BBCA Channel
Doctor Who
Newsletter
Colin Firth and Jennifer Ehle in 'Pride & Prejudice'
Weddings. Candy. TV Drama. There are simply some things the Brits traditionally do better than Americans.
In celebration of BBC America’s launch of its new Dramaville block on August 17 – beginning with the 1950s-set spy thriller The Hour – we asked readers to submit their choices for the Greatest British TV Drama of all-time. And certainly the top 10 picks display the diversity of British drama, from grim and gritty crime thrillers, to sumptuous costume drama, to high-concept sci-fi.
89 Comments
WHAT NO NEW TRICKS, A TOUCH OF FROST ,SHARPES RIFLES, WALLANDER, INSP MORSE, INSP LEWIS, AS TIME GOES BY AND OF COURSE “SHE WHO MUST BE OBEYED !! COULD GO ON BUT AS YOU CAN SEE I AM A DYED IN THE WOOL ANGLOPHILE !
OH YES – BRIDESHEAD , JEWEL IN THE CROWN ; MIDSOMMER MURDERS ANYTHING JOH JHAW APPEARED IN !!! ! AND FINALLY PLEASE DON,T FORGET TINKER ,TAILOR, SOLDIER , SPY – WTH THE GREATEST OF ALL ACTORS – SIR ALEC GUINESS !!! [MY FAVORITE EVER SINCE ” KIND HEARTS AND CORONETS” !
Come on people, where is Cracker on this list?? I love Doctor Who, but Cracker is absolutely stunning, riveting psychological drama, and I’d rate it higher than Prime Suspect, personally.
Except for Pride and Prejudice and Upstairs Downstairs, I have all of these shows on dvd.Love them all. If you put Wire in the Blood and Waking the Dead It would be perfect. LOL
I’m very happy with the list, but there are plenty more British dramas that could have made the cut. Bleak House (05), Jane Eyre (06), Wives and Daughters, Ashes to Ashes, Little Dorrit, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, Duchess of Duke Street. It’s a crime that Brideshead Revisited had so few votes. And I’m also surprised that Cracker is not in the top ten.
I see that the Armitage contingent came out in full force, LOL. I do love North and South, though I think P&P, Jane Eyre, and Bleak House are superior in the costume drama category.
I’m so happy that Life on Mars got so much love. My favorite show of all time, along with Ashes to Ashes. Here’s hoping that we’ll get to see them on Dramaville at some point!
All Creatures Great and Small has to make this list.
Those were very good choices! Dr. Who, Spooks, and North and South….all awesome
I think Single Father is worth a mention…
Waking the dead
I love that Benedict Cumberbatch’s Sherlock Holmes is on the list but what about the Jeremy Brett version??? Mr Brett’s interpretation was THE best translation of the Conan Doyle stories! Also, whatever happened to Lovejoy??? This list needs to be much longer!!!
Where’s Downton Abbey? Is it too soon to consider it for this list?
Ohhhhh! And kudos to the gent who mentioned both Space 1999 (can’t be objective there childhood sentimental choice) and Touching Evil. Both fantastic as well.
“Monarch of the Glen” is, and always will be, my favorite BBC production. There were many good messages in each and every episode – lessons we all should learn about living and loving and how we should treat one another. Thanks BBC for giving this series to us.
In a way it’s a pity about the “of all time” part, because where do you start? How about “Play For Today”, which defined TV drama for years and amongst other things, brought “Rumpole of the Bailey” to the screen?
Anyway here’s another vote for House Of Cards, Inspector Frost, and Jeremy Brett’s Sherlock Holmes. And one I don’t think anybody else remembered, Alan Ayckbourn’s “The Norman Conquests” with Penelope Keith, Richard Briars et al.
…and not one mention of the name Forsyte. I mean the original.
Two GIGANTIC Mistakes = Sherlock Holmes ( NOT the New version !!) there is ONLY ONE
HOLMES= Jeremy Brett—ALL others are mere BAD impressions !!
And , Midsomer Murders —Should have been somewhere on the list
No Foyle’s War? And I’m really surprised that Sherlock made it on this list. It’s a good show, but not one of the 10 best British shows in history. I can think of at least 5 shows that are better, including Misommer Murders, Wallander, and A Touch of Frost. Clearly this was just for BBC shows, or Granada’s Sherlock Holmes series would have been on here instead of Sherlock.
Um… BRIDESHEAD REVISITED??? THE JEWEL IN THE CROWN???
Not that these shows don’t all have their merits, but best of all time?
I got worried when I, CLAUDIUS was at #9…
NOO! I think Sherlock should have been at LEAST 2nd!! Doctor is pretty amazing though…
Where’s Coronation Street!!!!!!!!!