Best BBC shows: All the best dramas on BBC iPlayer

A recent acquisition from HBO Max, Search Party went down a storm in the United States for its biting portrayal of millennial culture. The story kicks off as listless 20-something Dory (Arrested Development’s Alia Shawkat) takes it upon herself to track down an acquaintance from her college years, who has recently been declared missing.

Along for the ride is oblivious boyfriend Drew (John Reynolds) and egotistical friends Elliot (John Early) and Portia (Meredith Hagner). Together, the gang get to the bottom of the perplexing mystery – but in doing so, land themselves in even greater danger.

Search Party delivers on gripping drama – not least through a powerhouse performance from Shawkat – but also delights with its witty satire on the vapid trends of the social media generation. Perfect for those who like a blend of light and dark storytelling.

Oh His Dark Materials, you brilliant piece of fantasy you. Based on the bestselling books by Phillip Pullman the series follows 13-year old Lyra Belacqua (Dafne Keen) who embarks on a dangerous journey through a parallel world to uncover the mystery surrounding Dust and how it affects different dimensions in the universe. It’s a riveting adventure that sweeps audiences up along with Lyra in a grand storyline that never compromises its scale to fit the small screen. The series from writer Jack Thorne struck the perfect blend between realism and fantasy, as Lyra’s world feels familiar to our own but also is vastly different.

And while the first season of His Dark Materials felt a little constricted by setting up all these different characters and plot points about parallel worlds, the second season was so much fun as the cosmic stakes got even bigger. Truthfully, this works so much better than the misaligned cinematic adaptation from 2007. It’s a testament to the stellar cast that all the animalistic Daemons don’t come across as silly or stupid, they’re believable and enthralling. Also what a cast! It boasts the likes of James McAvoy, Ruth Wilson and Lin-Manuel Miranda in supporting roles. The final season is streaming now. – Eammon Jacobs

Colin Farrell is currently working the awards circuit after a stellar year, which saw him give memorable performances in The Batman and The Banshees of Inisherin. It’s a shame that his bleak period drama The North Water, which debuted towards the end of 2021, has comparatively been overlooked.

Set in the 1800s, the show follows the crew of a whaling expedition that goes awry, focusing primarily on the barbaric Henry Drax (Farrell) and traumatised doctor Patrick Sumner (Jack O’Connell). It’s a brutal tale of survival, which is certainly not for the faint of heart.

Remarkably, the cast and crew of The North Water actually travelled to the Arctic Circle to film the series – and it shows! No green screen or studio lot could substitute for the astonishing scenery on display, which only adds to the sense of gritty realism in this brilliant drama.

Sherwood does what BBC crime dramas do best. With spectacular pacing, crucial historical context in the form of flashbacks to the past and stellar performances from the cast, there’s no wonder this drama was bestowed with so much praise when it was released in June 2o22.

Throughout the six-parter, we follow DCS Ian St Clair (David Morrissey) as he initially investigates a tragic death by bow and arrow in a small former mining town. Soon, tensions to the police presence arise and so to do memories of the past and the mid-80s miners’ strikes that tore apart a once close-knit community.

More than three decades on, the tensions of the past still remain and the drama feels as emotionally raw (especially from Lesley Manville and Claire Rushbrook’s performances) as it does authentic, the latter boosted by the fact the drama comes from Quiz creator James Graham, who was inspired by true events for this series and based it in Nottinghamshire, where he was raised. – Morgan Cormack

With Anna Torv (Mindhunter) at the helm of this Australian drama, it was always going to be a surefire hit of a series. But even more so, The Newsreader is an intriguing insight into the inner workings of an Australian newsroom – with all the workplace discrimination, misogyny and chaos to ponder over.

Taking us back to 1986, the series follows newsreader Helen Norville and new colleague Dale Jennings (Sam Reid) who are both desperately trying to work their way up the nightly news show ladder. Helen is an established anchor, continually turned down by her manager to cover genuinely thought-provoking stories, while Dale is often overlooked. But when Helen takes a leave of absence from work, the two strike up an unlikely bond. As much as this series is a reflection of the times and the hurdles women had to face in the workplace, it’s also a tale of friendship, career and hopefulness. – Morgan Cormack

The thing that sets Vienna Blood apart from most is the fact that, as well as being concerned with some truly puzzling murder cases, it’s also set against the backdrop of 1900s Vienna. At the time, the Austrian capital was a hotbed of culture, aristocracy and art, making the series one that also showcases some truly wonderful locations.

The psychological period drama follows know-it-all junior doctor Max Liebermann (Matthew Beard), and taciturn detective, detective inspector Oskar Rheinhardt (Juergen Maurer), who form an unlikely crime-solving partnership.

If you’ve watched Netflix’s Mindhunter, there’s a very high chance that you’ll lap this series up as it’s concerned with many of the same themes, particularly the psychology of murderers and psychopaths. – Morgan Cormack

When this drama was released in summer 2022, it was quickly swept up by Dolly Alderton fans and newcomers alike. The comedy series was adapted from Alderton’s memoir of the same name and follows childhood best friends Maggie (Emma Appleton) and Birdy (Bel Powley) as they move to London with other friends Nell (Marli Siu) and Amara (Aliyah Odoffin).

The quartet are primed and ready for their new adventure together in the capital city and it promises a newfound life of hectic nights out, house parties, new friends and lovers alike. But that’s all until Birdy gets into a relationship. It’s the kind that’s all-consuming and soon, Maggie has to reckon with the fact that she’s not Birdy’s number one person anymore.

The series, while being positively hilarious and nostalgic (there’s plenty of Kate Moss at Topshop and early 2000s music to really get you in the mood), is also an intriguing look into female friendships, identity, career and all the heady things that come from being in your early 20s. – Morgan Cormack

As the rates of domestic abuse continued to spiral in the UK throughout the numerous 2020 and 2021 lockdowns, there’s a vital drama from 2014 that should be mandatory viewing for younger audiences. Murdered by My Boyfriend is a harrowing story based on a real-life case in which Georgina Campbell plays Ashley Jones, a young woman whose boyfriend’s abusive behaviour begins to escalate before reaching a horrific end. Ashley’s boyfriend Reece is played by Royce Pierreson (who’s gone on to appear in Line of Duty, The Witcher and The Irregulars), and he’s dangerously charming and nice to begin with before he increasingly starts to control her life more.

While the 60-minute film was nominated for Best Single Drama at the BAFTAs (but failed to win) Georgina Campbell rightfully won the award for Best Actress for her leading role in the film. It’s not entertaining subject matter, but it is a necessary watch – especially for younger audiences who should be made aware of the dangers behind this kind of coercive behaviour. Although it is based on a real-life case involving domestic violence, the names of all those involved were changed by writer Regina Moriarty. – Eammon Jacobs

The title alone is nightmare-inducing – more heartbreaking is that this factual drama is based on real-life testimony. Wheelchair user Anna and partially sighted Tom are a devoted mother and father to baby Danielle, but social worker Belinda calls their parenting skills into doubt due to their disabilities. With mounting pressure from social services, their parents and each other, Anna and Tom must ask some honest questions of each other as they fight for custody of their newborn.

The drama was made as part of BBC Three’s Defying the Label series that saw 15 new programmes examine life with a disability – with Don’t Take My Baby as the runaway success, earning Best Single Drama at the 2016 BAFTA’s along with a raft of other nominations. The series was praised in particular for its handling of the little-discussed issue of the nation’s 11,000 disabled couples, and the UK Children’s Services who pass judgement on whether they can keep them. Tough questions with no easy answers are asked throughout the drama that may well call prejudices and beliefs into doubt, not just about the disabled community, but society as a whole.

Ruth Madeley stars in a BAFTA-nominated performance as mother Anna, and would later go on to key roles in Cold Feet and Years and Years. Also fighting for his family is Happy Valley’s Adam Long, who similarly won critical acclaim including a Royal Television Society Award nomination. – Daniel Furn

Based on the books by Sara Shepard, Pretty Little Liars has spawned three spin-off series; the latest in the franchise takes place within the same universe but with a new cast and set in a new location. Leaning heavily into the teen slasher genre, the series sees a group of teenage girls sent threatening messages from “A”, who wants to hold them accountable for their mothers’ mistakes, which led to a tragic death. – Laura Rutkowski

BBC Three’s slate of programming was incredible before the channel was pulled off-air in 2016, and one of the most underrated shows was 2012’s The Fades from writer and creator Jack Thorne. The series followed Iain DeCaestecker as Paul, a 17-year old student who discovers he’s actually an ‘Angelic’ and has been pulled into a war with vengeful spirits of the dead, known as ‘The Fades’. With a brilliant touch of horror, the series was as if Skins had been crossed with Supernatural.

It was a thrilling show, and it didn’t garner nearly as enough attention as it deserved. Which is surprising because it paired DeCaestecker up with an incredible cast of stars including 2021 Academy Award winner Daniel Kaluuya, Game of Thrones’ Natalie Dormer, Lucifer star Tom Ellis and Skins alumni Joe Dempsie. With the threat of an apocalypse on the way, the six episode series was a gripping watch. And although it was violent enough to give it an edge, The Fades never pushed into gory horror movie territory. That’s not to say it wasn’t without its scares, because it was undeniably creepy at times. It’s a genuine shame that a second season was never commissioned but at least most of its cast moved on to bigger projects. – Eammon Jacobs

Undoubtedly one of the biggest crime dramas of the 21st century, Peaky Blinders was the little show that could, coming from humble beginnings on BBC Two to become a global success story. All six seasons are now available to stream on iPlayer, meaning you can chart Tommy Shelby’s entire journey, from small-time gang boss to a moneyed Member of Parliament.

The series was always hyper-stylish, helping to influence trends itself, but it was more than the style that grabbed people – it was the characters, whether it was Tom Hardy’s Alfie Solomons, the late great Helen McCrory’s Polly Shelby or Sam Claflin’s insidious Oswald Mosley.

But of course, everything really came down to Cillian Murphy and his transformative, electric performance as Tommy. A complex, sometimes loveable yet highly flawed character right to the end, his was a journey to rival Breaking Bad’s Walter White. There’s now talk of a film sequel to the series and let’s just say, after the explosive series finale, we’re definitely on board. – James Hibbs

To put it simply, Michaela Coel’s I May Destroy You is astonishing. In just six hours (split across 12 30-minute episodes), the show covers a staggering amount of ground, providing a detailed and insightful examination of sexual consent and assault in numerous forms. The show certainly doesn’t shy away from its sensitive subject matter – Coel told Radio Times that the BBC “let [her] do anything” and didn’t restrict or hamper the show’s content – but its razor-sharp wit and beautifully written characters go a long way to keeping the conversation accessible.

Her portrayal of Arabella was one of the best performances of 2020 without any doubt, but co-stars Paapa Essiedu and Weruche Opia are also phenomenal, each of them excelling in both comedic and heart-wrenching scenes. Scoring eight BAFTA nominations in 2021, and winning 5, I May Destroy You is not only hugely compelling television, it’s important, educational, and impossible to forget. – David Craig

Strike is adapted from JK Rowling’s Cormoran Strike series which she penned under the Robert Galbraith pseudonym. It follows an army veteran as he picks up a career as a private detective in London, with Tom Burke playing the eponymous investigator. Strike uses the skills that he picked up when working for the Special Investigation Branch to solve cases for the police. The series is largely carried by Burke’s effortless chemistry with Holliday Grainger, who appears alongside him as Strike’s assistant, Robin Ellacott.

It isn’t quite as frantic or chaotic like Benedict Cumberbatch’s Sherlock, but its unique crimes and mysteries push both the actors and the audience to approach the story in new ways. Since 2017 the series has adapted the first four books; The Cuckoo’s Calling, The Silkworm, Career of Evil and Lethal White, and an adaptation of the fifth, Troubled Blood is has just arrived. And no, before you ask, there’s not a wand in sight. – Eammon Jacobs

Over the years we’ve seen countless medical dramas hit our screens, but it’s only now that we realise what so many of them were missing – they haven’t felt real. That’s not a problem for This is Going to Hurt, the perfectly crafted adaptation of Adam Kay’s autobiographical medical book This Is Going to Hurt: Secret Diaries of a Junior Doctor. With Kay also on writing duties here, he brings his own wealth of insights to create a series that is at once a loving tribute to the NHS, while also being a searing indictment of the budget cuts and entrenched systems which allow our medical practitioners to go drastically under-supported.

With a never-better Ben Whishaw leading a stellar cast, including Alex Jennings, Harriet Walter and breakout star Ambika Mod, who shines in her first ever TV role, This is Going to Hurt might not be one for the squeamish, but it certainly packs a powerful dramatic punch. – James Hibbs

If you’re aching for a new crime drama to grip you while you’re waiting for Line of Duty series seven to be confirmed, then Mother of God, you need to watch Bloodlands. The James Nesbitt-fronted series comes from Line of Duty and Bodyguard executive producer Jed Mercurio, so just prepare yourself for some shocking twists. The four-part series follows DCI Tom Brannick (Nesbitt) as he connects the kidnapping of a former-IRA member to a mysterious assassin known only as Goliath. It’s very easy to become quickly invested in Bloodlands as the conspiracy presents more layers for audiences to peel back with each new episode.

It’ll definitely keep your eyes glued to the screen – especially when certain revelations come to light. Needless to say, James Nesbitt commands everyone’s attention with this one. This Northern Irish noir (Noirthern Irish, anybody?) also features some of the most intense interrogation scenes to rival the ones seen in the AC-12 offices. There’s only four episodes in the first season, so it’s an easy binge-watch. And yes, season two has already been greenlit, not that we’re excited or anything. – Eammon Jacobs

The premise for Martin Freeman’s latest drama doesn’t sound like much. It’s the story of a police officer in Liverpool who struggles with the pressures of the job and has shady relationships with people on the wrong side of the law. Pitch that to a TV executive and you might get short shrift. But in practice it’s powerful stuff, an unsettling tale written by Tony Shumacher – himself a former policeman – with such a pained performance by Freeman that it makes you want to hug the next copper you see and tell them everything will be OK…

Jimmy McGovern’s prison drama lays bare the brutality of the penal system by following inmates who in different ways seem out of place inside. In the first run, Sean Bean is a man who has made an awful mistake and is as troubled by his conscience as he is by the violent hierarchies in place on his wing, while Stephen Graham co-stars as a prison officer forced into corruption. The second run stars Jodie Whittaker as a harshly imprisoned mum for whom incarceration is a nightmarish extension of her existing parenting woes. – Jack Seale

This drama from The Missing’s Harry and Jack Williams, which has now run for two seasons, stars Jamie Dornan as a man who wakes up in a hospital in a very unenviable position: he has no idea of the circumstances which led to his hospitalisation, suffering from a severe case of memory loss. Referred to initially only as The Man, Dornan’s character slowly tries to piece his life together across the six-episode run, with the series taking plenty of twists and turns along the way.

In addition to the mystery elements, there is also plenty of offbeat comedy to enjoy – with a slew of eccentric supporting characters regularly popping up as The Man attempts to rediscover his identity and recall the events that caused his memory loss. With the first season set against a barren Australian backdrop, and the second in Ireland, it’s a series that at times feels like it’s borrowing elements from various other films and TV shows, but it nonetheless remains very much its own thing – a little overstuffed and tonally muddled perhaps, but extremely enjoyable all the same. – Patrick Cremona

A young, unfamiliar cast bring an unstable energy to an edgy drama, set in the London investment banking sector. The new intake of hopefuls trying to make it in high finance ought to be some of that generation’s brightest and best, but they are still young adults who make mistakes – and often, their high opinion of their own abilities is their downfall. That’s as true in their personal lives as it is in an office environment where extreme pressure is the norm. – Jack Seale

Doctor Who has always been renowned for its scary sci-fi (who can forget the terror of the Weeping Angels, eh?) but Russell T Davies’ Torchwood was given the opportunity to really get gritty. The show plunged its hands into the filth of how the existence of aliens would affect the planet as a time-rift in Cardiff (of all places) kept Captain Jack Harkness (John Barrowman) and his team plenty busy. Torchwood was sexy, bloody and a lot of fun. If you haven’t seen it before, think of it like a very British take on The X-Files or Buffy the Vampire Slayer, with each episode featuring a monster-of-the-week before tying into an overarching storyline. As the Doctor Who revival of the early 2000s continued to be popular it was no surprise that Torchwood struck a chord with fans as it introduced hordes of new characters and monsters, offering a gory outlet for those who imagined what an adult version of the time-travel show could look like. After an impressive two seasons, it later returned in 2009 and 2011 with two miniseries, Children of Earth and Miracle Day – focusing on two sprawling storylines, with the latter taking the team to America. Many fans still hope for a fifth outing for Torchwood, but nothing has been confirmed as of yet. – Eammon Jacobs

This three-part true-crime drama tells the harrowing story of the four young men who were murdered by convicted serial killer Stephen Port in 2014 and 2015. Written and created by Jeff Pope and Neil McKay, the series shines a light on all four victims and their loved ones whilst also highlighting the missteps made by authorities when investigating the cases.

Stephen Merchant gives a memorably chilling performance as Port, while there are also great turns from the likes of Sheridan Smith, Tim Preston, Jakub Svec, Leo Flanagan and Paddy Rowan. It’s a heartbreaking programme, but very much one worth watching. – Patrick Cremona

Many were sceptical at the idea of a 21^st -century version of Conan Doyle’s detective – but Sherlock is far better than it has any right to be. This fresh, modern and mind-bending reimagining from Doctor Who scribes Steven Moffat and Mark Gatiss takes several of Conan Doyle’s famous stories and not only updates them for the modern audience, but adds a truly unique spin with humorous and highly quotable one-liners, a complex and evolving friendship and, of course, some of the best twists and turns to ever grace our televisions.

It’s no wonder that this show helped launch Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman to Hollyood stardom – Cumberbatch excels as the ‘high-functioning sociopath’ with a genius mind but a lack of social skills, and Freeman excellently anchors him as a loyal partner both professionally and more importantly, personally. As well as great turns form the likes of Una Stubbs and Rupert Graves, particular mention has to go to Andrew Scott – before he was Fleabag’s ‘hot priest’, he very nearly stole the show with only a few episodes of screen time as the delightfully malicious mastermind Moriarty.

Sherlock is impressively faithful to Doyle’s original works in many ways, makes some interesting new additions in others but mostly updates to his iconic stories in some seriously clever and creative ways – just wait until you see how the show’s take on The Reichenbach Fall perplexed the internet for years. Its episodic nature means there’s been a few hiccups down the road – but Sherlock at the height of its powers is some of the finest crime drama on British TV. – Daniel Furn