America’s Favorite British TV Shows
What Americans Love to Watch from Across the Pond
It’s been a lot longer than four score and seven years ago since the United States declared its independence from Britain, but there are some things from across the pond that we just can’t quit. JK Rowling and the magical world of Harry Potter, royal weddings, and the charm of afternoon tea are just a few of the British exports we’re perpetually fangirling over. And British TV. So much British TV. With the rising popularity of Netflix and our ability to stream shows like Downton Abbey and Sherlock, the team at CableTV decided to research popular British TV shows in the U.S. to see what might be trending on “the telly” in your state.
We admit it. We expected to see a Downton Abbey America, too. But because we looked at British TV past and present, we got lots more variety in our data. While some of the high-profile shows are still featured on our map, you’ll see some lesser-known favorites that American viewers have been hooked on for years. What is the most popular British TV show in America according to our research? All other TV from across the pond is outnumbered by Outnumbered, an award-winning sitcom about the realities of modern parenthood.
We arrived at each state’s favorite show by identifying popular British TV past and present, and then we used Google Trends to determine which ones were favorites in each state. Check out the complete results below.
| State |
| Alabama |
| Alaska |
| Arizona |
| Arkansas |
| California |
| Colorado |
| Connecticut |
| Delaware |
| District of Columbia |
| Florida |
| Georgia |
| Hawaii |
| Idaho |
| Illinois |
| Indiana |
| Iowa |
| Kansas |
| Kentucky |
| Louisiana |
| Maine |
| Maryland |
| Massachusetts |
| Michigan |
| Minnesota |
| Mississippi |
| Missouri |
| Montana |
| Nebraska |
| Nevada |
| New Hampshire |
| New Jersey |
| New Mexico |
| New York |
| North Carolina |
| North Dakota |
| Ohio |
| Oklahoma |
| Oregon |
| Pennsylvania |
| Rhode Island |
| South Carolina |
| South Dakota |
| Tennessee |
| Texas |
| Utah |
| Vermont |
| Virginia |
| Washington |
| West Virginia |
| Wisconsin |
| Wyoming |
| Top Show | Network/Where to Watch | Description |
| Outnumbered | BBC One | Comedy about life with growing children. |
| Whitechapel | Amazon, Hulu | Crime drama set in London explores historical crimes. |
| Survivors | Amazon | Post-apocalyptic Sci-Fi drama. |
| Fresh Meat | Hulu | Comedy drama about college students. |
| Raised by Wolves | Acorn TV | Comedy about unconventional childhood. |
| Spaced | Hulu | Sitcom about a professional couple. |
| The Hour | BBC America | Drama about a BBC newsroom in the 1950s. |
| The Thick of It | BBC TWO | Dark political comedy/satire. |
| Yes Minister | Amazon | Political comedy/satire. |
| Pulling | BBC Three | Comedy about three single women. |
| Coupling | Amazon | Romantic comedy about relationships. |
| Episodes | Amazon | Comedy about British writers making TV show. |
| Line of Duty | BBC TWO | Police and crime drama. |
| Fresh Meat | Hulu | Comedy drama about college students. |
| Coupling | Amazon | Romantic comedy about relationships. |
| Luther | BBC America | Crime drama starring Idris Elba. |
| Mr. Bean | Amazon | Family comedy with slapstick humor. |
| Spaced | Hulu | Sitcom about a professional couple. |
| Outnumbered | BBC One | Comedy about life with growing children. |
| Agatha Christie’s Marple | Amazon | Quaint murder mystery drama featuring elderly woman. |
| Top Boy | Hulu | Crime drama that takes place in London housing. |
| Gogglebox | Channel 4 | Reality show about Brits watching TV. |
| Raised by Wolves | Acorn TV | Comedy about unconventional childhood. |
| Never Mind the Buzzcocks | BBC TWO | Comedy pop quiz. |
| The Thick of It | BBC TWO | Dark political comedy/satire. |
| Survivors | Amazon | Post-apocalyptic Sci-Fi drama. |
| Peaky Blinders | BBC TWO Netflix | Period crime drama about gangsters in Birmingham. |
| Doctor Who | BBC One | Classic sci-fi with a cult following. |
| Love Island | itv | Reality dating show. |
| The Crown | Netflix | Drama about the early life of Queen Elizabeth. |
| Episodes | Amazon | Comedy about British writers making TV show. |
| Misfits | Hulu | Sci-Fi comedy drama about superheroes. |
| Pulling | BBC Three | Comedy about three single women. |
| Outnumbered | BBC One | Comedy about life with growing children. |
| Episodes | Amazon | Comedy about British writers making TV show. |
| Outnumbered | BBC One | Comedy about life with growing children. |
| The Office | Hulu | Sitcom mockumentary about corporate life. |
| Celebrity Juice | Itv2 | Comedy panel game. |
| Gadget Man | Channel 4 | Covers new gadgets and technology. |
| Absolutely Fabulous | BBC America | Satirical comedy about two selfish, middle aged women. |
| Southcliffe | Netflix | A drama about the aftermath of tragedy. |
| Merlin | BBC one, Hulu | Fantasy drama for young adults about King Arthur legend. |
| Spaced | Hulu | Sitcom about a professional couple. |
| Getting On | BBC four | Dark comedy about life on a hospital ward. |
| The IT Crowd | Hulu | Comedy about an IT group. |
| Happy Valley | Netflix | Crime drama about a small town cop. |
| War and Peace | Hulu | Historical drama about the rise and fall of aristocrats in Imperial Russia. |
| Cold Feet | Hulu | Romantic comedy about relationships. |
| Doctor Who | BBC One | Classic sci-fi with a cult following. |
| Monty Python’s Flying Circus | Amazon | Sketch comedy from the 70s with cult following. |
| Doctor Who | BBC One | Classic sci-fi with a cult following. |
What trends did we spot in our British TV data? Come join us for a spot of speculation.The More Things Change, the More They Stay Exactly the SameOur British TV map holds up the patterns of viewing we’ve noticed in other types of entertainment data over the past year. The Western and Southern portions of the States prefer comedies and the fluffier content of sitcoms, while in the Northern and Eastern regions, viewers snuggle up to dramas and strong female leads.We Are What We WatchWe’ve said it before, and we’ll say it again. Some states are watching shows that reinforce regional stereotypes. Here are just a few that’ll make you chuckle:
- DC keeps it political with Yes, Minister.
- Maine is quaint, quirky, and decidedly up to mischief with Marple.
- Put a ring on it in Nevada with Love Island.
- Utah’s tech boom is evidence that the IT Crowd has found a new home.
- Vermont’s idyllic scenery makes Happy Valley an apt nickname.
- War and Peace is still a matter of contention in Virginia.
- It’s no surprise that Washington keeps getting Cold Feet.
Regional TrendsAcross parts of the United States, we noticed some specific trends. While British comedies are generally more popular than other types of content, there were a few sub-genres that seemed to be favorites in certain pockets of the country.
- The Midwest keeps it clean with cheerful comedies like Bean, campy Dr. Who, and young adult fantasy dramas like Merlin.
- When the South does drama, they like it served with a side of apocalypse from Survivors.
- Northern intellectuals think they have the answer with comedy pop quizzes, including Celebrity Juice and Never Mind the Buzzcocks.
- New England stays true to their sarcastic nature with Absolutely Fabulous and Gogglebox, a reality TV show about watching TV. Because that totally makes sense.
And Baby Makes ThreeThere seems to be a bit of correlation between high birthrates and states that prefer comedies about couples or families, proving parents like to laugh at their own trials and tribulations as much as the next TV viewer. Some examples:
- North Dakota is Outnumbered, while South Dakota fantasizes with Merlin.
- Hippie Californians have obviously been Raised by Wolves and Georgia is busy snuggling up to Coupling.
Like Guns? You probably also prefer your British TV with a side of firearms. States with higher rates of gun ownership per capita pull out all the stops with shows that feature plenty of sharp shooting.
- Alaska is hunting for clues with Whitechapel, while Montana is ganging up on Peaky Blinders.
- Idaho’s TV falls into the Line of Duty but South Carolina is dealing with the fallout from gun tragedy in Southcliff.
Are you a fan of what your state serves up for British TV? Share with your friends to discuss and find new shows from across the pond to stream.
