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3 BritBox shows to watch on HBO Max
Great news, Anglophiles: TV fans stateside can get a taste of 15 popular British television series this summer as part of a short-term “programming pop-up” between Warner Bros. streaming service HBO Max and BritBox, Britain’s leading streaming service, which was founded by BBC Studios and ITV.
From Friday, August 1 through Monday, September 29, U.S.-based HBO Max subscribers will have access to a great selection of BritBox favorites spanning mystery, comedy and drama genres, with titles including “Sherwood,” “Luther”, “Silent Witness,” “The Office,” “Blue Lights,” “Shakespeare & Hathaway,” “Father Brown” and more.
Access will come at no additional cost to HBO Max users, who will be able to find the British gems in a dedicated section of the platform entitled “The Best of British TV by BritBox.”
“HBO Max viewers seek premium entertainment they can’t get anywhere else. Through this partnership, we are excited to offer them a premium collection of distinctly British series to complement their viewing experience, including acclaimed series, fan-favorite franchises, standout performances from celebrated talent, and exceptional storytelling across mystery, crime, drama, and comedy,” Robert Schildhouse, President, BritBox, said in a statement.
Given that you only have a few short weeks to enjoy your BritBox titles, here are three new-to-you series that you should add to your next HBO Max streaming session.
‘Luther’
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One of the best British shows you can watch on the U.S., the Idris Elba-led British crime thriller “Luther” will be available to stream on HBO Max, with season 1 on the platform from August 1 to 30, and season 2 available through the month of September.
A Golden Globe-winning Idris Elba plays Detective Chief Inspector John Luther, a brilliant but tortured homicide detective (is there any other kind?) who has a knack for getting inside the minds of serial killers, including the psychopathic murderer Alice Morgan (played by Ruth Wilson), who becomes both his nemesis and unlikely companion. It is unconventional professional methods like that, as well as his own lingering personal demons, that put Luther at odds with his team.
Watch “Luther” on HBO Max now
‘The Office’
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Long before there was Michael Scott (Steve Carell), Dunder Mifflin’s “World’s Best Boss” and protagonist of the U.S. version of “The Office,” there was David Brent (Ricky Gervais, who also created the comedy alongside Stephen Merchant), the hilariously insufferable manager of the Wernham Hogg paper company.
Like its American remake, the British original follows the relatable, mundane but downright hysterical day-to-day lives of office employees, with a cast that includes Martin Freeman, Mackenzie Crook and Lucy Davis.
The first two seasons of the genre-defining mockumentary, as well as the Christmas special, are available to watch on HBO Max as part of the summertime programming pop-up.
Watch “The Office” on HBO Max now
‘Father Brown’
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Seasons 1 and 2 of “cozy crime” favorite “Father Brown” will be available to HBO Max subscribers throughout August and September.
Based on the character created by English author G.K. Chesterton (featured in 53 short stories published between 1910 and 1936), the period-piece series centers on the titular Roman Catholic priest slash amateur detective who uses his keen powers of observation and his sacred intuition to solve mysteries and crimes in 1950s-era England.
Along with Mark Williams as the crime-busting clergyman Father Brown, the cast features Sorcha Cusack, Nancy Carroll, Alex Price, John Burton, Jackie Deam and more.
Watch “Father Brown” on HBO Max now
