The 40 most popular 2000s british TV shows, ranked. Click any show for ratings, reviews, trailers, and where to watch.


The IT Crowd
2006 · UK
The comedic misadventures of Roy, Moss, and their grifting supervisor Jen, a 'motley crew' of IT support workers at a large corporation headed by a hotheaded yuppie.


Doctor Who
2005 · UK
The Doctor is a Time Lord: a 900 year old alien with 2 hearts, part of a gifted civilization who mastered time travel. The Doctor saves planets for a living—more of a hobby actually, and the Doctor's very, very good at it.


Garth Marenghi's Darkplace
2004 · UK
When the Hellmouth opens beneath Darkplace Hospital in downtown Romford, kiddy doctor, Vietnam veteran and ex-warlock Dr. Rick Dagless M.D. is the only man who can close it. Joined by best buddy Dr. Lucien Sanchez, fiery hospital boss Thornton Reed, and woman Liz Asher, Dagless must fight the forces of Darkness while dealing with the burden of day-to-day admin. From the chilling pen of best-selling horror writer Garth Marenghi comes this lost masterpiece of televisual terror. Dare you enter Garth's Darkplace?


The Graham Norton Show
2007 · UK
Each week celebrity guests join Irish comedian Graham Norton to discuss what's being going on around the world that week. The guests poke fun and share their opinions on the main news stories. Graham is often joined by a band or artist to play the show out.


Peppa Pig
2004 · UK
Peppa Pig is an energetic piggy who lives with Mummy, Daddy, and little brother George. She loves to jump in mud puddles and make loud snorting noises.


Big Brother
2000 · UK
A British reality television game show in which a number of contestants live in an isolated house for several weeks, trying to avoid being evicted by the public with the aim of winning a large cash prize at the end of the run.


The One Show
2006 · UK
A topical magazine-style daily television programme broadcast live on BBC One.


QI
2003 · UK
Comedy quiz show full of quirky facts, in which contestants are rewarded more if their answers are 'quite interesting'.


Top Gear
2002 · UK
This fast-paced and stunt-filled motor show tests whether cars, both mundane and extraordinary, live up to their manufacturers' claims. The long-running show travels to locations around the world, performing extreme stunts and challenges to see what the featured cars are capable of doing. The current hosts are Paddy McGuinness, Chris Harris and Andrew "Freddie" Flintoff.


Saturday Kitchen Live
2002 · UK
Saturday Kitchen Live is a 90 minute cookery programme, which is broadcast live on BBC One on Saturday mornings. Matt Tebbutt is the predominant presenter. Andi Oliver and Michel Roux Jr. have also presented several episodes. Previous presenters have included Antony Worrall Thompson and Gregg Wallace. The programme is currently produced by Cactus TV. The programme has also aired on RTÉ One in Ireland on Saturday mornings, the episodes shown are several months old.


Shameless
2004 · UK
The story of a young group of siblings pretty much abandoned by their parents, surviving by their wits - and humor - on a rough Manchester council estate. Whilst they won't admit it, they need help and find it in Steve, a young middle class lad who falls for Fiona, the oldest sibling, and increasingly finds himself drawn to this unconventional and unique family. Anarchic family life seen through the eyes of an exceptionally bright fifteen year old, who struggles to come of age in the context of his belligerent father, closeted brother, psychotic sister and internet porn star neighbors.


Doctors
2000 · UK
Set in the fictional Midlands town of Letherbridge, defined as being close to the city of Birmingham, this soap opera follows the staff and families of a doctor's surgery.


Waterloo Road
2006 · UK
Waterloo Road is a British television drama series set in a comprehensive school of the same name, first broadcast on BBC One on 9 March 2006, and concluding its original run on 9 March 2015. It was recommissioned in 2021, and resumed starting 9 January 2023. At the failing comprehensive school, and later academy of the same name, the professional and personal lives of the students and staff are examined. Affairs, scandals, blackmail and many, many headteachers. Who said education was easy?


Battlestar Galactica
2004 · CA
When an old enemy, the Cylons, resurface and obliterate the 12 colonies, the crew of the aged Galactica protect a small civilian fleet - the last of humanity - as they journey toward the fabled 13th colony, Earth.


Strictly Come Dancing
2004 · UK
A dance competition where celebrities compete to be crowned the winner. Who is kicked out of the competition each week is decided by the judges scores and viewer votes. Are today's celebrities fleet of foot or do they have two left feet?


Richard & Judy
2001 · UK
Richard & Judy was a British chat show presented by the married couple Richard Madeley and Judy Finnigan. The show originally aired on Channel 4, from 2001 to 2008, but later moved to digital channel, Watch, in October 2008. The programme featured a number of celebrities and a book club. Its final episode aired in July 2009 due to low ratings.


Skins
2007 · UK
Irreverent comedy drama which follows the messy lives, loves, delirious highs and inevitable lows of a group of raucous teenage friends in Bristol.


Spooks
2002 · UK
Tense drama series about the different challenges faced by the British Security Service as they work against the clock to safeguard the nation. The title is a popular colloquialism for spies, and the series follows the work of a group of MI5 officers based at the service's Thames House headquarters, in a highly secure suite of offices known as The Grid.


Celebrity Juice
2008 · UK
The outrageous comedy panel show hosted by the irrepressible Keith Lemon. Each episode sees top celebrities going head to head in a series of hilarious rounds unlike any other panel show.


The X Factor
2004 · UK
The X Factor is a British television music competition to find new singing talent, contested by aspiring singers drawn from public auditions.


Escape to the Country
2002 · UK
The property show that helps prospective buyers find their dream home in the country.


Big Brother's Little Brother
2001 · UK
Each week, the housemate evicted from the Big Brother house the previous week traditionally spends another week on Big Brother's Little Brother, answering questions and taking part in Call BBLB along with other features. The show also boasts celebrity guests and experts who come in to discuss and analyse the remaining Big Brother housemates.


Merlin
2008 · UK
The unlikely friendship between Merlin, a young man gifted with extraordinary magical powers, and Prince Arthur, heir to the crown of Camelot.


Celebrity Big Brother
2001 · UK
Celebrity Big Brother is a British reality television game show in which a number of celebrity contestants live in an isolated house trying to avoid being evicted by the public with the aim of winning a large cash prize being donated to the winner's nominated charity at the end of the run.


8 Out of 10 Cats
2005 · UK
A weekly, topical panel show based around a huge series of opinion poll surveys carried out around Britain.


Bargain Hunt
2000 · UK
Two teams of amateur collectors have an hour at an antiques fair in which to acquire the best bargains possible.


The Chase
2009 · UK
The Chase isn’t just a quiz… it’s a race, where the players must ensure they stay one step ahead of ‘The Chaser’, a ruthless quiz genius determined to stop them winning at all costs.


Deal or No Deal
2005 · UK
Noel Edmonds presents the hit game show in which any one of 22 players could win up to £250,000. There are 22 sealed boxes, but only one question: deal - or no deal?


New Tricks
2004 · UK
New Tricks is a British comedy-drama that follows the work of the fictional Unsolved Crime and Open Case Squad of the Metropolitan Police Service. Originally led by Detective Superintendent Sandra Pullman, it is made up of retired police officers who have been recruited to reinvestigate unsolved crimes.


Would I Lie to You?
2007 · UK
A comedic panel show featuring team captains Lee Mack and David Mitchell plus two guests per side, hosted by Rob Brydon (formerly Angus Deayton). Each person must reveal embarrassing facts and outrageous lies during a series of different rounds including "Home Truths", "This Is My..." and "Quickfire Lies". It is up to the opposing team to tell tall tales from fantastic facts.


Agatha Christie's Marple
2004 · UK
The adventures of Miss Jane Marple, an elderly spinster living in the quiet little village of St Mary Mead. During her many visits to friends and relatives in other villages, Miss Marple often stumbles upon mysterious murders which she helps solve. Although the police are sometimes reluctant to accept Miss Marple's help, her reputation and unparalleled powers of observation eventually win them over.


CBeebies Bedtime Stories
2009 · UK
Join a host of different celebrities for a different story read each night just before bedtime.


Shaun the Sheep
2007 · UK
Shaun the Sheep thinks and acts like a person in a barnyard, which usually gets him into trouble. The farmer's sheepdog, Bitzer, tries to keep Shaun and his friends out of trouble. The farmer is oblivious to the humanlike features of his flock, who are like one big, happy family.


Waking the Dead
2001 · UK
A detective team apply new techniques to old crimes as they solve cold cases.


Click
2000 · UK
Your user-friendly guide to the latest technology news, issues, gadgets and apps.


Come Dine with Me
2005 · UK
Amateur chefs compete against each other by hosting a dinner party for the other contestants. Each competitor then rates the host's performance with the winner winning a £1,000 cash prize. An element of comedy is added to the show through comedian Dave Lamb, who provides a dry and "bitingly sarcastic" narration.


Mr. Bean: The Animated Series
2002 · UK
The animated daily trials and tribulations of clueless yet clever loner Mr Bean (aided by his best friend Teddy of course!) as he stumbles from one mishap to the next, always finding complex solutions to the simplest of problems.


Foyle's War
2002 · UK
As WW2 rages around the world, DCS Foyle fights his own war on the home-front as he investigates crimes on the south coast of England. Foyle's War opens in southern England in the year 1940. Later series sees the retired detective working as an MI5 agent operating in the aftermath of the war.


Hustle
2004 · UK
A motley group of London con artists pull of a series of daring and intricate stings.


Match of the Day 2
2004 · UK
A light-hearted look at the United Kingdom's Premier League action, rounding-up the weekend's football action.
The 2000s were cable television's breakthrough — HBO and its imitators proved that serialized, morally complicated drama could be the most ambitious storytelling around.
British television's defining habit is the short series — six episodes, one writer, a finite story. That structure produced the modern prestige miniseries and a format catalogue the rest of the world keeps adapting.