Here’s my list of the top 10 TV series to watch to learn English. They are arranged in increasing difficulty, to help you improve your English comprehension, from beginner to advanced levels. On my list, I give examples from each of three progressive stages which go from basic straight-forward language to more complex themes. My list gradually builds up in complexity, covering various accents, dialects and idiomatic expressions, all helping you improve your English language skills while allowing you to enjoy a wide range of shows! I trust this progression will help you improve your vocabulary, your understanding of, as well as your appreciation for, the English language.
Beginner Level
1) Peppa Pig – Complete Beginner (A0) to Beginner Level (A1)
A children’s show that is super simple and slow. Great for basic everyday vocabulary.
Peppa lives with her mummy and daddy and George: her little brother. Peppa is an outgoing pig who participates in many energetic activities at home and at school. She learns something new each day and has a lot of fun with her family and friends. Her adventures are entertaining and while they can sometimes involve a few tears, they always have a happy ending.
Interesting fact: A recent survey has demonstrated that six-year-old viewers were able to learn a third of all the vocabulary they were exposed to without receiving any instruction.
2) Dora the Explorer – Elementary Level (A1/A2)
This show is both interactive and repetitive. It teaches basic phrases and even mixes in some Spanish. Dora is the name of a seven-year-old girl who comes from Latin America. She embarks upon a number of adventures in the wilderness and goes with her friend Boots, who is a monkey. They are typically presented with a problem to solve or a goal to achieve at the beginning of every episode, for which they have to go on a mission so as to achieve their aim. Dora the Explorer teaches children how to find solutions, to share, and to be determined and accepting of others.
3) Friends – Lower Intermediate to Intermediate Level (A2/B1)
This is a Classic sitcom. The dialogue is both casual and repetitive and neither fast-paced nor complicated. It’s a great way to pick up conversational American English and slang. The plot is very easy to follow. It has an impressive ensemble cast that stars Jennifer Aniston, Lisa Kudrow, Courteney Cox, Matthew Perry, Matt LeBlanc and David Schwimmer. The show revolves around 6 friends aged in their 20s and early 30s who live in New York’s Manhattan. It’s funny and great for people learning English as the themes treated are pretty much universal (friendship, coming of age, looking for jobs, love relationships, etc).
Intermediate Level
4) The Office – Intermediate to Upper Intermediate Level (B1+)
This uses everyday workplace English that is full of sarcasm, jokes and informal dialogue.
The Office is a British mockumentary television sitcom. Created, written and directed by Ricky Gervais (who stars as David Brent) and Stephen Merchant, it follows the day-to-day lives of office employees in the Slough branch of a fictional paper company. Being extremely engaging and very amusing, it’s a fun way to pick up some of the intricacies of British English.
5) Brooklyn Nine-Nine – Upper Intermediate Level (CEFR: B1/B2)
This is a police comedy with lots of slang, fast banter and a number of different accents. Ray Holt is an oddball eccentric. He is a commanding officer and his quirky and diverse team of detectives manage to solve a number of crimes in this eponymous region of New York City.
If you are ready to laugh, then watching Brooklyn 99 is a great way to learn key expressions.
6) Modern Family – Upper Intermediate Level (B1/B2)
This involves a number of different family situations, with various accents and modern expressions aplenty. It’s what is called an ‘ensemble comedy’ that offers a laughably honest depiction of contemporary family life. Three modern-day families from California attempt to deal with their children, their odd spouses as well as their jobs in their own unique ways and they typically find themselves falling into hilarious situations. With its combination of heartfelt moments and humour, learners can benefit from the diverse accents and slang, including Gloria’s Colombian English and the kids’ more youthful expressions. It’s ideal for understanding different American dialects and gaining cultural insights.
7) Stranger Things – Upper Intermediate Level (B1/B2)
This is a teen sci-fi drama. It includes informal speech as well as emotional dialogue. In Indiana, in the 1980s, a set of young friends see some supernatural forces and witness secret government happenings. As they try to find an explanation, the children discover a series of extraordinary mysteries. It’s a TV series that employs a considerable degree of 80s slang and idiomatic usage.
Advanced Level
8) Sherlock – Advanced to Proficient Level (C1/C2)
This comes with fast dialogue and a number of both complex plots and vocabulary. Sherlock is a British mystery crime series based on Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes detective stories and starring Benedict Cumberbatch. There’s a quirky spin on the original sleuth as a “high-functioning sociopath” in modern-day London. This show can be quite difficult to understand without subtitles even for students with an advanced level.
9) Blackadder – Advanced to Proficient Level (C1/C2)
Here you can pick up on puns and word play, irony and sarcasm. Blackadder is a series of four period British sitcoms aired initially on BBC1 from 1983 to 1989. All the episodes starred Rowan Atkinson as the antihero Edmund Blackadder along with Stephen Fry and Hugh Lawrie. Shows of this ilk offer insights into British society, traditions, and humour. This show allows learners to gain a deeper appreciation of British culture and improve their ability to engage in meaningful conversations with English speakers.
10) The Crown – Advanced to Proficient Level (C1/C2)
This is a British historical drama series about the reign of Queen Elizabeth II. It uses the formal English or ‘Queen’s English’ which is spoken by most of the characters and accents typical of the Royal family over her reign as well as a number of historical references. The challenging dialogue includes a wide range of vocabulary, including formal and informal language, which will assist learners in expanding their knowledge of English. It’s a perfect series to watch for advanced and proficient speakers of English.
I hope this list of ten British and American TV series will help you improve your English while providing you with quality entertainment. Watching movies and TV series in English is one of the best ways to learn English. Beginners have the option to watch them with subtitles in their native tongue, which is undoubtedly a plus, even though it’s recommended to switch to subtitles in English as soon as possible. The ultimate goal being to watch even the most complex shows in English without any subtitles at all. You’ll get there one day, hopefully!
This article was written by BIE’s blog contributor Adam Jacot de Boinod.
