The Best British TV Shows for young adults
by katyisso-coollike | created - 28 Jun 2013 | updated - 11 Aug 2016 | PublicBritish TV Shows for teenagers and young adults
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1. Skins (2007–2013)
TV-MA | 46 min | Drama
The story of a group of British teens who are trying to grow up and find love and happiness despite questionable parenting and teachers who would rather be friends (and lovers) than authority figures.
Stars: Kaya Scodelario, Nicholas Hoult, Joe Dempsie, Hannah Murray
Votes: 93,533
2. My Mad Fat Diary (2013–2015)
TV-MA | 47 min | Comedy, Drama, Romance
Set in the mid-90s at the height of Cool Britannia, a drama based on real diaries takes an honest look at teenage life through the eyes of funny, music-mad Rae
Stars: Ciara Baxendale, Dan Cohen, Jodie Comer, Darren Evans
Votes: 18,992
3. Misfits (2009–2013)
TV-MA | 60 min | Comedy, Drama, Fantasy
A group of young offenders doing community service gets struck by lightning during a storm and start to develop superpowers.
Stars: Nathan Stewart-Jarrett, Joe Gilgun, Iwan Rheon, Lauren Socha
Votes: 107,863
4. Some Girls (2012–2014)
TV-14 | 30 min | Comedy
Girls struggle with relationships, friendships and teachers at school.
Stars: Adelayo Adedayo, Natasha Jonas, Alice Felgate, Mandeep Dhillon
Votes: 1,930
5. The Inbetweeners (2008–2010)
TV-14 | 25 min | Comedy
Follows four friends and their antics during their final years of school.
Stars: Simon Bird, James Buckley, Blake Harrison, Joe Thomas
Votes: 94,920
6. Miranda (2009–2015)
TV-MA | 30 min | Comedy
Socially inept Miranda always gets into awkward situations; working in her joke shop with best friend Stevie, being hounded by her pushy mother, and around her crush Gary.
Stars: Miranda Hart, Patricia Hodge, Tom Ellis, Sarah Hadland
Votes: 17,268
7. In the Flesh (2013–2014)
TV-14 | 56 min | Comedy, Drama, Horror
Four years after the Rising, the government starts to rehabilitate the Undead for reentry into society, including teenager Kieren Walker, who returns to his small Lancashire village to face a hostile reception, as well as his own demons.
Stars: Luke Newberry, Harriet Cains, Marie Critchley, Steve Cooper
Votes: 14,016
8. Fresh Meat (2011–2016)
TV-MA | 50 min | Comedy, Drama
A comedy that follows a group of six students about to embark on the most exciting period of their lives so far, university.
Stars: Zawe Ashton, Greg McHugh, Kimberley Nixon, Charlotte Ritchie
Votes: 19,627
9. Sherlock (2010–2017)
TV-14 | 90 min | Crime, Drama, Mystery
The quirky spin on Conan Doyle's iconic sleuth pitches him as a "high-functioning sociopath" in modern-day London. Assisting him in his investigations: Afghanistan War vet John Watson, who's introduced to Holmes by a mutual acquaintance.
Stars: Benedict Cumberbatch, Martin Freeman, Una Stubbs, Rupert Graves
Votes: 1,003,341
10. Outnumbered (2007–2016)
TV-14 | 30 min | Comedy, Drama
A part-improvised comedy about a couple bringing up their three young children.
Stars: Hugh Dennis, Claire Skinner, Tyger Drew-Honey, Daniel Roche
Votes: 12,243
11. Wolfblood (2012–2017)
TV-PG | 30 min | Family, Fantasy
Maddy Smith and her family are the only wolfbloods in Stoneybridge, which is a well-kept secret. They lead a peaceful life until Rhydian, a wolfblood, arrives and triggers chaos.
Stars: Gabrielle Green, Leona Vaughan, Shorelle Hepkin, Mark Fleischmann
Votes: 4,033
12. This Is England (2006)
Not Rated | 101 min | Crime, Drama
A young boy becomes friends with a gang of skinheads. Friends soon become like family, and relationships will be pushed to the very limit.
Director: Shane Meadows | Stars: Thomas Turgoose, Stephen Graham, Jo Hartley, Andrew Shim
Votes: 129,501 | Gross: $0.33M
13. Being Human (2008–2013)
TV-14 | 60 min | Comedy, Drama, Fantasy
A werewolf, a vampire, and a ghost try to live together and get along.
Stars: Lenora Crichlow, Russell Tovey, Aidan Turner, Sinéad Keenan
Votes: 26,674
14. Beaver Falls (2011–2012)
Comedy, Drama
Three British students decided to spend their summer in an American summer camp and make a large impression on fellow camp workers and the campers.
Stars: Samuel Robertson, John Dagleish, Kristen Gutoskie, Arsher Ali
Votes: 2,352
15. Robin Hood (2006–2009)
TV-PG | 60 min | Action, Adventure, Comedy
After 5 years of fighting in the crusades, Robin returns to England and leads a band of outlaws to outwit the Sheriff of Nottingham.
Stars: Jonas Armstrong, Gordon Kennedy, Sam Troughton, Joe Armstrong
Votes: 17,372
16. Sugar Rush (I) (2005–2006)
24 min | Drama, Romance
15-year-old Kim has just moved to Brighton and developed an earth-shattering, hormone-surging crush on her new best friend, Sugar.
Stars: Olivia Hallinan, Lenora Crichlow, Richard Lumsden, Sara Stewart
Votes: 4,311
17. Gavin & Stacey (2007–2024)
TV-14 | 29 min | Comedy, Drama, Romance
Gavin and Stacey have been continuing their romance on-line and by telephone for the last six months. Now they want to be together but will their friends and family let them?
Stars: Joanna Page, Mathew Horne, Alison Steadman, Ruth Jones
Votes: 22,855
18. Young Dracula (2006–2014)
25 min | Comedy, Family, Fantasy
A young vampire trying to fit in as a normal boy in a normal society.
Stars: Keith-Lee Castle, Clare Thomas, Simon Ludders, Gerran Howell
Votes: 1,856
19. Merlin (2008–2012)
TV-PG | 45 min | Adventure, Drama, Fantasy
These are the brand new adventures of Merlin, the legendary sorcerer as a young man, when he was just a servant to young Prince Arthur on the royal court of Camelot, who has soon become his best friend, and turned Arthur into a great king and a legend.
Stars: John Hurt, Colin Morgan, Bradley James, Richard Wilson
Votes: 87,724
20. Bad Education (2012–2024)
TV-14 | 30 min | Comedy
Comedy series about a teacher who is a bigger kid than the kids he teaches.
Stars: Layton Williams, Mathew Horne, Charlie Wernham, Jack Whitehall
Votes: 13,816
21. The IT Crowd (2006–2013)
TV-14 | 25 min | Comedy
The comedic misadventures of Roy, Moss and their grifting supervisor Jen, a rag-tag team of IT support workers at a large corporation headed by a hotheaded yuppie.
Stars: Chris O'Dowd, Richard Ayoade, Katherine Parkinson, Matt Berry
Votes: 165,158
22. Shameless (2004–2013)
TV-MA | 90 min | Comedy, Crime, Drama
The lives and relationships of a group of siblings and their estranged father Frank Gallagher on a rough Manchester estate.
Stars: David Threlfall, Rebecca Atkinson, Alice Barry, Nicky Evans
Votes: 18,564
23. Horrible Histories (2009–2024)
28 min | Comedy, Family, History
A group of British comedians show the sides of history they don't teach you in school. From the 'Savage Stone Age' to the 'Troublesome 20th Century', you see the full side to history.
Stars: Jim Howick, Simon Farnaby, Mathew Baynton, Martha Howe-Douglas
Votes: 6,034
24. The Mighty Boosh (2003–2007)
TV-PG | 30 min | Comedy, Fantasy, Musical
Surreal British comedy in which Vince Noir and Howard Moon have adventures filled with oddball characters while working as Zoo Keepers, before pursuing a musical career and running a second-hand shop.
Stars: Julian Barratt, Noel Fielding, Michael Fielding, Rich Fulcher
Votes: 24,138
25. House of Anubis (2011–2023)
TV-G | 15 min | Adventure, Drama, Family
When one of their number disappears on the same day that an American girl joins their ranks, a group of English boarding school students embarks on solving a mystery.
Stars: Brad Kavanagh, Jade Ramsey, Tasie Lawrence, Eugene Simon
Votes: 5,446
26. Glue (2014)
TV-14 | 45 min | Crime, Drama, Mystery
When the body of a local teenager was found behind the wheel of a tractor, the isolated villagers and their friends were forced to open up their world.
Stars: Yasmin Paige, Jordan Stephens, Billy Howle, Charlotte Spencer
Votes: 1,845
27. Pramface (2012–2014)
Comedy
A girl from a middle-class family gets drunk one night, sleeps with a younger working-class boy, and gets pregnant.
Stars: Sean Verey, Scarlett Alice Johnson, Yasmin Paige, Dylan Edwards
Votes: 2,687
28. Switch (2012– )
45 min | Action, Comedy, Drama
The adventures of a group of witches living in the city.
Stars: Phoebe Fox, Hannah Tointon, Nina Toussaint-White, Lacey Turner
Votes: 411
29. Dani's House (2008–2012)
30 min | Comedy, Family, Fantasy
Two aliens watch a reality TV show based upon Dani's life in her house with her mischievous brother and eccentric friends.
Stars: Dani Harmer, Sebastian Applewhite, James Gandhi, Harry Culverhouse
Votes: 420
30. The Fades (2011)
55 min | Fantasy, Horror, Mystery
Paul has apocalyptic dreams, and sees spirits of the dead called The Fades. He must stop them before they destroy humanity.
Stars: Lily Loveless, Tom Ellis, Daniel Kaluuya, Iain De Caestecker
Votes: 7,079
31. As If (2001–2004)
25 min | Comedy, Drama, Romance
The lives and loves of six teenagers, set against the background of London in the 21st century
Stars: Jemima Rooper, Emily Corrie, Orlando Wells, Ben Waters
Votes: 928
32. The Young Ones (1982–1984)
TV-14 | 35 min | Comedy
The crazy and sometimes surreal comedic adventures of four very different students in Thatcher's Britain.
Stars: Rik Mayall, Adrian Edmondson, Nigel Planer, Christopher Ryan
Votes: 16,516
33. Waterloo Road (2006– )
TV-14 | 53 min | Drama, Romance
Contemporary drama series set in a challenging, diverse British secondary school.
Stars: Philip Martin Brown, Jason Done, Chelsee Healey, Denise Welch
Votes: 3,947
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