Why Britain makes the best comfort food TV
When you’re shaken by the horrible headlines that seem to dominate the news, it’s natural to crave things that are friendly and familiar. For me, that means British television.
Growing up in rural southwestern Ontario, where one of the strongest signals on our rickety rotating antenna was public broadcaster TVOntario, I was raised on a steady diet of British programming, and it remains inextricably linked with my childhood. The fantastic adventures of the time-travelling Doctor Who fired my young imagination, and the BBC’s sumptuous period dramas sparked an interest in history and literature that shaped my career path.
Even when you remove the warm glow of nostalgia, there’s no denying the Brits know how to make compelling television. In fact, many of those British shows from the ’70s and ’80s—whether they be dramas, comedies, or that uniquely British combination of the two—remain my go-to when I need to escape the harsh realities of the world outside. What’s more, many of them are now available on BritBox Canada—a subscription-based streaming service co-created by the BBC itself. Boasting the largest selection of British programming in Canada, the catalogue includes these 10 must-watch series that will transport you to another time and place—no TARDIS required.
The Best Shows on BritBox Canada
Doctor Who
Forget the flashy 21st-century comeback that bears the same name. BritBox Canada is home to classic Doctor Who—all 26 seasons of its original run—complete with heart-stopping cliffhangers, mind-stretching concepts and that haunting theme tune that still manages to send a shiver down the spine.
Traversing time and space in his remarkable TARDIS and righting wrongs throughout the universe, Doctor Who remains (appropriately) timeless in its appeal. The best part about having all 26 seasons at your fingertips on BritBox Canada is that there’s a period of the program that’s perfect for whatever mood you happen to be in. If you’re craving something quirky that’s guaranteed to put a smile on your face, look to Season 17: with the legendary Douglas Adams serving as script editor, this era peaked with the alien art-heist caper, “City of Death.” If you like your sci-fi a bit grittier—in the style of The X-Files, say—go for Season 7: “Spearhead From Space” is a spine-tingling tale involving sinister shop-window dummies that come to life. Linking the ongoing adventure is that enigmatic—yet endearing—traveller, the Doctor, played by seven different actors during the show’s 1963-1989 run.
A hero, of course, is only as good as his enemies, and the Doctor met his match as early as the second-ever serial with the deadly Daleks (“The Daleks: The Dead Planet,” Season 1). Featuring in no fewer than 16 of the show’s 150-odd broadcast serials, the murderous mutants are among the most iconic alien designs of all time, and their origin story, “Genesis of the Daleks” (Season 12), is one of Doctor Who‘s undisputed classics. A great entry-point for the uninitiated!
Check out our roundup of the greatest Doctor Who quotes of all time.
Blake’s 7
Although Blake’s 7 never took off in North America quite like Doctor Who, these classic BBC sci-fi programs are essentially sister series. Not only do they look and feel like they belong to the same fictional universe, but the productions shared many cast and crew members, including Blake’s 7 creator Terry Nation, the mastermind behind the Daleks (sorry, Davros).
Conceived as a “Dirty Dozen in space,” Blake’s 7 is set in a dystopian future where rebel Roj Blake and his (mostly) likable gang of outlaws wage war against the fascist Federation, led by the delightfully wicked Servalan. The secret weapon in their struggle? The Liberator, which gets my vote as the greatest sci-fi spaceship ever devised.
All four seasons of Blake’s 7 have recently been added to BritBox Canada, and I can’t recommend binge-watching highly enough. If you can make it through the epic 52-episode arc, you’ll be richly rewarded: it’s a gritty, compelling drama that culminates in a finale that gives me goosebumps just thinking about it.
Fawlty Towers
Basil Fawlty should count his lucky stars that Trip Advisor wasn’t around in the ’70s. Played by the legendary John Cleese, Fawlty is the reluctant proprietor of a country hotel—a career that he’s rather ill-suited for, given his contempt for guests, tendency to panic and, well… utter lack of hospitality. To be fair, Fawlty’s not entirely unsympathetic. Not only does he have his shrill wife to contend with, but also a massively incompetent Spanish waiter whose shaky grasp of English regularly results in chaos.
Don’t miss our countdown of the most Canadian TV shows ever made.
All Creatures Great and Small
Television doesn’t get more wholesome—or heartwarming—than this series about a novice veterinarian joining a practice in the Yorkshire Dales. Based on the anecdotes of real-life country vet-turned-novelist James Herriot, All Creatures Great and Small has a quiet charm that makes it utterly endearing. Sweet, but never saccharine, it focuses on the little things that make life worth living, and the special bonds we forge with our four-legged friends. Just how significant was All Creatures‘ cultural impact? Considering Montreal punk band Tricki Woo took its name from a spoiled Pekingese that features prominently throughout the series, we can safely say, huge.
Are You Being Served?
It may not have been the first workplace sitcom, but in many ways Are You Being Served? was the best—and we are unanimous in that! Featuring a colourful cast of characters—and uproariously off-colour double entendres—this bawdy classic chronicles the misadventures of the staff of Grace Brothers, a crumbling London department store. Even if you’ve never worked in retail, everything here is eminently relatable, from the absurdity of the company’s rigid hierarchy, to the interplay between the colleagues as they cope with management’s latest hare-brained schemes to boost business. Although the original regular cast is absolutely faultless and gels from the get-go, it’s the kaleidoscope-coiffed Mrs. Slocombe (Mollie Sugden) and outrageously camp Mr. Humphries (John Inman) who steal the show, and continue to live on as pop culture icons.
Emmerdale
Sometimes the most effective distraction from your own drama is to involve yourself in someone else’s—and there’s plenty of it to spare in Emmerdale. If you can imagine Coronation Street transplanted to the stunning Yorkshire Dales, you’ve got the gist of this long-running BBC soap. Don’t let the bucolic setting fool you, though: there’s enough infidelity and intrigue in this picture-postcard village to give Weatherfield a run for its money.
In the mood for love? Check out the best romance movies on Netflix right now.
Blackadder
Although Rowan Atkinson is probably best known to Canadian audiences as Mr. Bean, Blackadder stands as the British comedian’s finest (and certainly funniest) hour. As the eponymous Blackadder, Atkinson plays a scheming social climber—and his lookalike descendants–at various points in England’s history. For my money, season two, set in the Elizabethan age (with the Queen herself played to perfection by Miranda Richardson) delivers the most laughs. The steady stream of insults Atkinson spews at his incompetent dogsbody, Baldrick, is a masterclass in comedy writing.
If you like Blackadder, you’ll surely get a kick out of these hilarious history jokes.
Upstairs Downstairs
Decades before Downton Abbey, Upstairs Downstairs introduced the notion that what happened in the secret world of indentured servants was as captivating as the lives of the aristocrats who employed them. In lieu of the Crawley family, Upstairs Downstairs gives us the Bellamys—residents of a tony townhouse in turn-of-the-century London. If you’ve already watched Downton in its entirety, Upstairs Downstairs is a fascinating follow-up, as both series cover roughly the same time period, and tackle similar topics and themes. After just one episode of this compelling classic, you’ll understand why it’s widely regarded as one of the finest dramas ever to come out of Britain.
Don’t miss our roundup of the all-time best Downton Abbey quotes.
Keeping Up Appearances
Part of the enduring appeal of Keeping Up Appearances is that we all know a Hyacinth Bucket (that’s pronounced “Bouquet,” of course). The sitcom’s lead character, brilliantly brought to life by Dame Patricia Routledge, is a snob of the highest order, obsessed with maintaining a Martha Stewart-like veneer of perfection in spite of her rough-around-the-edges relatives. Yes, every episode is essentially a carbon copy of the one prior, but Routledge’s operatic performance—and the exasperated responses from Hyacinth’s long-suffering husband, Richard—never fail to evoke a huge grin. Consummate comfort food television.
Looking for more laughs? Here are the best comedies on Netflix right now.
Vera
It goes without saying that cozy mysteries are among the best shows on Britbox Canada. You’ve got the peerless adaptations of Agatha Christie’s great sleuths (including Joan Hickson’s Miss Marple and David Suchet’s definitive Hercule Poirot), and some contemporary classics like Rosemary & Thyme, which is as much about great British gardens as it is the art of detection.
Less cozy—but just as compelling—is Vera, a modern-day crime drama series that, like all great mysteries, focuses more on the “who” than the “whodunit.” As the titular character, DCI Vera Stanhope, Brenda Blethyn delivers an astonishing performance, managing to be both endearing and exasperating in equal measure. Her dogged determination to get to the bottom of Northumberland’s most baffling homicides makes this series one of BritBox’s most bingeable.
Now that you know the best shows on BritBox Canada, check out the best movies on Netflix Canada, according to Rotten Tomatoes.