First let me start with a DISCLAIMER, I am no expert on British media but I do feel like I’ve been exposed to more than your average person and as thus my opinion is exactly that MY opinion I’m just trying to spread the word on some fun shows that you may or may not have heard of. That all being said take a seat, grab a pint and enjoy!

Sinatra’s Top 14 British Television Shows (Part 1)

#14. Grownups

For a show titled Grownups the content is actually pretty juvenile but it’s a very amusing kind of juvenile. The show tells the story of a group of people in their mid to late twenties living the kind of life that’s somewhere between high school and adulthood, the time we you choose whether to grow up or continue partying for just a little longer.

Grownups takes the form of a sitcom and as thus you get the kind of humor you’d expect. It’s not a bad thing far from it the jokes all seem fresh which is probably mainly due to the fact that there jokes from another country but for the most part they all make sense and will get a chuckle.

The cast of characters are pretty fun for the most part. Sheridan Smith stars as Michelle who is the kind of girl that would rather party all night and go home with a different guy everyday then focus on her career and get her life in order, those aren’t really likeable traits but something about Smith makes you like her, maybe it’s the shrill voice of hers but there is something oddly attractive about her. The other characters that back up Michelle are Claire (Michelle’s man crazy boss), Dean (Michelle’s egotistical boyfriend), Grant (The hopeless romantic) and the stand out of the show Mike or as you’ll come to know him as DJ Mike played by Rob Rouse. Mike is the kind of man-child character that you’ve probably seen a thousand times but his actions and his DJ Mike songs just work and get me to laugh every time.

The show has so far run 3 series running a total of 22 episodes, I originally watched the 2^nd and 3^rd series on television while I was in the U.K. and it hooked me enough to buy the Region 2 release of the first series which I finally watched not to long ago. This review mostly refers to the first series as characters leave and new characters are introduced as the series progresses but many of the new characters are just as funny as the older ones, although I have a problem with Mike only being in the first.

The show has yet to be released in the U.S. and I don’t really see it happening anytime soon so do yourself a favor find a way to watch it (I've included an Amazon.co.uk link for importers with a region free player) if your looking for a sexually charged sitcom about growing up and living life. Sure it’s kind of (really) stupid at times but its all in jest and you’ll laugh a few times for your troubles, give it a go.

Grownups on Amazon.co.uk

Final Verdict

6 out of 10

#13. Top Gear

This is one of a few shows on the list that has a bit of a following in the U.S. due to the fact that it runs on BBC America. For those not in the know Top Gear is about Cars, lots of sweet F’ing cars!

The show is presented by Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond and James May whom are all funny in their own right and work well off of one another. The group put together various segments about a number of different cars every episode. We see the group test driving cars, racing cars, modifying cars and well anything else you can think of they do it to cars.

The show originally started in 1977 and reached its peak in popularity is the 90’s before being relaunched in 2002 by the current crew. Many popular segments have been introduced over the years including “Star in a Reasonably-Priced Car” which just like it states places a celebrity in a car that didn’t cost and arm and a leg and let’s them complete a lap around a test track, the times of all the celebrities are compared to see whom is the fastest.

Another main stay of the show is The Stig, an anonymous, helmeted race car driver who test drives many expensive cars around a test track in order to compare times with other super priced cars (sounds a lot like the celebrity segment I know).

I’m in no way a “Car Guy” but I just love this show. The three hosts are fun to watch and seem to genuinely enjoy their jobs (and who wouldn’t) and the show never seems to hit a slow patch. The show is so popular in fact that much like many popular U.K. properties the United States is readying it’s own version that may or may not see the light of day.

You can currently watch Top Gear basically daily on BBC America and several seasons are available on DVD in the states (for a change) so give it a go as it beats a lot of the same kind of programming you’d see on say discovery or travel channel.

Top Gear on Amazon

Final Verdict

7.5 out of 10