Learning English can be challenging at the best of times. Yet many students don’t realise that watching Netflix in English also counts as learning! You’re practicing your vocabulary, grammar and listening all at the same time! As you get to know the characters, you’ll also understand their personal vocabulary, which makes it a lot easier! Hang on in there and resist the subtitles! So let’s dive into the top 10 series for learning English.
1 – Friends
Genre: Sitcom
Accent: American
Type of English: colloquial, informal, slang
Many English learners love this TV series. Friends is really a classic. It’s a popular American sitcom that follows the lives of a group of friends living in New York City.
There are six main characters: a waitress, a professional chef, a palaeontologist (a person who studies fossils) and his college friend, a masseuse (a woman whose job is giving people massages), and an actor.
Ricky Gervais – 2
Genre: Animated series
Accent: Various British accents
Type of English: colloquial, informal, slang
This is a hilarious comedy show from the UK, starring the one and only Ricky Gervais – one of the most popular British comedians – along with his friends, Stephen Merchant, and Karl Pilkington.
Each episode starts with a voiceover that says, “For the past few years, Ricky Gervais, Stephen Merchant, and Karl Pilkington have been meeting regularly for a series of pointless conversations. This is one of them.”
3 – The Simpsons
Genre: Animated series
Accent: Various English accents (American, Indian, Scottish)
Type of English: colloquial, informal, slang
Given that this is an animated series that’s been going on since the 80s, the yellow family from Springfield needs no introduction.
You may think it’s a cartoon made for kids but, in reality, it’s not, as the series is a satirical representation of American life.
What does this mean? It means that the show uses humor to expose the weaknesses and faults of American culture.
MasterChef – 4
Genre: Cooking show
Accent: Various accents depending on the country
Type of English: informal, vocabulary around food and cooking
Are you a foodie (=a person who’s very interested in cooking and eating different kinds of food)?
If so, this is the show for you.
MasterChef will not only make you feel hungry, but it’ll also expose you to a variety of words, phrases, and expressions around the topic of food and cooking such as:
- Cooking styles and techniques
- Cooking verbs (boil, grate, grill, etc.)
- Dishes
- Ingredients
- Cooking tools
5 – Stranger Things
Genre: Fantasy series
Accent: Various American English accents
Type of English: colloquial, informal, slang
When a young boy vanishes, a small town uncovers a mystery involving secret experiments, terrifying supernatural forces and one strange little girl.
Do you like fantasy, horror and a little fright? Then this series is for you!
Carpool Karaoke – 6
Genre: Music show
Accent: British and American
Type of English: Informal, conversational
Who’s your favorite singer or band?
Now imagine having them in your car and singing along to their songs with them.
Wouldn’t that be a dream?
This is what James Corden does in Carpool Karaoke, another segment of The Late Late Show with James Corden. He invites some of the biggest music stars for a tour in his car. He then puts on their music on the radio and they sing along to it together.
He also interviews and chats with the celebrity while driving, so you’ll also discover things about the most famous artists in the world.
7 – American Horror Story
Genre: Horror
Accent: American
Type of English: informal, conversational
What comes to mind when you think of a horror story?
Clowns? Witches? Haunted houses? Asylums?
You’ll find these and many more horror themes in American Horror Story, a scary TV show that started in 2011.
There are currently 11 seasons and each one tells a different horror story according to the theme of the season.
Downtown Abbey – 8
Genre: Period Drama
Accent: British
Type of English: Formal, conversational
Want to brush up on your formal English? Perhaps you aspire to speak like the late-Queen Elizabeth herself?
Downtown Abbey is for you! Filled with period-dramas and pomp and circumstance, Downtown is a gem of English culture and television.
9 – Breaking Bad
Genre: Drama / Crime
Accent: American
Type of English: Informal
It’s the story of a high school chemistry teacher called Walter White. He’s a good man. But one day he discovers he’s got lung cancer and everything changes.
To pay for his medical treatment and leave some money to his family after his death, he starts making (or cooking – as he says in the show) and selling methamphetamine with Jesse, one of his former high school students.
Some of the characters are hard to understand as you’ll hear lots of street and “gangster” English. You can try a couple of episodes and see how you go.
The Big Bang Theory – 10
Genre: Comedy
Accent: American
Type of English: Informal
This is another classic.
The Big Bang Theory is a funny comedy series that tells the story of a group of friends who are really smart but also a bit quirky.
The main characters are Leonard, Sheldon, Howard, Raj, Penny, Amy, and Bernadette. Sheldon is the weirdest of all (watch the show and you’ll see what I mean).
These guys are real nerds. They love science, comic books, video games, and all sorts of nerdy things. So if you’re one of them I’m sure you’ll love this TV series.
Great article! I really appreciate the clear and detailed insights you’ve provided on this topic. It’s always refreshing to read content that breaks things down so well, making it easy for readers to grasp even complex ideas. I also found the practical tips you’ve shared to be very helpful. Looking forward to more informative posts like this! Keep up the good work!