14 Hilarious British Comedies You Can Binge Right Now
By Lacy Baugher
The cast of “Gavin and Stacey” in the series’ 2008 Christmas special. (Photo: BBC)
Gavin and Stacey
Gavin and Stacey is an absolutely adorable British romantic comedy that stars Matthew Horne, Joanna Page, James Corden and Ruth Jones. It follows the long-distance relationship of the titular Gavin and Stacey, who hail from very different parts of the United Kingdom (Essex and Wales, respectively).
The series documents the key moments in their relationship, from their first meeting to their wedding and beyond. As things between them become more serious, so does the dynamic between their respective family and friends. But the show goes out of its way to not only focus on big events like Christmas or birthdays. It also features the families’ interacting in day-to-day life as well. The show is very sweet, but more importantly, it’s also very funny, with plenty of sniping, witty banter.
Corden and Jones are particularly great as Gavin and Stacey’s best friends Smithey and Nessa. The progress – or lack thereof – of their relationship is another main storyline in the series. Though quite strange at times, it’s oddly compelling. Despite initially disliking each other, the two have several one-night stands, and eventually Nessa becomes pregnant, among other things. If you’re unfamiliar with Corden before his Late Late Show hosting days, his performance here is a fun introduction to his work. (He also co-wrote the series.)
Number of Seasons: 3
Where to Watch: Hulu
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These are obviously only a few of the probably hundreds of fantastic British comedies that are out there. Because there are a ton.
And we didn’t even really touch on some of the older classics of the genre here, such as Are You Being Served? or Keeping Up Appearances or Blackadder. (Maybe we’ll do a true old-school version of this list at some point in the future?) But whatever your personal preference in terms of comedy style, you’ll find something to make you laugh. And there’s no time like the present to get started.