SOME OF THE BEST THINGS TO STREAM RIGHT NOW ON BRITBOX!
When it comes to US viewers seeing the brilliant dramas from British companies, one of the best places to stream them right now is BritBox! The streamer may be small comparatively, but it’s worth looking at if you, like me, love British drama. Writing this as a fan of many British dramas, and hoping you are to, is what inspires the writing of this list today.
TV SHOW REVIEW | ‘A GOOD GIRL’S GUIDE TO MURDER,’ SEASON TWO
SOME OF THE BEST THINGS TO STREAM RIGHT NOW ON BRITBOX! Looking at some of the best things to enjoy currently streaming on #BritBox! How many have YOU seen? Share on XIf you love British content (I also loved this video, above, promoting BritBox from last year), there is so much to discover on this platform. From original drama to comedy, and yes, even a pretty period drama or two to licensed content, there is a lot, but the goal of any streaming list is always variety. And of course, to put the best of the best in the spotlight. So, let’s dismiss this chit-chat and see what currently fits this framing.
THE BEST THINGS to STREAM on BRITBOX – RIGHT NOW!
A TASTE for MURDER
A more recent BritBox original, A Taste for Murder sends a grieving widower and his teenage daughter to Italy where they spend the summer with his in-laws. While there, the London detective gets wrapped up in more than one local case! And all of this builds to something quite personal.
Synopsis: DCI Joe Mottram retreats to Capri to mourn his wife and repair his bond with his daughter. Beneath the island’s beauty, violence stirs and Joe is drawn back to the work he cannot escape. – via BritBox
AGATHA CHRISTIE’S MARPLE, 2004
Synopsis: With an unassuming demeanor that belies a razor sharp mind, Agatha Christie’s beloved amateur sleuth Miss Marple gets to the bottom of challenging cases that even confound the police. – via BritBox
AGATHA CHRISTIE’S POIROT
Widely considered one of the best adaptations with Agatha Christie’s name, these adapt most if not all of the novels Christie wrote where Hercule Poirot, the famed private detective, solves cases. The show is actually a really solid production though there are some slight cracks here and there because of dated filmmaking.
Synopsis: The complete collection. David Suchet stars as Agatha Christie’s beloved detective Hercule Poirot, who pits his wits against crime and injustice in this collection of murder mysteries. – via BritBox
AGATHA CHRISTIE’S TOMMY and TUPPENCE – Coming SEPTEMBER 15
This is perhaps an addition that shouldn’t be here since the show doesn’t drop until September 15, which was only just announced this week! As a result, we cannot enjoy streaming this on BritBox right now. However, this modern adaptation is a: from BritBox (yes, they are the lead series commissioner) and b: an Agatha Christie inspired story so it has to be good, right?
It follows couple Tommy and Tuppence who solve potentially dangerous cases while trying to keep the relationship they share thriving. This will also feature Josh Dylan, most recently from the Apple TV production of The Buccaneers.
A teaser trailer is set to release soon, so check back. I’ll add it here.
Photo: Nick Wall
Synopsis: In the first contemporary English language television adaptation of Agatha Christie’s stories, Tommy and Tuppence are a detective duo for the ages. They fall in love, fall out of it, and tumble back in, all while solving some thrilling, entertaining mysteries along the way. – via BritBox
BALLET SHOES
Synopsis: Emma Watson stars in this uplifting drama about three orphan sisters who each discover their calling while attending the Academy of Stage and Dance. – via BritBox
BALLYKISSANGEL
This is a kind of “slice of life” comedy that sees the arrival of a new priest to a small Irish town where set in their way villagers sometimes challenge him. It’s also a show that, from all I gather (I’ve seen two seasons plus some of season three) swaps out some characters for new arrivals throughout its six-season run.
Synopsis: A priest from Manchester is transferred to a rural Irish town and must contend with the long-established ways of its eccentric villagers. – via BritBox
BELGRAVIA
Synopsis: From Downton Abbey creator Julian Fellowes comes the story of secrets and scandals amongst the upper echelon of London society in the 19th century. Follows events when the emerging nouveau riche, including the Trenchard family, rub shoulders with London’s established upper classes. – via BritBox
BLEAK HOUSE
This 2005 BBC production is really quite masterful! I loved it from the first watch, and have since re-watched it a few times, including most recently at the end of last year. I’m not sure how it does as an adaptation, but as a production, it’s brilliant apart from a few instances where the jarring direction seems off. Gillian Anderson is just one in a number of talented stars who take on iconic roles in this Charles Dickens adaptation that tells the story of two young wards who fall in love with the prospect of possibly being the heirs to a fortune that is tied up in court cases and litigation. Of course, there are many other stories and characters, some of which end in tragedy and others in nothing but happiness.
Also starring is Denis Lawson, Carey Mulligan, Charles Dance and Anna Maxwell-Martin (pictured below).
Other Dickens adaptations available on Britbox include Great Expectations (1999), Little Dorrit (2008) and Our Mutual Friend (1998).
Synopsis: This imaginative adaptation of Dickens’ Victorian drama stars Gillian Anderson as Lady Dedlock, who must hide a dark secret from lawyer Tulkinghorn amid an infamous court case. – via BritBox
CODE of SILENCE
This crime drama is a Bafta winner and tells the story of a deaf woman who ends up being pulled into a criminal investigation when her skills as a lip reader are used for an interrogation. This show builds a bit more tension than most but is still very well made and interesting.
Synopsis: Deaf canteen worker Alison Brooks is pulled into a high-stakes police investigation when her lip-reading skills become key to exposing a criminal gang — and her growing connection with a suspect complicates everything. – via BritBox
DEATH VALLEY
Lighthearted and funny, this show is (again) about mismatched investigators. The pair this time is a young, eager police investigator and a former actor who played a cop on TV. Of course, the show plays into the generation gap between its characters and also just has some delightful and fun humor that is as warm as it is charming. A second season is also on its way, and the below photo is from the sneak peek BritBox shared.
Photo: Simon Ridgway
Synopsis: Once a beloved TV detective, widowed John Chapel lives reclusively in Wales, haunted by guilt. When his neighbor is murdered, ambitious DS Janie Mallowan enlists his help. Their clashing methods, her focus on procedure and his on motives, could solve the case if her boss doesn’t find out. – via BritBox
FATHER BROWN
This show has run for thirteen years now, and while it doesn’t reinvent anything at this point, honestly, I never care because that is what keeps me coming back. I mean this only as the highest compliment. The fact that I know what is coming and can so thoroughly enjoy the connections, warmth, themes of faith and yes, the clues too makes any new additions exciting watches. Father Brown tends not just to his parishioners, but also solves mysterious cases, too!
You can also find the classic version (from the 1970s) of Father Brown on BritBox too.
Synopsis: For this detective, the devil is in the details. Mark Williams stars as Father Brown, a clergyman with a particular talent for crime-solving. Assisted in his efforts by a motley, and not always godly, squad of allies, he investigates crimes to save souls. – via BritBox
THE HARDACRES
A period drama set in the 1800s, this is an underrated production that I see basically no one talking about. It has a more unknown cast, but is, as usual, still one with great talent. The story follows a working-class family who haven’t had great success in their life but get by working hard and making do with what they have. When investments come through, the family discovers they are comfortably wealthy which sends them to a life they are quite unfamiliar navigating. Season two is coming, but there has been no official release yet from the streamer if it will have the US rights.
Synopsis: A working class family in 1890s Yorkshire move from a grimy fish dock to a vast country estate. – via BritBox
INSPECTOR MORSE
Synopsis: One of the most popular detective dramas in television history based on the novels of Colin Dexter. Starring John Thaw as the cantankerous and complex Inspector Morse, and Kevin Whately as his long-suffering sidekick Sergeant Lewis. – via BritBox
JANE EYRE, 2006
An adaptation of the Charlotte Bronte novel, this now twenty-year-old adaptation is largely considered one of, if not the best version. It has Toby Stephens and Ruth Wilson playing the iconic roles of Mr. Rochester and Jane.
Synopsis: Charlotte Bronte’s classic novel springs vibrantly to life in this lavish and slightly steamy adaptation, featuring Ruth Wilson (Luther) in her TV debut as the titular “poor, obscure, plain and little” heroine.– via BritBox
LARK RISE to CANDLEFORD
Between its all-star cast (which includes Julia Sawalha from Pride and Prejudice and Absolutely Fabulous) and gentle storytelling, this period drama is a winner. It’s about two neighboring villages that have a bit of a rival here and there, but is all done in a meaningful and charming way. Even with some sadness that crops up, the show remains hopeful and upbeat over 99% of the time, and take it from me, it’s worth a re-watch even if you’ve seen it once.
Synopsis: Rich, funny and emotional, Lark Rise to Candleford follows the relationship of two contrasting communities: Lark Rise, the small hamlet gently holding on to the past, and Candleford, the small market town bustling into the future. Seen through the eyes of young Laura, their inhabitants endure many upheavals and struggles as change comes and their stories become poignant, spirited and uplifting. – via BritBox
LUDWIG
This is a BritBox original and is delightful!
It also has Anna Maxwell Martin (who many of us know from Bleak House) playing a woman who turns to her husband’s clever puzzle creator twin brother when her detective husband goes missing. I didn’t ever finish season one (why I don’t know!) but I loved what I saw and couldn’t be more delighted that the show is getting a second season; the below photo is a newly release look at season two.
Synopsis: […] puzzle setter John ‘Ludwig’ Taylor’s life is upended when his identical twin, DCI James Taylor, disappears. John reluctantly assumes his identity in order to track him down. – via BritBox
MY FAMILY
This may not be the most entertaining comedy available here (and yes, there are fabulous comedies), but I enjoyed the family dynamics of this one and the dry British wit we love so much. The plot is about a dentist named Ben Harper who lives with his family whom he oftentimes finds just a little bit crazy. In addition to the hilarious moments between everyone, the cast is also brilliant (which earns this one points) and includes Robert Lindsay, Zoe Wanamaker, Kris Marshall, and Daniela Denby-Ashe, star of the beautiful period drama North and South.
Other great comedies on the streamer include Absolutely Fabulous; Keeping Up Appearances; and The Café. britbox stream right now
Synopsis: Follow the trials and tribulations of dentist Ben Harper and his wife Susan as they struggle to raise their wild children in this hit sitcom starring Robert Lindsay and Zoe Wanamaker. – via BritBox
NORTH AND SOUTH
Inspired by the Elizabeth Gaskell novel, North and South follows Margaret Hale who moves from the gentler and quieter southern town to a harsher mill town in the north. There she meets Mr. Thornton, an owner whom she finds harsh and very ungentlemanly. This IS a period drama though so there is a love story, and all around, this period drama is gorgeous. This features Daniela Denby-Ashe, Brendan Coyle, Jo Joyner, Sinead Cusack and Richard Armitage.
Synopsis: Elizabeth Gaskell’s tale of love across social divides is brought to life in Sandy Welch’s four-part adaptation. When Margaret Hale exchanges her middle-class rural life for a northern mill town, she witnesses the hardships of the poor working class firsthand and develops contempt for mill owner John Thornton. – via BritBox
ROSEMARY and THYME
A drama that is on the lighthearted side of crime, Rosemary and Thyme is such a good time. It has great performances and is fun because its amateur sleuths solve cases while travelling around building the commissioned gardens they put in for people.
Synopsis: Rosemary Boxer and Laura Thyme are horticulturalists but murder and mayhem turn up wherever they go. Luckily, these two budding sleuths have a gift for unearthing clues and weeding out culprits. – via BritBox
SHAKESPEARE and HATHAWAY
Another crime story that is lighthearted. Unlike some of the crime dramedies I enjoy, this is one I had heard of a long time ago but have only recently watched. I started watching it back in 2024 (I think) and quickly found something delightful that I was eager to binge-watch while being simultaneously sad because it was going to be over soon. The show follows the opposite personalities of Lu Shakespeare and Frank Hathaway who end up forming a private detective business together after Lu requires the services of Frank in learning whether her fiancé is a prince or a frog!
From there, the laughs are many as the show goes through the ups, downs and friendships that define this show.
Synopsis: The unlikely detective duo of Frank and Lu discover that not all is as peaceful as it seems in the picturesque Stratford-upon-Avon, where fact is stranger than fiction and low-life criminals get caught up in deliciously high drama. – via BritBox
SHERLOCK
This is an iconic BBC series that any mystery drama lover will likely enjoy. The production puts Sherlock in the modern world which sometimes ruffles viewers’ feathers, but I did find the show entertaining just as I have many period authentic variations of this character. I’m also coming to these as someone who hasn’t read any of the books. Benedict Cumberbatch stars as the titular detective alongside Martin Freeman as his loyal best friend Dr. Watson.
Synopsis: In this contemporary version of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s detective stories, Dr. John Watson is a war vet just home from Afghanistan. He meets the brilliant but eccentric Holmes when the latter, who serves as a consultant to Scotland Yard, advertises for a flatmate. Almost as soon as Watson moves into the Baker Street flat, they are embroiled in mysteries, and Sherlock’s nemesis, Moriarty, appears to have a hand in the crimes. – via BritBox
SHERLOCK HOLMES
These productions, starting in the 1980s, are largely considered some of the best adaptations of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s detective. Jeremy Brett plays the iconic detective and based on these as productions, they are really very good. There are great cases for Holmes and his faithful friend Watson to solve, and most of the iconic stories from Doyle are adapted.
Synopsis: Jeremy Brett, in a peerless portrayal of the classic character, stars in this faithful adaptation. From a blackmailed monarch to an abandoned Christmas goose, Holmes uses his acute perception and powers of observation to solve riddles and catch criminals. – via BritBox
THE BLETCHLEY CIRCLE
A while back I did see them and remember they’re well made with a great cast which includes Julie Graham and Anna Maxwell-Martin. The plot follows a group of women who, during the war, worked in codebreaking and now post-war, they work together to solve mysteries.
Synopsis: With an extraordinary flair for code breaking and razor-sharp intelligence, four seemingly ordinary women become the unlikely investigators of a string of grisly murders, set against the backdrop of post-war London. – via BritBox
THE MALLORCA FILES
Two of this shows three seasons are on BritBox. This is one that is a lighthearted crime dramedy that relies on the mismatched skills of detectives to tell a story that is not only fun, but also full of fun cases. The straightlaced detective Miranda teams up with Max, an easygoing investigator who frustrates her to no end.
Synopsis: Ambitious young British detective Miranda Blake and her laid-back German partner Max Winter take on murders, kidnapping, theft, and more amidst the stunning Mallorca. – via BritBox
THE OTHER BENNET SISTER
Photographer: James Pardon
This is the latest drama to drop on BritBox, and it has earned all kinds of buzz and acclaim. The plot adapts the novel (of the same name) by Janice Hadlow and is the story of the forgotten Bennet sibling, Mary. We walk with her as she discovers what she wants from life, and because this is a well-rounded drama, we also get a little love story that social media is kind of obsessed with!
…and of course, there are many other titles that you can find right now on the BritBox streaming service too! But these are just a few I have seen and are quite brilliant in their own right. It’s also a collection of titles that, no matter what your genre preference, you can find something great.
Stream, at publication, all of the titles on this list with BritBox. You can sign up for a BritBox subscription on BritBox.com for 10.99/month or 109.99/year (both have a seven day trial) or enjoy an add on subscription to the streamer on places like Prime Video.
Photos: Alamy | BritBox (A Taste for Murder; Death Valley; Ludwig; and The Other Bennet Sister)
AGATHA CHRISTIE COLLECTION
- THE ABC MURDERS
- EVIL UNDER THE SUN
- MARPLE, 2004 – 2014
- MISS MARPLE, 1984 – 1992
- MURDER IS EASY
- ORDEAL by INNOCENCE
- THE PALE HORSE
- POIROT
- SEVEN DIALS MYSTERY
- TOWARDS ZERO
- Plus more!
Ok, let’s hear from you! Would you or have you heard about any of these titles? Which ones did we neglect? Have you been streaming, binged or loved any of these BritBox titles right now, or do you prefer to watch an odd episode now and then? Let’s talk about all of the best things streaming right now on BritBox!
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