Top 100 UK Televison Series

[AndyC]

70) One Foot in the Grave (1990-2000): Hilarious with a dark edge is this often sardonic comedy series about the retiree next door who seems to cause no end of trouble for his wife and the neighbors.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P4alLbXx0fA

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vMX0FS0r280

Victor Meldrew is an awesome character. Very funny.

71. Primeval - Been devouring at least two episodes a night for a couple of weeks. Just starting Season 4. Lots of fun watching temporal anomalies spit out animals from the past and future to terrorize Britain.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CXj6uo6EqrQ

And I love the little things they throw in for fun....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EoJkAWpywOI

[JaseSF]

72. Torchwood (2006-Present): This Doctor Who spin-off has certainly forged an identity all its own being arguably much darker and edgier than the show it span off from. The stories do run the range from very good and sometimes very disturbing , oftentimes dark and dreary to more predictable fare but still this show is for the most part very well done with some interesting and arguably daring themes dealing with sexuality, the afterlife, immortality, power and corruption. Stars John Barrowman, Eve Myles and Burn Gorman in particular have done some great work on the series.


Warning: These videos have some gory and disturbing scenes in them.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PWfxyYJUs5A

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dv6Z2QXZVCY

[JaseSF]

73) Waiting For God (1990-1994): This show focused on two elderly people put into a retirement home who nevetheless have more wits about them that the oppressive management at the home or their own screwed up families on the outside. The show starred Stephanie Cole as the curmudgeonly Diana Trent who is often making sharp jokes  and often biting sarcastic remarks about the state the world has currently degraded down to in her eyes. Graham Crowden plays her main co-star Tom Ballard who is more optimistic and jolly and willing to embrace the few joys life has left him despite his struggle with dementia and with his annoying relatives his beyond dull son Geoffrey and Geoffrey offensive, opinionated, oversexed wife Marion. Their main rival on the series is the vain and greedy manager of the retirement home Harvey Bains, played by Daniel Hill who is often assisted by prudish and homely Jane Edwards, played by Janine Duvitski, who secretly has a crush on Harvey, who really prefers she wasn't anywhere near him.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HMk8pSa_z6w

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HmzFG9CRVJY

[JayJayM12]

11) The League of Gentlemen

The extremely dark comic trials and tribulations of the locals and unfortunate visitors in the small village of Royston Vasey. Writers/performers Jeremy Dyson, Mark Gatiss, Steve Pemberton and Reece Shearsmith manage to combine elements of soap opera, sitcom, sketch comedy, and pure horror. The series and several specials has many complex, interweaving plotlines and countless characters (mostly played by Gatiss, Pemberton, and Shearsmith) and is as dense and brilliant as an English Christmas pudding.

The League of Gentlemen is one of my favorite shows of all time, of any kind!  A couple times a year, I usually make my way through all three series (+ special and movie).

74)  The Office - kinda surprised that no one has mentioned this one.  Not because it's untouchable, but more because it's so well known in the states as far as British television goes.  Cringe-worthy comedy at it's best!  Plus, one of the few (recent) UK imports that inspired a successful US remake...

[JayJayM12]

I'l throw one more out there (I love British comedies, and so many of my favorites have already been mentioned).

75)  Look Around You - Look Around You is a spoof science programme that hilariously recreates both the drab, depressing air of 1970s educational television and a bygone world of tedious school science lessons. Each of the 10-minute episodes--or "Modules"--takes the form of a number of surreal and pointless experiments based on a chosen theme ranging from "Water" and "Sulphur" to "Ghosts" and "Brains".  Look Around You's humour lies not only in an absurd take on education and the impenetrable jargon of science, but also in evoking a sense of nostalgia in the viewer. In this respect the series is helped immeasurably by faultless production and attention to detail. Narrated in austere, Queen's English, using precise scientific terminology, this is a world of scratched film inserts, dubious periodic tables, cheap, synthesised music, giant hairstyles, bulky, teak-finished technology and a proliferation of DYMO labels. Each show is even prefaced by a few seconds of the "Television for Schools & Colleges" countdown clock. The tutorial format of the series is not without its problems though--it is essentially a single, plotless joke stretched to eight episodes, and there are no characters to speak of, save glimpses of the deadpan and much-maligned lab-technician (cowriter Peter Serafanowicz). Despite these shortcomings Look Around You is still a refreshingly different comedy, which is so well put together that you can almost smell the Bunsen burners while you watch.

This brilliantly original second series has the same well-observed hilarious brand of humour as the first BAFTA nominated series and is presented by the very talented Jack Morgan (Robert Popper), Peter Packard (Peter Serafinowicz), Pam Bachelor (Olivia Colman) and Pealy Maghti (Josie D'Arby). In a blaze of 1980's big hair, sideburns, ra-ra skirts and jumpsuits, this series also features cameos from some of the UK's finest comedy performers including Harry Enfield, Matt Lucas, Simon Pegg and Sarah Alexander.

Each episode the team considers the future of music, health, sport, music, food and computers - much as they did in the original 'Tomorrow's World' series. Each week they are joined by guests, inventors and science specialists, looking at different inventions and testing out the latest technology.

The series culminates in a live final of the 'Look Around You Invention Of The Year Award' presented by HRH Sir Prince Charles. But with an excited live studio audience, a nervous group of contestants and one rather difficult and unpredictable guest, can the Look Around You team manage to keep everything going alright on the night?

[JaseSF]

76) As Time Goes By (1992-2005): Former lovers Lionel (Geoffrey Palmer) and Jean (Judi Dench), separated many years ago by the Korean War, accidentally meet up again and reunite and fall back in love with one another. The show featured clever, witty and funny writing and created believable characters interacting in believable, nevertheless also funny, every day situations.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GzHk6cfGvMY

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zsSgNApq6Bo

[ulthar]

77.  Ever Decreasing Circles

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D7RrYJVCmqA

Martin is pretty neurotic...hilarious show.

[crackers]

78. Nighty Night

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5EvCEa3RUvQ

Amazing dark comady.

[JaseSF]

79. Tales of the Unexpected (1979-1988): This British anthology series created by Roald Dahl adapted short stories to TV. Most often, the stories would have a dark comedic edge and there was often a sinister tone underlying many of the stories adapted. Many of the episodes adapt Dahl's own written works especially early on but over time, other writers were often adapated as well. A lot of the episodes were introduced and hosted by Dahl himself. The show attracted many quality guest stars including the likes of Joseph Cotton, Joan Collins, Rod Taylor, John Mills, Janet Leigh, Julie Harris, Brian Blessed, Ian Holm, Cyril Cusack, John Gielgud and many more. The series' distinctive theme music was done by Ron Grainer.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oc46Gk-6qrA

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tV0Ai410TQY

[crackers]

80. Garth Marenghi's Darkplace

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a8MsYislXJg&feature=related

Brilliant comedy. Unfortunately only one series. If you have not seen it I highly recommend you give it a go.

Bad movie lovers (like your good selves) will not be disappointed.

[JaseSF]

81. Thunderbirds (1965-1966): Perhaps Gerry and Sylvia Anderson's most famous supermarionation series, the action-oriented adventures of International Rescue provided many kids (and those young at heart) with great excitement and escapist thrills over the years. The show features lots of gadgets and cool vehicles designed for rescue on land, in the sea, in the air and even in space. The show focused on rich ex-astronaut Jeff Tracy, head behind the secret organization, and his five sons who would pilot the different International Rescue machines as they set out to save people from deadly threats and try and prevent the actions of enemies who would do them harm and threaten the safety and security of innocent citizens around the world. A frequent guest star on the show was a london agent working with International Rescue named Lady Penelope.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2K9rVRuehGU

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WwfbHQiqYz4

[crackers]

82. Only Fools And Horses

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zCV6_FKPuKA&feature=fvst

I'm surprised it has not yet been mentioned. If it has sorry, I missed it.

[JaseSF]

83. Yes Minister (1980-1988)(AKA: Yes, Prime Minster): satirical British sitcom set in the office of a British cabinet minister in Whitehall, the show focuses on the senoir ministerial career of The Right Honorable Jim Hacker, MP, played by Paul Eddington. His plans frequently see opposition from his Permanent Secretary Sir Humphrey Appleby (Nigel Hawthorne) and his Principal Private Secretary Bernard Woolley (Derek Fowlds) usually winds up in the middle of their disputes.

This still airs regularly in reruns here.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KgUemV4brDU

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dgDxvaCsZMI

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7xYI3M2098w

[Trevor]

84. To Serve Them All My Days

85. Joe 90

86. The Secret Service

87. Enemy At The Door

88.  Hi De Hi

89.  Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy

90.  A Fall of Eagles (with Sir Patrick Stewart as Lenin!) 

[JaseSF]

91) Wallace and Gromit's World of Invention (2010): short-lived TV series based on the further adventures of Nick Park's popular claymation creations as they introduce real world scientific contraptions.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GP8w-oUSFeE

92) Spitting Image (1984-1996): a satirical British puppet series that I recall being pretty outrageous at times.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R1jY5fYjV-U

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dqJg1asnciI

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UNtn5RSXqrM