Seven brilliant British boxsets to buy in the Black Friday sales

Phoebe Waller-Bridge’s manic, confused, honest and hilarious portrayal of a young woman in London was easily one of the most celebrated TV shows of the last decade. The beauty of Fleabag’s lead character was that she contained so many relatable human characteristics but was also completely chaotic, complicated and contradictory. As a result, Waller-Bridge’s fourth-wall-breaking lead struck a chord with audiences on both sides of the Atlantic and the series cemented itself as a cultural moment in just two seasons. It’s brilliant stuff. (Amazon, until November 29)

Love ‘em or hate ‘em, everyone’s obsessed with the royals. But The Crown isn’t just any old fictionalised history of the British monarchy. It’s a really well-made, critically and popularly adored series. With the fourth season set for release in 2022, it seems that British people will never tire of their own royal history, and that the rest of the world will never bore of listening to plummy-voiced aristocrats. Starring Claire Foy as Queen Elizabeth II and Matt Smith as Prince Philip, the first two seasons remain some of the series’ best, and they’re both available here with a pretty huge discount. (Zavvi, while stocks last)

A comedy following the daily lives of three lusty lads in ancient Rome, interlaced with gladiators, chariot racing, religious festivals and historical context? Sounds like a very niche pitch. But Plebs is exceptionally entertaining, balancing a weird historical setting with modern jokes and slang, and a joyfully bouncy ska soundtrack. Plebs stars Tom Rosenthal, Ryan Sampson, Joel Fry and Jonathan Pointing, and this boxset includes all five series – it’s great preparation for the upcoming full-length finale. (Amazon, until November 29)

There aren’t many shows as stylish and fast-paced as historical gangster drama Peaky Blinders. Although framed around historical events, the series follows the story of the fictional Tommy Shelby, leader of the Peaky Blinders gang in early 20th century Birmingham. Shelby is played by Cillian Murphy, but the series also stars huge names like Tom Hardy and Helen McCrory. The final season is scheduled to arrive early next year, so you’ve got more than enough time to binge the previous five series here. (Amazon, until November 29)

Sharp, fast and riddled with expletives, The Thick of It remains arguably this century’s finest work of political satire. Starring a pre-Doctor Who Peter Capaldi and written by Armando Iannucci, at times the real world has run perilously close to imitating – or even getting more ridiculous than – the series’ plotlines. It’s the kind of show you can watch dozens of times, picking up new details on each watch, and all of it, including all four series plus specials, is collected in this boxset. (HMV, while stocks last)

You could say that Downton Abbey is ridiculous and unrealistic, flashy, pompous and melodramatic. But that’s all precisely the point. Whether it’s good because it’s good or good because it’s bad is a bit up for debate – but either way, it’s the pinnacle of escapism. Downton Abbey is popular in America for its depiction of the charming strangeness of the British aristocracy, but it remains one of the UK’s most watched dramas. You can snap up the entire series (plus the 2019 follow-up film) in this boxset. (Amazon, until November 29)

Sherlock Holmes is a British cultural icon, so given that the TV series Sherlock is just as well-known (if not more so) as its original inspiration is a testament to its huge success. Inspired by Arthur Conan Doyle’s 19th century tales, the series features Benedict Cumberbatch, Martin Freeman, Andrew Scott and others in a sleek, clever and exceptionally entertaining modern retelling. The four series only amount to 13 episodes in total, but they’re all riveting, phenomenally compelling telly. (HMV, while stocks last)