LOFTY critics might hail It’s A Sin, Bleak House and Wolf Hall as Britain’s best TV.
But Sun readers feel differently and champion old-fashioned laughs, fun Saturday-night frivolity and shocking reality TV.
Here, our TV experts Ally Ross, Clemmie Moodie, Steve Corbett, Rod Mcphee, Dulcie Pearce and Felicity Cross pick the greatest shows of the past 25 years that we know YOU love too.
The Crown 2016-2023
CONTROVERSIAL, captivating, sophisticated and sensational, The Crown brought together top writers, a massive budget, an elite cast and lots of “artistic licence”.
Netflix reached some kind of zenith by being brave enough to make a drama about the royals that made us reassess the entire British establishment. RM
The Other Side Of Jimmy Savile , 2012
ARGUABLY one of the biggest landmark documentaries of the century, in 50 minutes this show exploded the myth of the once-adored presenter.
It sparked a wider police probe revealing Savile to be a predatory paedophile whose decades of sex attacks were facilitated by him being one of the BBC’s biggest stars. RM
Peaky Blinders 2013-2022
WHEN this new breed of period drama arrived, it blew audiences away and sparked its own cultural phenomenon.
From copycat shows to inspiring a generation of hipsters, the working class folk at the centre of this story about Brummie gangsters were smarter, sexier and better- dressed than any previous TV series had portrayed. RM
The Graham Norton Show, 2007-
IT may lack the interrogation of Parkinson, but Graham Norton has created the defining chat show of the past 25 years.
While rivals such as Jonathan Ross and Alan Carr struggled to land huge names, he’s constantly packed his sofa with Hollywood A-listers while keeping some of the cheeky interview style that Brits expect. RM
I’m A Celebrity . . . 2002-
THE original fish-out-of-water reality show that has exposed many a celebrity’s unsavoury side, catapulted underdogs to stardom and delivered endless laughs.
Ant and Dec are at their finest, serving up brilliant gags and banter.
And the series continues to evolve, with a recent trend for divisive political signings – plus a second All Stars run to come next year. FC
Chernobyl, 2019
SOME objected to the sting in the tail at the end of this mini-series’ breathtaking finale, when it was revealed that character Ulana Khomyuk didn’t exist and was a box-ticking amalgamation of the scientists who campaigned for the truth about the disaster.
But I thought Chernobyl more than earned the right-on indulgence.
One of the greatest TV dramas of the century. AR
Downton Abbey 2010-2015
WRITER Julian Fellowes breathed new life into the period drama with this iconic show.
He made stars out of a little-known cast, as well as hiring veteran Maggie Smith to play Violet Crawley, the Dowager Countess of Grantham.
And he gently explored edgy themes without tainting the nostalgia and pomp we need in an upstairs-downstairs series. RM
The Inbetweeners 2008-2010
THE ultimate coming-of-age comedy, this was three seasons packed full of vulgar, smutty humour that every teenage boy could identify with.
At a certain age, nothing is funnier than awkward teenage crushes, introductions to booze and laugh-out-loud schoolboy banter.
Rude, crude and hilarious (don’t watch with your nan). SC
Happy Valley 2014-2023
LIFE in a small, West Yorkshire town must be very quiet.
Wrong.
Sarah Lancashire is the hugely relatable police sergeant Catherine Cawood, a dedicated and passionate cop with a mess of a home life as mum to a teenager – and also dealing with a crook (James Norton) that’s too close to home.
Sally Wainwright’s drama is a quintessentially British masterpiece. SC
Sherlock 2010-2017
BENEDICT CUMBERBATCH became a household name as the eponymous lead in this drama – one of the most cleverly scripted and directed ever.
An original take on legendary detective Sherlock Holmes that brought the story bang into the modern world.
He and Dr Watson (Martin Freeman) were a TV gold double act.
A must-see for any British drama fan. SC
Love Island 2015-
IN 2015, ITV planted a group of fun and frisky Brits into a Majorcan villa with one aim – finding love.
And so a whole new genre of TV was firmly established.
Love Island, now hosted by Maya Jama, is the big daddy of dating shows, which has spawned copycats but remains on top today, with more record figures this summer.
Ten years on, watching hot people bicker, bitch and, yes, bonk, remains just as thrilling. FC
Britain’s Got Talent 2007-
SHOWBUSINESS at its finest – and funniest.
Granted, the ITV variety show has had its fair share of flops.
But time and time again, Simon Cowell and the team have shaken up the format to win over a fresh generation of fans with a mix of slapstick acts, amazing singers and top dancers.
BGT – also featuring regular judges Amanda Holden and Alesha Dixon – could well bring the spirit of British entertainment to life for years to come. FC
Clarkson’s Farm 2021-
WITH this documentary which is, at times, part comedy and part soap opera, Jeremy achieved the feat of captivating millions of urban Brits with his honest take on the highs and lows of rural life.
Clarkson’s Farm is a hitherto unseen look at the hardy members of our population who fight daily to survive the weather, farming red tape – and cattle that can castrate with a single kick. RM
Blue Planet II 2017
SIR David Attenborough ’s nature shows have always pushed the boundaries.
But this series in particular cut through the public consciousness like few others.
It showed us how single-use plastics – a phrase most people had never heard before – were ruining our oceans.
And it pushed the issue to the very top of the global agenda. RM
Big Brother 2000-
THERE’S a reason the original reality TV experiment still airs to such acclaim – it is the best fly-on-the-wall concept out there.
Another format which entirely changed the game and forged its own genre, Big Brother’s success relies on each series’ cast and the tricks producers use to strip them bare.
Since its launch, BB has given us some of TV’s most memorable moments. FC
Bodygaurd, 2018
LINE Of Duty creator Jed Mercurio shunned the modern drama rulebook, with dull, woke dictats, and gave us a whip-smart thriller packed full of sex, guns, spies and politics.
With Keeley Hawes and Richard Madden delivering career-defining performances, Bodyguard had the nation on the edge of their seats. RM
Gavin & Stacey 2007-2024
STARTING life on BBC Three in 2007, this story of long-distance love between an Essex boy and a Welsh girl went from hidden gem to national treasure.
Subsequently shown on BBC One, there were three series and three Christmas specials, written by show stars James Corden (Smithy) and Ruth Jones (Nessa).
The warm tales of friendship and family resonated with us and made, ‘Oh’ funny for all time. DP
Strictly Come Dancing 2004-
FEW TV shows these days can bring together multiple generations across the country – but Strictly still manages it.
With 22 series under its glittery belt, the dance contest has been entertaining us from September to Christmas since 2004.
It’s made house-hold names of the most minor celebs and has had us gasping, weeping and waltzing for more than two decades. DP
Line Of Duty 2012-2021
A GRIPPING plot, stellar acting and scream-at-your-telly shocks made Jed Mercurio’s series about police anti-corruption unit AC-12 an adrenaline hit.
Never shying away from violence, or killing off a lead character in dramatic style, its fast and ferocious pace – mixed with incredibly clever twists – make it a crime thriller masterpiece. DP
Top Gear 2002-2022
THE Jaguar of motoring shows, it always delivered and kept devoted fans in fifth gear for years.
The glory days under Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond and James May, from 2002 to 2015, produced some of TV’s finest moments – be it banter in the studio or epic challenges.
A tour de force in broadcasting that successors could never live up to. FC
Taskmaster 2015-
IF Have I Got News For You relies on pithy barbs, then Taskmaster’s beauty lies in its innocence.
Hosted by Greg Davies and Alex Horne, it’s comedy in its purest form, with a group of funny people competing in nonsensical challenges.
No politics, no edgy humour or upset – just off-the-cuff gags and mayhem.
It’s been a great launchpad for up-and-coming comedians. FC
X Factor 2004-2018
THE contest that put all other singing shows in the shade.
At its peak, Simon Cowell’s talent-seeking series united families around TVs, and fans at battle buses, as finalists drummed up votes.
And it created huge stars including One Direction, Little Mix and James Arthur. A real one-of-a-kind show. CM
The Chase 2009-
BRADLEY WALSH’s quiz show is among TV’s most watched.
Its simple premise – to “outrun” a professional quizzer and reach a prize pot – is fun to play along with at home.
But those “Chasers” are the real draw, with their distinct characters and jaw-dropping knowledge.
That’s why The Chase is our top quiz of the century among a thriving pack. FC
The Traitors 2022-
JUST when we despaired there would never be any new ideas on television, along came Claudia Winkleman and The Traitors.
Thrilling and dastardly gameplay combined with human hope, joy and savagery, made the BBC show irresistible viewing and united friends and family to watch TV “live”.
Another format that’s been copied, but The Traitors is still best in class. FC
The Office 2001-2003
TV’s first “mockumentary” had us biting our toenails in cringe by the second series – because we’d gnawed through every fingernail during the first.
Ricky Gervais’ David Brent is the office boss we all secretly fear being.
He’s the ultimate awkward character whose dancing gave us one of the most hilarious, hellish-to-watch comedy scenes of all time. SC
