For the final installment of this series, there are a few more shows worth noting when it comes to British television watching in our household. {In case you missed the previous posts, here are the links for Part I, Part II and Part III.} I’ve enjoyed posting these and for the time being, will be taking a break from writing them seeing as we have watched so many and will continue to do so.
Any suggestions are always more than welcome, so that I don’t feel like we ever run out of good, British telly to watch. Please divulge some of your favorite British shows in the comments section!
Call the Midwife: Just when I was lamenting the lack of Downton Abbey on Sunday nights, the second season will be starting up soon in the U.S. Initially, I didn’t catch the buzz when it aired in the U.S. for the first season, so we just finished catching up on Netflix. I suppose I really enjoy the show now more than I would otherwise, since I’m expecting a baby of our own soon. The show is based off memoirs from one of the midwives who works at a convent (Nonnatus House) in the East End of London during the 1950s. Now I’m interested in reading the trilogy of memoirs which this show was based on, written by Jennifer Worth.
Small Island (2009): This movie was a BBC adaptation from a book by the same title, written by Andrea Levy. The movie portrays the lives of two women that struggle to fulfill their ambitions and how being an immigrant in a foreign country can be difficult. I really enjoyed how this movie spanned several decades and it has a ‘present day’ type of ending.
Northanger Abbey (2007 film): Jane Austen is one of my favorite authors of all time. It’s not surprising that this movie adaptation of her book, was a hit for me. There really isn’t much to explain about this film: it covers love, loss and deception. It is a classic and definitely worth watching over and over again.
Doc Martin: Ah, Doc Martin. This comedy drama series is good when you need a laugh and a dose of a man trying to overcome his fear of blood, as a doctor. Ironic, yes. He’s a brilliant doctor yet is gruff and ill-mannered when it comes to the people of Portwenn, the village where he is the general practitioner. If you enjoy British humor, this show is for you.
Midsomer Murders: This series has been ongoing since 1997 on ITV, so that also means there have been a few actor changes throughout the years. My favorite episodes are the ones with John Nettles playing the part of DCI Tom Barnaby and Daniel Casey as DS Gavin Troy. Each episode has a resolution for the case covered, although there is somewhat of an overall continuity with the show as a whole. If you like a good detective show, where the ending is never predictable (the suspect trail is complex and we can hardly ever figure out the ending!) this show is perfect for you.
Inspector Lewis: This is a popular PBS detective show that doesn’t nearly have enough episodes, in my opinion. Beside the suspense filled plot lines, one of my favorite features about this show is the sense of humor Inspector Lewis has. It really makes takes things up a notch. He’s brilliant, witty and a good detective.
Catherine Cookson films: She was a writer, first and foremost. If my research is accurate, 18 books out of the 100 she wrote over her lifetime, were made into films. We’ve watched some of these on Netflix. A few of our favorites are Dinner of Herbs, The Glass Virgin, Colour Blind, The Fifteen Streets, The Dwelling Place and The Gambling Man. If you love a good story, then you’ll love any of the Cookson films.
My pleasure! I hope you enjoy it. 🙂
I'm going to rent Northanger Abbey right now!
Thank you!