When we set out to crown the greatest television show of the century so far our team — joined by some of the nation’s most acclaimed actors, writers and critics — curated a list of 100 standout British dramas, comedies, documentaries and entertainment programmes from the past 25 years.
But as with any great conversation the discussion didn’t end there. The response from you, our readers, was impassioned and thoughtful, full of praise for overlooked gems and arguments for shows we left out. So now we return to the debate and here are ten programmes that you convinced us deserve a second look and should have made the cut. Do you agree with these additions? What else have we missed?
Unforgotten (2015–, ITVX)
Sanjeev Bhaskar and Nicola Walker star in Unforgotten
ITV
What makes Unforgotten arguably a league apart from any other ITV crime drama since Broadchurch? There is nothing original about it: a cold-case investigation and a likeable duo (Sanjeev Bhaskar’s DI Sunny Khan, Nicola Walker’s DCI Cassie Stuart, later replaced by Sinéad Keenan’s tough Jessie James) unearthing secrets. You know the drill. But Chris Lang’s clever writing allows for an interesting set of characters to enter the world of each case — characters who initially appear to have no relation to each other, but who is hiding what? The series is what Silent Witness would be if it was believable. Read our review.
What you said: “Brilliantly written and acted, especially by Nicola Walker.” S Levins
Clarkson’s Farm (2021–, Prime Video)
Jeremy Clarkson is roundly humbled by his grand farming ambitions in Clarkson’s Farm
PA
Out of the ashes of Jeremy Clarkson-era Top Gear has come a hit that no one saw coming. Not The Grand Tour, which kept the globe-hopping, boys-on-tour japes of Clarkson-May-Hammond going (and was great fun), but a far less high-octane move — to the Cotswolds. Clarkson is roundly humbled by his grand farming ambitions: by marauding cows, by irate villagers, by council planning officers and by bean counters. Yes, there’s humour in watching Clarkson getting increasingly out of his depth as he herds sheep and is mocked by his superstar farmhand Kaleb Cooper, but it resonates in other ways, notably for showing the challenges that farmers face and the red tape strangling British agriculture. Read our review.
What you said: ‘This show is a very important critique of farms and rural life. You find a new found respect for farming.” Murray Bruce
Last Tango in Halifax (2012-2020, iPlayer)
Refreshing from the start for offering a depiction of life in retirement: Anne Reid and Derek Jacobi are the widow and widower former lovebirds reunited after decades apart, their families each with their own fraught lives. With the cast including Sarah Lancashire and Nicola Walker, Sally Wainwright’s series often veered into light comedy with its soapy subplots, which was perhaps unusual but it worked, although her brand of earthy realism was to reach its apotheosis in another West Yorkshire locale: Happy Valley. Read our review.
What you said: “This show is brilliant.” JR Rylatt
Would I Lie to You? (2007–, iPlayer)
David Mitchell, Rob Brydon and Lee Mack in Would I Lie to You
BRIAN RITCHIE/ BBC
TV schedules are often dominated by doom and gloom so this reliably funny show fronted by Rob Brydon is a gem. The premise is deceptively simple: a mix of comedians and celebrities spin improbable tales or lies about themselves while others try to separate fact from fiction. The banter between the team captains Lee Mack and David Mitchell is effortless. Comedy is difficult but this show delivers laugh after laugh whether it’s Bob Mortimer reminiscing about a childhood game called “theft and shrubbery” or Rod Gilbert explaining how he got fired from a job at a zoo for photographing animals in hats.
What you said: “Consistently a joy to watch, despite there being a million or so episodes.” David Maynard
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Green Wing (2004-2007, Channel 4)
It took a little getting used to — a hospital-based comedy that was a mix of short sketches with a surreal air — but the fact that the characters were performed by the cream of British comedy helped it become one of the funniest things on TV: Stephen Mangan’s lecherous anaesthetist, Michelle Gomez’s scary HR boss, Mark Heap’s deranged doctor. The talented cast list goes on: Tamsin Greig, Julian Rhind-Tutt, Darren Boyd, Olivia Colman, Sally Phillips. There’s been no comedy, no series, like it since.
What you said: “Hilariously funny and clever.” Geoff Buck
Phoenix Nights (2001-2002, Channel 4)
Peter Kay in Phoenix Nights
CHANNEL 4
Peter Kay’s rise to the top of British comedy was remarkable. From humble beginnings as a cinema usher, a toilet-roll packer and a barman at the Mecca bingo hall in Bolton, he went on to sell out arenas. The show that put him on the map was a sitcom that set out to do the same for the north. Set in a struggling nightclub, Kay played the embittered, wheelchair-using manager, among other characters, with pitch-perfect delivery. It captured the faded glamour and downbeat air of northern club culture but did it with affection.
What you said: “Phoenix Nights not included is a glaring omission.” Rabbie Hunter
“It’s classic comedy.” D Brittain
Mortimer & Whitehouse: Gone Fishing (2018–, iPlayer)
Bob Mortimer and Paul Whitehouse in Gone Fishing
SAM GIBSON/BBC
It all began when Bob Mortimer faced a health scare, undergoing a triple heart bypass. His friend and fellow comedian Paul Whitehouse (no stranger to heart trouble himself having had three stents fitted), stepped in to lift his spirits. What followed was a gentle, heartwarming journey through breathtaking landscapes with two old friends simply enjoying each other’s company. They joke like mischievous schoolboys but their conversations often drift into deeper waters: touching on life, health, mortality and, of course, fishing. It’s slow television of the sweetest kind. Read our review.
What you said: “I never miss Mortimer & Whitehouse: Gone Finishing. Just a nice, calming programme.” Richard Walker
Foyle’s War (2002-2015, ITVX)
Michael Kitchen and Honeysuckle Weeks in Foyle’s War
ALAMY
Being touted as the next Inspector Morse meant that Michael Kitchen’s DCS Christopher Foyle had big shoes to fill. Like Morse he was a good man, one of probity and thoroughness in a world where morality had lost its bearings — 1940, England: a place of provincial profiteering, murder and spying. Anthony Horowitz’s writing was sharper than the cosy Sunday-night ITV veneer could suggest, offering intriguing lesser-known stories such as an oil company collusion with the Nazis. Kitchen was reliably watchable.
What you said: “Well written and with the super Michael Kitchen. Must be in the top ten.” Martin Pigott
• Read more TV reviews, guides about what to watch and interviews
Vera (2011-2025, ITVX) 
Brenda Blethyn stars as as DCI Vera Stanhope in ITV’s Vera
HELEN WILLIAMS/ITV
Who knew that watching a dishevelled female detective in a bucket hat solving murders in Northumberland could be so compelling? Yet this was a Brenda Blethyn role through and through. The actress brought a quiet gravity to Vera that softened the edges of any potential silliness. The series was sold to about 180 territories and found devoted audiences in Australia, New Zealand, Norway and Japan. The mysteries could be a little formulaic but that hardly mattered. What kept viewers coming back was Vera: warm, no-nonsense and comforting — whether she was eating a chip butty or sipping whisky from a cracked teacup. She has hung up her floppy hat but Vera will be hard to forget.
What you said: “No Vera on the list, what an absolute travesty.” Lester Broom
Friday Night Dinner (2011-2020, Channel 4 streaming) 
Friday Night Dinner with Tamsin Greig, Paul Ritter, Tom Rosenthal and Simon Bird
MARK JOHNSON/CHANNEL 4
This comedy was the perfect way to end the week — a breezy, heartwarming Jewish sitcom centred on a delightfully dysfunctional family. At its core was the bustling, well-meaning mum (Tamsin Greig), the irritable and eccentric dad (the late, great Paul Ritter), and their two mischievous sons (Simon Bird and Tom Rosenthal) whose sibling rivalry fuelled much of the chaos. With its sharp dialogue, absurd running gags and quirky yet endearing characters it was a mix of family traditions, awkward dinners and amusing pranks that made it a beloved staple for viewers craving humour and heart.
What you said: “Friday Night Dinner has been robbed.” Matt Blom
“A wonderful comedy.” E Broughton
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