As I reflect on my past eight weeks in York, England, I can’t help but to listen to the millennial inside my head constantly asking myself, “Did I get my full eight-weeks’ worth of British television?” Sure, it may sound silly, and some may even argue that television in the United Kingdom is comparable to that of the United States. Let me be the first to tell you- British Netflix is an entirely different beast!
Take the Great British Bake Off, for example. I have seen dozens of American cooking shows throughout the years, but none of which compare to the Great British Bake Off. It wasn’t until recently that I discovered this show, but after eight short weeks here, I am already awaiting the release of the next season. Perhaps it is the cute British accents, the cute British actors, or the actual content itself, but nonetheless, British television is far superior.
From the British version of The Office, to the original British Skins, the list goes on and on. Oh, and did I mention the best part of all? Netflix here even has the first four seasons of Brooklyn Nine-Nine. Score! Not only have I been able to discover some prime British content during my time abroad, but I have also been reminded of the quality movies in that past that have been produced or inspired by the United Kingdom- Nanny McPhee, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, and the Kingsman movies to name a few.
With the official countdown of 25 days ‘til Christmas on its merry way, I have even stumbled into an entirely new and noteworthy section of Netflix: British holiday movies. From Arthur Christmas (which has landed a spot in my top three favorite Christmas movies of all time), to the Nativity series, to Get Santa, British Netflix is giving the Hallmark Channel a run for its money (dare I say it).
During my time in England, I have been told at least a dozen of times that talking with me is like talking to a real-life movie star , which according to my British friends is the biggest compliment I could receive. The Brits are constantly arguing that American music, films, and pop-culture dominate the industry and for good reason. Despite this information, I just can’t seem to understand why anyone would want to watch American television or meet an American movie star when they have access to some of the best content on Netflix. I mean, come on people! You have Brooklyn Nine-Nine!
