The best TV shows to download for your commute
You can finally admit it. You're all podcast-ed out, aren't you?
Come in, come in. You're safe here. You can finally admit it. You're all podcast-ed out, aren't you?
Don't worry; we have the solution. Via the beauty of download services such as Amazon Video and BBC iPlayer, you can now stop wasting your commute staring at hair plug adverts and JustEat puns, and start using your time wisely.
To help, we've curated the best TV shows that you can download for your morning commute. To come up with them, we followed a few simple rules. No genitals (that old lady in the priority seat next to you is close enough to death already, thank you), not too much gore, and most importantly just plain damn good TV. Enjoy.
The Man in the High Castle
Answering the question, "What would happen if Germany won WW2?", this dystopian drama is so engrossing we can actually guarantee that you'll miss your stop (sorry about that). It's complicated, it's terrifying, and it features plenty of unexpected twists.
Episode length: 48-60 minutes
Download The Man in the High Castle on Amazon Prime Video here
Stupid Man, Smart Phone
If you don't mind guffawing on the Central Line to Epping, Russell Kane's series of around-the-world challenges is a must-watch. The premise is simple: Kane and a companion must survive and solve dilemmas using only the power of his smart phone. Cue them Googling whether you can make a fire out of dried poo, and you're officially hooked.
Episode length: 48 minutes
Download Stupid Man, Smart Phone on BBC iPlayer here
Vikings
Originally airing on the History Channel in 2013, Vikings is an historical drama based on stories of the legendary viking Ragnar Lothbrok. There's plenty of raiding, trading, and invading, but it's not a gratuitous celebration of sex and violence, making it safe for even the most packed of train carriages.
Download Vikings on Amazon Prime Video here
Wonders of the Universe
Physicist Brian Cox's exploration of space, humanity, and life is full of beautifully striking images and mind-boggling facts. The four-episode series is sure to get you thinking (if not slightly existential) in the morning.
Episode length: 59 minutes
Download Wonders of the Universe on BBC iPlayer here
Transparent
This Amazon original comedy follows the story of an LA dad - played by Jeffrey Tambor - after he comes out as transgender to his family. As the first show produced by a streaming media service to win a Golden Globe for Best Series, you don't need us to tell you it's worth a watch.
Episode length: 27-31 minutes
Download Transparent on Amazon Prime Video now
Flat TV
If you have a thirst for a truly original comedy, then the BBC's online-exclusive Flat TV will not disappoint. Summarised by the channel as a "genre-busting bromance" the series follows two flatmates who re-imagine their lives as a series of TV parodies.
Episode length: 22 minutes
Download Flat TV on BBC iPlayer now
Firefly
If you somehow crave that why-did-they-cancel-this-oh-god-why-did-they-cancel-this feeling that you got at the end of Freaks and Geeks, then Joss Whedon's Firefly - the TV show that eventually got squashed into the movie Serenity - is for you. Set in 2517, the single series explores the lives of nine people who fought on the wrong side of a civil war and now live on the fringes of society.
Episode length: 44 minutes
Download Firefly from Amazon Video now
Blue Bloods
Tom Selleck. Tom Selleck. Tom Selleck. Tom Selleck. Also, a drama series about a family of police officers, but mainly: Tom Selleck.
Episode length: 45 minutes
Download Blue Bloods on Amazon Video here
Flight of the Conchords
If you haven't seen Flight of the Conchords, leave us right here and now, and if you have, you know as well as anyone that it's worth a rewatch on your otherwise useless commute. The short episodes are perfect for anyone with a quick journey, and the songs are a certified cure for the Monday morning blues.
Episode length: 26 minutes
Download Flight of the Conchords from Amazon Video here
Boardwalk Empire
Visually beautiful, historically educational, Boardwalk Empire's 52 Emmy nominations and 20 wins are reason enough to get downloading. The period drama focuses on Enoch "Nucky" Thompson, a political figure who controlled Atlantic City during the Prohibition era.
Episode length: 50-60 minutes
Download Boardwalk Empire on Amazon Video now
