7 Iconic Series Based in London
- Eve Andrews
- Feb 14, 2022
- 4 min read
Updated: Feb 15, 2022
As with many of the world's great capital cities, a long-standing history makes for an excellent source of creative flair and drama. London is certainly no exception. As a London studio, we too have used our capital as a chief source of inspiration, as you will soon see in our upcoming comic, Daughters Of Albion. But until then, we want to share with you some other London series that we’re in love with. So have your snacks and popcorn at the ready because we’re about to fill up your watchlist!
Based on the book of the same name by John Preston, adapted to script by Russel T Davies, A Very English Scandal depicts the chilling true story of Jeremy Thorpe, a London liberal politician who tried to have his lover, Norman Scott, murdered out of fear that he would expose the true nature of their relationship. Hiring a hitman to take care of the problem, Thorpe is convinced that he will escape the looming threat of scandal with his honour intact. However, things don’t always go as planned - not even for powerful politicians. Starring Hugh Grant and Ben Wishaw, the excellent writing and stellar cast are sure to keep you on the edge of your seat throughout this gripping, somewhat overshadowed segment of London history.
A P.G. Woodhouse classic brought to life by none other than Britain's beloved comic duo, Stephen Fry and Hugh Lorrie! Jeeves & Wooster is the TV adaptation of a series of swing era novels of the 1930s, following the shenanigans of Bertie Wooster, a dizzy member of London’s idle rich and his butler, Jeeves. Far superior in intelligence and general competence, it never gets old watching the long-suffering Jeeves wrench his bumbling boss from a never-ending series of embarrassingly avoidable scrapes. As absurd as it seems, Woodhouse’s novels are written with strikingly sharp humour, to which the series is extremely faithful, acting as a hilarious caricatured window into London’s upper-class, pre-war culture.
We’ve all heard of the atrocities committed by the notorious serial killer, Jeffery Dahmer. But have you ever heard of Denis Nilsen? Because he’s pretty much London parallel - eerily similar. A man who has faced a lifetime of struggles in both getting to grips with mortality and accepting his sexuality, Nilsen goes down the dark path of luring young men to his London apartment with the intention of murdering them. Des follows the spine-chilling line of enquiry following Nilsen’s arrest after human remains are discovered clogging up his gutter. With David Tennant delivering a knock-out performance in the principal role, this one is sure to make you shiver.
Set in London in 1603, Gunpowder tells the story of the notorious Gunpowder Plot, an elaborately planned assassination attempt that occurred due to tensions between Catholic citizens and the Protestant government. While Guy Fawkes is most commonly associated with the events, Gunpowder takes a different route by having the chief instigator, Robert Catesby, as the central character. A dramatised look into the private planning of the plot, Gunpowder offers a unique window into both the lead-up and aftermath of the infamous events that, in Britain, are still annually commemorated to this day.
We’ve all either read or watched Tony Kushner’s Angels In America, the harrowing story of the outpouring AIDS crisis in the US. But what happened when the epidemic made its way overseas? Another, more hard-hitting piece by Russel T Davies, It’s A Sin, explores just that, following the lives of queer couples in London as they grow up in the looming shadow of a deadly virus. While it's a hard watch at times, the beautifully intimate atmosphere is capable of provoking out-loud laughter and ugly crying all within the same five minutes! Candid and unapologetic, this soulful piece represents a difficult part of London history that we should all hold a candle to.
Based on the novel, Secret Diary Of A London Call Girl, written by Dr Brooke Magnanti under the pseudonym Belle de Jour, the series chronicles the life of a London sex worker, both the highs and the lows in all their shamelessly raunchy details! A fun, witty, sex-positive piece, it exposes a side of London that many consider taboo yet operates on the daily right under our noses!
After all this realism, I think we ought to go out on something fun! And what better Good Omens? An Angel and a Demon are assigned to Earth to intervene directly in human affairs, for better or worse. Running into one another repeatedly since the time of Eden, the two develop something of a codependent relationship, realising over the centuries that they have both grown rather fond of the messy old planet they’ve been saddled with. However, when their respective head offices announce the approach of the apocalypse, they find themselves joining forces in an effort to preserve their beloved planet. Based on the 1990 novel, co-written by Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman, Good Omens expertly blends fantastical elements with strikingly observant humour. Emotional, wacky, and just great fun, Good Omens is a watchlist essential for any fan of Britain’s big capital.
What's your favourite series set in London? Is there one we missed that you think deserves mention? Let us know in the comments below!
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