The era of streaming has pretty definitive pros and cons. Cable was expensive, but it led to a more linear experience where you know what you subscribed to, and could watch what you wanted only when it was on. Streaming allows for more choice, but with more choice comes more options, both for streaming services and for which shows to watch on those services.
BritBox has emerged as a favorite for those who love British television in particular. British TV has long played by different rules than its American counterpart, and their shows are often shorter and more star-studded as a result. These are three selections from BritBox that you should definitely make time for this August:
Why Didn’t They Ask Evans? (2022)
A miniseries that adapts one of Agatha Christie’s less-famous works, Why Didn’t They Ask Evans? the series follows a pair of friends who go on a crime-solving adventure after hearing a dying man’s mysterious last words.
With central performances from Will Poulter and Lucy Boynton, Why Didn’t They Ask Evans? is remarkably fun and light on its feet, and the reason it works is largely because it never takes itself too seriously. This may be a show with a hideous crime at its center, but fundamentally, the puzzle at the heart of the show is also the core of its appeal.
You can watch Why Didn’t They Ask Evans? on BritBox.
Upstairs, Downstairs (1971)
Long before there was Downton Abbey, there was Upstairs, Downstairs, a revelatory series that was so influential it almost created an entire genre. Splitting its time between the noble family living in Edwardian England and their servants, this drama saw the personal lives of its characters come up against the real history that they were living through.
As was the case for shows like Mad Men decades later, Upstairs, Downstairs often seems to be an honest depiction of what it feels like to live through history, with everyone splitting their time between the world around them and the dramas that fuel their daily lives.
You can watch Upstairs, Downstairs on BritBox.
The Beatles and India (2021)
If you’re a Beatles obsessive (and if you’re watching BritBox there’s a decent chance you are), then The Beatles and India is a great examination of one of the more underrepresented parts of their story.
The documentary follows John, Paul, George, and Ringo as they fall in love with Indian culture during a visit to Maharishi Mahesh Yogi in 1968. The story also dives even further into their pasts to explain why they were interested in these ideas. Thanks to eyewitness accounts, historical footage, and plenty of contextualization, The Beatles and India makes sense of a hugely important chapter in the band’s story.
You can watch The Beatles and India on BritBox.