The best BBC drama series
The top 3 according to 550 votes from people: Peaky Blinders (2013) · Sherlock (2010) · The North Water (2021). (Updated May 8, 2024.)
From Peaky Blinders, Sherlock and Line of Duty to Happy Valley, Fleabag and Normal People: whatNerd's ranking of the best BBC dramas.
Top 15
-
1
Peaky Blinders (2013)
Steven Knight. The Shelby family's rise in post-war Birmingham.
-
2
Sherlock (2010)
Steven Moffat and Mark Gatiss. Benedict Cumberbatch as a modern-day Sherlock Holmes.
-
3
The North Water (2021)
A disgraced surgeon on an 1850s Arctic whaling ship, with Colin Farrell.
-
4
Happy Valley (2014)
Sally Wainwright. Sarah Lancashire as a Yorkshire police sergeant.
-
5
Fleabag (2016)
Phoebe Waller-Bridge breaking the fourth wall in London.
-
6
Time (2021)
Jimmy McGovern. Sean Bean as a teacher sent to prison.
-
7
Normal People (2020)
Marianne and Connell, from Sally Rooney's novel.
-
8
Line of Duty (2012)
Jed Mercurio. An anti-corruption unit investigating police officers.
-
9
The Responder (2022)
Martin Freeman as a burnt-out Liverpool police officer on night shifts.
-
10
Great Expectations (2023)
Steven Knight's take on Dickens.
-
11
The Missing (2014)
A father searches for his son who vanished in France.
-
12
Killing Eve (2018)
An MI5 officer and an assassin obsessed with each other.
-
13
Taboo (2017)
Tom Hardy returns to 1814 London to claim his father's inheritance.
-
14
Luther (2010)
Idris Elba as a brilliant, troubled London detective.
-
15
SAS: Rogue Heroes (2022)
Steven Knight. The founding of the SAS in North Africa in the Second World War.
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.
Is something missing?
Comments (2)
Happy Valley at 4 is a joke, Sarah Lancashire gives the best TV performance of the century. Should be number one over Peaky Blinders.
Glad The North Water made it, nobody I know has seen it and it's brutal in the best way.