From Monty Python’s Flying Circus to The Office, The UK has pioneered writing out-of-the-box TV shows. It is time we found out, with Betway’s help, which ones are adored by the entire world and can give you the very best time of your life.
In this article, we will look at a bunch of the most loved shows to ever grace the silver screen and take a peek at why they are the way that they are. Without further delay, here we go!
Scripted Shows
The success of a show rides a great deal on its script. Sitcoms, period dramas, and comedies all belong to this category. Among the shows that have historically topped the charts in this category are:
- The Office
- Chernobyl
- His Dark Materials
- Doctor Foster
- Misfits
- Doctor Who
- Luther
Of course, many of these shows have found great success beyond the shores of the UK. The American version of The Office has especially dwarfed the original UK version by a mile. Where the original ran for three seasons in the UK, the American version ran for nine. What’s more, the novel mockumentary style of shooting has caught on and been utilized for even more shows and movies.
The Office shines through not just because of its brilliant writing but also its commitment to character. It is a show that really captures the absurdity of the daily grind that regular people suffer through day after day. No wonder people keep coming back to it.
Unscripted Shows
These shows don’t rely on a set script and instead have more to do with people and their stories. Including everything from documentaries, talk shows, and reality TV, the headliners in this category are:
- Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?
- Love Island
- Got Talent
- Strictly Come Dancing
- Planet Earth
- Great British Bake Off
- Come Dine With Me
- Gogglebox
- First Dates
For these shows, it is the format that truly sells it. The most prominent example of this is Who Wants to Be a Millionaire, which is just a quiz show. It doesn’t need a script. The fun of it is seeing how far the contestant can go and test their knowledge along the way. In fact, it became so popular that other countries – notably America and India – made very successful localized versions of the show.
It is the curiosity and compassion that people have for the many contestants in these shows that keep them popular and in-demand, though the fun formats work, too.
What Are The Best UK TV Exports?
As we have discussed before, many of the original shows made in Britain have inspired localisations in other parts of the world. In order to decide the best of the lot, we decided to split these shows into four separate categories and see what we could find.
- Money-maker: The Great British Bake Off really takes the cake in this category. It has been licensed in 26 markets across the globe and topped the list for the highest amount of export revenue among all factual programs in 2020.
- Most viewed: Hands down, The Office (US) is the undisputed champion in this case. In 2020 alone, according to Netflix, the show was watched for over 57 billion hours, which is an insanely high amount of time. This is one export that speaks for itself.
- Widely reached: Top Gear has to take the wheel for this one. The three hosts are usually bombarded by the locals irrespective of where they go.
- Better than the original: If the answer is anything other than The Office, do not trust it. The USA version ran for 9 seasons and was a global phenomenon.
The UK TV creators have consistently chosen the path less taken, and their shows rightfully stand the test of time.