BritBox Is the Streaming Service for Anyone Obsessed With British Television
British TV shows have become extremely popular with Americans in recent years. Series like Doctor Who, Sherlock Holmes, Downton Abbey, and Peaky Blinders have captivated fans across the pond and made many people fall in love with British entertainment.
However, only a small amount of TV shows from the U.K. actually reach the American public’s consciousness: There are a ton of great ones that never make it to U.S. television. If you would like to enjoy more British series, though, do not fret. Britbox might just be exactly what you need.
What is Britbox?
BritBox is a streaming service created by two influential broadcasters in the U.K.: the BBC and ITV. It was launched in 2017 with the goal of providing quality content from the U.K. directly to American viewers.
Carolyn McCall, the CEO of ITV, put it like this: “BritBox will be the home for the best of British creativity – celebrating the best of the past, the best of today and investing in new British originated content in the future.”
Of course, websites like Netflix and Amazon Prime offer lots of British shows and movies as well. However, they do not specialize in them, which is the big difference here. Britbox offers a lot more variety in its content and everything comes straight from the U.K. broadcasters themselves.
What shows are offered on Britbox?
Since Britbox is owned by the BBC and ITV, the series you can watch will only be from them. However, these two broadcasters are responsible for many of the most famous British shows, so the amount of quality content on Britbox will not disappoint you.
Currently, you are able to watch popular serials like Doctor Who, Sherlock Holmes, EastEnders, The Office (U.K version), Midsomer Murders, Coronation Street, and more. Additionally, British reality and game shows are super entertaining as well, so if you have not checked them out yet, Britbox offers well-known favorites like Would I Lie to You?, Insert Name Here, and Mock of the Week.
If you would like to take a trip to the past to see what people in the U.K. were watching decades ago, BritBox also specializes in offering famous old series such as Are You Being Served?, As Time Goes By, Faulty Towers, and Keeping Up Appearances.
BritBox has dipped its toes into providing original content as well. The Bletchley Circle: San Francisco is an ITV series about a group of post-WWII women who help the police solve mysteries. It is shown in the U.S. exclusively on BritBox.
How much does a BritBox cost?
There is currently only one plan that you can get on BritBox: It is $6.99 a month or $69.99 for a whole year. If you are not sure whether to commit or not, there is a 7-day free trial available, so simply try the service out and see how it fits your needs and interests.
Are there similar streaming services to BritBox?
BritBox does have a rival who has been around for a bit longer — Acorn TV. It is owned by British distributor RLJ Entertainment, which has been distributing shows and movies to American audience since 1994.
Acorn TV also offers lots of quality British content from that are currently not available on BritBox, such as Doc Martin, Hinterland, and Black Books. And if your interests are not limited to just the U.K., there are even shows from other countries like Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Ireland, Sweden, and Italy.
The subscription for Acorn TV is also slightly cheaper at just $5.99 a month, though some people have said that the quality of content available is not as high as on BritBox.
