Best Shows To Watch On BBC iPlayer Right Now
By
9 months ago
Is this the most underrated streaming service?
BBC iPlayer isn’t just home to moody police dramas that you missed on terrestrial telly (although there are crime dramas aplenty): you can also stream live TV, some shows debut here, and there’s a surprisingly random selection of American series to watch. Wondering where to start? Here are the best shows on BBC iPlayer right now.
Best TV Shows On BBC iPlayer
(L-R) Amanda Kinsella (CLARE DUNNE), Michael Kinsella (CHARLIE COX), Eamon Cunningham (CIARAN HINDS), Frank Kinsella (AIDAN GILLEN).
© BBC/Kin Series Holding UK Ltd/ Headline Pictures (Kin) Limited
Kin
This intense Irish drug crime series drops us in Dublin when the early rumblings of a feud are being felt. And, by the end of the first episode, it’s clear that feud is about to turn into an all-out war. Kin is totally gripping, frustrating, emotional and intense as family ties complicate rationality, and the Kinsella family fights to stay alive at the hands of a much bigger power in the illicit industry. A must-watch.
The Dropout
The BBC recently acquired Disney+ series The Dropout, airing on BBC One in mid-March and landing on BBC iPlayer, too – meaning it’s available to watch on demand at your leisure, and it’s certainly one of the best shows on BBC iPlayer right now. Originally released on Disney and Hulu in 2022, the intriguing series is led by Amanda Seyfried as the spooky Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes (an uncanny performance for which Seyfried bagged an Emmy). Elizabeth is a college dropout turned businesswoman who is so confident in her abilities to improvise, she ultimately helms a multi-billion dollar scam. It’s based on an ABC podcast of the same name, which is also worth the listen if you’re interested in Silicon Valley scams.
Credit: BBC/Studio Lambert
Boarders
This new coming of age drama is both heart-warming and hilarious, following a group of black London teenagers whose lives begin to change after they win scholarships to an elite boarding school. Starring Josh Tedeku, Jodie Campbell, Myles Kamwendo, Sekou Diaby and Aruna Jalloh, we’re sure there are some bright stars-to-be in here.
Claudia Winkleman in The Traitors. © Studio Lambert/LLARA PLAZA/BBC
The Traitors
Are you a Faithful, or a Traitor? And by that we mean: have you watched the BBC’s reality game show of the moment, The Traitors, or have you missed the boat? Hosted by Claudia Winkleman, it gathered a cult following with its first series, which aired in December 2022. And now it’s back for series 2, with episodes airing on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday nights before they arrive on BBC iPlayer. The series sees 22 Brits whisked off to a castle in the Scottish highlands where they meet and develop friendships and alliances (or the opposite). Among the contestants are a number of stealthy ‘Traitors’, and it’s everyone else’s job, the ‘Faithfuls’, to root out the Traitors to prevent them winning a cash prize at the end. If you need to know more, check out our full guide to the series here.
The Tourist
This unsettling, lost-identity series is led by Jamie Dornan and transports us to the Australian outback. Dornan is ‘The Man’ who is driving along a long, winding road in Australia, when all of a sudden a lorry bulldozes into his car. He wakes up in hospital with no memory of who he is – and nobody else seems to know either. Thus ensues a rocky road to uncovering his identity – and as The Man’s dark past comes to light, does he even really want to know?
David Tennant as The Doctor. © BBC Studios
Doctor Who
Every episode of Doctor Who (ever!) is available to stream on BBC iPlayer, split into classic episodes (1963–1996), modern episodes (2005–2023), and the latest episodes (2023–present) produced in collaboration with Disney. Even the lost episodes from the classic era have been replicated in cartoon form. So, whether you’d like to delve into the earliest episodes available from the ’60s, or relive the magic you remember from the ’00s, your wish is the BBC’s command.
Image © AMC
The Night Manager
This visually stunning British-American miniseries is based on the best-selling novel of the same name by John le Carré, and stars Tom Hiddleston as Jonathan Pine, a night manager at a luxury hotel in Cairo. A thrilling journey, Jonathan becomes entangled in a dangerous mission to infiltrate the inner circle of an arms dealer, Richard Roper (played by Hugh Laurie). Olivia Colman and Elizabeth Debicki also star, with the series taking viewers on a gripping journey through the world of espionage, betrayal, and high-stakes intrigue. Watch the original series before the second drops (at long last). Here’s everything we know so far about The Night Manager series two.
Bella Ramsey as Kelsey. © BBC Studios/Sally Mais
Time
If you loved Bella Ramsey’s moving, layered performance in The Last of Us, you should tune into the second series of the BBC’s prison anthology series, Time. Telling the interweaving stories of three women behind bars, Ramsey stars as Kelsey, a young heroin addict who discovers on arrival in prison that she’s pregnant. Meanwhile, Jodie Whittaker plays Orla, a mother who has been imprisoned for tampering with her electricity metre readings, and Tamara Lawrance plays Abi who is at the beginning of a life sentence. You might want to watch the first series to feel all caught up, but that’s no problem: it’s a tense, moving drama led by Sean Bean and Stephen Graham.
The Woman in the Wall. © BBC/Motive Pictures/Chris Barr
The Woman in the Wall
This twisty psychological drama explores the very real and traumatic effects of Ireland’s Magdalene Laundries, from the perspective of fictional character Lorna Brady (played by Ruth Wilson) and set in the fictional small town of Kilkinure, just outside of Dublin. Lorna has trouble with sleepwalking, and one day wakes up to find a dead body in her house. But is she a murderer?
Vinette as Carly. © BBC / Boiling Point TV Limited
Boiling Point
Fancy feeling a bit stressed? The stakes are high in Boiling Point, which plunges us into a fast-paced kitchen and continues the 2021 film of the same name, led by Stephen Graham. Vinette Robinson takes the lead in this four-part series playing Carly who now has her own restaurant, and is joined by many familiar faces from the original film.
TV Dinner: Find More Restaurant Dramas Here
Pride and Prejudice
Described by the BBC as ‘The spectacular adaptation that started a wave of Austen-mania. With Colin Firth.’ Enough said? This six-part 1995 BBC adaptation was written by Andrew Davies, and is widely regarded as one of the best adaptations of the novel. Firth plays a Darcey to rival Matthew Macfayden’s, with Jennifer Ehle as Elizabeth Bennet.
Spooks
Speaking of Matthew Macfayden, tune into Spooks for a healthy dose of 00s spy drama, starring a young Macfayden working in a counter-terrorism division of the British Security Service (MI5). It epitomises the popular BBC crime form, with gripping storylines, complex characters and a realistic portrayal, in this case, of the world of espionage.
The Bold Type. © BBC/Freeform/Universal Television/Disney Enterprises, Inc/John Medland
The Bold Type
It’s official: all five seasons of The Bold Type are streaming on BBC iPlayer. This beloved NYC-based show has hit a few Covid-related bumps in the road, but found a legion of UK fans despite only being aavailble in stops and starts across different platforms. But now The Bold Type – which follows trio of besties Jane, Kat and Sutton working for a Cosmopolitan-like magazine – has fortunately found a new home at the BBC.
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Normal People
A must-watch for romance lovers, Normal People took the world by storm when it debuted in the midst of lockdown in 2020, catapulting Paul Mescal and Daisy Edgar-Jones – and, frankly, Sally Rooney – to international fame and acclaim. Based on Rooney’s novel, the series is a heartfelt look at two complicated people, following them from adolescence to adulthood as they navigate love, identity and their own complexity.
Gavin & Stacey
Another British comedy classic, Gavin & Stacey offers a healthy dose of 00s nostalgia, following the long-distance relationship between Gavin from Essex and Stacey from south Wales, who meet after a serendipitously mis-dialled phone call. The beloved ensemble cast features Ruth Jones and James Corden (who wrote the show together), with Matthew Horne and Joanna Page in the title roles, joined by Alison Steadman, Larry Lamb, and Rob Brydon.
(L-R) Stan (BLAKE HARRISON); Harry Chase (JONAH HAUER-KING); Rajib (AHAD RAZAMIR) in World on Fire. © BBC/Mammoth Screen (cropped)
World On Fire
This British war drama series was created by Peter Bowker, and follows the intertwined lives of ordinary civilians across Europe and the US who are caught up in WW2. The series has been praised for its sensitive and beautifully rendered take on the war, and stars an ensemble cast, including Blake Harrison, who describes it as ‘fresh’, ‘exhilarating’ and ‘harrowing’. Sign us up.
Read our full interview with Blake Harrison here
Miranda
Miranda is one of the best shows on BBC iPlayer if you’re looking for something a little lighter. Created by and starring Miranda Hart, the show epitomises British comedy, following the life of Miranda, a socially awkward and clumsy joke shop owner as she navigates her way through various comedic situations.
Race Across The World S3 © BBC/Studio Lambert (cropped)
Race Across The World
A reality series with a cult following, Race Across the World sees duos battle it out to, well, race across the world. Each series traverses a different continent, with series one racing to the Far East, series two traversing South America, and series three spanning Canada. It’s an exhilarating show that’s sure to inspire your wanderlust – with an added dollop of reality drama, too.
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Peaky Blinders
Oppenheimer reminded you of the real reason you loved Peaky Blinders so much? Fancy a rewatch? BBC iPlayer is the place to be, with all episodes available to stream. If you’ve never watched before, this crime drama transports us to Birmingham in the interwar period, following the exploits of a gang called ‘the Peaky Blinders’. Created by Steven Knight, it’s loosely based on a real urban gang that operated in Birmingham from the 1880s to the 1910s.
Read our interview with Peaky Blinders star Natasha O’Keeffe here
Louis Theroux’s Weird Weekends
Docuseries lovers should switch Louis Theroux’s Weird Weekends on for an intoxicating time capsule journey through left-field subcultures in the late ‘90s. All 17 episodes are available to watch on BBC iPlayer, ranging from born again Christians to swingers to body builders. The final episode delves into rap, featuring the original version of that catchy ‘My money don’t jiggle jiggle’ song revitalised by Amelia Dimoldenberg’s Chicken Shop Date episode with Theroux. All of this is to say that Weird Weekends is a veritable piece of history.
I May Destroy You. © Natalie Seery/HBO
I May Destroy You
Michaela Coel’s I May Destroy You has garnered international critical acclaim for its exploration of sexual consent, trauma and identity. We follow Arabella, a young writer who is drugged and sexually assaulted while out with friends. It’s dark and nuanced, but funny at times, with arresting performances from the cast.
Line of Duty
When it comes to police dramas, Line of Duty is one of the best out there – and certainly one of the best shows on BBC iPlayer. Created by Jed Mercurio, the show delves into the gritty world of corruption and internal affairs within the police force. With its intricate plotlines, intense interrogation sequences, and a stellar ensemble cast led by Martin Compston, Vicky McClure, and Adrian Dunbar, expect to spend most of your watching time on the edge of your seat.
His Dark Materials. © Bad Wolf/BBC/HBO
His Dark Materials
This beloved fantasy drama series is based on Philip Pullman’s trilogy of novels of the same name, and follows a young orphaned girl named Lyra (Dafne Keen) who embarks on an incredible adventure into a parallel world where a human’s soul exists outside their body in the form of a talking animal.
Suranne Jones in Vigil, BBC Pictures
Vigil
From the people behind Line of Duty, Vigil is similarly known for its gripping storyline, complex characters, and stunning cinematography. It explores the mysterious death of a crew member aboard the Trident nuclear submarine HMS Vigil and the subsequent investigation led by DCI Amy Silva, played by Suranne Jones, and DS Kirsten Longacre, played by Rose Leslie.
David Tennant in Inside Man © BBC/Hartswood/Kevin Baker
Inside Man
What would make a good man commit murder? This four-part dark comedy explores what happens when a good person finds themself in the wrong place at the very wrong time. Led by David Tennant and Stanley Tucci on opposite sides of the Atlantic, Inside Man is a fast-paced, gripping look at modern morals and actions under pressure.
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Killing Eve
It’s tense, it’s sexy, it’s stylish, and it stars Jodie Comer and Sandra Oh. What more could you want? This gripping, comedic spy thriller was created by Phoebe Waller Bridge and took the world by storm when it first debuted in 2018. Set primarily in London, we follow the cat-and-mouse game between Eve Polastri (Oh), a British intelligence investigator, and Villanelle (Comer), a psychopathic assassin.
Fleabag. © Amazon Studios
Fleabag
Phoebe Waller-Bridge’s classic two-series show Fleabag first aired in 2016 and is best known for its wildly differing seasons. Repopularising the to-camera comedy style, we follow a witty and troubled woman known only as ‘Fleabag’ as she navigates grief, love, and self-discovery.
This Is Going To Hurt. © BBC/Sister/AMC/Anika Molnar
This Is Going To Hurt
Based on Adam Kay’s best-selling memoir of the same name, This Is Going To Hurt follows the life of a junior doctor in obstetrics and gynaecology as he navigates the chaotic and often heartbreaking world of the NHS. Ben Whishaw stars as the lead character, and it’s one of the best shows on BBC iPlayer if you’re looking for humour, authenticity and emotional resonance.
Gentleman Jack
This historical drama series was created by Sally Wainwright, and is based on the life of Anne Lister, a 19th-century English landowner who kept a detailed diary of her life – including her relationships with women. The series stars Suranne Jones as Lister and explores gender, sexuality, and class in the context of the time period.
Happy Valley © BBC/Lookout Point/Matt Squire
Happy Valley
Also from Wainwright is Happy Valley, a BBC classic following the life of Sergeant Catherine Cawood, a police officer in the Calder Valley, as she investigates various crimes and navigates her personal life. The series is known for its gritty realism, strong performances, and exploration of grief, addiction and family dynamics – it’s one of the best shows on BBC iPlayer for crime fans.
Dr Foster
If you’re a fan of medical dramas, try Dr Foster, Mike Bartlett’s exploration of Dr. Gemma Foster, a well-respected GP who suspects her husband of having an affair. Suranne Jones plays Foster as Bartlett explores betrayal, revenge, and the impossible ideals of the British middle class.
Watch all of these (and much more) at bbc.co.uk/iplayer
