There is never a shortage of exciting cinema to watch, especially with movies and shows from other countries that are accessible for viewing. There are so many options to choose from that pieces will often get overlooked and don’t get the attention they deserve– especially when it comes to tv shows, which release much more continuously.

The BBC is known for their myriad of options when it comes to shows to watch, everything from the eccentric sci-fi series Doctor Who to captivating dramas like Peaky Blinders. When it comes to British TV shows, there’s truly something for everybody to enjoy. But having so many options means that not all of them get the attention and recognition they deserve from audiences. Here are just a handful of British shows that everyone should watch.

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Ghosts

     BBC Studios

This delightful series centers around Alison and her boyfriend Mike, who move into a gorgeous mansion that Alison has surprisingly inherited. Struggling for money, they plan on turning it into a B&B – then Alison is pushed by a ghost from a window and after the near-death experience, can see the eclectic group of ghosts that think of the mansion as their home and want it to stay that way. With ghostly characters that include a caveman, generations of aristocracy, a corrupt politician, and more, this series has quite a funky cast that keeps the series light and entertaining. Ghosts has been renewed for another season and promises even more shenanigans for the fans that love it so much as well as all the new viewers that will hopefully watch it.

Merlin

     BBC

Plenty of Anglophiles and fans of fantasy will remember the series Merlin, which was beloved by viewers at the time but has died out since its cancelation in 2012. The show is often forgotten and hardly spoken about, even though it’s one that should still be watched and remembered. The series follows Merlin as he travels to Camelot to stay with Gaius, an old friend of his mother, who will protect him as a magic user in a land where it’s forbidden. Merlin inadvertently gets swept up into the life of Prince Arthur and becomes his servant, leading to the start of their hilarious and heartwarming friendship. Merlin must keep his magic a secret or face the risk of death, yet he ends up having to find clever and inconspicuous ways to use it in order to protect Arthur and help him fulfill his destiny as the rightful ruler of Camelot. This show has plenty of action and adventure as well as charm and comedy. It brings every element of the story together perfectly to create a fantastic rendition of the timeless legend of Arthur.

Dirk Gently’s Holistic Detective Agency

     BBC America

This quirky and charming series, which is a loose adaptation of a Douglas Adams’ book, is one that didn’t get nearly as much attention as it should have when it was airing and was sadly canceled after just two seasons. The series centers around Todd, a hotel employee down on his luck and feels like his life has gone downhill, when he meets Dirk Gently, a self-named holistic detective who is somehow always in the right place at the right time (even though that often means some danger and havoc is involved). Dirk is trying to solve a murder full of strangeness and sweeps Todd up with him as his reluctant assistant. The further into the mystery they get, the more bizarre things become, and Todd quickly realizes that Dirk is not the only “holistic” person out there with uncanny abilities. Dirk Gently’s Holistic Detective Agency is full of mystery and adventure as well as a slew of fascinating characters and stories that intertwine. The show is brilliant, and the cast is incredibly talented, and it is fully worth the watch for anyone who likes a funky adventure.

Crashing

     Channel 4

A comedy series written by and starring Phoebe Waller-Bridge is full of constant hilarity and incredibly human moments, but is often forgotten in the shadow of her other series Fleabag. The show Crashing centers around Lulu, who comes to surprise her old childhood best friend, Anthony. She ends up staying with him and his girlfriend, along with many of their other friends who live in an old hospital as Property Guardians in order to save money on rent. The uncommon setting promises strangeness throughout the show, and it fulfills that in full force. This series is full of sweet moments, awkward moments, shocking and frustrating moments, and plenty of chaos amongst all the characters as they struggle with the hardships of everyday life as well as with each other and their own identities. While this show is a comedy through and through, it has very genuine moments and explorations of people and how they connect and treat each other, and it definitely deserves more of an audience.

Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell

     BBC One

Then there’s the fabulous and fantastical limited series Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell. This series is based on a book by Susanna Clarke, whose writing has been loved by filmmakers and fans alike. The show centers around the titular Strange and Norrell, both of whom are magicians in Victorian England where magic has become a mostly lost talent. Their stories are entwined because of an old prophecy that promises the return of a sinister sorcerer named The Raven King. This series has everything from a charming cast of characters, to romance, to moments of magic that are truly haunting. The cast is full of talent and their performances draw you into this perfectly created world for an unforgettable story of rivalry and friendship, good and evil, and how sometimes destiny is unavoidable. Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell deserves more attention, as does the writer Susanna Clarke, but this series will not disappoint any of the viewers willing to give it a chance.