If the news cycle of 2026 feels a bit too loud and the group chat is one notification away from mutiny, you are not alone. Sometimes the best form of escape isn't a plane ticket but a remote control! Enter the glorious comfort of 90s and 00s telly, a time when life felt slower, storylines were allowed to breathe, and appointment viewing actually meant something.
From cult comedies and glossy dramas to weekend staples everyone talked about on Monday morning, this is your invitation to slip back to a simpler era and take a lovingly nostalgic trip through the very best television the 90s and 00s had to offer.
Here's our guide to some of the best nostalgic nineties and noughties TV you can add to your watchlist right now.
Life on Mars
Stream on BBC iPlayer
Life on Mars throws modern-day detective Sam Tyler (John Simm) back into 1970s Manchester after a near-fatal accident, where policing comes with flared trousers and very few rules. Working under the gloriously unpredictable Philip Glenister, with Liz White and Dean Andrews along for the ride, Sam struggles to solve crimes while figuring out if he’s mad, dreaming or truly stuck in the past. A show with humour, big questions and moments that make you stop and think, it’s a British drama that sticks with you long after the final note drops.
One Tree Hill
Stream on ITVX
To this day, millennials will be able to tell you if they were #TeamBrucas or #TeamLeyton (though, in the end, we were all #TeamNayley) as this was one 00s drama that became our entire personality! One Tree Hill follows half-brothers Lucas and Nathan Scott (Chad Michael Murray and James Lafferty) as rivalry, romance and basketball collide in the small town of Tree Hill. Alongside Sophia Bush and Hilarie Burton, the show dives into messy friendships, big feelings and the kind of choices that shape who you become. A heady blend of emotional highs, insanely great soundtrack moments and gripping storylines that pull you in fast - if you’ve got a soft spot for American teen dramas this one still hits hard.
Spooks
Stream on U
Spooks drops you into the high-pressure world of MI5, where national security comes first and personal lives rarely survive the job. Led by Matthew Macfadyen (Succession, Death by Lightning), Keeley Hawes (The Assassin, Miss Austen) and Peter Firth (Victoria, Shardlake), it follows a team of intelligence officers dealing with threats that feel uncomfortably close to home. With shocking twists and a constant sense that no one is safe, if you like British dramas that keep you on edge this deserves a place at the top of your watchlist.
The Tudors
Stream on Channel 4
This is one to lose your head over. The Tudors proves that Henry VIII was anything but one-note, following his reign as it spirals through power plays, passion and very public fallouts. Jonathan Rhys Meyers (Vikings) takes on the crown, with Natalie Dormer (Game of Thrones), Henry Cavill (The Witcher) and Maria Doyle Kennedy (The Wheel of Time) caught up in courtly intrigue and dangerous romance. Laced with scandal, shifting loyalties and choices that change the course of history, this historical drama with bite this is one to binge!
Taggart
Stream on 5
Taggart takes you into the gritty heart of Glasgow, following DCI Jim Taggart (Mark McManus) as he tackles brutal crimes with little patience for nonsense. Later led by Alex Norton and Blythe Duff, the series keeps its focus on hard cases, tougher interviews and the toll the job takes on those doing it. With its no-frills storytelling and famously bleak edge, if you like your crime dramas straight-talking and unflashy this is one that earns your attention fast.
Andromeda
Stream on WATCH FREE UK
Andromeda picks up with Captain Dylan Hunt (Kevin Sorbo) waking to a galaxy that’s fallen apart, and deciding to put it back together one mission at a time. Joined by Lisa Ryder, Laura Bertram and Lexa Doig, he gathers a mismatched crew aboard a sentient starship with plenty of opinions of its own. Locked and loaded with big ideas about power, loyalty and hope, this spacefaring 90s drama is well worth adding to your watchlist.
The Office
Stream on BBC iPlayer
"I suppose I've created an atmosphere where I'm a friend first and a boss second. Probably an entertainer third."
The Office drops you into the painfully ordinary Slough branch of Wernham Hogg, led by Ricky Gervais (After Life) as the gloriously self-unaware David Brent. Alongside Martin Freeman (Sherlock) and Mackenzie Crook (Detectorists), it turns office small talk, power plays and personal ambition into moments that are impossible to look away from. With comedy that builds in the pauses and pay-offs that sneak up on you, this is an absolute must-see, particularly for fans of US version.
Wuthering Heights
Stream on ITVX
Get ready to swoooon! Wuthering Heights brings Emily Brontë’s stormy classic to the screen with raw intensity, led by Tom Hardy (Mobland) as the fiercely magnetic Heathcliff. Alongside Charlotte Riley and Andrew Lincoln, it digs into obsession, class and the kind of love that refuses to behave itself. With Emerald Fennell’s hotly anticipated new adaptation arriving in February starring Jacob Elordi and Margot Robbie, this 2009 version is the perfect chance to do your homework and remind yourself why this story still gets under the skin.
Brothers & Sisters
Stream on U
Brothers & Sisters centres on the messy, loving Walker family as they juggle careers, relationships and secrets that refuse to stay buried. Led by Sally Field, with Calista Flockhart, Matthew Rhys and Rachel Griffiths in the mix, it turns family dinners into emotional minefields and small moments into big conversations. Blending sharp writing and scenes that feel uncannily close to home, if you enjoy cosy dramas that grow richer as you go this one is well worth your time.
The Inbetweeners
Stream on Channel 4
"Feisty one you are!" The Inbetweeners follows four painfully awkward sixth formers trying and usually failing to survive school, girls and growing up. Led by Simon Bird, James Buckley, Blake Harrison and Joe Thomas, it turns everyday teenage moments into disasters you can’t look away from. Rammed with quotable lines and scenes that feel uncomfortably familiar, if you’ve ever cringed at your younger self this British comedy deserves a permanent place on your watchlist.
The Good Wife
Stream on 5
The Good Wife proves that sometimes the end of a marriage is just the opening statement, following Alicia Florrick (Julianna Margulies) as she returns to law after her husband’s very public scandal. Alongside Josh Charles, Christine Baranski and Alan Cumming, it mixes courtroom battles with office politics and personal reinvention. Full of smart twists and characters who evolve in unexpected ways, fans of legal dramas that reward your attention this won't want to miss this one!
Judge Judy
Stream on WATCH FREE UK
Judge Judy storms into the courtroom with the gavel already swinging. Judge Judy Sheindlin presides over hundreds of classic cases, slicing through excuses, emotional blow-ups and bare-faced nonsense with trademark speed and steel. With WATCH FREE UK offering over 500 iconic 90s and 00s episodes to stream for free, there’s no shortage of family feuds, neighbourly fallouts and brutal truths. Punchy, addictive and gloriously no-nonsense, this is justice served fast and with zero patience for fools
Clocking Off
Stream on BBC iPlayer
Clocking Off steps inside a Manchester textile factory, following the lives of its workers once the machines stop and real life kicks in. Featuring early turns from Christopher Eccleston (Doctor Who), Sarah Lancashire (Happy Valley) and Maxine Peake (Say Nothing), each episode shines a light on different characters as work, love and money collide. The kind of series where one episode rolls into the next without you quite meaning it to, until suddenly it’s late and you’re still watching.
Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Stream on ITVX
Stake your claim on this one! Buffy the Vampire Slayer follows Buffy Summers (Sarah Michelle Gellar) as she battles vampires, demons and the usual horrors of high school life. Alongside Nicholas Brendon, Alyson Hannigan and Anthony Head, every episode blends supernatural chaos with sharp humour and heart. Be warned: this is the kind of show that grabs you by the throat and keeps you watching until sunrise.
Jonathan Creek
Stream on U
Criminal masterminds don't stand a chance against a man who knows a trick or two! Jonathan Creek follows the unassuming magician’s assistant turned ingenious sleuth, Jonathan Creek (Alan Davies), as he solves baffling, seemingly impossible mysteries. Alongside Caroline Quentin and Stuart Milligan, each case blends clever puzzles with dark humour and twists that make you rethink everything you’ve just seen. Once you hit play, you'll just want to binge the lot and be trying to figure out all the clues for yourself!
The West Wing
Stream on Channel 4
"Every time we think we've measured our capacity to reach a challenge, we look up and we're reminded that capacity may well be limitless."
The West Wing takes you inside the corridors of the White House, following President Josiah Bartlet (Martin Sheen) and his senior staff as they tackle crises, policy and the occasional heartfelt moment. With Allison Janney, Rob Lowe and Bradley Whitford rounding out the team, it’s a timely reminder that American politics used to be run by grown ups who actually talked to each other. If you're in the mood for smart dialogue, rapid-fire debates and character moments that stick with you, this is the kind of unforgettable drama you’ll happily binge from start to finish.
Prisoner: Cell Block H
Stream on 5
While technically an 80s drama, Prisoner: Cell Block H was syndicated in the UK throughout the 1990s and it remains one of the most beloved TV dramas of that era. The women's prison-based drama drops you behind the walls of Wentworth Detention Centre, where power struggles, loyalties and survival rule the day. Featuring iconic performances from Val Lehman, Bea Smith, Pamela Rabe and Anne Phelan, it follows inmates and officers locked in constant conflict. One of Australia’s longest running dramas and its most successful TV exports, prepare to have this one locked into your watchlist.
Pride and Prejudice
Stream on BBC iPlayer
Pride and Prejudice proves that it is a truth universally acknowledged that Sunday evenings were once reserved for the whole family and the BBC. Starring Colin Firth (Lockerbie: A Search for Truth) as the now legendary Mr Darcy alongside Jennifer Ehle (Special Ops: Lioness), this 1995 adaptation turned courtship, country walks and loaded glances into proper appointment viewing. Filled with moments still referenced decades on, it’s a reminder that Jane Austen knew exactly how to keep us hooked long before binge-watching was a thing.
The Darling Buds of May
Stream on ITVX
The Darling Buds of May welcomes you into the sun-dappled, pastoral world of the Larkin family, where life moves at a gentler pace and everything somehow works out in the end. Led by David Jason (Only Fools and Horses) as the irresistible Pop Larkin, alongside Pam Ferris (Matilda) and a then unknown Catherine Zeta-Jones (Wednesday), it became "perfick" Sunday night viewing in the 90s. Cosy, wholesome and endlessly comforting, it’s the kind of show that feels like a warm hug from start to finish.
Coupling
Stream on U
The UK's answer to Friends came in the form of cult-classic Coupling in the early 00s. The comedy follows six friends muddling through love, sex and commitment in London, with conversations that spiral wildly and rarely end where they start. Led by Jack Davenport, Gina Bellman and Sarah Alexander, it turns dating disasters and overthinking into fast-talking comedy that feels a little too familiar. Packed with brilliantly tangled storylines and lines that still get quoted, if you enjoy British sitcoms with bite this is one you’ll happily watch back to back.
Skins
Stream on Channel 4
Skins drops you into the chaotic lives of Bristol teenagers as they stumble through friendships, parties and the messier parts of growing up. Featuring early performances from now Hollywood staples like Nicholas Hoult (The Great), Kaya Scodelario (The Gentlemen) and Dev Patel (Lion), it quickly built a cult following by showing youth culture without filters. It also turned several of its cast into future Hollywood stars, making this one of those rare shows that feels like a moment you had to be there for and still hits just as hard on a rewatch.
Absolutely Fabulous
Stream on BBC iPlayer
Absolutely Fabulous swans into 90s London with Jennifer Saunders as the gloriously self-involved Edina Monsoon and Joanna Lumley floating through it all as her long-time best mate Patsy Stone, perpetually drunk and avoiding work. With Julia Sawalha as long-suffering Saffy and Jane Horrocks popping in as the ever-useless office PA Bubble, it skewers fashion, fame and friendship with a raised eyebrow and a clink of the ice bucket. Equal parts satire and champagne-soaked chaos, it is best enjoyed the way Patsy would insist. Sweetie, darling, just one more episode!
Smallville
Stream on ITVX
Is it a bird? Is it a plane? Nope, it’s the early-2000s TV obsession that had everyone racing home to catch the next episode. Smallville tracks Clark Kent (Tom Welling) through teenage angst, locker-lined corridors and a suspicious number of strange incidents in a very quiet Kansas town. With Kristin Kreuk and Michael Rosenbaum along for the ride, it blends high school drama with superhero mythology at peak WB era intensity, soundtracked by earnest rock and loaded with will-they-won’t-they tension. A slow-burn origin story built for the age of weekly cliff-hangers and heated next-day debates, it taps straight into that time when TV felt like an event and Superman was still figuring himself out.
Miss Marple
Stream on U
Crime rarely pays when you're up against a pair of knitting needles and a sharp eye for human nature. Miss Marple stars Joan Hickson in what remains one of the most beloved and best-remembered takes on Agatha Christie’s iconic sleuth, quietly unpicking murders in sleepy villages where nothing is ever quite as innocent as it looks. With familiar faces like David Horovitch, Gwen Watford and Moray Watson drifting in and out of trouble, each story lets the clues simmer until Miss Marple gently clears her throat and reveals all. Once you settle in, it becomes comfort viewing with a killer instinct, and proof that no one has ever done it better than Hickson.
Ally McBeal
Stream on Channel 4
Were you even a fan of 90s TV unless you were referencing the Ally McBeal 'dancing baby' and sending it as one of the earliest GIFs to your friends on MSN Messenger? Ally McBeal is the late-90s TV fixation that had everyone talking about short skirts, unisex loos and, yes, that dancing baby. Calista Flockhart leads as Ally, a brilliant but emotionally wayward lawyer navigating life, love and neuroses in a Boston firm where personal boundaries are optional. Alongside Greg Germann, Courtney Thorne-Smith and Jane Krakowski, the cases often take a back seat to inner monologues and musical daydreams, with Vonda Shepard’s songs doing half the talking. Tuned perfectly to an era when TV liked its feelings worn on the outside, it is funny, strange and oddly comforting, and once it gets under your skin it tends to stay there.
Gavin & Stacey
Stream on BBC iPlayer
When Barry Island meets Billericay, you just know you're in for a good time! Gavin & Stacey follows the long-distance romance between Gavin (Mathew Horne) and Stacey (Joanna Page), but it is the families and friends who quickly steal the show. With James Corden and Ruth Jones as Smithy and Nessa, and Alison Steadman bringing Pam Shipman to unforgettable life, every get-together turns into a tangle of misunderstandings, catchphrases and unexpected warmth. Before long you are quoting it, rewatching favourite bits and feeling so invested in the lives of these characters.
And if you're looking for even more recommendations, make sure to read the latest shows coming to Freely!
