This week's easiest comedy pick in the US on Britbox Apple TV Channel and Wonder Project Amazon Channel, and in the UK on Sky Go and BBC iPlayer is Upstart Crow. Every one of its 3 seasons holds up. 55 viewers have already rated it on TMDB — the kind of consensus that does not happen by accident. Watch it for David Mitchell — stay for everyone else around them. Start it on Britbox Apple TV Channel whenever you need something guaranteed to land.

Upstart Crow is not trying to be everything to everyone, and that focus is exactly what makes it work. Upstart Crow gets the fundamentals right first, then finds room to get weird with it. Comedy about the life and times of William Shakespeare as he starts to make a name for himself in London, whilst also trying to balance life as a husband and father for his family in Stratford-upon-Avon. The chemistry David Mitchell and Liza Tarbuck bring to it does a lot of the heavy lifting. Across 3 seasons (2016–2018), it never lost the thread that made it worth starting. What keeps Upstart Crow from feeling disposable is a cast that clearly understands the material better than the format usually demands. It knows exactly what it is, and does not try to be anything else.

For viewers who want something light without wanting something stupid, Upstart Crow respects your intelligence. Blackadder is the obvious comparison, but Upstart Crow earns its own place alongside it. The complete run is available and best experienced without too much prior knowledge of where it goes. David Mitchell's comic timing carries it through its weaker moments. The kind of comedy you recommend to someone who claims they do not watch much.

Upstart Crow was cancelled in 2018, created by Ben Elton — and 3 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.