In post-lockdown, cost-of-living-crisis Britain, more than 1.5 million video-on-demand accounts were cancelled in the first three months of 2022, according to market research firm Kantar. Netflix has lost 200,000 customers globally and expects to lose millions more. However, there is plenty of high-quality TV available for free or with a TV licence.
Among the 15 recommended shows is 'Back to Life', a comedy-drama starring Daisy Haggard as an ex-convict returning to her small home town after an 18-year sentence. The series subverts the coming-of-age story as Haggard's character Miri Matteson is shunned by the local community, blending dark comedy with pathos.
ITV's chilling drama 'Des' features David Tennant as real-life Scottish serial killer Dennis Nilsen, arrested in 1983. The three-parter is praised for its convincing portrayal of Nilsen's calculated evil. Another standout is 'We Are Lady Parts', a sitcom about an all-female Muslim punk band, exploring interracial differences and friendship in marginalised communities.
Other free-to-watch shows include Joe Pera's mockumentary series, Eric Andre's anarchic talk show, and the BBC documentary 'The Earth Is a Blue Orange' about a Ukrainian family under siege in 2019. Sharon Horgan's cult classic 'Pulling', available on iPlayer, follows a woman who breaks off her engagement and embraces singledom with her friends.
