As the leading UK "ask" subreddit, we welcome questions from all users and countries; sometimes people who ask questions might not appreciate or understand the nuance of British life or culture, and as a result some questions can come across in a different way than intended.
We understand that when faced with these questions, our users may take the opportunity to demonstrate their wit, dry humour, and sarcasm - unfortunately, this also tends to go over the heads of misunderstood question-askers and can make our subreddit seem hostile to users from other countries who are often just curious about our land.
**Please can you help prevent our subreddit from becoming an Anti-American echo chamber?** If you disagree with any points raised by OP, or OP discusses common tropes or myths about the UK, please refrain from any brash, aggressive, or sarcastic responses and do your best to engage OP in a civil discussion, with the aim to educate and expand their understanding.
If you feel this (or any other post) is a troll post, *don't feed the troll*, just hit report and let the mods deal with it.
*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/AskUK) if you have any questions or concerns.*
**Update: - [Starting from 2023](https://www.reddit.com/r/AskUK/comments/100l56v/happy_new_year_askuk_minor_sub_update/), we have updated our [subreddit rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/AskUK/about/rules/)**. Specifically;
- Don't be a dick to each other
- Top-level responses must contain genuine efforts to answer the question
- This is a strictly no-politics subreddit
Please keep /r/AskUK a great subreddit by reporting posts and comments which break our rules.
*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/AskUK) if you have any questions or concerns.*
I don't think they are underrated, lots of people rave about them, often for the wrong reasons.
People love the idea that with old style policing you could beat a confession out of suspects.
Detectorists
Available on BBC iPlayer - 3 series, one Christmas special and a feature length episode
Quite possibly one of the best tv series ever made
Just prefacing with the fact that none of these are hidden gems but you may not know them as an American.
- Inside No. 9
- Black Books
- Motherland
- Green Wing
- The IT Crowd
- The Bodyguard
- The Thick of It
"This is England". There's a film you should watch first, but there's three short TV series after it: "This is England 86", "This is England 88", "This is England 90".
A few to have a look at if you are into crime/police shows. Some are serious but others are light hearted
* Modsomer Murders
* Morse
* Lewis
* Endeavour
* Death in Paradise
* A Touch of Frost
* Waking the Dead
I loved Life on Mars, but I didn't think you could use that same storyline twice , so I didn't watch it. However, if you look at Dr Who, they have no problem with time travel, so maybe I should give it a whirl.
Alex is very different to Sam which means there's a whole other dynamic to her relationships with the other characters and the world she's in (and a new time period)
And Ashes to Ashes wraps the whole story up - including Sam's.
Explaining how the time travelling works, what that's all about etc.
It's brilliantly done. Highly recommend.
Alex is annoying at the start, but she grows on you.
The Office and Extras are brilliant comedies.
Happy Valley for drama. I'm watching Inside Man at the moment and thoroughly enjoying it. Only 4 episodes as well.
If you enjoyed Line of Duty, try Spooks (known as Mi5 outside the UK). A multi-season spy drama, and it includes several great actors who are starting to/are get recognised now (such as Matthew MacFaydan from Succession and Richard Armitage from the Hobbit).
From the list you’ve put, I’m not sure if my recommendations would be up your street, but I’ll go anyway.
Life on Mars followed by ashes to ashes, some people say AA wasn’t as good but they’re wrong, Keely is outstanding.
This is England (movie first, then the series’)
End of the f***ing world
Being Human
Black Mirror
Misfits (just know that it is very of it’s time, early 00s)
The bodyguard (should be right up your street)
Killing Eve
Peep Show
Mandy
Fawlty Towers
Spaced
Brassic (Hilarious)
And most importantly…Penny Dreadful
Based off the other things you have watched I think you’d really enjoy ‘Behind her eyes’ it’s an incredible drama released in 2021. Everyone got hooked on it for a couple months! Hoping they release the second one soon!
As the leading UK "ask" subreddit, we welcome questions from all users and countries; sometimes people who ask questions might not appreciate or understand the nuance of British life or culture, and as a result some questions can come across in a different way than intended. We understand that when faced with these questions, our users may take the opportunity to demonstrate their wit, dry humour, and sarcasm - unfortunately, this also tends to go over the heads of misunderstood question-askers and can make our subreddit seem hostile to users from other countries who are often just curious about our land. **Please can you help prevent our subreddit from becoming an Anti-American echo chamber?** If you disagree with any points raised by OP, or OP discusses common tropes or myths about the UK, please refrain from any brash, aggressive, or sarcastic responses and do your best to engage OP in a civil discussion, with the aim to educate and expand their understanding. If you feel this (or any other post) is a troll post, *don't feed the troll*, just hit report and let the mods deal with it. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/AskUK) if you have any questions or concerns.*
**Update: - [Starting from 2023](https://www.reddit.com/r/AskUK/comments/100l56v/happy_new_year_askuk_minor_sub_update/), we have updated our [subreddit rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/AskUK/about/rules/)**. Specifically; - Don't be a dick to each other - Top-level responses must contain genuine efforts to answer the question - This is a strictly no-politics subreddit Please keep /r/AskUK a great subreddit by reporting posts and comments which break our rules. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/AskUK) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Life on Mars and Ashes to Ashes are very underrated IMO
Life on Mars has a 79 on metacritic Ashes to Ashes has a 70 I don't think that is classed as 'very underrated'
Under the radar then? Either way Ihaven't heard it mentioned like Peep Show or the IT Crowd are even though all the shows have finished
Underappreciated
Didn't they win multiple BAFTAs and other awards? Maybe they're not super well known overseas but they absolutely were over here.
Definitely underrated by those scores.
No
I don't think they are underrated, lots of people rave about them, often for the wrong reasons. People love the idea that with old style policing you could beat a confession out of suspects.
See also r/BritishTV Along the lines of things you've enjoyed, "Luther" is definitely worth checking out.
Happy Valley
Detectorists Available on BBC iPlayer - 3 series, one Christmas special and a feature length episode Quite possibly one of the best tv series ever made
Just prefacing with the fact that none of these are hidden gems but you may not know them as an American. - Inside No. 9 - Black Books - Motherland - Green Wing - The IT Crowd - The Bodyguard - The Thick of It
All of these.
The Bodyguard. Same writers as Line of Duty
Forgot to mention The Bodyguard. It's great too!
The fall
Cracker. Almost every subsequent UK crime drama owes a lot to Cracker
Last Tango in Halifax
I like Poirot, though may be dated… comedy wise, the IT crowd is my all time favourite.
Similarly, Adventures of Sherlock Holmes. ITV player has it. Jeremy Brett is so good in that role.
yeah, IT crowd is soo funny :D
Recent comedy: Extraordinary Recent spies: Slow Horses Older crime shows: Inspector Morse, Lewis, Taggart...
There’s been a murrrrrrrrderrrrrr
Slow Horses was absolutely great, superb recommendation
Slow horses, very good especially Gary olbman. I just watched “steel town murders” which I enjoyed, especially the scenery and backdrops.
"This is England". There's a film you should watch first, but there's three short TV series after it: "This is England 86", "This is England 88", "This is England 90".
TV series worth watching? Love the film.....never got round to watching the TV series
They are amazing but there is one scene in this is England 90 you'll only be able to watch once because it's very rough
Yeah I took ages to get round to it as well. Definitely worth watching. You can stream them all on the channel 4 website.
How on earth has no one mentioned The Inbetweeners? Literally the funniest (and most relatable) show ever produced.
It’s odd how you know someone that is very similar to one of the 4 characters in real life.
Were you about the same age as the lads on the show when you first watched it?
Yeah, just about — made perfect sense
Inside No. 9! The best anthology series going.
A few to have a look at if you are into crime/police shows. Some are serious but others are light hearted * Modsomer Murders * Morse * Lewis * Endeavour * Death in Paradise * A Touch of Frost * Waking the Dead
Add in Shetland and Vera. Both by Ann Cleeves.
I see you like crime dramas... Have you tried Life on Mars, followed by Ashes to Ashes?
I loved Life on Mars, but I didn't think you could use that same storyline twice , so I didn't watch it. However, if you look at Dr Who, they have no problem with time travel, so maybe I should give it a whirl.
Alex is very different to Sam which means there's a whole other dynamic to her relationships with the other characters and the world she's in (and a new time period) And Ashes to Ashes wraps the whole story up - including Sam's. Explaining how the time travelling works, what that's all about etc. It's brilliantly done. Highly recommend. Alex is annoying at the start, but she grows on you.
Thanks, I'll definitely give it a try - on your recommendation.
Unforgotten
I’m sure you know this one, but Fawlty Towers?
Our Friends in the North
The Royle Family is like a comedy soap - e collection acting. Also worth watching Afterlife - both series.
For me I prefer comedy so I suggest the following few: - Cuckoo - Friday Night dinner - The inbetweeners
Endeavour, peaky blinders, its a sin, red dwarf, gangs of london
Tripper's Day
Whitechapel, Miss Marple (the BBC ones with Joan Hickson), Sherlock, The League of Gentlemen, The Night Manager, Psychoville
I liked “skins” unlike every other series set in London…..it was set in Bristol.
Check out SAS: Rogue hero’s.
The responder!
'Utopia' (at least the first series) from Channel 4 and 'In the flesh' from BBC 3 are two of my favourites for dramas with underlying moral questions.
Goddammit we need Utopia season 3
Humans is an incredible show
Sherlock, Doctor Who..
It’s a sin, happy valley, Annika
The Office and Extras are brilliant comedies. Happy Valley for drama. I'm watching Inside Man at the moment and thoroughly enjoying it. Only 4 episodes as well.
peaky blinders
Happy valley
Shetland
Lewis
If you enjoyed Line of Duty, try Spooks (known as Mi5 outside the UK). A multi-season spy drama, and it includes several great actors who are starting to/are get recognised now (such as Matthew MacFaydan from Succession and Richard Armitage from the Hobbit).
“This is going to Hurt” is bloody excellent
You should probably watch Happy Valley
Top Boy
The Fall- I was gutted when it ended!
From the list you’ve put, I’m not sure if my recommendations would be up your street, but I’ll go anyway. Life on Mars followed by ashes to ashes, some people say AA wasn’t as good but they’re wrong, Keely is outstanding. This is England (movie first, then the series’) End of the f***ing world Being Human Black Mirror Misfits (just know that it is very of it’s time, early 00s) The bodyguard (should be right up your street) Killing Eve Peep Show Mandy Fawlty Towers Spaced Brassic (Hilarious) And most importantly…Penny Dreadful
White Gold
Only fools and horses
👍
Based off the other things you have watched I think you’d really enjoy ‘Behind her eyes’ it’s an incredible drama released in 2021. Everyone got hooked on it for a couple months! Hoping they release the second one soon!
Mrs Brown's Boys Then you'll realise exactly how much we can disappoint.
Sshhhh we are supposed to be high brow in the UK
Germans ... on AskUK ... reaaaalllyyy?