INQUISITR.COM / Entertainment

Streaming Channel Acorn TV Is What Anglophiles Are Watching

By Amy Feinstein
Published on: 08:07 PST, Jun 17, 2016

Sure, there is Netflix for a day of streaming television or movies, but there are other alternatives looking for something a bit different for their binging habit. Enter Acorn TV, which is an Anglophile’s dream. For many, since Downton Abbey came to an end, there has been a hole left that only some new and different offerings from British television (and Acorn TV) can fill. And not that American television doesn’t provide an enormous menu of offerings, but Acorn TV offers drama, mystery, and comedy from many other English-speaking countries that you might not know existed.

According to the Inquisitr, one of the biggest star of Acorn TV is Martin Clunes, and his show, Doc Martin, in particular. No, it’s not a costume drama like Downton Abbey, but Doc Martin is a quirky medical drama/comedy now in its eighth season. Think House with less death and more laughs. Martin Clunes plays a former London surgeon who develops a blood phobia, and ends up taking a new post as a GP in the fictional Cornish town of Portwenn (filmed in Port Isaac). Not only is the basic cast a hoot, it is a chance to see many Brit actors seen in other shows. Last season’s major guest star was American actress Sigourney Weaver. Other streaming services have several seasons of Doc Martin, but only Acorn TV has the up to the minute seasons.

The PR Newswire says that Acorn TV is an award winning streaming service that can bring a whole new world to your streaming habit. Acorn TV has a stable of regular offerings, then adds new shows and movies each month, and an Acorn TV Friday Feature each week. And while many of the shows on Acorn TV are PBS level shows, there are also plenty of offerings that range from dark to just plain goofy.

Of course, there are staples like Murdoch Mysteries out of Canada, with many seasons on Acorn TV, and Midsomer Murders, in its 17th season, provides mini murder mysteries that all take place in an English village which has a crime rate similar to Murder She Wrote. Acorn TV is also the only streaming service with episodes as close to ITV as possible.

Then there is the show Very British Problems, which is documentary style, and stars American late night television host James Corden. It helps to explain, particularly to Americans, what is up with British quirks, like the need to say “sorry” all the time, and what is up with the tea obsession. PR Newswire describes Acorn TV’s Very British Problems as a study in British social awkwardness.

“The hilarious celebratory talking heads show returns with Britain’s most famous faces sharing the struggle against the endless capacity of social awkwardness which comes with being British. Originating from a Twitter account and narrated by Julie Walters, the show features contributions from James Corden (The Late Late Show), David Tennant (Doctor Who), Catherine Tate, and more.”

E! News says that more and more, Americans have developed an obsession with all things British, and they highly recommend an Acorn TV subscription. The term Anglophilia goes back to 1896 at the end of the Victorian era, and it put a stamp on the American love of all things Brit. Then came Beatlemania, Royal weddings, and Harry Potter, all which found a huge audience on American shores. Acorn TV helps a viewer get totally lost, often in many seasons worth of a single show, like Inspector Lewis, which is a Masterpiece classic.

Seamus Lyte, an international brand manager, explains that streaming services like Acorn TV allow us to take a break from our daily lives.

“With the drama series, such as Downton, I think people love to see how it was, and to disappear into another, seemingly less stressful time. It’s a mini break from all our normal lives and pressures. We all want what we do not have. These TV shows allow us to live it for a brief moment.”

And more and more, Brit actors who turn up in many of the series found on Acorn TV are trickling into American television and movies.

Have you check out Acorn TV? Acorn TV is offering a free 30 day trial to check out the best in Brit TV.

[Photo by Acorntv]

Share this article: Streaming Channel Acorn TV Is What Anglophiles Are Watching
More from Inquisitr