It has been a year (really?!) since I last posted about British shows we’ve watched so it’s time for an update. Also, this has made me realize that I need to keep better track of which shows and movies we have actually watched since I’m sure there are some missing.

Either way, I hope that if you haven’t already watched any of these and you enjoy British television (aka telly), that you’ll find some new favorites.

Downton Abbey:  Starting off with our very favorite, which we watch over and over again. Julian Fellowes, you are still brilliant. The third season just finished airing last Sunday night (for those of us stateside) and wow, what a season! No spoilers here but I was not happy with every single event that transpired this season. I’m sure there are others who agree. Either way, I think this time around it will take the entire year for me to recover and be able to move on to Season 4.

Upstairs, Downstairs:  Set in tumultuous pre-World War II Britain, this show follows the lives of the Holland family and their servants. It is a remake of the original show from the 1970s. Although it had some cringe-worthy moments, we still managed to enjoy it.

Foyle’s War:  Ah, this show is excellent! We love good detective stories that you can’t figure out. DCS Foyle is the main character, a detective with wit and a sharp senses. After all, aren’t those traits any good detective should have? It also doesn’t hurt that Michael Kitchen is a dapper fellow and great actor. Each episode is about an hour and a half but you don’t have to worry if you missed important plot points since the episodes are concluded each time. We definitely need to watch this again.

Birdsong:  This movie actually made me run out and read the book it was based on which is written by Sebastian Faulks, for anyone interested. It was that fabulous! For those non-bookworms, this movie will keep you interested if you enjoy wartime movies. It is set during World War I in France and follows the life of a young soldier as he encounters love, war, loss, tragedy, and a new perspective. I’m still thinking about this movie, months later.

My Boy Jack:  Based on a true story (oh, how I love these!), this movie depicts the story of a family whose only son, Jack, wants desperately to fight in World War I. He chooses to overcome certain obstacles, including the disapproval of his family, in order to do his bit in the war. For any Harry Potter fans, Daniel Radcliffe does a wonderful job with this entirely different character.

Land Girls:  This show follows the stories of several women who are working as land girls in Britain during World War II. It is mostly predictable (with a few exceptions) but either way, it is nice to see a different perspective on wartime, whether fictional or not.