There’s plenty of British TV on Hulu, but what’s the best?
Sure, you could enjoy Colin Firth striding gallantly out of a pond in Pride and Prejudice again — it’s a classic. Yes, Coronation Street and Hollyoaks are always there if you need them. But what about something a little more fresh, emblematic of all the incredible shows that are coming out of the UK?
We’ve gone through Hulu’s British TV shows to find the best series you should really add to your list. From the heart-wrenching twists and twirls of Normal People to everyone’s favorite cat-and-mouse game Killing Eve, these UK-produced shows are long-loved classics, provocative hidden gems, and newer showstoppers that everyone can’t stop talking about (in no particular order).
1. Killing Eve
The ultimate game of cat and mouse, Killing Eve is a truly addictive thriller that will have you wanting to run about town in a fluffy pink tulle dress but hopefully not doing crimes in it. Created by Fleabag queen Phoebe Waller-Bridge, the series centres around meticulous MI5 agent Eve (Sandra Oh) and intense assassin Villanelle (Jodie Comer) who find themselves relentlessly drawn toward one another. We’re on three seasons so far, each spinning a tangled web and keeping you on your toes with the actors’ incredible performances and Waller-Bridge’s signature sharp writing. — Shannon Connellan, UK Editor
Where to watch: Killing Eve is streaming on Hulu.
2. The Office (U.K.)
The OG phenomenon behind the sitcom we’ve all come to quote in our sleep, The Office (U.K.) set the precedent for Michael Scott and co. way back in 2001. Much like its American remake, The Office (U.K.) is set in the dreary town of Slough, at a paper company run by David Brent (Ricky Gervais), a horrendously awkward business man who thinks he’s supremely cool, funny, and successful. David Brent is, of course, the British template for Michael Scott (Steve Carell), which means his endless social faux pas lead to hilarious hijinks doused in wry humor. Keep an eye out for all the British counterparts of our beloved characters — Dwight, Jim, Pam, and Roy are all very much there. — Yasmeen Hamadeh, Entertainment Intern
Where to watch: The Office (U.K.) is streaming on Hulu.
3. Luther
If you haven’t joined DCI John Luther for a murder investigation, you should really get on it. Idris Elba stars in the titular role of this psychological crime thriller series, one that sees an overly dedicated detective chasing twisted criminals (sometimes too close to home) across London. An unsettlingly villainous Ruth Wilson and intense Indira Varma are highlights of the early days of the dark crime series, which was created by Neil Cross. The twists and turns of Luther are genuine pivots, so hold onto your butts. — S.C.
Where to watch: Luther is streaming on Hulu.
4. Normal People
Yes, it’s Irish, but it was produced by BBC Three so we’re counting it in here (any excuse). Based on Sally Rooney’s novel, the BBC/Hulu’s tear-jerking adaptation of Normal People seemed to capture everybody’s hearts when it aired in spring 2020, and with good reason. Telling the years-long story of the romance between two troubled Irish teenagers, Marianne (Daisy Edgar-Jones) and Connell (Paul Mescal), the show merges beautiful writing and cinematography with gut-wrenching performances.
« Before watching, know this: there will be feelings, and plenty of them, » wrote Mashable’s Rachel Thompson in her review. « You might cry (I certainly did). You might see your own experience in amongst the drama. You might remember past loves, past heartbreaks. You might, for a brief moment, remember what life and love was like before COVID-19. And for that, you will feel thankful, young again, alive, and no longer numb. »— Sam Haysom, Deputy UK Editor
Where to watch: Normal People is streaming on Hulu.
5. This Way Up
Created by and starring Aisling Bea, whipsmart, hilarious, and poignant Channel 4 series This Way Up is a song for the lonely, as Cher would put it. Bea stars as Aine, a London teacher who’s really going through it, while Sharon Horgan stars as her sister Shona, who has her back through any and all storms. Season 1 is « one of the few accurate portrayals of millennial loneliness that truly distills the reality of what it’s like to be lonely in a city packed with people, » while Season 2 « captures mental health issues and sisterly relationships with compassion. » — S.C. (*)
Where to watch: This Way Up is streaming on Hulu.
6. Love Island
« I’ve got a text! » If these words mean nothing to you, then chances are you’re missing out, hun. Love Island season marks the beginning of the horniest time of year in Britain, when the words « Can I pull you for a chat? » promise a world of opportunity for bevs, NVQs, and getting pied. ITV’s Love Island sees 11 islanders share a villa in Mallorca, Spain, where, upon arrival, they couple up with someone they fancy, and promptly have to share a bed with them until the producers announce a recoupling. As islanders get to know one another, loyalties change, and curveballs are thrown in when « bombshells » show up at the villa to make contestants question who they really want to be with — the person in their bed, or the new person standing before them? Will their decision lead to someone getting dumped from the island? Choices are made, some of them good, some terrible — but you’ll likely be unable to tear yourself away from the messy drama of it all. It is what it is, babes. — Rachel Thompson, Senior Culture Reporter
Where to watch: Love Island is streaming on Hulu.
7. Absolutely Fabulous
Sweetie, darling, if you haven’t watched Absolutely Fabulous, grab a bottle of Bolly or Stoli or both, and let’s get bloody going, shall we? Jennifer Saunders and Joanna Lumley are simply everything as the iconic Edina and Patsy, Eddy and Pats, inseparable friends creating chaos in the high-flying London fashion world, spectacularly tumbling out of cabs and generally recovering face down on Eddy’s kitchen table. Offsetting the pair’s hilarious, booze-fuelled pandemonium is Edina’s long-suffering, haughty daughter Saffron (Julia Sawalha), her mischievous mother (June Whitfield), and her well-meaning but fairly useless assistant Bubble (Jane Horrocks). — S.C.
Where to watch: Absolutely Fabulous is now streaming on Hulu.
8. Harlots
Harlots on Hulu is about two warring brothels in Georgian-era London, each run by a formidable woman who straight up wants to murder the other. The first is Margaret Wells, whose working-class institution services men from all walks of life. Her nemesis is Lydia Quigley, a puffed up and powdered pseudo-lady whose pastel-toned mansion is a playground for blue-bloods and their ilk.
Their beef is as old as Margaret herself, and the murder-filled, underhanded plots they hatch to take each other down makes the show less of a sex-filled period drama and more of a tale of two madam mobsters. — Alexis Nedd, Senior Entertainment Reporter (*)
Where to watch: Harlots is streaming on Hulu.
9. Skins
Unlike fellow show about sixth form students The Inbetweeners, Skins isn’t just an out-and-out comedy — it also contains a fair bit of drama and darkness. One of the interesting things about Skins is its structure; every two seasons we get a new group of characters, following them on their two-year journey through college in the city of Bristol, and injecting the show with a batch of fresh faces. The same issues and themes crop up throughout, though, with the show refusing to shy away from topics like bereavement, mental illness and suicide. Does it get slightly far-fetched every now and then? Yes. But at its best (as it is in the first two seasons), it’s an engaging and poignant study of complex characters navigating a difficult chapter in life. – S.H.
Where to watch: Skins is streaming on Hulu.
10. Line of Duty
Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, and the wee donkey, Line of Duty was all anyone could talk about this year in the UK. When the sixth season of the beloved police corruption drama landed on BBC in March, Twitter exploded over the awaited « bent coppers » line delivered by Adrian Dunbar as one Superintendent Ted Hastings.
Although the final episode polarised fans, Season 6 of Line of Duty was undeniably one of the shows that had people glued to their sets during yet another lockdown in the UK (but as it does every season, really). There are excellent performances across the seasons too from some of Britain’s best actors, including Thandiwe Newton as DCI Roseanne Huntley, Keeley Hawes as DI Lindsay Denton, Lennie James as DCI Tony Gates, and Kelly Macdonald as DCI Joanne Davidson. — S.C. (*)
Where to watch: Line of Duty is streaming on Hulu.
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