According to an August, 2003 Radio Times poll of TV critics, the following are the best television programs of all time shown on British TV (in alphabetical order):
- 1 Abigail's Party (1977)
- 2 The Ascent of Man (1973)
- 3 Blackadder Goes Forth (1989)
- 4 Boys from the Blackstuff (1982)
- 5 Cathy Come Home (1966)
- 6 Caught on a Train (1980)
- 7 Civilisation (1969)
- 8 Coronation Street (1960)
- 9 Dad's Army (1968)
- 10 Edge of Darkness (1985)
- 11 EastEnders (2001)
- 12 ER (1995)
- 13 Fawlty Towers (1975)
- 14 Frasier (1994)
- 15 Hancock's Half Hour (1956)
- 16 Hill Street Blues (1981)
- 17 I'm Alan Partridge (1997)
- 18 The Larry Sanders Show (1993)
- 19 The League of Gentlemen (1999)
- 20 Life on Earth (1979)
- 21 M.A.S.H (1973)
- 22 Monty Python's Flying Circus (1969)
- 23 The Morecambe and Wise Show (1961)
- 24 9/11 (2002)
- 25 Not Only... But Also (1965)
- 26 The Office (2001)
- 27 Our Friends in the North (1996)
- 28 Peter Kay's Phoenix Nights (2001)
- 29 Police (1982)
- 30 Porridge (1973)
- 31 Pride and Prejudice (1995)
- 32 Seinfeld (1993)
- 33 The Simpsons (1990)
- 34 The Singing Detective (1986)
- 35 Steptoe and Son (1962)
- 36 The Sweeney (1975)
- 37 Talking Heads (1988)
- 38 Till Death Us Do Part (1966)
- 39 Whatever Happened to the Likely Lads (1973)
- 40 Z Cars (1962)