Television series
Upstart Crow
- Comedy
- Light-hearted
David Mitchell is William Shakespeare in this BBC comedy about the Bard's early years—juggling London success, provincial family obligations, and the minor matter of inventing English theatre. It's witty without being arch, warm without being cloying, and occasionally genuinely moving. For people who think Shakespeare is either deadly serious or doesn't apply to them.
Should you watch it?
Watch it if you enjoy comedy built on deadpan character clashes and affectionate jokes about the theatre, where a bit of Elizabethan wordplay lands as well as a pratfall.
Skip it if you want fast, frantic gags packed tight; this one is wordier and lets a joke sit quietly before it pays off.
What it asks of you: Half-hour episodes, eighteen across three series, so it is easy to dip into, though its wordplay rewards close listening rather than half-attention.
Not sure? Find tonight's pick in a minute.
If you liked this
Horrible Histories2009
Sketch comedy that makes history genuinely funny and surprisingly poignant. Same warmth toward the past, same belief that real events are funnier than invented ones, anarchic energy balanced by actual knowledge.
But It's a sketch show, so the pacing is frantic and some bits land softer than others. Not a narrative to sink into.
QI2003
Stephen Fry and a panel of clever people discussing unexpected historical and scientific facts. Captures that same pleasure in ideas being surprising and funny at once, that intellectualism needn't be tedious.
But It's a panel show; if you find the format grating, no amount of good facts will save you. Also can be smug.
The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel2017
Period comedy-drama about a woman finding her voice in 1950s New York. Shares the warmth toward its lead, the balance of comedy and genuine stakes, and real affection for the world it's depicting.
But It's much glossier and more romantic about the past. If you want grit over charm, look elsewhere.
Not sure tonight? Get a pick in a minute, starting from Upstart Crow
The wildcard
Something you would not have found on your own.
I'm Sorry2017
Both shows use comedy to explore what happens when creative ambition collides with domestic responsibility. Both find the tragedy in that collision funny without diminishing it.
Louis C.K. as a fictionalized version of himself navigating fatherhood, marriage, and comedy in a half-hour that bounces between slapstick and real pain. Extremely funny, but also genuinely about the compromises of adult life.
But It's much darker and more uncomfortable than Upstart Crow. The humour comes from cringe and failure, not charm. Also, the creator's behavior since has overshadowed it.
More like this (7)
Staged2020
David Tennant and Michael Sheen as themselves trying to rehearse a play during lockdown. A comedy about theatre and creativity and friendship. Feels intimate, smartly written, genuinely inventive about its form.
But The fourth-wall-breaking can feel mannered. And it's very much a pandemic product, which may feel dated or uncomfortable depending on your tolerance.
Dead Poets Society1989
Robin Williams as an English teacher inspiring his pupils to seize the day. Shares the warmth toward language and performance, and genuine belief in the power of storytelling to change lives.
But It's earnest to the point of sentimentality. The philosophy can feel basic on revisiting. Some find it dated.
Shakespeare in Love1998
A romantic comedy about Shakespeare finding inspiration through love. Similar premise of weaving the Bard's life with invention, same idea that great art and human mess are inseparable.
But It's slick and pretty in a way Upstart Crow actively avoids. Some find it saccharine; others resent what it does to history.
Withnail & I1987
Two out-of-work actors stumble through a catastrophic holiday. Similar DNA of frustrated creative people, literary pretension undercut by reality, and affection for failure. Genuinely quotable.
But The pacing is deliberately slow and melancholic. It's funny, but not in a way that makes you laugh out loud; it creeps up on you or doesn't land.
The Personal History of David Copperfield2019
A joyous, anarchic adaptation of Dickens with Dev Patel, using anachronism and a diverse cast to make a 19th-century novel feel vivid and alive. Same idea as Upstart Crow: the past is now.
But It's visually busy and thematically dense. If you want something quieter or more faithful to the source, this will feel like decoration.
The Miniaturist2017
Both love the texture of their historical period and refuse to condescend to the past. But where Upstart Crow finds comedy in anachronism, The Miniaturist finds horror—they're the same show with opposite tones.
A strange, sumptuous Dutch Golden Age mystery starring Anya Taylor-Joy. Visually unlike anything else; moving and unsettling and deeply considered. Shows what period drama can do when it commits to mood over plot.
But It's slow, elliptical, and interested in atmosphere over clarity. If you need things explained or want forward momentum, you'll be frustrated. Also bleak.
Notting Hill1999
Both are steeped in Britishness and literary culture. Both see the comedy in ordinary people encountering extraordinary situations. Both are unafraid to care about their characters and make that care visible.
Richard Curtis's romantic comedy about a bookshop owner and a famous actress, written with genuine warmth and very funny. Hugh Grant at his best, Julia Roberts at her most charismatic. A perfect film of its kind.
But It's aggressively charming and somewhat saccharine by design. It also contains some genuinely dated and uncomfortable attitudes toward women and sex that modern viewers might find hard to overlook.
People
Cast
Writing
- Ben EltonCreator
Production
- Chris SussmanExecutive Producer
- Josh ColeExecutive Producer
- Myfanwy MooreExecutive Producer
- Gareth EdwardsProducer