BBC iPlayer is a website that allows users to watch BBC TV shows for free. It includes TV series of various genres like dramas, comedies, documentaries, and children’s shows. On top of that, the website also has a large selection of TV shows with excellent video quality!
But the best thing about BBC iPlayer is that it’s available in many countries. So people worldwide, including Aussies, can watch BBC TV shows for free. The website is also available on many devices, including smartphones and tablets.
Hence, our blog provides an overview of the several TV shows available on BBC iPlayer. The streaming service has something for everyone, and there is sure to be a show that interests you!
Peaky Blinders
Peaky Blinders is a British crime drama set in Birmingham, England, depicting the times of the post-World War I era. Created by Steven Knight and produced by Caryn Mandabach Productions and Tiger Aspect Productions, it follows the exploits of the Shelby family.
The show received praise for its writing, acting, cinematography, production values, and historical accuracy. Peaky Blinders has also been winning awards and nominations across various categories.
Line of Duty
Line of Duty is a British police procedural series by Jed Mercurio. The first season began airing on BBC Two on February 26, 2012. Hence, it follows the work of the fictional AC-12 anti-corruption unit within the Police Service of Northern Ireland.
The show also received critical acclaim for its writing, characters, and suspense. It won the BAFTA TV Award for Best Drama Series in 2013 & 2016 and the RTS Awards for Best Drama in 2013 & 2016.
Killing Eve
Killing Eve is a British spy thriller by Sid Gentle Films for BBC America. It is based on the Villanelle novel series by Luke Jennings, written for tv by Phoebe Waller-Bridge.
The first series consists of eight episodes, premiered on April 8, 2018. It tells the story of MI5 officer Eve Polastri (Sandra Oh). She becomes obsessed with tracking down psychopathic assassin Villanelle (Jodie Comer). Thus, the pair eventually forms a cat-and-mouse relationship throughout the seasons.
Luther
Luther is a British crime drama series starring Idris Elba as DCI John Luther’s title character. The drama was originally aired on BBC One from May 4, 2010, to December 17, 2013. It was a two-hour special set in Los Angeles by Elba and Marc Henry Johnson on December 2, 2015.
The series follows the investigations of John Luther. He is a highly dedicated and obsessive detective working for the London Metropolitan Police Service. But despite being a brilliant detective, Luther also has a dark side which often leads him to commit acts of violence and rage.
The Bridge
If you’re looking for a show to binge-watch, The Bridge may be what you’re looking for. The series sets on the border of Denmark & Sweden. It shows the investigations of both detectives from each side of the border. It’s also an intense show with many twists and turns sure to keep you hooked.
Nevertheless, critics praised it for its well-developed characters and accurate portrayal of life on the border. It also received admiration for highlighting topics such as immigration and drug dealing.
Horrible Histories
Horrible Histories is a British series based on the Terry Deary book series of the same name. Also, the show is produced by Lion TV for the BBC. Thus, it’s running since 2003 and has won many awards, including a BAFTA Children’s Award and six RTS Awards.
The show is also a mix of sketches and history lessons to be informative and entertaining for everyone. Moreover, it covers various topics, from the Ancient Egyptians to the Tudors. The sketches are often very funny, but they also teach about important historical events and figures.
Strike
The BBC’s latest British mystery thriller is based on the Cormoran Strike series of mystery novels by J.K. Rowling. The show is produced by her production company, Bronte Film and Television, and distributed by Warner Bros. Television.
Notably, Strike is a detective drama set in London following Cormoran Strike’s cases and his assistant, Robin Ellacott. The two-part adaptation received a lot of praise for its high-quality writing and developed characters.
I May Destroy You
Michaela Coel is an actress & writer in two seasons of the British sitcom Chewing Gum. But in her one-woman show I May Destroy You, Coel shares personal stories about her life. Those stories also include experiences of being raised by a single mother in a London housing estate.
Hence, Coel’s show was a critical success, with reviewers praising her with “raw and powerful” performances. I May Destroy You was also a commercial success, selling out all its performances at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.
Torchwood
Torchwood is a British sci-fi television program by Russell T Davies on BBC. It was also first broadcasted on BBC Three on October 22, 2006. The drama was set in the fictional Torchwood Institute, a secret organization founded by Queen Victoria in the 19th century.
The series focuses on the character of Captain Jack Harkness (John Barrowman). He is an immortal and omnisexual Time Agent plus a former con man from the 51st century. Later in the series, he also becomes the head of Torchwood Three in Cardiff.
Death in Paradise
Death in Paradise is a British-French detective comedy-drama by Robert Thorogood. It’s also a work by Red Planet Pictures for the BBC and began airing on BBC One on January 6, 2011.
For relevance, the show is filmed on the Caribbean Island of Saint-Marie, as one of the Windward Islands of the Lesser Antilles. It also stars Ardal O’Hanlon as Inspector Richard Poole, a British detective sent to the island to investigate a murder.
The Fades
The Fades is a British supernatural drama that first aired on BBC Three on January 11, 2011.
It follows a teenager’s life haunted by apocalyptic dreams since childhood – but soon realizes that the dreams are a warning of the upcoming apocalypse.
But he also realizes that he is one of the “Fades” – ghosts who have not yet fully passed into the next world. The show is directed by Tom Shankland and written by Jack Thorne, who also wrote the Channel 4 series Shameless.
McMafia
The McMafia is an eight-episode thriller telling the story of Alex Godman. He is the English-raised son of Russian exiles with a mafia history. But he also attempted to escape the past by building his legitimate business.
Yet, when his family is in danger, Alex is drawn into the world of organized crime. The show is also praised for its high-quality writing and acting and its accurate depiction of global organized crime.
New Blood
BBC’s New Blood is a show which follows the work of two investigators, Stefan and Rash, solving crimes. The show sets in London and is full of action, mystery, and suspense. It’s also perfect for anyone who loves a good crime drama.
Hence, the first episode of New Blood was released on BBC iPlayer on June 13, 2016, and it’s already proving to be a hit. Moreover, the show received praises for its strong characters and exciting plotlines. So if you’re looking for a new show to watch, be sure to check out New Blood!
Fort Salem
The witchcraft-themed show Fort Salem is about three young women drafted into the army to fight in a war against witches. As can be seen, the show has been receiving a lot of hype. And already getting a comparison to shows like Charmed and The Craft.
That said, there’s no doubt that the fans of those shows are sure to love Fort Salem! The American witch drama aired on BBC iPlayer on Thursday, February 27. And the show received praise for its feminist message and representation of diversity.
The Trial of Christine Keeler
BBC released a three-part drama series called The Trial of Christine Keeler, which tells the story of the Profumo affair. The affair was a political scandal in the UK, leading to the resignation of Harold Macmillan, the Prime Minister.
Since, the scandal was a sexual relationship between John Profumo, the Secretary of State for War. And Christine Keeler, a 19-year-old model that rocked British politics in the early ’90s.
Crown
The Crown is a British biographical drama about the life of Queen Elizabeth II. Written by Peter Morgan and produced by Andy Harries for Left Bank Pictures and Sony Pictures Television.
The first season, comprising ten episodes, was released on the BBC on November 4, 2016. The show met with critical acclaim, with production values, acting, writing, cinematography, and historical accuracy particularly praised. It was also nominated for Golden Globe and Emmy Awards.
Doctor Who
Doctor Who is long-running British science fiction by the BBC. It first aired on November 23 and was broadcasted in almost every country. Moreover, the show has been running since 1963 and has had a cult following since it began
Hence, the program shows the adventures of a Time Lord—a time-traveling, humanoid alien called the Doctor. He travels through time and space during the series in his TARDIS, a sentient time machine.
Good Trouble
The Good Trouble show on BBC iPlayer is a spin-off of the famous American family drama series The Fosters. The show follows the lives of two sisters, Callie and Mariana, moving to Los Angeles to start new lives. But they soon discover that life in LA is very different from life in Arizona.
Hence, the show is a great example of how a spin-off can succeed if it connects with its audience. The show also received praise for its accurate portrayal of the experiences of people trying to tackle different challenges in their lives.
Last Tango in Halifax
Last Tango in Halifax is a British drama television series by Sally Wainwright, produced by BBC One. It revolves around two 60-year-old widowed ex-lovers, Alan (Jacobi) and Celia (Reid), finding themselves reunited after nearly 50 years apart.
The show also focuses on their estranged love and how they fall in love again. For delivering such a heartfelt topic, the series received praise and nominations for six BAFTA Awards in 2014. Some of them include Best Drama Series and also Best Single Drama.
Ashes to Ashes
Ashes to Ashes is a British drama by the BBC and aired on BBC1 from February 2008 to May 2010. The series is also a work by Matthew Graham and Ashley Pharoah with Philip Glenister and Keeley Hawes.
It begins with the premise that DCI Gene Hunt transported back in time from the 1980s to 1981. As with the previous series, the plot of Ashes to Ashes revolves around the fictional Metropolitan Police Service Divisional.
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