5 TV Shows About London That Should Be Made

Will Noble
By Will Noble Last edited 76 months ago
5 TV Shows About London That Should Be Made

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Thomas Farriner may have been blamed for razing London to the ground in 1666 (apparently thanks to some dry sacks of flour — must have been self-razing), yet in a 2014 ITV drama, he was portrayed an 'everyday hero'. In the four-part small screen epic The Great Fire, Farriner (played by Andrew Bucan) can be seen smashing down walls, teetering on window ledges and rescuing bairns in peril. It's prompted us to brainstorm elevator pitches for other TV shows about London we reckon should be made. See what you think and add your own pitches in the comments section.

The Great British Rake Off

Competition seeking out the finest rake of all time — most of whom hailed from and/or lived in London. Beau Brummell faces Oscar Wilde in a snuff-taking showdown. George Villiers battles Andrew Marvell in a lewd poetry contest. That sort of thing. Hosted by Russell Brand.

Pepys Show

Awkward sitcom following the daily grind of white collar worker Samuel Pepys. He gets into all kinds of cringeworthy scrapes involving the likes of plagues, prostitutes, buried cheeses and fires (see above). All while revealing his inner feelings with a candid voice-over, i.e. "Methinks I might be gay for my Lord Privy Seal".

The Water Bill

Nostalgic police drama. Following in in the footsteps of The Bill, The Water Bill focuses on the Thames River Police — specifically the first lot, established in 1798. Taking inspiration from Heartbeat, this show is soundtracked by tunes from the time. Expect low-speed barge chases set to Beethoven.

Faulty Towers

John Cleese explores the high-rises of London that didn't quite go according to plan, including Strata (its trio of roof fans rarely see action), and Millennium Tower — decreed too tall to be built. There's also a Ministry of Silly Walkways segment, in which the comedian discusses the 'Wobbly Bridge' and those dodgy diagonal steps down by No 1 London Bridge.

Snatch of the Day

Highlights of the day's best pick-pocketing action from around the city, using CCTV footage. Pundit Alan Hands-on invariably criticises victims' shoddy defending.

Last Updated 23 November 2017