller, The Lazarus Project follows George, a seemingly ordinary man who wakes up to discover he’s been recruited into a secret organisation with the ability to turn back time. Their mission is to prevent global catastrophes – by any means necessary. But when George breaks protocol to try and save someone he loves, he sets off a high-stakes battle between fate and free will. Fans of Dark, Utopia, or Edge of Tomorrow will find plenty to love.

13. Supacell

Where Can I Watch It? Netflix

Created by rapper-turned-filmmaker Rapman, Supacell is a high-octane, sci-fi series set in South London, where five seemingly ordinary Black individuals suddenly develop superpowers. As they struggle to understand their abilities, a deeper mystery unfolds – one that could change their lives and their communities forever. Real-life struggles are highlighted by genre thrills in Supacell, which is as much about systemic injustice and survival as it is about supernatural power.

14. Misfits

Where Can I watch It? All 4.

What happens when a group of young offenders doing community service suddenly gain superpowers after a freak electrical storm? Misfits takes that premise and runs with it – into wild, boundary-pushing and surprisingly emotional territory. Set on a London estate, the show flips the superhero genre on its head. With dark humour and teen angst, Misfits is messy and bizarrely profound – a cult classic that still holds up.

15. Being Human

Where Can I Watch It? BBC iPlayer

A ghost, a vampire, and a werewolf try to live a quiet life in a Bristol share house – it sounds like the setup for a joke, but Being Human turns that premise into one of the most heartfelt and inventive British genre series of the last few decades. Supernatural thrills meet real emotional depth as the show explores what it means to be human (and inhuman) with humour, tragedy, and warmth.

Romance

16. Trigonometry

Where Can I Watch It? BBC iPlayer.

Trigonometry examines love beyond traditional boundaries through the story of a London couple who take in a lodger for financial reasons, only to find themselves developing feelings for her. Set in cramped apartments where emotions have nowhere to hide, the series treats its polyamorous relationship with remarkable honesty and zero sensationalism. The intimate cinematography captures those small, charged moments of connection, while the performances feel achingly real – creating a portrait of three people discovering that their hearts might work differently than they've been taught.

17. Everything I Know About Love

Where Can I Watch It? BBC One.

Adapted from Dolly Alderton’s bestselling memoir, Everything I Know About Love is a warm and joyful portrait of female friendship in your twenties. Set in early-2010s London, it follows four housemates navigating love, work, flatshares, and hangovers – with all the cringe and charm that comes with it. At its core is the evolving bond between childhood best friends Maggie and Birdy, as romantic relationships start to reshape their closeness. This is the kind of show that makes you want to text your best friend immediately.

18. Normal People

Where Can I Watch It? BBC iPlayer.

You didn't think we'd write a list of the best British TV shows without including Normal People, did you? This raw, captivating series became a genuine phenomenon when it arrived in 2020. Following Marianne and Connell from awkward school romance to complicated adult relationship, Normal People explores how two Irish teenagers from opposite sides of the social hierarchy keep finding their way back to each other despite miscommunications and personal struggles. Daisy Edgar-Jones and Paul Mescal deliver career-making performances, and the show's simmering intensity will have you hooked all the way through.

19. Sanditon

Where Can I Watch It? ITVX.

Based on Jane Austen’s unfinished final novel, Sanditon reimagines the Regency romance with a fresh, seaside setting and a heroine who’s anything but passive. When spirited Charlotte Heywood arrives in the up-and-coming resort town of Sanditon, she finds herself swept up in intrigue, ambition, and more than a few smouldering glances. The show blends Austen’s signature wit and social commentary with bolder storylines and modern energy – especially in later seasons. Sanditon is a period drama that doesn’t play it safe – and that’s exactly why fans love it.

20. Poldark

Where Can I Watch It? BBC iPlayer.

Set against Cornwall's dramatic cliffs, Poldark follows a war hero's return to find his family estate in ruins and his former love pledged to another. As Ross Poldark rebuilds his life and fortune, his unexpected marriage to servant girl Demelza evolves into something far deeper than convenience. The series balances personal drama with sharp commentary on class injustice and industrial change in 18th-century England, all while delivering the gorgeous costumes and romantic tension that period drama fans crave. With Aidan Turner's brooding performance (and that famous scything scene) leading a talented cast, Poldark offers the perfect escape into a world where honour, passion, and ambition collide on England's stormy coast.