The BEST ITV1 shows of all time
Every ITV1 show, ranked
We've compiled the average episode rating for every ITV1 show to compile this list of best shows!
#1 - Joanna Lumley's Japan
Joanna’s 2,000 mile journey through Japan as she explores some of the most uncharted corners of the country's 6,800 mystical islands. In Hokkaido, Joanna traverses the island’s areas of outstanding natural beauty, meeting some of the country’s most endangered wild animals en route, before heading south towards Tokyo and the ancient capital of temple-filled Kyoto. On foot she takes in the forgotten island of Shikoku – one of Japan’s four main islands – home to the Iya Valley and the yuzu fruit flavours now becoming popular in UK supermarkets. Finally, after exploring the geologically active region of Kyushu with its volcanic landscape and abundance of hot springs, Joanna finishes her journey in Kohama, one of Japan’s smallest and most remote pacific islands, luxuriating on its idyllic beaches.
View Episode Rankings#2 - Rising Damp
Popular sitcom set in a seedy bedsit lorded over by the mean, vain, boastful, cowardly landlord Rigsby. In each episode, his conceits are debunked by his long suffering tenants.
View Episode Rankings#3 - Press Gang
Press Gang was a teen programme that followed the trials and tribulations of a group of teens setting up and running a young people's newspaper "The Junior Gazette". Egos clash, professional and personal feelings collide and lots of one-liners and "crazy" situations made this every teenage-plus person's top of the list viewing. Shown as a prime time children's programme it was actually ahead of it's time socially. With mature and occasionally controversial storylines it shaped a lot of it's viewers minds those few precious years.
View Episode Rankings#4 - Footballers' Wives
They're beautiful, they're filthy rich and they can have anything money can buy... so why are they hardly ever happy?... The makers of hit ITV1 show 'Bad Girls' invite you to join the wives of the Earls Park FC footballers as they discover the perils, both in the spotlight and out, of being married to their famous husbands - catfights... newspaper allegations... even murder... anyone who's anyone watches Footballers' Wives.
View Episode Rankings#5 - Randall and Hopkirk (Deceased) (1969)
Randall and Hopkirk (Deceased) is a late 1960s British private detective television series starring Mike Pratt and Kenneth Cope as the private detectives Jeff Randall and Marty Hopkirk, respectively. The series was created by Dennis Spooner and produced by Monty Berman. In the initial episode Hopkirk was murdered in the line of duty, but returned as a ghost only Randall was able to see or hear to help his former partner fight crime from beyond the grave. ITC film corporation produced a single series of 26 episodes during 1968 and 1969 which were aired between September 1969 and March 1970. The pilot episode was originally broadcast on ITV in the United Kingdom on Friday 19 September 1969 on ATV Midlands.
View Episode Rankings#6 - The New Statesman (1987)
A British comedy that might be described as a combination of Yes, Minister and Blackadder, this is the story of A. B'Stard, a statesman in the tradition of Genghis Khan, who will stop at nothing to make himself richer and more comfortable. Arguably the most conservative member of the British Parliament, he is aided by a witless colleague, MP Piers Fletcher-Dervish.
View Episode Rankings#7 - The Trap Door
Somewhere in the dark and nasty regions where nobody goes, stands an ancient castle. Deep within this dank and uninviting place lives Berk, the overworked servant of The Thing Upstairs. But that's nothing compared to the horrors that lurk beneath The Trap Door. For there is always something down there, in the dark, waiting to come out...
View Episode Rankings#8 - Rumpole of the Bailey
Horace Rumpole (played by the late Leo McKern) is an untidy, ageing London barrister who defends in criminal cases. His clients rarely cut elegant figures. He is fond of red wine, poetry, and fair dealing, and is not looked on as a great success by his wife ('She Who Must Be Obeyed'). Rumpole has had a few triumphs, and the Penge Bungalow murders are often on his mind... Rumpole shares Chambers at Number 3, Equity Court, with a mixed group of barrister colleagues, including Guthrie Featherstone (Peter Bowles) and Phyllida Trant (Patricia Hodge). He also takes pupils - notably Fiona Allways (played by Rosalyn Landor) and Liz Probert. The creator and writer of the series, Sir John Mortimer, received an Edgar Allan Poe Award for crime and mystery for Rumpole.
View Episode Rankings#9 - Danger Man
Every government has its secret service branch. America, CIA; France, Deuxième Bureau; England, MI5. NATO also has its own. A messy job? Well that's when they usually call on me or someone like me. Oh yes, my name is Drake, John Drake.
View Episode Rankings#10 - Cilla (2014)
The life and career of British singer and entertainer Cilla Black
View Episode Rankings#11 - Cracker
Dr. Eddie "Fitz" Fitzgerald (Robbie Coltrane) is an alcoholic, chain-smoking, womanizer who just happens to be an expert psychologist. In spite of marital and family problems, he is often called to assist the police in difficult cases that cannot be easily solved.
View Episode Rankings#12 - Auf Wiedersehen, Pet
Auf Wiedersehen, Pet is a story of the rise and fall of seven very different people. There are three Geordies, one Scouser, one Brummie, one Cockney and one from Bristol. Auf Wiedersehen, Pet shows what life was really like for self - employed workers in the 1980's. And after 20 years they are reunited and begin working together again.
View Episode Rankings#13 - Innocent (2018)
After seven years in jail, David Collins is finally acquitted of the murder of his wife and he vows to bring the real killer to justice.
View Episode Rankings#14 - The Avengers
"Always keep your bowler on in time of stress, and watch out for diabolical masterminds." [Mrs Peel] The Avengers is one of the most popular and beloved television series of all time. Its outrageous blend of wit and style and its unique mix of the fantasy and spy genres, coupled with the marvellous characters of John Steed and Emma Peel make it one of television's great classics.
View Episode Rankings#15 - The Wind in the Willows
Based on the novels by Kenneth Grahame, The Wind in the Willows is the classic story of the adventures of Mole, Badger, Rat and Toad of Toad Hall, set in Edwardian England of 1908. Mole sets out from his underground home to discover the world and is befriended by the river loving Water Rat who introduces him to the madcap aristocrat Mr. Toad. Together with Grandfatherly Badger they encounter the rascally Weasels, face the terrors of Wild Wood, and see Mr. Toad through a series of headlong escapades until they return once again to the peace of the English countryside.
View Episode Rankings#16 - Touching Evil
Touching Evil follows the exploits of the Organized and Serial Crime Unit (OSC). Maverick Detective Inspector Dave Creegan is the newest member of the unit, an elite, rapid-response crime squad. The OSC uses their diverse crime-fighting skills to bring justice to society. Along with his stalwart partner DI Susan Taylor, Creegan squares off against some of England's most dangerous criminals – a serial murderer of children, a killer intent on murdering hospital patients, and a cyber-criminal who lures young Web-surfers with a gothic fantasy game and manipulates them into committing violent crimes.
View Episode Rankings#17 - On the Buses
Running from 1969 to 1973, with three spin-off movies, 'On the Buses' was made by London Weekend Television. Stan Butler lives at home with his overbearing mother, his frumpy sister Olive and his lazy brother in law Arthur. Stan works as a bus driver for the Luxton & District Bus Company, with his conductor Jack. The bane of their lives Inspector 'Blakey' Blake who often checks up on them and threatens them with the sack for lateness and untidiness.
View Episode Rankings#18 - Agatha Christie's Poirot
He’s the super sleuth with a sharp mind and a peculiar manner who doggedly deduces the truth behind the crimes.
View Episode Rankings#19 - Victoria
The story of Queen Victoria, who came to the throne at a time of great economic turbulence and resurgent republicanism – and died 64 years later the head of the largest empire the world had ever seen, having revitalised the throne’s public image and become “grandmother of Europe”.
View Episode Rankings#20 - The Durrells
After moving to Corfu, the Durrell family struggles to adapt to the island’s lifestyle.
View Episode Rankings#21 - Catweazle
The series featured Geoffrey Bayldon as the title character, an eccentric, incompetent, dishevelled and smelly (but lovable) old 11th century wizard who accidentally travels through time to the year 1970 and befriends a young red-headed boy, nicknamed Carrot (Robin Davies), who spends most of the rest of the series attempting to hide Catweazle from his father and farmhand Sam. Meanwhile Catweazle searches for a way to return to his own time whilst hiding out in 'Castle Saburac', a disused water tower, with his 'Familiar', a toad called Touchwood.
View Episode Rankings#22 - Agatha Christie's Marple
Miss Jane Marple is an elderly spinster living in the quiet little village of St. Mary Mead with a remarkable talent for solving crimes. Her sharp mind and shrewd intellect prove invaluable in unravelling a slew of murder mysteries, earning her the grudging respect of the police. The title role was played by Geraldine McEwan for the first three series, after which she was succeeded by Julia McKenzie.
View Episode Rankings#23 - The Sandbaggers
"The Sandbaggers" was a taut British spy series comprising twenty 50-minute episodes produced by Yorkshire Television. The stories centered on the elite covert operations section of British Intelligence, nicknamed the Sandbaggers, and their boss, Neil Burnside (Roy Marsden), himself a former Sandbagger, but now having to battle more with British bureaucracy than enemy agents. It was set contemporaneously with its original broadcast in the late '70s and early '80s when the Cold War still dominated the Western intelligence agenda. Burnside's main operative is Willie Caine, his most experienced agent. Burnside's main opponents in the series are not his KGB adversaries but the bureaucrats and functionaries of his own government, often his own superiors. He he is constatly at odds his his Deputy Chief and occasinally with the head of the Secret Service codenamed "C".
View Episode Rankings#24 - Hornblower
The epic saga of legendary seafaring hero Horatio Hornblower comes to swashbuckling life in these epic films based on C.S. Forester's classic novels. As the Napoleonic wars rage, Hornblower survives battle after battle, evades capture, and works his way up the ranks in the king's royal navy. With danger at every turn and unending adventures, Hornblower must use every ounce of his wit and courage to prevail.
View Episode Rankings#25 - The World at War
A groundbreaking documentary series narrated by the actor Laurence Olivier about the deadliest conflict in history: World War II.
View Episode Rankings#26 - Upstairs, Downstairs
Covering a span of 27 years (1903-1930), Upstairs, Downstairs follows the lives of the wealthy Bellamy family residing upstairs at 165 Eaton Place, London, as well as the lives of those employed in their service living downstairs. The addition of real-life events, like the tragic sinking of the RMS Titanic and the horrors of World War I, incorporated into the storylines add a touch of authenticity and realism to the show.
View Episode Rankings#27 - Sharpe
Sharpe is a British series of television dramas about Richard Sharpe, a fictional British soldier in the Napoleonic Wars. Sharpe is the hero of a number of novels by Bernard Cornwell; most, though not all, of the episodes are based on the books. Produced by Central Independent Television for the ITV network, the series was shot mainly in Turkey and Crimea, although some filming was also done in England, Spain and Portugal.
View Episode Rankings#28 - Midsomer Murders
A veteran DCI and his young Sergeant investigate murders around the regional community of Midsomer.
View Episode Rankings#29 - The New Avengers
In The New Avengers. Patrick Macnee reprises his role of John Steed of The Avengers (1961-69) but this time with two new partners, Mike Gambit (Gareth Hunt) and Purdey (Joanna Lumley). Like its predecessor, the series often featured fantastical plots with diabolical masterminds as villains, but this new version infused the franchise with a thrilling new feel. Bold colors, spectacular shooting locations, and less-ambiguous plots & characters all combined to present an exciting new series.
View Episode Rankings#30 - Hell's Kitchen (UK)
Hell's Kitchen is a British cookery reality show airing on ITV which features prospective chefs competing with each other for a final prize. Four series have aired since 2004, three presented by Angus Deayton and the latest by Claudia Winkleman. The show has had different formats and different head chefs for each season so far, including Gordon Ramsay, Gary Rhodes, Jean-Christophe Novelli and Marco Pierre White.
View Episode Rankings#31 - Foyle's War
Touted as the new Inspector Morse, this ITV detective show stars Michael Kitchen as a police inspector frustrated at being stuck at home investigating provincial crimes during the Second World War. Honeysuckle Weeks is an inspired choice as Foyle's sidekick, a clergyman's daughter posted from the Women's Royal Army Corps to serve as his driver, and she plays the part with an admirable period style. Foyle's War opens in southern England in the year 1940 - which may seem a strangely remote period in which to place a new detective, but the setting turns out to be a means of adding moral and dramatic depth to the storylines.
View Episode Rankings#32 - Black Work
When Jo Gillespie's husband Ryan, an undercover policeman, is shot dead in mysterious circumstances, she resolutely sets out to discover who murdered him. Black Work is a compelling three-part story (x 60), which sees police officer Jo confront difficult truths about her family life and her marriage to Ryan. Mother to 7-years-old Melly and stepson Hal, Jo is emotionally distraught and heavily conflicted as she unravels the last six months of her husband’s life. She’s grieving and wracked with guilt following an attachment to Ryan’s colleague and fellow police officer Jack Clark, which puts further strain on her grieving family. Working out of a lock-up on a shadowy case for which no police department will take responsibility, Ryan has been watching a man recently released from prison. But why? And under whose orders?
View Episode Rankings#33 - Billy Connolly's Route 66
New four-part series in which Billy Connolly travels the world's most famous highway - Route 66.
View Episode Rankings#34 - Creature Comforts
Creature Comforts is a plasticine animation by Aardman studios. It features various creatures who are interviewed about a different topic each episode. But the voices are not those of the creatures, it's the people of Britain. Members of the British public were interviewed about different topics, and then the animation of the animals is created to the voice. The result is a funny show which provides the viewer with many different opinions and views on a variety of topics.
View Episode Rankings#35 - Law & Order: UK
The longest running crime series in U.S. television history is making its way across the pond for a UK reworking. Series creator Dick Wolf is set to give Law & Order a makeover-for fans in the UK. Law & Order: UK promises to retain the grittiness of the original series, but be uniquely British.
View Episode Rankings#36 - Downton Abbey
Downton Abbey depicts the lives of the aristocratic Crawley family and their servants in the post-Edwardian era—with great events in history having an effect on their lives and on the British social hierarchy.
View Episode Rankings#37 - Unforgotten
Dedicated detectives work tirelessly to unravel long-held secrets.
View Episode Rankings#38 - George and Mildred
George and Mildred Roper have just moved to a middle class neighborhood. With the change, Mildred aims to climb the social ladder, while George only dreams of watching television and drinking beer.
View Episode Rankings#39 - Hammer House of Horror
This series represents the television stage in the long and curious career of Hammer Films, which has its origins in the early years of the twentieth century. Each episode of the series stands alone and has its own cast. All achieve a high standard of psychological tension, in the best traditions of British horror. Look out for British stars of the later 1980s appearing in some of their earliest on-screen roles, including Simon MacCorkindale, Rosalyn Landor, Caroline Langrishe, and Pierce Brosnan.
View Episode Rankings#40 - The Prisoner
The series follows a British former secret agent who is held prisoner in a mysterious coastal village resort where his captors try to find out why he abruptly resigned from his job. Although sold as a thriller in the mould of the previous series starring McGoohan, Danger Man (1960–68), the show's combination of 1960s countercultural themes and surreal setting had a far-reaching effect on science fiction/fantasy programming, and on popular culture in general.
View Episode Rankings#41 - Sherlock Holmes (1984)
Sherlock Holmes is one of the world’s most popular fictional detectives, famed for his legendary powers of observation and deduction. Adapted from Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s original novels, this classic series by Granada Television starred Jeremy Brett as the definitive Holmes, with David Burke and later Edward Hardwicke as his able assistant Dr. Watson.
View Episode Rankings#42 - Broadchurch
The murder of a young boy in a small coastal town brings a media frenzy, which threatens to tear the community apart.
View Episode Rankings#43 - A Touch of Frost
Detective Inspector Jack Frost is a disorganised DI for the Denton Police Force and will do anything to see that justice is done, even if he has to break the rules.
View Episode Rankings#44 - The Persuaders!
English Lord Brett Sinclair and American Danny Wilde are both wealthy playboys, they are teamed together by Judge Fullton to investigate crimes which the police can't solve. These two men are complete opposites, but become great friends through their adventures and constantly risk their own lives for one another.
View Episode Rankings#45 - Robin of Sherwood
Fantasy-drama series by Richard Carpenter based on the Robin Hood legend. Robin of Loxley, also called 'The Hooded Man' lives with his friends in the forests of Sherwood. They fight against the Norman rulers who oppress the population of the region, especially Prince John and the Sheriff of Nottingham. Robin of Loxley was succeeded by Robert of Huntingdon, a renegade nobleman, at the beginning of season three. By gaining the trust of the other members of the group and living his life as Robin would have, he soon proves himself as a worthy successor. This adaptation of the Robin Hood legend leans heavily on mystic and magic. This is also reinforced by the soundtrack of the Irish band Clannad.
View Episode Rankings#46 - The Benny Hill Show
The Benny Hill Show features Benny Hill in various short comedy sketches and occasional, extravagant musical performances by artists of the time. Hill appears in many different costumes and portrays a vast array of characters. Slapstick, burlesque and double entendres are his hallmarks. A group of critics accused the show of sexism, and Hill responded by claiming that female characters kept their dignity while the men who chase them were portrayed as buffoons
View Episode Rankings#47 - Mind Your Language
Set in a London College Of Further Education the series focused on the activities of the Evening Classes, in particular – English as a Foreign Language, as taught by Mr Jeremy Brown whose class was a motley crew of foreigners, most of who could barely speak English. The comedy comes from the students inability to grasp the basic command of English. This leads to misunderstanding of words and terms causing all manner of disagreements and cultural differences.
View Episode Rankings#48 - Wuthering Heights (2009)
A two-part adapation of the infamous book, which stars Tom Hardy and Charlotte Riley as tortured lovers Heathcliff and Cathy.
View Episode Rankings#49 - Bad Girls (1999)
British hard-hitting drama about the staff and inmates of a women's prison.
View Episode Rankings#50 - Harry Hill's TV Burp
Harry Hill stars in this surreal comedy show, revolving around the previous week's shows on British television.
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