List RulesVote up the best British shows, both comedies and dramas, about war that have aired on television.
Due both to existing a bit longer than The States and often finding themselves physically in the middle of conflict, British TV shows about war include everything from dramas about ancient Rome to modern war stories. The popularity of British television series now extends well beyond the BBC and ITV broadcast areas and there are many American-British joint projects available on streaming services like Netflix. If you’ve been looking for how Britan tells its tales of conflict, this list of the best British war series of all time will help you figure out what newer shows need to go into your queue and what older shows you might need to hunt down and watch immediately.
What are the best British war TV shows ever? Shows about war range from documentaries to dramas, and not all British war series are set in England or the rest of the United Kingdom are usually set historical dramas (though there are some satires!) and feature period piece flourishes such as era-specific costumes, sets, and dialogue. The history of Britan as part of the Roman Empire is reflected in television series such as Troy and Rome. But, despite the storied history, British shows still know how to keep things light. The BBC sitcom 'Allo 'Allo, set in a small-town café in German-occupied France during the Second World War, is itself based on another BBC war drama, Secret Army.
Which British war series win the battle? Vote up the best entries and add any war television series from England that are missing.
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6619Foyle's War
Michael Kitchen, Honeysuckle WeeksPremiered: 2002
This series is a British detective drama television series set during and shortly after WWII,... more on Wikipedia2
5112'Allo 'Allo!
Gorden Kaye, Carmen SilveraPremiered: 1982
'Allo 'Allo! is a BBC television sitcom broadcast on BBC1 from 1982 to 1992, comprising... more on Wikipedia3
359Dad's Army
Arthur Lowe, John Le MesurierPremiered: 1968
Dad's Army is a BBC television sitcom about the British Home Guard during the Second World... more on Wikipedia4
3213The Tudors
Jonathan Rhys Meyers, Henry CavillPremiered: 2007
The Tudors (Showtime, 2007) is a historical fiction television series created by Michael... more on Wikipedia5
268The World at War
Laurence Olivier, Adolf HitlerPremiered: 1973
The World at War is a 26-episode British television documentary series chronicling the events... more on Wikipedia6
2413Rome
Kevin McKidd, Ray StevensonPremiered: 2005
Rome (HBO, 2005) is a British-American-Italian historical drama television series created by... more on Wikipedia7
199The Great War
Michael Redgrave, Ralph RichardsonPremiered: 1964
The Great War is a 26-episode documentary series from 1964 on the First World War. The... more on Wikipedia8
1915Danger UXB
Judy Geeson, Anthony AndrewsPremiered: 1979
Danger UXB was a 1979 British ITV television series about World War II developed by John... more on Wikipedia9
1814The White Queen
Rebecca Ferguson, Amanda HalePremiered: 2013
The White Queen (BBC One, 2013) is a British historical drama television miniseries based on... more on Wikipedia10
1614Manhunt
Martin Clunes, Katie LyonsPremiered: 2019
Manhunt (ITV, 2019) is a British television drama based on the true story surrounding the... more on Wikipedia11
96Winston Churchill: The Wilderness Years
Robert Hardy, Tim Pigott-SmithPremiered: 1981
Winston Churchill: The Wilderness Years is an 8-part 1981 drama serial based on the life of... more on Wikipedia12
1313It Ain't Half Hot Mum
Windsor Davies, Melvyn HayesPremiered: 1974
It Ain't Half Hot Mum is a BBC television sitcom, about the adventures of a Royal Artillery... more on Wikipedia13
1112Ultimate Force
Ross Kemp, Miles AndersonPremiered: 2002
Ultimate Force is a British television Action series that was shown on ITV, which deals with... more on Wikipedia14
1012Wish Me Luck
Jeremy Northam, Jane AsherPremiered: 1988
Wish Me Luck is a British television drama about the exploits of British women undercover... more on Wikipedia15
913Wings
John Hallam, Tim WoodwardPremiered: 1977
Wings is a drama series about the Royal Flying Corps that ran on BBC television from 1977 to... more on Wikipedia16
810The Pathfinders
Julian Orchard, Jack WatlingPremiered: 1972
Pathfinders is a 1970s ITV drama set in the Second World War, telling the story of the... more on Wikipedia17
Troy: Fall of a City (Netflix, 2018) is a British-American miniseries directed by Owen Harris... more on Wikipedia69Troy: Fall of a City
Louis Hunter, Bella Dayne18
001066 The Battle for Middle Earth
Ian HolmPremiered: 2009
1066: The Battle for Middle Earth is a British television documentary series. In this blend of... more on Wikipedia19
812Generation Kill
Alexander Skarsgård, James RansonePremiered: 2008
This series is a British-American seven-part television miniseries produced for HBO, based on... more on Wikipedia20
1016Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell
Bertie Carvel, Eddie MarsanPremiered: 2015
Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell (BBC, 2015) is a seven-part British fantasy television series to... more on Wikipedia21
813A Family at War
Patrick Troughton, John NettlesPremiered: 1970
A Family At War is a British drama series that aired on ITV from 1970 to 1972. It was created... more on Wikipedia22
I Remember Nelson is a UK's adventure biography drama TV series.48I Remember Nelson
Geraldine James, Kenneth Colley23
815Secret Army
Anthony Head, Christopher NeamePremiered: 1977
Secret Army is a television drama series made by the BBC and the Belgian national broadcaster... more on Wikipedia24
510We'll Meet Again
Susannah York, Christopher MalcolmPremiered: 1982
We'll Meet Again is a British television drama set in the Second World War. It was produced by... more on Wikipedia25
513The Devil's Whore
Michael Fassbender, Peter CapaldiPremiered: 2008
The Devil's Whore is a four-part television series set during the English Civil War, produced... more on Wikipedia