The best British TV series
The top 3 according to 175 votes from people: The Thick of It · Peep Show · The Office. (Updated Dec 23, 2025.)
British comedies and dramas that rank highest in The Guardian's 100 best TV shows of the 21st century and the BBC's critics' poll, plus the classics that still top viewers' lists.
Top 20
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1
The Thick of It
BBC, 2005–2012. Armando Iannucci's political satire and the swearing spin doctor Malcolm Tucker; 4th on The Guardian's list.
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2
Peep Show
Channel 4, 2003–2015. Mark and Jeremy's inner monologues; 9th for The Guardian.
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3
The Office
BBC, 2001–2003. Ricky Gervais as David Brent, manager of a Slough paper company; 6th for The Guardian.
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4
Peaky Blinders
BBC, 2013–2022. Cillian Murphy as Tommy Shelby in inter-war Birmingham.
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5
Fawlty Towers
BBC, 1975–1979. John Cleese as hotelier Basil Fawlty in only twelve episodes; voted the best British TV programme by the BFI in 2000.
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6
Blackadder
BBC, 1983–1989. Rowan Atkinson's scheming Edmund through four periods of English history.
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7
I May Destroy You
BBC/HBO, 2020. Michaela Coel on consent and memory after an assault.
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8
Sherlock
BBC, 2010–2017. Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman in a modern-day Baker Street.
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9
Downton Abbey
ITV, 2010–2015. The Crawley family and their servants from the Titanic to the 1920s.
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10
Happy Valley
BBC, 2014–2023. Sarah Lancashire as police sergeant Catherine Cawood in West Yorkshire.
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11
Inside No. 9
BBC, 2014–2024. Reece Shearsmith and Steve Pemberton's half-hour anthology, each story set behind a door numbered 9.
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12
This Country
BBC Three, 2017–2020. A mockumentary about two cousins in a Cotswolds village.
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13
Fleabag
BBC/Amazon, 2016–2019. Phoebe Waller-Bridge and the Hot Priest; 8th for The Guardian.
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14
Slow Horses
Apple TV+, 2022–. Gary Oldman's Jackson Lamb and the MI5 rejects of Slough House.
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15
Black Mirror
Channel 4/Netflix, 2011–. Charlie Brooker's anthology on technology's dark side.
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16
Detectorists
BBC, 2014–2022. Mackenzie Crook and Toby Jones hunting for treasure with metal detectors.
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17
Line of Duty
BBC, 2012–2021. AC-12's anti-corruption interrogations; its final episode was the most-watched drama of the century in the UK.
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18
Doctor Who
BBC, 1963–. The Time Lord and the TARDIS; the longest-running science fiction series.
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19
Only Fools and Horses
BBC, 1981–2003. Del Boy and Rodney Trotter in Peckham; its 1996 Christmas special drew 24 million viewers.
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20
The IT Crowd
Graham Linehan's Channel 4 sitcom (2006–2013) about the IT department of Reynholm Industries.
Candidates
They don't make it into the top 20… yet. Vote for them to move them up.
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21
Prime Suspect
ITV crime drama (1991–2006) starring Helen Mirren as DCI Jane Tennison.
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22
Spaced
Channel 4, 1999–2001. Simon Pegg and Jessica Hynes, directed by Edgar Wright.
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23
The Inbetweeners
E4 comedy (2008–2010) about four awkward sixth-formers.
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24
Red Dwarf
BBC sci-fi sitcom first broadcast in 1988, about the last human alive, three million years in deep space.
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25
Gavin & Stacey
BBC sitcom (2007–2010, plus 2019 and 2024 specials) by James Corden and Ruth Jones, set in Essex and Barry.
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26
Monty Python's Flying Circus
BBC sketch show (1969–1974) that defined British absurdist comedy.
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27
The Crown
Netflix, 2016–2023. Elizabeth II's reign in six seasons.
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28
Absolutely Fabulous
Jennifer Saunders' BBC sitcom (1992–2012) about fashion PR Edina and her friend Patsy.
How is this ranking ordered? By people's votes: each ▲ adds a point and each ▼ takes one away. Anyone can vote and add what is missing.
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Comments (1)
Great list but where's Gavin & Stacey, The IT Crowd, Ab Fab, Monty Python, Red Dwarf, The Inbetweeners, Prime Suspect...?