Best Shows to Learn English: A Comprehensive Guide

Learning English can be a fun and rewarding experience, and one of the most enjoyable ways to improve your skills is by watching TV series. This article explores a variety of shows that cater to different English levels and interests, providing an engaging way to enhance your listening skills, expand your vocabulary, and familiarize yourself with various accents and cultural nuances.

Why Use TV Series to Learn English?

Watching TV series offers several advantages for English learners:

Fun and Engaging: Linguists agree that learning is more effective when you enjoy the process. TV series provide entertainment while you learn.
Listening Skills: TV shows are a great way to practice your listening skills.
Vocabulary Expansion: You'll encounter new words and phrases in context, making them easier to remember.
Cultural Insights: TV shows offer a window into different cultures, traditions, and values.
Real English: TV series expose you to "real" English, including slang, idioms, and phrasal verbs, which are essential for understanding casual conversations.
Accents and Pronunciation: You can familiarize yourself with various English accents, improving your overall comprehension.

Tips for Learning English with TV Series

To maximize your learning experience, consider these tips:

Choose Shows You Enjoy: Select programs that align with your interests to stay motivated.
Start with Subtitles: Begin with subtitles in your native language to understand the context, then switch to English subtitles to link oral and written language. Eventually, try watching without subtitles when you recognize most of the words.
Establish a Routine: Dedicate 15 to 30 minutes daily to watching TV series in English.
Take Notes: Write down new expressions and link them to their usage context.
Rewatch Episodes: Reinforce memory by rewatching episodes.
Use Online Resources: Consult online glossaries, dictionaries, and learner forums to understand slang and idiomatic phrases.
Practice Shadowing: Repeat dialogues in real-time, focusing on intonation and pronunciation.
Consider Accents: Pay attention to different accents and how they vary.
Don't Be Afraid to Pause: Pause the show to write down new words or phrases, and practice pronunciation.
Be Patient: Learning takes time, so don't get discouraged if you don't understand everything immediately.

TV Series Recommendations by English Level

Beginner Level

For beginners, the key is to find shows with clear, slow English and simple vocabulary.

Extra: This TV show is specifically designed for English learners, featuring a story of four friends living in London and teaching their Spanish-speaking friend English.
Emily in Paris: This series offers common vocabulary and clear, well-articulated English. The French context can be reassuring for French-speaking viewers.
Heartstopper (Netflix): A recent teen drama with clear, slow English and no complicated expressions.
The Suite Life of Zack and Cody:
That’s So Raven:
Glee: This musical comedy sitcom can help with pronunciation due to the repetition of lyrics in songs.
The Simpsons: This animated series uses simple dialogues and teaches everyday phrases.
Locke & Key: Offers clear American English with mixed vocabulary and accessible dialogues.
Alf: A classic sitcom that is easy to understand and often funny.

Intermediate Level

Intermediate learners can handle more complex language and faster dialogues.

Friends: A classic sitcom with conversational language and obvious jokes, making it easy to follow.
Modern Family: Features a diverse cast with unique ways of speaking, including a Colombian accent.
The Crown: A British series with regal, formal, but clear accents, offering a glimpse into upper-class English life and British history.
Desperate Housewives: This American drama uses accessible English and repetitive situations, making it easier to follow.
Killing Eve: Features Sandra Oh speaking in a clear Canadian accent and Jodie Comer speaking slowly with a Belgian twang.
Brooklyn 99: A light-hearted sitcom series made up of short 30-minute episodes and adorable characters.
Malcolm in the Middle: Gives us an insight of the life of a typical American family who use simple English.
Ugly Betty: Easy to follow, especially since a lot of the focus is on Betty’s family-whose first language is not English.
Friday Night Lights: The show follows the stories of the players and their families, the coach and his family, and the fans who love them.

Advanced Level

Advanced learners can challenge themselves with shows that feature complex plots, fast-paced dialogues, and specialized vocabulary.

House:
Suits:
Grey's Anatomy: Features natural dialogue and commonly used English idioms.
The Big Bang Theory: Hilarious and features everyday slang in context, along with science-related vocabulary.
Breaking Bad: Uses regional slang and technical vocabulary specific to drug trafficking.
Better Call Saul: Introduces American legal vocabulary and criminal slang.
American Gods: Exposes you to various American accents and diverse conversations.
Oz:
Narcos:
Treme:
Westworld: Features different English accents, including Southern American and British.
Lie to Me:

Genre-Specific Recommendations

Sitcoms: Friends, Modern Family, The Big Bang Theory, How I Met Your Mother, That '70s Show, The Office.
Dramas: Desperate Housewives, Grey’s Anatomy, The Crown, American Horror Story, The Handmaid’s Tale.
Crime/Mystery: Lucifer, Riverdale, Breaking Bad, Better Call Saul.
Sci-Fi/Fantasy: Stranger Things, Westworld, American Gods.
Teen Dramas: Gossip Girl, Riverdale, 13 Reasons Why.
Historical Dramas: The Crown, Downton Abbey.
Medical Dramas: Grey’s Anatomy.
Legal Dramas: Suits, Better Call Saul.
Musical: Glee.

Accents and Dialects

Exposure to different accents and dialects is crucial for comprehensive English learning. Here are some shows that showcase a variety of accents:

American Gods: Features characters from different backgrounds, reflecting the USA’s linguistic diversity.
The Walking Dead: Good for learning the Southern accent of American English.
The Crown: Features formal, upper-class British accents.
Treme:
Friday Night Lights: Want to learn more about the Texas southern accent?

Understanding Slang

Slang is an integral part of everyday English. Here are some tips for understanding and learning slang:

Consult Specialized Glossaries: Use online resources to find the meanings of slang terms.
Link to Visual Context: Connect unknown terms to their visual context in the show.
Use Learner Forums: Explore learner forums to find explanations and examples.
Consider the Generation Gap: Be aware that slang varies across generations.
Practice Shadowing: Repeat dialogues in real-time to get a feel for the rhythm and intonation of slang.

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