BBC (United Kingdom): 25

Based on Ian McGuire’s 2016 novel, The North Water (2021) is a five-part television miniseries directed by Andrew Haigh and starring Colin Farrell and Jack O’Connell. It is an international co-production between British broadcaster BBC, Canadian broadcaster CBC Television, premium channel Super Channel, and French-language counterpart ICI Radio-Canada Télé. The series premiered in the US on AMC+ on July 15, 2021, followed by premieres in the UK on BBC Two on ...

Staged (2020–2023) is a British television comedy series that was filmed and set during the COVID-19 pandemic in the UK. Using video-conferencing technology, the show features actors Michael Sheen and David Tennant as fictionalized versions of themselves, along with Simon Evans, Georgia Tennant, Anna Lundberg, and Lucy Eaton. The first series aired on BBC One on 10 June 2020, ...

Based on Philip Pullman’s trilogy of novels, His Dark Materials (2019–2022) is a fantasy drama TV series that is produced by Bad Wolf and New Line Productions. BBC One and HBO co-produce the show, with HBO also handling worldwide distribution. The story follows orphan Lyra as she embarks on a quest to find her missing friend and uncovers a kidnapping plot involving a mysterious substance called Dust. The first eight-episode season debuted on 3 November 2019 in the UK on BBC One, and on 4 November in the US and other countries via HBO. The second season, consisting of seven episodes, premiered on 8 November 2020 in ...

Watership Down (2018) is a CGI-animated series directed by Noam Murro and based on the 1972 novel by Richard Adams, adapted by Tom Bidwell. The story takes place in the serene countryside of southern England and follows a group of rabbits on their escape from man’s intrusion and the imminent destruction of their home. Led by two brave brothers, they travel from Sandleford Warren through treacherous obstacles and foes, in pursuit of a promised land and a better society. One rabbit, Fiver, has a vision of impending ...

The British television espionage drama, The Little Drummer Girl (2018), is an adaptation of John le Carré’s novel of the same name from 1983. It debuted with six episodes on BBC One in the United Kingdom on 28 October 2018 and on AMC in the United States during November of that year. Set in 1979, the series follows a young English actress who is approached by Mossad to go undercover and thwart a Palestinian terrorist group’s plans in Europe. In The Little Drummer Girl, the boundaries between love and hate, truth and fiction, and right and wrong are blurred as the ...

The British mystery drama thriller television movie, The Witness for the Prosecution (2016), aired on BBC One during Christmas of 2016. Adapted by Sarah Phelps and directed by Julian Jarrold, this two-part program is based on Agatha Christie’s short story of the same name. While following Christie’s original plot and ending, it differs from previous adaptations, including Billy Wilder’s 1957 film version. Set ...

Susanne Bier’s British television serial, The Night Manager (2016), follows the story of Jonathan Pine, an Englishman working as a night manager in a Cairo hotel. When he becomes entangled with the girlfriend of a local gangster, he discovers information that connects illegal arms sales to wealthy English billionaire Richard Roper. Shortly after, the woman is found dead, prompting Pine to flee for his own safety. Four years later, he encounters Roper at a remote Swiss hotel, reigniting his thirst for revenge. With the help of British Intelligence, Pine is recruited to spy on Roper and sets off a treacherous game ...

Created by Steven Knight, Peaky Blinders (2013–2022) is a British period crime drama set in Birmingham during the aftermath of World War I. The show follows the notorious exploits of a gang bearing the same name, loosely inspired by a real urban youth gang from the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The series centers around a family with mixed Irish Traveller and Romani roots, situated in Birmingham, England, just months after the end of the war. Led by their cunning and ambitious boss Tommy Shelby, the Peaky Blinders gang capture the attention of Major Chester Campbell, a detective chief inspector dispatched from ...

The British TV movie, The Great Train Robbery (2013), is a two-part miniseries written by Chris Chibnall and aired on BBC One in December 2013. It depicts the infamous event that occurred on August 8th, 1963, through the eyes of both the robbers and the police. In the first episode, A Robber’s Tale, we witness the meticulous planning and successful execution of the robbery. The second episode, A Copper’s Tale, focuses on the law enforcement’s investigation and arrest of most of the robbers. Interestingly enough, A Robber’s Tale premiered on the same day as Ronnie Biggs’ passing.

Life’s Too Short (2011–2013) is a British mockumentary sitcom co-created and written by Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant. The show stars Warwick Davis as a fictionalized version of himself, while Gervais and Merchant make appearances in supporting roles as themselves. It first aired on BBC Two on 10 November 2011 and was later picked up by HBO for US distribution. However, in January 2013, it was announced that the ...

A British two-part drama mini-series called A Passionate Woman (2010) was broadcasted on BBC One in April 2010. The inspiration behind the story came from writer Kay Mellor’s mother, who had shared with her a secret affair with a Polish neighbor during their time living in a less affluent area of Leeds in the 1950s. Unfortunately, the unnamed Pole met a tragic end, ultimately putting an end to her mother’s infidelity which she had kept hidden for three decades before revealing it all. Mellor revealed that writing this piece was a way for her to bring her late mother back to life. The work initially began as ...

The British television adaptation of The 39 Steps (2008) is a thrilling adventure based on the novel by John Buchan. The story begins in 1914 with Richard Hannay, a former mining engineer and intelligence officer. Dissatisfied with his return to England after serving in Africa, he finds society to be cliquey, class-bound, and dull. While trying to evade German spies, a man named Scudder shows up at Hannay’s flat and confesses to being a betrayed agent of the British Secret Service Bureau. He has been tracking a German espionage ring headquartered in Scotland and has uncovered plans to assassinate a European royal ...

Tsunami: The Aftermath (2006), an American disaster drama TV miniseries, portrays the aftermath of the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami. Written by Abi Morgan and directed by Bharat Nalluri, it is a joint production of HBO and the BBC. Through intertwining plotlines, we witness the personal tragedies faced by various characters. The Carter family, consisting of Ian, Susie, and their six-year-old daughter Martha, desperately search for her after she was carried away by the tsunami. In addition, Kim Peabody and her son Adam also scour the destruction for Kim’s ...

No Direction Home: Bob Dylan (2005) is a documentary by Martin Scorsese that follows the life of iconic musician Bob Dylan and his significant influence on American popular music and culture in the 20th century. The film specifically delves into the years between Dylan’s arrival in New York in January 1961 and his temporary withdrawal from touring after a motorcycle accident in July 1966. During this time, Dylan experienced a meteoric rise as a folk singer and songwriter, sparking a transformative movement in both cultural and musical realms, ultimately leading to debate over his transition to rock music.

Lara Croft Tomb Raider: The Cradle of Life (2003), an action adventure film directed by Jan de Bont and based on the popular video game series, takes place on Santorini island in Greece. A powerful earthquake reveals the Luna Temple, originally constructed by Alexander the Great to house his most treasured possessions. One of these treasures is a luminous orb adorned with a cryptic pattern. While treasure-hunting archaeologist Lara Croft and her team uncover this orb, they are ambushed by Chen and Xien Lo, leaders of the Chinese crime syndicate Shay Ling. Despite their efforts, Lara manages to evade capture with an ...

Band of Brothers (2001), an American war drama miniseries, is based on historian Stephen E. Ambrose’s 1992 non-fiction book of the same name. It was created and executive produced by Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks, who had previously collaborated on the 1998 World War II film Saving Private Ryan. Across ten episodes, Band of Brothers follows Easy Company’s experiences during the war. These include their training at Camp Toccoa, participation in the Normandy landings, Operation Market Garden, ...

The Office (2001–2003) is a British mockumentary sitcom that premiered on BBC Two in 2001. Developed by Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant, it centers around the daily lives of office employees at Wernham Hogg paper company in Slough. Gervais also stars as the main character, David Brent. The show consisted of two six-episode series and a two-part Christmas special. Despite low ratings upon its initial airing, it has become one of Britain’s most successful comedy exports. In addition to being broadcast internationally through BBC Worldwide, the series has ...

In the film Wonder Boys (2000), director Curtis Hanson and writer Steve Kloves showcase the life of Grady Tripp, a creative writing professor at an unnamed Pennsylvania university. Grady is in a relationship with Sara Gaskell, the university chancellor. However, her husband Walter is also involved in their professional lives as chairman of the English department where Grady teaches. Recently, Grady’s third wife Emily has left him and he struggles to replicate the success of his first novel. Currently, he is diligently working on his second novel but cannot seem to ...

The League of Gentlemen (1999–2017), a British comedy horror sitcom, debuted on BBC Two in 1999. Set in the fictional town of Royston Vasey, inspired by Alston, Cumbria, the show follows a cast of eccentric characters portrayed by three of its four writers: Mark Gatiss, Steve Pemberton, and Reece Shearsmith. In recognition of the group’s 20th anniversary since appearing on BBC Radio 4, the BBC announced three new episodes in August 2017 which aired on BBC Two from 18-20 December that year. The intertwining plot ...

The Governess (1998), a British period drama film by Sandra Goldbacher, takes place in the 1830s. It tells the story of Rosina da Silva, the cultured eldest daughter of a prosperous Jewish family in a small community of Sephardic London Jews. After her father is killed and leaves behind significant debts, Rosina rejects an arranged marriage to an older man and vows to support her family through any means necessary. Against the wishes of her family, she decides to work as a governess, masking her identity as a Jew by posing as Mary Blackchurch – a half-Italian Protestant. Through her education and skills, she ...