21 hours ago
The 100 best British TV shows of the 21st century
W hat is the best British television show of the century so far? That's the question the Times and Sunday Times TV team has set out to answer.
With the help of some of the nation's top writers, actors and actresses, from Stephen Merchant and Michael Sheen to Joanne Froggatt and Lucy Prebble, our team of television critics has assembled a list of 100 that includes the best drama, comedy, documentaries and entertainment formats of the past 25 years. Almost all are available to watch now thanks to the streaming revolution that has transformed TV.
The rules are simple. The programmes must be British, so classic American dramas such as The Sopranos and Game of Thrones aren't allowed, and the shows must have been first broadcast after January 1, 2000. That means reboots of shows that were first broadcast in the 20th century are ineligible. It's why you won't see Doctor Who, which began in 1963, but returned in 2005 after a 13-year hiatus, on our list.
