Best TV Shows for Learning English: 20 Top Series to Improve Your Skills

Studying with a private English teacher can be very helpful, but we understand it’s not always possible for everyone. In such cases, watching movies or TV shows can be a fun and interesting way to keep your English lessons from becoming boring or repetitive. 

This can help you understand spoken English better, improve your pronunciation, and learn how people really use the language in daily life.

This article has our top picks for TV shows for many English levels that we recommend you to start with. Let's begin!

Selecting the best types of TV shows for learning English

There are many different types of English TV shows that you can choose from to learn English effectively. For simplicity, in this article we’re going to focus on these 4 main categories: 

• Scripted TV shows: Pre-written shows with actors following a script, including dramas, comedies, and fictional series.
• Unscripted TV shows: Real-life or semi-real content without full scripts, such as reality shows, game shows, talk shows, and documentaries.
• Children's and teen shows: Programs such as cartoons and live-action series made for younger audiences, often educational or entertaining, and without themes that are too mature for their age bracket.
• Educational / Informational shows: Shows designed to teach or inform viewers about topics like science, history, DIY, or current events.

In the table below, you will find a more detailed description of some of the different genres of TV shows that you can choose from:

Now that that’s clear, let’s dive into the recommendations, shall we?

Scripted TV Shows for English Learners

Watching dramas, comedies, or thrillers isn't just entertaining; it's an immersive and fun way to make English feel alive and approachable.

Try to choose shows with interesting plots, clear dialogue, and a variety of English accents. This will make you more able to understand dialogue, pick up new words, and get used to the sound of the language used in different contexts.

Here are just a few of our team's top recommendations:

1. Friends (1994-2004)

Friends is one of the greatest American sitcoms, and with good reason. It follows the lives of six close-knit friends in their 20s and early 30s living in Manhattan, New York City, as they navigate the ups and downs of love, careers, and personal growth.

• Difficulty level: Beginner / Intermediate English.
• Genre: Comedy.
• Accent type: American.
• Episode length: Approximately 22-25 minutes. Typically 24 episodes per season.
• Seasons available: 10 seasons.
• Key Vocabulary: "Oh. My. God." (Janice's catchphrase), "How you doin'?" (Joey's catchphrase), "Smelly Cat" (Phoebe's song.)
• Why is it good for learning English? It uses clear, everyday American English. The dialogue is often slow enough to follow, and the recurring jokes and character quirks help reinforce vocabulary and common idioms.

2. This Is Us (2016-2022)

This series tells the story of the Pearson family, including parents Jack and Rebecca and their three children (Kevin, Kate, and Randall) as they deal with many successes and hardships in love, family relationships, and the search for happiness. The story often shifts between different times in their lives, illustrating how past events impact their present.

• Difficulty level: Intermediate / Advanced English.
• Genre: Drama.
• Accent type: American.
• Episode length: Approximately 42 minutes. Typically 18 episodes per season.
• Seasons available: 6 seasons.
• Key vocabulary: "Big Three" (referring to the three siblings), "family," "struggle."
• Why is it good for learning English? This Is Us features rich and emotional conversations that explore various aspects of family, feelings, and life events.

3. Doctor Who (1963-Present)

This timeless series tells the adventures of an alien known as “the Doctor,” who travels through space and time in a time-traveling spaceship called the TARDIS (which seems like a blue British police box on the outside). The Doctor, along with different companions, fights enemies, saves civilizations, and solves problems throughout time and the universe.

• Difficulty level: Intermediate / Advanced English.
• Genre: Science Fiction/Fantasy.
• Accent type: British.
• Episode length: Varies greatly from season to season but is approximately 50 minutes per episode. The number of episodes per series (or season) also varies, typically ranging from 10 to 13.
• Seasons available: 26 seasons of the classic series and 15 series of the revived show that’s still ongoing.
• Key vocabulary: "TARDIS," "regenerate," "Dalek."
• Why is it good for learning English? "Doctor Who" allows learners to hear a diverse range of British accents and a wide range of words, including scientific and fantasy terms.

4. Sherlock (2010-2017)

This gripping series is set in modern-day London and follows the smart but unconventional detective Sherlock Holmes and his loyal roommate, Dr. John Watson, as they solve complicated and often confusing crimes for Scotland Yard and other clients.

• Difficulty level: Advanced English.
• Genre: Mystery/Crime/Detective.
• Accent type: British.
• Episode length: Approximately 90 minutes. 3 episodes per season.
• Seasons available: 4 seasons.
• Key vocabulary: "deduction," "case," "elementary."
• Why is it good for learning English? Sherlock features highly articulate and rapid-fire dialogue, especially from Sherlock himself, making it excellent for advanced learners to practice listening to fast-paced conversations and complex arguments.

5. Modern Family (2009-2020)

This hit TV show is about three different but connected families living in Los Angeles. It uses a mockumentary style, where characters often talk directly to the camera, and shows the characters’ everyday situations, relationships, and cultural differences with humor and warmth.

• Difficulty level: Intermediate English.
• Genre: Comedy.
• Accent type: American.
• Episode length: Approximately 22 minutes. Typically 18-24 episodes per season.
• Seasons available: 11 seasons.
• Key vocabulary: "family," "kids," "love."
• Why is it good for learning English? Modern Family allows learners to hear everyday conversational English, slang, idioms, and words about family relationships, parenting, marriage, cultural differences, and home life.

6. Black Mirror (2011-Present)

This show has standalone episodes that each tell a different science fiction story, often set in a near-future world. It invites us to reflect on both the positive and the dark (and sometimes disturbing) effects of advanced technology on human nature, society, and our personal lives.

• Difficulty level: Intermediate / Advanced English.
• Genre: Mystery/Crime/Detective.
• Accent type: British and American.
• Episode length: Varies per episode, ranging from 40 minutes to over 80 minutes. Each season usually has between 3 and 6 episodes. 
• Seasons available: 6 seasons, but it’s still ongoing.
• Key vocabulary: "deduction," "case," "elementary."
• Why is it good for learning English? Each Black Mirror episode is its own story, allowing learners to experience the language in diverse settings, with different characters, and through diverse ways of speaking.

So next time you’re looking for a fun way to practice English, try watching a scripted TV show. 

Comedy, drama, mystery, it doesn't really matter which genre you choose; the important thing is that you are mindful to keep building your vocabulary, improving your listening skills, and enjoying every minute of learning. 

Grab some popcorn and let English learning feel like an entertaining experience!

Unscripted TV Series for Learning English

Unscripted TV shows are also an excellent resource for English students who would like to hear natural, spontaneous speech, slang, and cultural references that will give them an idea of how English is actually used in real-life situations.

They're fun, interactive means of enhancing your listening and cultural knowledge. Here are some of the best ones that you should try:

1. The Great British Bake Off (2010-Present)

This is a fun show where amateur bakers from all over the UK gather in a beautiful tent to compete in challenging baking tasks. Each week, they participate in signature, technical, and showstopper challenges as they try to impress the judges and avoid elimination.

• Difficulty level: Intermediate English.
• Genre: Reality TV / Competition show.
• Accent type: British.
• Episode length: Approximately 60 minutes. Typically 10 episodes per season.
• Seasons available: 15 seasons, but it’s still ongoing.
• Key vocabulary: "bake," "soggy bottom," "star baker."
• Why is it good for learning English? The show provides a relaxed and positive environment for listening practice. The bakers explain what they are doing, and the judges give detailed feedback, helping learners hear specific words about cooking, textures, and flavors.

2. Jeopardy! (1964-Present)

This classic game show has contestants compete in a quiz by giving their answers in the form of questions. They choose clues from different categories, earning money for correct answers and losing money for wrong ones.

• Difficulty level: Advanced English.
• Genre: Game show
• Accent type: American.
• Episode length: Approximately 22-25 minutes. It airs daily (five new episodes per week), so they have over 200 episodes per syndicated season.
• Seasons available: Over 40 seasons, but it’s still ongoing.
• Key vocabulary: "answer," "category," "Daily Double."
• Why is it good for learning English? Jeopardy! is great for advanced learners who want to grow their vocabulary in many general knowledge subjects like history, science, literature, and pop culture. The host speaks clearly, and the contestants answer quickly, which helps train active listening and comprehension.

3. Animal Planet’s Too Cute (2011-2017)

This warm and friendly series shows the growing-up stories of cute baby animals, mainly puppies and kittens. It follows them from their unsteady first steps to their playful exploring. Each episode features different groups of babies, with fun and educational narration about how they grow and develop.

• Difficulty level: Beginner / Intermediate English.
• Genre: Docuseries.
• Accent type: American.
• Episode length: Approximately 20-43 minutes. Typically ranging from 4 to 27 episodes per season.
• Seasons available: 6 seasons.
• Key vocabulary: "puppy," "kitten," "adorable."
• Why is it good for learning English? The show's narration is simple and enthusiastic. It describes animals, simple actions, and feelings, which makes it easy to follow, especially for beginner English students. 

4. The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon (2014-Present)

Jimmy Fallon hosts this iconic late-night talk show that includes an opening monologue with jokes about current events, funny sketches, musical performances, and interviews with celebrity guests. He often plays fun games and challenges with them.

• Difficulty level: Intermediate / Advanced English.
• Genre: Late-night show / Talk show / Variety show.
• Accent type: American.
• Episode length: Approximately 42 minutes. It airs five nights a week (Monday through Friday), with hundreds of episodes produced each year.
• Seasons available: 6 seasons.
• Key vocabulary: "tonight," "guest," "monologue."
• Why is it good for learning English? Learners can hear natural, partly unscripted conversations between Jimmy Fallon and his guests during his interviews that highlight different aspects of American culture and humor.

5. The Voice (2011-Present)

In this singing competition, contestants compete for a recording contract and a cash prize. It starts with “Blind Auditions,” where celebrity coaches choose singers based only on their voice. Then they compete in “Battle Rounds,” “Knockouts,” and live shows. The audience votes to choose “The Voice,” who becomes the winner.

• Difficulty level: Intermediate English.
• Genre: Reality TV / Competition show.
• Accent type: American.
• Episode length: Approximately 42-90 minutes. Typically around 18-28 episodes per spring/fall cycle.
• Seasons available: 27 seasons, but it’s still ongoing.
• Key vocabulary: "coach," "audition," "vocal."
• Why is it good for learning English? The Voice gives great practice with natural American conversational English through the talks between coaches and contestants about music, competition, feedback, mentorship, and other common slang.

6. 60 Minutes (1968-Present)

This is one of TV’s longest-running and most respected news shows. It features strong investigative journalism, engaging interviews with key figures, and in-depth reports on major national and international events.

• Difficulty level: Advanced English.
• Genre: News / Docuseries
• Accent type: American.
• Episode length: Approximately 45 minutes. Airs weekly, typically around 40-50 new episodes per season.
• Seasons available: Over 50 seasons.
• Key vocabulary: "report," "interview," "investigation."
• Why is it good for learning English? This show is great for advanced learners who want to learn about current events and formal English.

These shows are great if you want to make your learning feel authentic and practical. You'll be able to pick up useful phrases, hear different accents, and gain unique insights into English-speaking culture, all while being entertained.

Children's and Teen TV Shows for Learning English

Children's and teen television shows are ideal for English language learners since they are actually made to be helpful in introducing audiences to common vocabulary.

Do not be fooled by their target audience; they are an excellent first step to get used to everyday conversations in English.

Here are a few shows and cartoons you can begin with:

1. Phineas and Ferb (2007-Present)

This fun show follows two clever stepbrothers as they spend their summer vacation creating amazing inventions and planning big projects. Their older sister, Candace, is always trying to catch them and get them in trouble. Meanwhile, their pet platypus, Perry, secretly lives a double life as a spy.

• Difficulty level: Beginner / Intermediate English.
• Genre: Animated show.
• Accent type: American.
• Episode length: Approximately 22 minutes (2 segments per episode). Typically 26 episodes per season.
• Seasons available: 5 seasons, but it’s still ongoing.
• Key vocabulary: "build," "invent," "platypus."
• Why is it good for learning English? The clear, often repetitive dialogue, combined with strong visual cues, makes it very accessible for beginners. It also features many songs that are excellent for pronunciation and rhythm.

2. Bluey (2018-Present)

Bluey is a six-year-old puppy who lives with her Mum, Dad, and her four-year-old sister, Bingo. Through imaginative play, the family learns about life, builds social skills, and handles everyday challenges with humor and love. 

It’s made for young children, but the emotional intelligence, humor, and parenting lessons of the show are so good that even adults often find themselves laughing and crying while watching.

• Difficulty level: Beginner English.
• Genre: Children's animated show.
• Accent type: Australian.
• Episode length: Approximately 7 minutes. Typically 52 episodes per season.
• Seasons available: 3 seasons, but it’s still ongoing.
• Key vocabulary: "play," "Dad," "Mum." 
• Why is it good for learning English? Bluey is excellent for beginner English learners because it has short, easy-to-watch episodes, clear Australian accents, and simple, repeated language in everyday family situations.

3. Sesame Street (1969-Present)

This famous children’s TV show combines live-action scenes, animation, and puppets, featuring well-known characters such as Big Bird, Elmo, and Cookie Monster. It teaches reading and writing, numbers, social and emotional skills, and understanding different cultures.

• Difficulty level: Beginner English.
• Genre: Live-action kids' show.
• Accent type: American.
• Episode length: Approximately 25-50 minutes. Typically 30-35 episodes per season.
• Seasons available: Over 55 seasons, but it’s still ongoing.
• Key vocabulary: "letters," "numbers," "sharing."
• Why is it good for learning English? Sesame Street is perfect for absolute beginners thanks to its repeated patterns, clear pronunciation, visual aids, and catchy songs that help learners remember basic vocabulary and grammar.

4. Gossip Girl (2007-2012)

This show follows the lives of wealthy teenagers who go to elite private schools on Manhattan’s Upper East Side. An anonymous, all-knowing blogger called “Gossip Girl” constantly watches them and shares the scandalous secrets of their high-society world.

• Difficulty level: Advanced English.
• Genre: Teen show.
• Accent type: American.
• Episode length: Approximately 40-42 minutes. Typically 18-22 episodes per season.
• Seasons available: 6 seasons (plus a revival series that aired from 2021 to 2023.) 
• Key vocabulary: "gossip," "secret," "drama."
• Why is it good for learning English? Gossip Girl has fast-paced conversations with complex sentences and a lot of slang and informal language. This is great for advanced learners who want to understand modern spoken English. 

5. Stranger Things (2016-2025)

Set in the 1980s, the show starts with a young boy going missing in the fictional town of Hawkins, Indiana, and the arrival of a girl with special powers. It follows a group of friends as they discover supernatural mysteries, secret government experiments, and scary creatures.

• Difficulty level: Intermediate / Advanced English.
• Genre: Teen show.
• Accent type: American.
• Episode length: Varies by episode, ranging from 50 minutes to over 2 hours for finales. Typically 7-9 episodes per season.
• Seasons available: 4 seasons (A final 5th season is coming in late 2025.) 
• Key vocabulary: "Upside Down," "monster," "mystery."
• Why is it good for learning English? Stranger Things has interesting stories and conversations that focus on the characters, providing good context for learning new words. The 1980s setting also offers unique cultural and language insights.

So if you're looking for a light and enjoyable way of improving your English, try out children's and teen series. Their casual tone and simple-to-follow dialogues make learning effortless and enjoyable, and you'll improve without even realizing it!

BONUS: Adult Cartoons for Learning English

Who says animated shows are only for children or teens? Here’s a short list of examples of adult animated TV shows that are good for intermediate to advanced English learners to practice with:

• Rick and Morty (2013–present): A sci-fi comedy about a genius scientist and his awkward grandson traveling through bizarre dimensions. Good for learning: American accent that incorporates complex vocabulary and slang. 
• The Simpsons (1989–present): A long-running animated sitcom about the quirky Simpson family and their lives in the fictional town of Springfield. Good for learning: American accent, everyday language, cultural references, and humor rooted in social commentary. 
• Koala Man (2023–present): An Australian suburban dad moonlights as a useless superhero. Good for learning: Australian accent and slang, intonation, and humor in a casual setting. 
• Family Guy (1999–present): A dark comedy about a dysfunctional family led by bumbling Peter Griffin, full of cutaway gags and satire. Good for learning: Exposure to different American regional accents, idioms, and cultural humor. 
• South Park (1997–present): A crude but clever satire about four boys in a small Colorado town tackling controversial issues. Good for learning: fast-paced American accent, current-events vocabulary, and sharp satirical dialogue. 

If you decide to try watching any of these, please let us know what did you think of them in the comments below!

Educational/Informational TV Shows to Learn English and Beyond

Educational and informative television programs are an ideal resource for English students who wish to expand their vocabulary as they learn more about our globe.

These series cover a broad variety of topics, including science, history, and how-to, and typically use simple explanations and nice graphics to make complex ideas understandable. 

You can see a few suggestions below:

1. Brain Games (2011-2020)

This fun, interactive series explores the fascinating world of cognitive science, covering many topics such as memory, perception, and decision-making. It uses illusions, psychological experiments, and tricky challenges to show how our brains work and can sometimes fool us. 

• Difficulty level: Intermediate / Advanced English.
• Genre: Docuseries / Popular science.
• Accent type: American.
• Episode length: Approximately 22-25 minutes. Typically 6-12 episodes per season.
• Seasons available: 8 seasons. 
• Key vocabulary: "brain," "illusion," "perception."
• Why is it good for learning English? Brain Games is great for practicing listening skills in a scientific context and seeing how English is used to explain abstract ideas in an interesting way. 

2. Lost Cities Revealed with Albert Lin (2023)

In this miniseries, National Geographic explorer Albert Lin uses advanced technologies like LiDAR and ground-penetrating radar to explore and reveal what lost cities and forgotten civilizations once looked like.

• Difficulty level: Advanced English.
• Genre: Documentary Series / History / Travel.
• Accent type: American.
• Episode length: Approximately 42-44 minutes. 6 episodes in the season.
• Seasons available: 1 season. 
• Key vocabulary: "LiDAR," "civilization," "archaeology."
• Why is it good for learning English? This series is excellent for advanced learners who want to expand their vocabulary in science, history, and exploration, as well as for practicing listening to detailed explanations.

3. Get Organized with The Home Edit (2020-2022)

In this show, professional organizers Clea Shearer and Joanna Teplin help declutter and transform the homes of regular people and celebrities. Using their special “rainbow” organization style and practical but beautiful systems, they create spaces that work well and look good.

• Difficulty level: Intermediate English.
• Genre: Reality TV / Lifestyle / Makeover shows.
• Accent type: American.
• Episode length: Approximately 30-40 minutes. Typically 8 episodes per season.
• Seasons available: 2 seasons. 
• Key vocabulary: "organize," "declutter," "space."
• Why is it good for learning English? Clea and Joanna use enthusiastic and descriptive language, which includes English vocabulary about home life, organization, and describing how things look.

If you want to learn something new while practicing English, watching an educational show is a great choice. You’ll improve your English naturally while exploring many interesting topics about the world, making each viewing session both helpful and enjoyable.

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Why are best-rated TV shows useful?

Nowadays, in the time of technology, almost everyone is on the Internet. Whether it's lunchtime, breakfast time, or a trip to school, or work, everyone is watching YouTube, TikTok, or just movies. However, you can not only enjoy watching but also spend minutes usefully.

The Promova platform helps you learn English anywhere, choosing a convenient amount of time and an interesting format. A useful application helps you focus on a specific aspect of the language. You can become a better version of yourself by mastering a useful skill. The platform also offers classes with a tutor.

You can talk to a tutor on completely different topics: from health to business.

The platform is suitable for beginners and experienced English users. Theory and practice are conducted in a clear and accessible language. All topics are perfectly structured — from easy to complex. A big plus is that this site has almost all sections for practice, namely: the translation of songs, videos, articles, tests, and TV shows.

Why TV shows in English are useful:

1. Vocabulary increases. Memorize verbal forms, expressions, and stable combinations;
2. Listening is improved. You learn to understand what the speaker says. If you can perceive information at such a speed, then you will not get lost when talking to a foreigner;
3. The rest continues. You learn a language, but you still watch TV series;
4. You work on the pronunciation. It is enough to repeat after the characters, copy their intonation and the correct name of things;
5. It is immersion in the peculiarities of the culture of another country. Many phrases and humor are based on the origin of words, and the irony is based on successful turns, which in principle cannot be translated into your native language.

How to watch the best educational TV shows for adults?

TV shows can be watched with or without subtitles. It all depends on what kind of training you have. If you have a similar experience and have seen this TV series before, then you can watch it without subtitles. But it is important to remember how well you are doing with listening. There are adapted subs, original or combined. The latter option can mostly be found only on paid online players and by subscription. To understand the meaning of TV series, and TV shows, it is not necessary to know the translation of all the words — it is enough to understand the general idea. However, it is better to translate unknown phrases and write them down in a notebook.

It is difficult for a beginner to perceive information without subs at all. There is not enough vocabulary, and the speed of reproduction is sometimes greater than the intensity of information processing in the head when translating.

How to learn English TV shows correctly?

There are several tips on how to properly learn English on a TV show:

• At the first viewing, you may not understand half of the meaning and give up everything. It just means that you got down to business wrong. First you need to choose a training series that you can do.
• Choose the difficulty. If you start with "Game of Thrones" or "Sherlock" without having proper training, then you will not understand anything. To begin with, it is advisable to focus on simple uncomplicated plots or fascinating cartoons.
• Watch your favorite genres. If you are excited about horror, watch these movies. Comedies are considered universal — "Friends", "Clinic" and others.
• Write down new words and pay attention to the context in which they are used. It is better to have a small dictionary. To consolidate knowledge, repeat what you have learned.
• Review. A great way would be to once again watch the season that you have already seen in your native language. Knowing the plot, you can concentrate on grammar and expressions.

Conclusion

Sometimes there is no opportunity to study in English courses or with a tutor. Therefore, self-study of the language will surprise a few people. The coolest thing is that there are a lot of resources and opportunities.

Having fun and learning is a great motivation. Don't you have enough time to visit the cinema and enjoy the latest movies? You can be ahead of the whole planet! It's no secret that dubbing is carried out only after a few months, and you can afford to view it in the original.

Video and audio materials were and remain the best way to perceive speech. In the initial stages, the use of subtitles is recommended, and after 3-4 months you will be able to refuse them. We can talk about such effectiveness only if we watch videos daily for 20 minutes.

Another aspect of learning a foreign language from films is vocabulary replenishment. In the first stages, you will guess the meaning of the words and compare them with a particular situation on the screen. Later, ready-made lexical expressions will be stored in your memory.