The 25 best British TV shows and movies of 2021
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Loading... - william harrison
- 04 Jan 2022
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The UK may have endured several lengthy lockdowns amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, but its screen industry has risen to the challenge, producing a huge amount of high quality viewing for those spending a large amount of time at home.
We've joined an all-female Muslim punk band, moved into the Pink Palace in the '80s, accidentally had a one night stand with a movie star, been imprisoned for treason in the Tower of London, and hit the trail of some "bent coppers."
We've looked at the best films and the best TV series of the year, but these are specifically the best from the UK — and where you can watch it within and outside the country.
Now, on with the show...
TV
We Are Lady Parts
What started as a Channel 4 comedy short has now been made into one of the must-see shows of the year. Created by Nida Manzoor, We Are Lady Parts is a six-part series about the formation of an all-women Muslim punk band, and every moment rules. You’ll meet Saira (Sarah Kameela Impey), Ayesha (Juliette Motamed), Bisma (Faith Omole), and Momtaz (Lucie Shorthouse) as they recruit lead guitarist Amina (Spider-Man: Far From Home and Mogul Mowgli star Anjana Vasan). As Mashable's Proma Khosla writes in her review, "Seeing five women of color lead a comedy less interested in gawking at their identifiers than exploring their inner lives feels truly revolutionary." — Shannon Connellan, UK Editor
It's a Sin
From Queer as Folk creator Russell T. Davies, It’s A Sin is a deeply moving five-part series from Channel 4 and streaming on HBO Max. Set in London in the ‘80s, the show hinges around five friends — Ritchie (Olly Alexander), Jill (Lydia West), Ash (Nathaniel Curtis), Roscoe (Omari Douglas),and Colin (Callum Scott Howells) — living together over a decade amid the AIDS epidemic as it happened in the UK. Davies has created a beautiful tribute to those who died during the epidemic, many of whose stories have been erased, and the show's strength comes from its brilliant cast bringing humanity, joy, and integrity to wonderful, real, unforgettable characters. — S.C.
The Pursuit of Love
Directed by Emily Mortimer, BBC One's adaptation of Nancy Mitford's 1945 novel is an absolute riot for lovers of period dramas. Set between World Wars, The Pursuit of Love centres around the romantic whims of the audacious Linda Radlett (Lily James), as told by her close cousin Fanny Logan (Emily Beecham). But as Mashable’s Rachel Thompson points out in her review, Fleabag’s Andrew Scott steals the show as the beguiling Lord Merlin: "Prepare for eccentric hijinks, heated conversations about communism, lots of brooding romantic energy, and many entertaining outbursts from Andrew Scott." — S.C.
Feel Good (Season 2)
Yes, Mae Martin is Canadian. Yes, this was once a Channel 4 show that is now a full-on Netflix production. But Feel Good Season 2 counts on this list as it was entirely filmed and mostly set in the UK with a mainly British cast, and it's so damn bloody excellent I’m including it, alright? Building relationships, growing up, breaking free of emotional dependency, and managing addiction — Martin makes all of it funny, sad, relatable, romantic, and beautiful in the semi-autobiographical comedy drama Feel Good. With Martin back in the director/writer/actor chair, Season 2 basically picks up where we left off, pushing Mae and George’s story along into new territory and exploring the complicated nature of empathy and handling inner pain. Mae digs deeper into their past trauma and its impact on present relationships, George (the hilarious Charlotte Ritchie) works on finding time for her own power while supporting Mae, and Mae's parents (the incredibly deadpan Lisa Kudrow and charming Adrian Lukis) return to try meeting them halfway. You will watch it in a day. — S.C.
