Best British Comedy series to watch on OTT

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British comedy TV shows have surged in popularity in recent years thanks to the exponential growth of streaming platforms. Sex Education, Fleabag, and, After Life are among the most popular TV shows, as well as the most critically acclaimed, across platforms. So for today’s podcast we have curated a list of some of the best comedies from the British Isles if you loved the aforementioned hits.
British comedy TV shows have surged in popularity in recent years thanks to the exponential growth of streaming platforms. Sex Education, Fleabag, and, After Life are among the most popular TV shows, as well as the most critically acclaimed, across platforms. So for today’s podcast we have curated a list of some of the best comedies from the British Isles if you loved the aforementioned hits. 

• Monty Python’s Flying Circus (Netflix)

The sketch comedy aired its first episode on BBC in 1969 and ran for four seasons. Often regarded as one of the first sketch comedies ever created. The series stars John Cleese, Graham Chapman, Terry Jones, Eric Idle, Michael Palin, and Terry Gilliam, and it often featured unconventional comedy sketches often rife with innuendos and sight gags. The six leads are often called The Pythons and have become immortalized in pop culture, transcending through various boundaries across the globe. 

• IT Crowd (Netflix)

This underrated sitcom is based around IT employees of a major company who are unfortunately relegated to the basement office, often ridiculed by other employees from other departments. The series won praise for its satirical take on corporate culture and the larger society in general. Chris O’Dowd, Richard Ayoade, and Katherine Parkinson essay the roles of the lead characters as they navigate through the various hurdles of their professional as well as their personal lives.

• Cuckoo (Netflix)

The BBC original sitcom stars Greg Davies, Andy Sandberg, Helen Baxendale, and Tyger Drew-Honey in lead roles. The story is set in Staffordshire, England around the Thompsons who are coming to terms with their daughter marrying an American hippie after taking a gap year from medical college. The series won several awards and was one of the most viewed comedies in BBC history.

• Derry Girls  (Netflix)

Set in the late 80s and early 90s in Londonderry or Derry in Northern Ireland, the series revolves around a group of catholic school girls and their soft-spoken English male friend. The plot is set in the backdrop of the final years of the Irish civil war called the Troubles, and the narrative uses clever humor as social commentary on several socio-political issues, often pulling no punches in the bluntness in how the messages are conveyed. The series stars Saoirse-Monica Jackson, Louisa Harland, Nicola Coughlan, Jamie-Lee O’Donnell, and Dylan Llewellyn in lead roles

• Man Like Mobeen (Netflix)

Set in Birmingham, England, the sitcom follows the story of a British-Asian man named Mobeen. A reformed drug dealer, Mobeen is responsible for his younger sister Aqsa in the absence of their parents. The series pivots around Mobeen, and his friends Nate and Arslan ‘Eight’ Mughal. Their comical interactions with Mobeen’s sadistic uncle Shady make for some of the most hilarious segments on television. The series stars Guz Khan as Mobeen and is available to stream on Netflix

• Mind Your Language (Sony Liv)

This forgotten classic from the 70s is one of the funniest British comedies ever created. The plot revolves around a group of foreign nationals attending Communicative English classes in England. While the series does reinforce stereotypes, often blurring the lines between inappropriate and laugh-out-loud humor, it deserves praise for its writing and how it keeps its audience coming back for more after each episode. Originally aired on BBC, the series stars Barry Evans, Zara Nutley, George Camiller, Jacki Harding, Ricardo Montez, Albert Moses, Pik-Sen Lim, Robert Lee, Françoise Pascal, Dino Shafeek, and Jamila Massey.