TV Book Review

Binge-watching Brit Telly 

the essential guide

It’s amazing how many of our American friends absolutely love British TV. Thanks to PBS, Netflix and BBC America, we’ve even had Uber drivers making random references to Brideshead Revisited, Broadchurch and Hyacinth Bucket (pronounced “Bouquet” of course) as soon as they realise we’re from the UK. And something we all agree on - Brit telly is so brilliant, we can’t stop watching. So whether you’re binging Stateside or back home in Blighty, you’ll be pleased to hear the ultimate guide book has finally arrived.

Written by TV blogger Sarah Cords (who describes herself as “the Yank”) and Jackie Bailey (the Brit), Bingeworthy British Television is a comprehensive guide to more than 100 programs, from comedies and crime dramas to historical and literary adaptations. Each entry has everything you need to know about the cast, the creators/writers of the show, trivia tidbits, why it’s bingeworthy, suggestions on what to watch next, and the really important stuff - exactly how long it will take to binge. 

The book is very well organized by genre and each section ends with a note from Jackie with personal recommendations on which shows to pick first and why. Non-Brits will really appreciate Jackie’s answers to questions like what is the “watershed”, why do British police dramas have fewer guns than American cop shows, and why are series from across the pond shorter than US counterparts?

I enjoyed swotting-up on golden oldies and classics such as Fawlty Towers, Only Fools and Horses and the aforementioned Brideshead, as well as more recent favourites including Life on Mars, Luther, Hustle and Poldark. I loved getting the lowdown on Line of Duty, but I do have a special request for the authors - when you update this book, please add an acronym glossary/cheat-sheet, to give us poor confused viewers some inkling into what the UCOs from AC-12 are nattering on about!

OCG or UCO? Who knows!

The book is also fully indexed, so you can flip to the back and find your all your favourite actors, creators and shows in seconds. The appendix section includes a guide to Doctor Who and useful lists such as series that can be binge-watched in under 4 hours. 

Of course, the big question is: once we've read all about these must-watch TV shows, where do we go to begin binge-watching? If you can’t find them on PBS, the good news is that most are available to stream online (or even on DVD if you fancy going old school). To help, I’ve included more links at the end of this post.

This book is an absolute gem - the perfect companion for seasoned telly addicts like me, or anyone just starting to discover the delights of Brit TV. 
​Time to make a cuppa, turn on the telly, grab this guide and look-up some more shows that are totally bingeworthy.
​Now, where did I put the remote?

Bingeworthy British Television is available on Amazon

As an Amazon Associate I am rewarded when you purchase. Thank you for supporting British Banter in Atlanta.