Want to improve your English while watching great shows? It’s possible! Whether you’re a beginner or an advanced learner, watching series in English is an entertaining way to boost your skills. All you need is access to platforms like Netflix, Disney+, or Amazon Prime.
In this lesson, we’ve selected 35 top series to help you learn English while enjoying exciting stories. Plus, we share practical tips to get the most out of this learning experience!
Table of contents →
35 series to improve your English, categorized by category
Learning English is like anything else: there’s something for everyone! We’re going to list our favorite English-language series in each of these categories:
- Comedy
- Drama
- Adventure
- Thriller
- Crime
- Animation
- Mini-series
To help you choose more easily, we provide the following details for each series:
- the original title
- the year of release
- the number of seasons
- the average episode duration
- the streaming platform (where to watch)
- the pitch (summary)
To your screens!
5 Comedy Series in English
| Original Title | Year of release | Number of seasons | Episode duration | Where to watch | The pitch |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fleabag | 2016 | 2 | 27 minutes | Amazon Prime Video | The funny and touching daily life of a witty Englishwoman trying to navigate modern life in London. |
| Friends | 1994 | 10 | 22 minutes | Netflix | The adventures of six young New Yorkers, bound by deep friendship, juggling love, work, family, and coffee shops. |
| Spaced | 1999 | 2 | 26 minutes | DVD | The misadventures of Tim and Daisy, two losers pretending to be a couple to find housing. |
| Malcolm in the Middle | 2000 | 7 | 22 minutes | Disney+ | A gifted young man uses his intelligence to get into mischief with his brothers, tmuch to their parents’ dismay. |
| The Office | 2005 | 9 | 22 minutes | Netflix, Salto, Amazon Prime Video | The daily life of a group of office workers in a paper mill in Pennsylvania. |
5 Drama Series in English
| Original title | Year of release | Number of seasons | Episode duration | Where to watch | The pitch |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The West Wing | 1999 | 7 | 42 minutes | Canal VOD | Behind the scenes at the White House, where the President of the United States manages intrigues, blackmail, and diplomatic crises. |
| Black Mirror | 2011 | 5 | 60 minutes | Netflix | Each episode explores humanity’s dependence on digital screens and technology. |
| The Sopranos | 1999 | 6 | 50 minutes | OCS, Amazon Prime Video | Tony Soprano, a New Jersey mafia boss and family man, shares his anxieties with his psychiatrist. |
| Succession | 2018 | 4 | 60 minutes | OCS | The struggle between Logan Roy’s children to succeed their father, the wealthy and powerful founder of one of the world’s largest media conglomerates. |
| Treme | 2010 | 4 | 60 minutes | OCS | Musicians, members of the same band, try to rebuild their lives in post-Hurricane Katrina New Orleans. |
5 Adventure Series in English
| Original title | Year of release | Number of seasons | Episode duration | Where to watch | The pitch |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| His Dark Materials | 2019 | 3 | 60 minutes | OCS | The adaptation of Philip Pullman’s bestseller where the courageous Lyra finds herself embarked on a fantastic adventure in search of her missing best friend. |
| Buffy, the Vampire Slayer | 1997 | 7 | 42 minutes | Disney+ | Episode after episode, young Buffy Summers cleanses Sunnydale of the demons that roam there. |
| Game of Thrones | 2011 | 8 | 52 minutes | OCS | Rival factions battle for the Iron Throne, a symbol of ultimate power in the Seven Kingdoms. |
| The Witcher | 2019 | 3 | 60 minutes | Netflix | A mutant monster hunter struggles to find his place in a dangerous world populated by beasts and vicious humans. |
| Vikings | 2013 | 6 | 52 minutes | Netflix, Salto | The epic adventures and conquests of Viking warriors in Scandinavia during the late 8th century. |
5 Thriller Series in English
| Original title | Year of release | Number of seasons | Episode duration | Where to watch | The pitch |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Breaking Bad | 2008 | 5 | 42 minutes | Netflix | Walter White, a fifty-something high school chemistry teacher in New Mexico, starts manufacturing and selling synthetic drugs after being diagnosed with terminal cancer. |
| Fargo | 2014 | 5 | 53 minutes | Netflix, Salto | Each season features new ordinary characters from Minnesota or Missouri plunged into a criminal spiral. |
| Oz | 1997 | 6 | 50 minutes | DVD | A drama set in the experimental unit of an American prison, showcasing daily violence, hatred, and threats. |
| Peaky Blinders | 2013 | 6 | 52 minutes | Netflix, Amazon Prime Video | In Birmingham, soldiers, political revolutionaries and criminals fight to find their place in the industrial landscape in the aftermath of the First World War. |
| Sherlock | 2010 | 4 | 90 minutes | Amazon Prime Video | The adventures of Sherlock Holmes and his sidekick, Doctor Watson, transposed to the 21st century. |
5 Police Series in English
| Original title | Year of release | Number of seasons | Episode duration | Where to watch | The pitch |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mindhunter | 2017 | 2 | 50 minutes | Netflix | FBI agents develop groundbreaking investigative techniques to predict the criminal minds of the worst murderers. |
| The Wire | 2002 | 4 | 58 minutes | OCS | Police officers work to dismantle a sprawling drug and crime network in the American city of Baltimore. |
| The Shield | 2002 | 7 | 42 minutes | Canal+ | A Los Angeles police squad is using unusual methods to restore order in the city’s most dangerous areas. |
| True Detective | 2014 | 4 | 55 minutes | OCS | Each season, a new police investigation mixes mysticism, philosophical reflections, and deeply troubled characters. |
| Twin Peaks | 1990 | 3 | 47 minutes | Canal+ | FBI agent Dale Cooper investigates the murder of young Laura Palmer, found dead in the small American town of Twin Peaks. |
5 Animation Series in English
| Original title | Year of release | Number of series | Episode duration | Where to watch | The pitch |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BoJack Horseman | 2014 | 6 | 25 minutes | Netflix | BoJack, a washed-up alcoholic and depressed comedian, struggles to revive his past glory. |
| Over The Garden Wall | 2014 | 1 | 11 minutes | Cartoon Network | Wirt and Greg, two young boys, wander through a strange forest with help from an old woodsman and a bluebird. |
| Family Guy | 1999 | 21 | 22 minutes | Disney+ | The absurd daily life of a middle-class American family, featuring an idiotic father, a genius baby, and a talking dog. |
| Rick and Morty | 2014 | 5 | 22 minutes | Netflix | A satirical take on Back to the Future, with a brilliant inventor taking his grandson on wild, politically incorrect adventures. |
| South Park | 1997 | 26 | 21 minutes | Netflix, Amazon Prime Video | The small town of South Park, Colorado, is home to the outrageous adventures of Cartman, Stan, Kyle, and Kenny, four kids with foul language. |
5 Mini-Series in English
| Original title | Year of release | Number of seasons | Episode duration | Where to watch | The pitch |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chernobyl | 2019 | 1 | 58 minutes | OCS | The story of the Chernobyl disaster, where a reactor explosion at the nuclear power plant in April 1986 impacted all of Europe. |
| Dopesick | 2021 | 1 | 60 minutes | Disney+ | The portrayal of families affected by the opioid crisis in the United States, set in a small town in Virginia. |
| Band of Brothers | 2001 | 1 | 60 minutes | OCS | The daily life of Easy Company, a group of American soldiers plunged into the horror of the Second World War. |
| The Last Dance | 2019 | 1 | 50 minutes | Netflix | A documentary series rich in archival footage, following the legendary NBA team, the Chicago Bulls, through one iconic season. |
| The Night Of | 2016 | 1 | 58 minutes | OCS | After a wild night out, a young Pakistani man wakes up next to a murdered woman, with no memory of what happened. |
How to learn English by watching series
Subtitles, methods, benefits, and limitations—this lesson will help you optimize the time spent in front of your computer or television to improve your English!
What subtitles to use to learn English?
Here are three options for watching a series in English, ranked from easiest to most challenging:
- Original version with subtitles in your native language
- Original version with English subtitles
- Original version without subtitles
Of course, avoid watching a dubbed version, as it won’t help your learning process.
Original version with subtitles in your native language
Are you a complete beginner in English? Begin by watching in the original language with subtitles in your native language. Stick to a regular schedule—like watching one episode per day—to build your skills. Avoid binge-watching, which can be counterproductive, leading to exhaustion and lack of focus.
Original version with English subtitles
Once you’re more familiar with the series and its vocabulary, switch to watching with English subtitles. This will help you connect what you hear with what you see in writing. Don’t worry if you don’t understand everything!
Original version without subtitles
When you feel completely confident, challenge yourself by watching without any subtitles. Keep in mind that some shows are easier to follow than others. For instance, a series like Friends is relatively simple, while something like The Wire with its Baltimore slang, might be more difficult.
Learn English with a Series: A step-by-step guide
To make the most of your TV time, here’s a simple 8-step method to improve your English:
- Choose the right series
- Prepare yourself before watching
- Turn on English subtitles
- Pause and take notes
- Repeat out loud
- Summarize the episode
- Gradually move to no subtitles
- Diversify the types of series
Step 1: Choose the right series
Pick a series that matches your English level. If you’re a beginner, go for shows with simple, clear dialogue, like The Big Bang Theory or The Office. For intermediate to advanced learners, try Sherlock or The Crown, which have more complex vocabulary and themes.
Step 2: Prepare before watching
Before starting an episode, take a few minutes to get familiar with the context of the series. If available, read a summary of the episode in your native language to help follow the plot in English.
Step 3: Turn on English subtitles
Watch the series with English subtitles. This helps you better understand the dialogue, especially if the accent or speaking rate is fast. It’s a great way to connect listening with reading.
Step 4: Take breaks and take notes
Even if you make your viewing partner furious, don’t hesitate to pause and rewind if you don’t understand something. Jot down new words or phrases to review later: this will strengthen your learning process.
Step 5: Repeat out loud
Mimic the actors by repeating some lines. This imitation will improve your pronunciation and fluency. Don’t be afraid to speak out loud with confidence, even if it feels awkward at first!
Step 6: Summarize the episode
After watching an episode, try summarizing what happened in English—mentally, out loud, or ideally, in writing. This step will reinforce your understanding and help you practice expressing yourself.
Step 7: Gradually switch to the version without subtitles
As your comprehension improves, challenge yourself by watching without subtitles. Start with short segments and gradually increase the time without relying on subtitles.
Step 8: Diversify the genres of the series
Don’t limit yourself to just one series or genre. Explore different types of shows to expose yourself to various accents, slang, and cultural contexts. For example, mix comedy with thriller!
What are the benefits of watching series in English?
While watching English series alone will not be enough to make you fluent, this hobby truly includes a wide range of benefits! Among the main ones, we can mention:
- Cultural immersion
- Vocabulary building
- Idiomatic expressions
- Exposure to different accents: American accent, British accent, or others.
- Stress patterns
Cultural immersion
Watching a series helps you explore a new world: post-war London, New York’s skyscrapers, sunny Los Angeles… Learning a language also means diving into its culture and history. Series give you a glimpse of daily life, activities, and food in different places.
Vocabulary building
One key advantage of TV series over movies for language learning is the repetition of vocabulary. The same words and phrases are often used in the same show, making it easier to remember them.
Idiomatic expressions
Idiomatic expressions (idioms) are phrases that don’t make sense when translated literally. For example, jump on the bandwagon means “to follow the trend”: you couldn’t make it up! Fortunately, series are full of these expressions, which helps you learn how native speakers communicate.
Exposure to different accents
With over 1.2 billion speakers worldwide, English has many accents around the world, from New York to London, Texas to Australia. By watching series, you can experience a variety of these accents, helping your ear get used to different ways of speaking…without leaving your sofa.
Stress patterns
Stress patterns are crucial in English but don’t exist in the same way in other languages like French. Watching series helps you absorb the rhythm and emphasis in English speech, making it easier to know which syllables to stress when you speak.
Is it possible to learn to speak English by watching only TV series?
Many people will try to make you believe that their excellent level of English is only the result of hours and hours of compulsive watching of television series. However, while TV shows are a great tool for improving listening skills and expanding vocabulary, they are not enough to fully master a language. Here’s why:
Lack of active interaction
Learning a language is an interactive process. Watching TV series is a passive activity where you absorb information without responding. To make real progress, it’s crucial to actively practice the language, both in speaking and writing.
Limitations on certain linguistic aspects
Series don’t cover all aspects of the English language, such as grammar, verb conjugation, and formal writing. These are essential for a complete understanding and proper use of English.
Variety of accents and contexts
While series expose you to different accents and slang, they don’t always reflect the English spoken in everyday or professional settings. For full exposure, it’s important to mix different types of listening materials.
Importance of actual practice
Nothing replaces real-life practice. Engaging with native speakers, taking language courses, or joining conversation groups are key to improving fluency.
Need for complementary resources
Enhance your series-watching with other learning tools like books, podcasts, songs, films, online courses, and language apps. These resources will help you build a more well-rounded understanding of English.
