From thrilling dramas to nature documentaries: Here are 5 shows you shouldn’t miss on BBC Player

With a plethora of online streaming services available, you are probably wondering - what’s the point of adding one more to your rotation?

Well, if you’re tired of the same ol’ shows, you might want to check out BBC Player, with a lineup of BBC shows available to stream online.

Viewers can get everything from the wholesome competition of “The Great British Bake Off” to the eye-opening nature docuseries, “Asia”, and the compelling drama of “Joan”.

There's a distinctly British wit and charm to the programmes, which is especially appealing for when you've had enough of your usual U.S. dramas or reality shows.

If you’re new to BBC Player like I am, here are some shows that you shouldn’t miss.

Asia

Ever wanted to meet Asia’s shyest and possibly cutest mammal, the red panda, in their habitat at the foothills of the Himalaya?

Or how about watching rhinos in Nepal as they play a game of “kiss chase” in a bizarre courtship ritual?

Now you can, with BBC Earth’s upcoming documentary, “Asia”.

Filmed over the course of nearly four years, this is the first time that the Asian continent - home to the highest mountain range, the deepest ocean, the tallest jungles, and the biggest cave - has been the focus of a BBC Earth wildlife series.

Presented by none other than renowned British broadcaster, Sir David Attenborough, nature and wildlife documentary-lovers will be in for a treat, as the seven one-hour episodes will highlight the breathtaking variety of Asia’s wildest places that most of us will otherwise not get to see.

Several Asian cities such as Singapore, Tokyo, Bangkok, Taipei and Hanoi will also be featured in the series.

And if you think nature documentaries are just background noise, “Asia” might change your mind.

It’s like watching an IMAX thriller—visually stunning and emotionally gripping. Bonus points if you’ve got a 4K TV.

Bluey

On BBC Player's kid-focused channel CBeebies, Emmy Award-winning “Bluey” is an animated show about a cute Blue Heeler puppy and her family that’s somehow just as entertaining for adults as it is for kids.

The show, which burst onto TV screens in 2018, has also broken viewership records in its native Australia, as well as internationally.

It also won the best animated series (pre-school) at the Kidscreen Awards in 2023 and 2024, the 2022 BAFTA Children & Young People Award in the International category, among others.

The Great British Bake Off

It’s the show where baking enthusiasts compete to be crowned the UK’s best amateur baker.

Running since 2010, “The Great British Bake Off” has made baking a national sport in the UK.

Even celebs such as Harry Potter actress Bonnie Wright, American actor John Lithgow and retired British Olympic diver Tom Daley have appeared on special editions of the show.

While it’s not as high-stakes as, say, “MasterChef”, but that’s the charm.

The contestants could just be your neighbours who aren’t afraid to laugh at themselves.

And with the hosts keeping things cheeky, before you know it, you’re on your fifth episode with a pandan chiffon cake in hand.

If you enjoy dry British humour and food in general, this is a binge-worthy series indeed (pun unintended).

What’s more, viewers can catch the latest Season 15 premiering on Nov. 30.

Joan

For unforgettable British drama series with a gripping storyline, we have “Joan” — a six-part drama inspired by the true story of Joan Hannington, a notorious jewel thief.

Few may be aware that Joan (played by Sophie Turner), is known as the “Godmother” by some parts of the British underworld.

The series opens with Joan as a fiery and uncompromising woman in her 20s, who is deeply scarred and vulnerable.

The drama subsequently follows her journey from housewife and mother to petty criminal, to diamond thief and eventually a criminal mastermind in 1980s London.

Tl;dr, think “Breaking Bad”, but with diamonds.

If you’ve missed seeing Turner since her role as Sansa Stark in “Game of Thrones”, this is your chance to watch her on screen again, this time taking on a drastically different character.

Ghosts

In this unlikely British sitcom - yes, sitcom - a young couple inherit a grand country house, only to find it is teeming with ghosts from different eras of the property’s history.

Only after the female homeowner encounters an accident (perpetrated by one of the ghouls) is she able to see and communicate with the spirits residing in their home.

While the series may appear to be centred on the supernatural, it is anything but dark and scary.

In fact, it has been hailed as entertainment for the whole family, with one reviewer declaring it a show that even “children would enjoy”.

With episodes that draw inspiration from “Beetlejuice” and “The Rocky Horror Show”, “Ghosts” has also been called “infectiously silly, yet at the same time whip smart”.

Catch these programmes

All the above-mentioned channels, shows and more are available on BBC Player, a video-on-demand service which can be accessed via Singtel CAST or Starhub TV.

This BBC Player-sponsored article got this writer all ready to cozy up in her bedroom over the weekend.

Cover photo from BBC Studios