The other day, I recommended a show, This Is Going To Hurt, which is really only available on the BBC iPlayer. And for a while, maybe a year ago, I went on a tear just devouring shows that were exclusive to the BBC and their fantastic web based iPlayer. But I hadn’t spent much time out there again until This is Going to Hurt – and so, to rectify that, I went digging through the player’s exclusive archives in search of really fascinating shows worth your time.
I recently had a conversation with a group of folks at the office, and the show Peep Show (which, is also another great BBC show, but available on Hulu, so, won’t be discussed here.) and the conversation rotated around fantastic BBC shows. And one person said… there are shows worth watching on BBC other than Downton Abbey? And there was some laughter. Well, yeah, there are good shows on the beeb, other than just that one particular show. So let’s check in on a couple, shall we?
First You Need a VPN
For Americans, wanting to watch shows early… before they come to America, or shows that will never come to America, you’ll need a VPN to tunnel your way underground to the island. And so you’ll need to follow these steps. It’ll literally take you 3 minutes, and then, you’ll be basically British at the end of step three.
STEP 1 – Sign up for PureVPN, which is what I use, and I absolutely adore their tech, and the stupid cheap price they sell it for.
STEP 2 – Login to your VPN – you’ll need to select the UK as your VPN location.
STEP 3 – Head on over to the BBC player – right here – register for a BBC account, and start watching. Note, in the UK, residents need to have a TV license in order to watch TV. Like, at all. And specifically the BBC, don’t you dare watch the state TV without one. How do they enforce it? They literally dispatch trucks to comb the British neighborhoods to find TVs that aren’t paying the license fee, it’s a whole thing.
Now That You Can Access the Shows
The Tourist
Jamie Dornan stars in this twisty/turny dark comedic thriller as The Man, a British guy who has somehow found himself Down Under, is being hunted. In an accident, he loses his memory and has no idea who he is or why he’s being hunted. And obviously, he has to find the truth before these hunters track him down… as it does.
Watch The Tourist on the BBC iPlayer Right Here.
Noughts and Crosses
You might actually know the YA novels by the same name by Malorie Blackman. It’s a dystopian story about an alternate universe London where Sephy (Masali Baduza) and Callum (Jack Rowan) fall in love. A classic Romeo and Juliet story of two kids falling in love from different houses. Except? The question here? Will Callum, a hated and oppressed White, be accepted by the Black ruling class. See what they did there? Right. There are two seasons at this point so yay you. Ten total episodes across both seasons. (Love that about British television… no 32 episode seasons!)
Watch Noughts and Crosses on the BBC iPlayer Right Here.
Chloe
Chloe is a strange but clever little show that follows Becky Green (played by Erin Doherty) as she attempts to find out how her idol, a social media star, died. To do so, she inserts herself into Chloe’s inner circle by assuming a false identity. The show compares and contrasts Becky’s normal lifestyle with that of a totally different, more successful, circle of influence. One season so far – six episodes. Did I mention yet that I love the fact that British series are generally shorter? Yeah, I love.
Watch Chloe on the BBC iPlayer Right Here.
A Very British Scandal
If the Crown is your thing – then maybe A Very British Scandal is your thing. It could be the next level addiction show for you? Basically, the show tells the story of Margaret, Duchess of Argyll (played by Claire Foy) after her very public divorce from the Duke. And it dives into how the media and the paparazzi blamed her for the split… and even the crazy accusations that came as a result. Obviously, the show is mainly dealing with the horrifyingly critical, and regularly inaccurate, media that just looks to crucify those in the spotlight.
Watch This is Going to Hurt right here
Vigil
Vigil tells the story of Silva to investigate a link between a fishing vessel and a death on a submarine. The show dives in between two separate incidents that cause the Navy and the British Secret Service to collide. Investigating, Silva finds herself in the deep end, while her partner on land, Kirsten hunts for other clues.
Watch Vigil on the BBC iPlayer Right Here
This Is Going to Hurt
Alright hyped this one right here – but in case you missed it, I’ll list it again. This Is Going To Hurt is a seven-part drama/comedy train crash pulled from the book of the same name by Adam Kay. The book, and the show, explain just how difficult the NHS medical staff’s jobs are. Day after day, they are overwhelmed and inundated.
Watch This is Going to Hurt right here.
Edited by: CY