Discover the best of British cinema, film, and television
Discover the definitive list of popular and critically-acclaimed movies and TV shows from United Kingdom. Find your next binge-watch, streaming on Netflix, HBO, Hulu, Prime Video, and other top services!
The cinema of United Kingdom
British cinema stands as one of the world's most influential and enduring film traditions, with a rich history dating back to the late 19th century, playing a foundational role in the development of global filmmaking. The early days saw short, silent films in the 1890s, following the invention of motion picture technology, though the First World War allowed American films to dominate screens initially. The golden age emerged in the 1930s and 1940s with visionary directors like Alfred Hitchcock, whose thriller masterpieces including "The 39 Steps" established British cinema's reputation for sophisticated storytelling. Gainsborough Studios, founded in 1924, pioneered their own genre with the famous Gainsborough melodramas, whilst later decades brought social realism through the "kitchen sink" movement and eventually the British New Wave. What truly sets Britain apart is its television legacy. Doctor Who, launched in 1963, became a cultural phenomenon that has run for decades, inspiring generations and proving that British creativity could captivate global audiences. EastEnders premiered in 1985 and became the longest-running soap opera on BBC television with over 6,000 episodes, whilst shows like Coronation Street have entertained families for over six decades. Contemporary British television continues to punch above its weight internationally. From period dramas like Downton Abbey to crime series like Sherlock, British productions consistently set global trends. The industry's ability to blend high production values with distinctly British humour, social commentary, and storytelling has made it a cultural export powerhouse that influences entertainment worldwide.
Best British series
Sherlock 2010
A modern update finds the famous sleuth and his doctor partner solving crime in 21st century London.
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Black Mirror 2011
Twisted tales run wild in this mind-bending anthology series that reveals humanity's worst traits, greatest innovations and more.
84
Peaky Blinders 2013
A gangster family epic set in 1919 Birmingham, England and centered on a gang who sew razor blades in the peaks of their caps, and their fierce boss Tommy Shelby, who means to move up in the world.
85
Doctor Who 2005
The Doctor is a Time Lord: a 900 year old alien with 2 hearts, part of a gifted civilization who mastered time travel. The Doctor saves planets for a living—more of a hobby actually, and the Doctor's very, very good at it.
86
Sex Education 2019
Inexperienced Otis channels his sex therapist mom when he teams up with rebellious Maeve to set up an underground sex therapy clinic at school.
79
The IT Crowd 2006
The comedic misadventures of Roy, Moss, and their grifting supervisor Jen, a 'motley crew' of IT support workers at a large corporation headed by a hotheaded yuppie.
85
Best British movies
Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone 2001
Harry Potter has lived under the stairs at his aunt and uncle's house his whole life. But on his 11th birthday, he learns he's a powerful wizard—with a place waiting for him at the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. As he learns to harness his newfound powers with the help of the school's kindly headmaster, Harry uncovers the truth about his parents' deaths—and about the villain who's to blame.
80
The Dark Knight Rises 2012
Following the death of District Attorney Harvey Dent, Batman assumes responsibility for Dent's crimes to protect the late attorney's reputation and is subsequently hunted by the Gotham City Police Department. Eight years later, Batman encounters the mysterious Selina Kyle and the villainous Bane, a new terrorist leader who overwhelms Gotham's finest. The Dark Knight resurfaces to protect a city that has branded him an enemy.
82
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them 2016
In 1926, Newt Scamander arrives at the Magical Congress of the United States of America with a magically expanded briefcase, which houses a number of dangerous creatures and their habitats. When the creatures escape from the briefcase, it sends the American wizarding authorities after Newt, and threatens to strain even further the state of magical and non-magical relations.
75
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets 2002
Cars fly, trees fight back, and a mysterious house-elf comes to warn Harry Potter at the start of his second year at Hogwarts. Adventure and danger await when bloody writing on a wall announces: The Chamber Of Secrets Has Been Opened. To save Hogwarts will require all of Harry, Ron and Hermione’s magical abilities and courage.
78
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban 2004
Year three at Hogwarts means new fun and challenges as Harry learns the delicate art of approaching a Hippogriff, transforming shape-shifting Boggarts into hilarity and even turning back time. But the term also brings danger: soul-sucking Dementors hover over the school, an ally of the accursed He-Who-Cannot-Be-Named lurks within the castle walls, and fearsome wizard Sirius Black escapes Azkaban. And Harry will confront them all.
81
Kingsman: The Secret Service 2015
The story of a super-secret spy organization that recruits an unrefined but promising street kid into the agency's ultra-competitive training program just as a global threat emerges from a twisted tech genius.
78