The 13 most underrated dramas to watch on BBC iPlayer

It’s human nature to gravitate to anything new and shiny – and that goes for what we watch on television too. But sometimes, digging into the archives reveals unknown treasures that we never even knew existed, and with iPlayer, the BBC has one of the best troves there is. Here are the best underrated dramas to stream now: Edge of Darkness Charles Kay as Pendleton and Ronald Craven as Bob Peck (Photo: BBC) Upon its release in 1985, this political thriller was a huge hit, winning six Baftas and a repeat broadcast thanks to the critical buzz. But over the years, Edge of Darkness has fallen off the cultural radar. It follows Yorkshire policeman Ronald Craven (Bob Peck), who is investigating the murder of his own daughter, Emma. When he learns that her body is radioactive, Craven soon uncovers a web of corporate and government conspiracies. It might be over 40 years old, but Edge of Darkness is just as gripping as today’s best nail-biters. Waiting for the Out Josh Finan as Dan (Photo: Kerry Spicer/Sister Pictures/BBC) This criminally under-watched series from earlier this year is a true hidden gem. Josh Finan is fantastic as Dan, a neurotic, obsessive thirty-something who teaches philosophy at a men’s prison. Outside of work, Dan struggles with debilitating OCD (largely concerned with whether he’s left the oven on or not) and battles against the biological determinism of having a father and brother who have both been in prison. But he thrives at work, openly and honestly debating philosophical conundrums with some of the scariest blokes inside – you might even learn something yourself. Our Friends in the North Christopher Eccleston as Nicky Hutchinson, Gina McKee as Mary Cox, Mark Strong as Tosker Cox and Daniel Craig as Geordie Peacock (Photo: Joss Barratt/BBC) Daniel Craig, Christopher Eccleston, Gina McKee and Mark Strong might be household names these days, but in 1996 they were simply the leads of Peter Flannery’s Geordie drama. With a story spanning over 31 years, it follows Newcastle natives Geordie, Nicky, Mary and Terry as they balance their personal lives and relationships with general elections, strikes, police corruption and devastating weather events. As well as a trip through the UK’s recent history, Our Friends in the North is also a funny, warm reminder of the power of friendship to get us through those tougher times. The English Emily Blunt as Cornelia Locke and Chaske Spencer as Eli Whipp (Photo:: Diego López Calvín/Drama Republic/Amazon Studios/BBC) Westerns aren’t always easy to pull off – as one of the oldest genres, almost every story has already been told in one form or another. But this 2022 series led by Emily Blunt (one of our greatest acting exports) and Chaske Spencer manages to make the dusty plains of the Old West as fresh and exciting as the golden era of western cinema. Blunt plays uppity Englishwoman Lady Cornelia Locke, who has travelled to America to seek revenge on the man who killed her son. Accompanied by Native American and former cavalryman Eli Whipp (Spencer), the pair set off on a journey that reveals a surprising connection between the strangers. Clocking Off Wil Johnson as Steve, Katie Carmichael as Miranda and Philip Glenister as Mack (Photo: Matt Squire/Red Productions/BBC) Screenwriter Paul Abbott is best known for creating Shameless, but before the Gallaghers there was anthology series Clocking Off. Also set in Manchester, each episode of the drama focuses on a different employee of the same textile factory, following each of them home after their shifts to delve into their personal troubles, from poverty to addiction to racism. You’ll recognise most of the cast, with Christopher Eccleston, Lesley Sharp, Sophie Okonedo, Sarah Lancashire, Maxine Peake, Philip Glenister, David Morrissey and many more making an appearance over the four series. Black Earth Rising Michaela Coel as Kate Ashby (Photo: Des Willie/Drama Republic/BBC) Black Earth Rising tells a complex, heavy story, centered around the Rwandan genocide – not exactly an easy watch, but definitely worth the effort. The marvellous Michaela Coel plays legal investigator Kate Ashby, who as a child was a refugee of the genocide and adopted by a woman who happened to be an international criminal lawyer. Fast forward 20-odd years, and Kate’s mother agrees to prosecute a Rwandan general turned mercenary – against her daughter’s wishes. What transpires is an ambitious story of justice, guilt, and what really happens when the West gets involved in other countries’ conflicts. Best Interests Sharon Horgan as Nicci and Niamh Moriarty as Marnie (Photo: Mark Johnson/Chapter One/BBC) When Nicci and Andrew (Sharon Horgan and Michael Sheen) are told that the hospital keeping their brain-damaged, comatose daughter Marnie alive wants to stop treatment, the couple launch a legal battle. As you can imagine, Best Interests is a highly emotional, heartbreaking series. But there are joyful moments too, with flashback scenes showing the family enjoying life in happier times – making Nicci and Andrew’s current strife all the more distressing. Before long the couple themselves struggle to agree on what’s best for Marnie – would they be easing her pain, or letting a girl with life yet to live go? Guilt Jamie Sives as Jake and Mark Bonnar as Max (Photo: Anne Binckebanck/Expectation/Happy Tramp North/BBC) Those who watched Guilt at the time might be surprised to see it in this list – but you’d be surprised how many people haven’t even heard of this Scottish great. Mark Bonnar and Jamie Sives play brothers Max and Jake McCall, who accidentally kill a man while on their way home from a wedding. Rather than do the decent thing and report themselves to the police, the McCalls hide the body and cover up the accident, setting off a chain of events that lead them further and further into the criminal underworld. If it weren’t so dark, Guilt could quite easily be classed as comedy thanks to its acerbic Scottish wit and dazzling performances. Rain Dogs Daisy May Cooper as Costello Jones (Photo: James Pardon/Sid Gentle Films/HBO/BBC) Most of us know Daisy May Cooper as the hilarious Kerry Mucklowe from This Country or from her equally brilliant turn on Last One Laughing. But 2023’s Rain Dogs proves she’s a great serious actor, too. In this eye-opening breadline drama, she plays Costello, a young, struggling mum of one who would do anything to keep her daughter, Iris, fed and with a roof over her head. Easier said than done, and the very first episode sees them evicted from their council flat. Enter Selby, Costello’s very rich, very unstable best friend, who is more than happy to help – but also threatens to upend Costello’s sobriety. The Gallows Pole Michael Socha as David Hartley (Photo: Dean Rogers/Element Pictures GP) Limited/Objective Feedback LLC/BBC) This is England’s Shane Meadows is another one of our great British filmmakers, but his period drama set amid the industrial revolution of 18th century Yorkshire doesn’t get nearly enough attention that it deserves. Michael Socha plays the ringleader of the “Cragg Vale Coiners”, a gang of locals who counterfeited so many gold coins they almost upended the entire country’s economy. But The Gallows Pole is as much about its style as it is its substance, blending the historical elements with folk horror and hallucinogenic visions. Meadows himself described it best: “Trainspotting in the 1800s”. Leonard and Hungry Paul Alex Lawther as Leonard and Laurie Kynaston as Hungry Paul (Photo: Subotica/BBC) Much of this list errs towards the darker end of storytelling, but Leonard and Hungry Paul is a rare, uplifting delight. Based on Rónán Hession’s novel of the same name, it brings star power with a voiceover by none other than Julia Roberts, who narrates the adorable friendship between the two title characters (played by Alex Lawther and Laurie Kynaston). As they bond over board games, they also support each other through their own mental health struggles, relationships and – most touchingly – grief. Understated, nuanced and ultimately uplifting, Leonard and Hungry Paul is a secret treasure. The A Word Morven Christie as Alison Hughes, Max Vento as Joe Hughes and Christopher Eccleston as Maurice Scott (Photo: Rachel Joseph/Fifty Fathoms/BBC) Christopher Eccleston makes another appearance on this list with my personal favourite of his roles – as a no-nonsense grandad to a boy with autism in The A Word. Set amongst the beautiful mountains of the Lake District, the series follows the Hughes family, who learn their five-year-old son Joe is on the autism spectrum. Ill-equipped and uneducated, the family – made up of Eccelston’s Maurice, mum Alison (Morven Christie), dad Paul (Lee Ingleby) and sister Rebecca (Molly Wright) – learn how to help Joe as they go, making for an honest, accepting, wonderful family drama. Informer Reiss Jeram as Nasir Shar, Nabhaan Rizwan as his brother Raza and Sunetra Sarker as Sadia Shar, their stepmother (Photo: Colin Hutton/Neal Street Productions/BBC) After watching 2018’s Informer, you might wonder why Nabhaan Rizwan – who plays the titular police informer – isn’t in every drama on TV. He’s at the centre of this thriller as Raza Shar, a young British-Pakistani man who is coerced into reporting on his community to counterterrorism police by a morally questionable officer (Paddy Considine). But rather than focus on the police investigation, Informer sticks with Raza, telling the story through his eyes and exploring what it’s like to live between two different identities. It might be common for the police to be the bad guys these days (call it the Line of Duty effect), but Informer was one of the first to do the trope well.