BBC iPlayer is full of hidden gems – here are the best TV shows to watch tonight
Guess what? There are a sh*tload of the best TV shows on BBC iPlayer.
Wait, bear with us here. This may not strike you as particularly surprising, given that BBC iPlayer is an on-demand streaming service for TV shows. But what we discovered during a recent sofa-surfing session was that there's a whole universe of untapped entertainment gold on the streaming platform – absolutely tons of series spanning decades that slipped completely under the radar, didn't amass the viewing figures they deserved, or that you simply may have missed first time round.
Okay, this may not have been a secret to you. But when you scroll through our below pick of the best hidden gems on iPlayer, we bet there's a lot you haven't seen. So, bookmark this page, and when you're next wondering what to watch on TV and there doesn't seem to be anything new taking your fancy, you know you've got 20 binge-worthy series to choose from.
Take 2018's Taken Down, a gripping crime drama in which the death of a young Nigerian migrant exposes the exploitation of vulnerable immigrants to Dublin police (you'll be hooked from start to finish) or new additions like Vigil and Ridley Road, both BBC originals that received rave reviews when they dropped in Autumn 2021. Then there are old pop culture gems like Gossip Girl, which you can now watch on iPlayer from season one to the sixth and final season after it was removed from Netflix. Plus, if you fancy giving the Gossip Girl reboot a go, that's available on there too. As is American drama Good Trouble, a spin-off from popular The Fosters, which you can binge over on Disney+.
If documentaries are more your thing, we can't get enough of The Rise of the Murdoch Dynasty . It was only released in July and was a hit with critics, but perhaps the reason you may not have heard of it is because the docu-series genre has been so dominated by Netflix in recent years. Poor old BBC.
So, no more rewatching Fleabag or Killing Eve for the sixtieth time. Let's get stuck into some secretly stellar TV shows...
BBC PicturesHim & Her (2010-2013)
A touching, smart, BAFTA-winning laugh-out-loud look into the lives of ordinary couple Steve (Russell Tovey) and Becky (Sarah Solemani). They're not the traditional sitcom couple – they're messy, lazy, not very good at adulting (presumably they only own one mug, as Steve drinks tea from a measuring jug), but they're kind, funny and their love for each other is heartwarming. Not in a grab-a-bucket kind of way, though. It's entirely refreshing and it's self-care telly at its finest. You have four seasons to enjoy on iPlayer. Lucky you.
BBC PicturesAnthony (2020)
Anthony may be a relatively new addition to iPlayer after airing on BBC One at the end of July, but in our opinion it hasn't been getting the recognition it deserves. Anthony Walker was just 18-years-old when he was viciously murdered by racists in July 2005. This feature-length show imagines what future he might have led. A gut-wrenching but vital reminder that the #UKIsNotInnocent.
BBC PicturesHot Property (2019-)
We don't know what we would've done without two seasons of Hot Property to see us through the last few months of lockdown – and put a big old cheesy grin on our faces in the process. Hosted by Yung Filly (who, ngl, we are a bit obsessed with), the hilarious dating show follows hopeful millennials as they narrow down potential blind dates by snooping around their bedrooms and meeting their mates.
BBC PicturesThe Fades (2011)
Craving a supernatural story a la Stranger Things ? The Fades introduces us to Paul, a teenager who is haunted by apocalyptic dreams. It soon becomes clear that he can see spirits of the dead known as 'the Fades'; those stuck between death and the afterlife. When a vengeful Fade known as 'Polus' finds his way back to humanity, it's up to Paul to stop him – and the rest of the dead – from destroying the world.
BBC PicturesCardinal (2017-)
Like a Scandi noir drama (minus the subtitles and wooly jumpers), this gripping crime series follows detective John Cardinal (Billy Campbell) and his partner Lise Delorme (Karine Vanasse), investigating gruesome crimes against the vast expanse of snowy rural Canada. There are four series currently available for your viewing pleasure, each a snappy six episodes long. In series four, a serial killer with a 20-year-old grudge has chilling deaths in store for four victims – can Cardinal and Delorme catch him before it’s too late and resolve their sizzling sexual tension? You’ll be hooked.
The Split (2018-2020)
Following the Defoe sisters who work at a high-profile London law firm (run by their powerhouse mother), The Split will have you hooked on sibling rivalry, a few affairs, one estranged father, endless workwear inspo and a spellbinding leading performance by Nicola Walker. We challenge you not to binge both seasons in one weekend.
BBC PicturesMrs America (2020)
Mrs America is a journey into the feminist battles of the 1970s, telling the story of the movement to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA), and the unexpected backlash pioneered by a conservative woman called Phyllis Schlafly. The series is superbly acted by its stellar cast, including Cate Blanchett as Schlafly and Rose Byrne as Gloria Steinem.
BBC PicturesLooking for Alaska (2019)
An adaptation of John Green’s YA novel of the same name, Looking for Alaska follows a group of teens lead by protagonist Miles Halter, who moves from his normal high school in Florida to attend Culver Creek Academy, Alabama, where he meets new friends, enemies, and Alaska Young. But after an unexpected tragedy, the group must try and process what they've been through. An easy to watch coming-of-age drama.
BBC PicturesHarper's Island (2009)
For those of you desperately searching for a mystery binge-watch that you may not have seen before. The show takes place on Harper's Island, where a number of people were brutally murdered by John Wakefield seven years earlier, including the sheriff's wife. At the time, the sheriff sent his daughter Abby away to live with his family in LA. Now, Abby returns to Harper's Island for a wedding, along with a group of family and friends. But one by one, they begin to die. There's 13 episodes to dive into, people. Best get those sofa detective hats on.
BBC PicturesThe Secrets She Keeps (2020)
Pregnant mummy blogger Meghan has the perfect life – husband, two kids and another on the way, growing career as an influencer and a beautiful home in Sydney. When she strikes up a friendship with pregnant supermarket worker Aggie, it soon becomes clear that all is not as it seems – she’s receiving death threats to her site and keeping a massive secret from her increasingly distant husband. Meanwhile Aggie has many secrets of her own, and a sinister plan that will tear Meghan’s world apart. If you love twisty emotional dramas that will keep you hitting watch next, this is for you.
BBC PicturesTaken Down (2018)
The first series of this gripping crime drama focuses on the aftermath of the violent death of a young Nigerian migrant, which exposes the exploitation of vulnerable immigrants to Dublin police.
BBC PicturesBoys Banged Up (2020)
This documentary takes a no-holds-barred look inside a young offender's prison and what life is like for the young male prisoners being detained. Creator Stephen Nolan's aim was to find out what happened after the cell doors shut inside Hydebank Wood Prison in South Belfast, Northern Ireland, which houses around 100 young offenders and suspects on remand.
BBC PicturesDevs (2020)
This sci-fi mystery limited series was nominated for an Emmy, yet we're only just learning about it! The drama follows the story of software engineer Lily Chan (Sonoya Mizuno), who investigates the secretive development division 'Devs' of the tech company which she believes is behind the murder of her boyfriend Sergei (Karl Glusman).
BBC PicturesThe Long Song (2018)
BBC PicturesKaty Keene (2020)
Riverdale fans, listen up, because this spin-off – taking place five years after the events of the first four seasons – is set to be your new obsession. The series centres on the classic Archie Comics character Katy Keene, played by Pretty Little Liars star Lucy Hale. She's a model, actress and singer, who has aspirations of becoming a fashion designer in New York City, where she meets a gang of new besties (including Josie from Riverdale), who are also all trying to make it in the Big Apple.
Mark MainzVigil
Vigil is a six-part thriller that follows the mysterious disappearance of a Scottish fisherman and a death on-board a submarine. Set in Scotland, it sees DCI Amy Silva (played by Suranne Jones) lead an investigation into the murder which happens on a Trident nuclear submarine, bringing the police into conflict with the Navy and British security services. The show is written by Bafta-nominated writer Tom Edge, who also worked on The Crown, and is directed by James Strong, a Bafta winner, who worked on Broadchurch,Vanity Fair and Liar, and Isabelle Sieb. It also stars Martin Compston, Anjli Mohindra and Sex Education’s very own Connor Swindells.
It's real edge-of-your seat stuff!
Ben BlackallRidley Road
Set in the summer of 1962, Ridley Road follows 20-year-old Vivien Epstein, a Jewish hairdresser, as she arrives in London from Manchester. She finds work in a hair salon in Soho, which at the time is the epicentre of the Swinging Sixties. She's swept up in a new life of the fashion, music and art synonymous with the era but never forgets a true reason for moving tot he capital: she's on the hunt for her missing boyfriend, Jack Morris.
ProductionGossip Girl reboot
If you grew up on the OG Gossip Girl (which is also available on iPlayer, btw) like we did then you may have mixed feelings about a reboot. But let's be honest, you know you want to give it a go!
The updated version follows a new and inclusive generation of Manhattan's elite teenagers as they navigate life on the Upper East Side. The official synopsis read: “Eight years after the original website went dark, a new generation of New York private school teens are introduced to the social surveillance of Gossip Girl. The prestige series will address just how much social media—and the landscape of New York itself—has changed in the intervening years.”
FreeformGood Trouble
A spin-off from The Fosters, a popular American family drama available on Disney+, Good Trouble sees adopted sisters Callie and Mariana as they embark on the next adventure in their lives with a big move to Los Angeles. The sisters delve into their first professional jobs with Mariana tackling the male-dominated world of tech, while Callie faces the harsh realities of the legal system as the new clerk for a federal judge. Then there's all the drama in their personal lives, from their living situation at The Coterie (a communal house with several housemates) to navigating new romances, new friendships and everything in between.
