British TV has certainly had its fair share of spotlight moments so far this year. New Netflix releases like A Thousand Blows and Adolescence are all anyone can talk about. Throw in the Apple TV hits Prime Target and Slow Horses, and you’ve got a list of prime television to keep your evenings occupied. But UK-only streaming sites are also an avenue to turn to when in search of quality TV dramas. BBC and ITV offer a huge range, and we’ve curated a list of the best to look out for this year.
1. Towards Zero (BBC)
This three-part murder mystery is based on Agatha Christie’s 1944 novel by the same name. Set in 1936 England, a murder plot is afoot at the estate of one Lady Tressilian (played by Anjelica Huston). Her nephew Neville (Oliver Jackson-Cohen), a British tennis star, decides to spend the summer with her, as well as both his wife and ex-wife, when things turn awry. Inspector Leach (Matthew Rhys) works to unravel it all, weaving through the family’s webs of deceit and jealousy.
2. Protection (ITV)
Protection is a new six-part ITV thriller that aired in the UK on March 16. It follows a witness protection officer, DI Liz Nyles, played by Happy Valley’s Siobhan Finneran. She suddenly finds herself at the centre of a breach in the system. Nyles seeks to unearth the true cause of corruption in her unit, all while compromised by an extramarital romance with a coworker and trying to protect people who may not deserve to be kept safe. Also on the cast are Coronation Street’s Katherine Kelly, Barry Ward, Nadine Marshall and Chanel Kular.
3. This City is Ours (BBC)
A newly-released original crime drama, This City is Ours is ideal for fans of Gangs of London or Peaky Blinders. It’s set in Liverpool and follows the life of a longtime member of organised crime, Michael (James Nelson-Joyce), after he falls in love with Diana (Hannah Onslow). He reevaluates his life choices and wants to go straight, but going against his family will not be easy. His newfound love then settles on the line between motivation and potential liability. Sean Bean also features in the cast as well as Derry Girls’ Saoirse-Monica Jackson.
