TV series originally in British English[]
Doctor Who[]
A famous sci-fi and comedial tv series. The original series is fifty years old, the new one began in 2005. The last of the Time Lords travels with a companion or two across time and space, admires the beauty and saves worlds on the way. Uses beautiful British English, however the speech might be quite fast for learners at lower levels of listening comprehension (especially Matt Smith as the most recent Doctor). The original series includes 26 seasons with 13-42 episodes each. The renewed series includes 7 seasons with 13-15 episodes each. There have been a few films, books and radio plays as well as several spin offs.
The Red Dwarf[]
A cult sci-fi sit-com, classics of the genre. Dave Lister wakes up 3 million years after being punished by being put into stasis on the mining ship Red Dwarf. His adventures with hologram Rimmer, the Cat (human evolved from his cat) and Kryten (an android) have been entertaining a few generations of viewers already. Standard and colloquial Brittish English is used. 10 series, most of them with 6 episodes, two with 8 and one with only 3.
Torchwood[]
Spin-off of Doctor Who, featuring the Torchwood Institute team in Cardiff. While being a spin off and keeping a lot of the Doctor Who thematics, it is less of a comedy and more of a drama, including serious ethical questions and more sexuality. An excellent opportunity to hear British English with a Welsh accent. 4 seasons, altogether 41 episodes.
Sherlock
A crime drama that presents a contemporary adaptation of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes detective stories. Created by Steven Moffat and Mark Gatiss, it stars Benedict Cumberbatch as Sherlock Holmes and Martin Freeman as Doctor John Watson.
Other lists[]
There is an excellent list of British and US TV series at Antimoon. See also American English TV series.