BBC Play of the Month

BBC Play of the Month has built a devoted audience in the US on fuboTV among viewers who want their drama to earn its emotional beats. 16 seasons of it means there is plenty to get through without ever feeling padded. 8 people have weighed in on TMDB, and the verdict leans heavily positive. The ensemble does the kind of work that holds up under scrutiny. Put it on tonight on fuboTV and see for yourself.

BBC Play of the Month arrived without much fanfare and built its audience the hard way — through word of mouth. BBC Play of the Month trusts its audience to sit with discomfort instead of resolving it too quickly. A BBC television anthology series featuring productions of classic and contemporary stage plays usually broadcast on BBC1. Each production featured a different work, often using prominent British stage actors in the leading roles. The series was transmitted from October 1965 to September 1983. It ran for 16 seasons (1965–1983), and the writing holds up across every one of them. The writing trusts the audience to sit with ambiguity rather than wrapping everything up in a tidy conclusion — it is the approach that separates good drama from great. It knows exactly what it is, and does not try to be anything else.

For anyone looking for storytelling that takes its characters seriously, BBC Play of the Month delivers. The tonal similarities to Tales of the Unexpected are real, though BBC Play of the Month carves out its own identity quickly. 16 seasons is a lot, but the quality holds all the way through. Every performance here earns its place, lead or not. The patience it asks of you early on is paid back with interest.

BBC Play of the Month wrapped up in 1983, created by James MacTaggart — and 16 seasons are available to watch from start to finish. Find exactly where it's streaming below, and TV Butler Pro makes it effortless to track your progress as you go. Just search the name, and Butler finds it instantly, tells you which service has it, and remembers exactly where you left off.