Best British Dramas to Watch Right Now (2026) — and Where to Watch Them Officially
By Site Owner · · 7 min read
Updated: 12 October 2026. The Peaky Blinders film is streaming, the BBC has confirmed Line of Duty Series 7 for 2027, and Call the Midwife has moved into the 1970s. This guide tracks status and official watch options for the British dramas people ask about most — refreshed as platforms announce changes.
British drama travels further than almost any other television: the same series that dominate BBC One's Sunday nights end up on Netflix queues in Karachi, Toronto and Sydney. But that global reach makes "where can I actually watch this?" a genuinely confusing question — rights split between BBC iPlayer, Netflix and regional broadcasters like PBS, and they change by country and by year. This guide keeps the answer in one place for the British dramas with the biggest followings right now, and every link goes to an official platform — EpisodeNo hosts no video and never links pirated copies.
Peaky Blinders — the series is complete, the story is not
Steven Knight's Birmingham saga ran six series (36 episodes) between 2013 and 2022, following Tommy Shelby (Cillian Murphy) from the post-war streets of 1919 into the 1930s. The full box set streams on Netflix worldwide, and the story continued in Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man — the feature film that premiered in Birmingham on 2 March 2026, played select cinemas from 6 March, and landed on Netflix globally on 20 March 2026. A follow-up series is in development, so the cap on the flat cap is not final. Our Peaky Blinders show page tracks the episode count, the film and the official Netflix link.
Line of Duty — all six series now, Series 7 confirmed
Jed Mercurio's AC-12 interrogations made "bent coppers" part of the language and turned Line of Duty into BBC iPlayer's most-watched show of 2021. Six series (37 episodes) star Martin Compston, Vicky McClure and Adrian Dunbar, and all of them stream free on BBC iPlayer in the UK (search "Line of Duty" in the app) — internationally the box set is sold through licensed retailers, and availability varies by country. The big news for fans: the BBC has confirmed Series 7, expected in 2027, with filming in Belfast. Status and details live on our Line of Duty page.
Call the Midwife — into the 1970s
The Nonnatus House midwives have jumped a decade: Series 15 premiered on 11 January 2026 on BBC One and BBC iPlayer, moving the story into 1971 with its usual mix of birth, hardship and community. It remains one of the UK's most-watched dramas and has been renewed far into the future. UK viewers watch free on iPlayer; US viewers follow on PBS, where Series 15 premiered on 22 March 2026. Our Call the Midwife page carries the current status.
The Crown — the complete reign
Peter Morgan's dramatisation of Queen Elizabeth II's reign finished its run in 2023 after six seasons and 60 episodes, recasting the royal family every two seasons — Claire Foy, Olivia Colman, then Imelda Staunton — through Suez, the Moon landing, Thatcher and Diana. It is a Netflix original end to end, so the complete series streams on Netflix worldwide with no regional gaps. Details on our The Crown page.
Where to watch: the quick grid
| Drama | Status (12 Oct 2026) | Watch officially |
|---|---|---|
| Peaky Blinders | Series complete (36 eps); The Immortal Man film streaming | Netflix (worldwide) |
| Line of Duty | Series 1-6 complete; Series 7 confirmed for 2027 | BBC iPlayer (UK, free) |
| Call the Midwife | Ongoing — Series 15 aired from 11 Jan 2026 | BBC iPlayer (UK) · PBS (US) |
| The Crown | Complete — 6 seasons, 60 episodes | Netflix (worldwide) |
Is BBC iPlayer free?
Yes — for anyone in the UK, iPlayer is free to stream with a UK TV licence, which is what the licence fee funds. Outside the UK, BBC iPlayer is not officially available; the BBC sells some titles internationally through partners (for example PBS in the US for Call the Midwife), so check the official routes listed above rather than unofficial mirrors.
Where can I watch Peaky Blinders in 2026?
On Netflix. All six series stream there worldwide, and the 2026 film The Immortal Man went to Netflix globally on 20 March 2026 after its short cinema run. That makes Netflix the single official home for the whole Peaky Blinders story today.
Is Line of Duty coming back?
Yes. The BBC confirmed a seventh series in November 2025, with filming in Belfast and a broadcast window of 2027. Until then, Series 1-6 remain on BBC iPlayer in the UK.
What is the best British crime drama to start with?
For a finished, bingeable arc, Line of Duty's six series are the benchmark of modern British policing drama, and Peaky Blinders gives you the epic crime-family version — both are complete and officially streaming. If you want something gentler, Call the Midwife is still running, so you can join live from Series 15 onward and catch up on iPlayer or PBS as you go.