How good is British TV? No, I'm really asking.

Okay, guys… I'm sorry, this might not be warranted but I'm doing it anyway: what's the big deal with British television? Yes, I love Sherlock and the episodes of Doctor Who I've seen have been fun, but are they really the best shows ever?  

I mean, I feel like everyone takes a dump on American television because of Two and a Half Men and Jersey Shore, but honestly, has Great Britain ever turned out anything as well-constructed and engaging as Breaking Bad, or anything as heartbreakingly realistic as The Wire? And, guys, I'm seriously asking here. Please, tell me that they have and I'll shut up. I don't have a HUGE all-encompassing knowledge of British TV. 

But I also think that's part of the problem. Yes, if there were thousands of British TV shows and they were all as good as Sherlock, Doctor Who, and Downton Abbey, but there's gotta be more out there that doesn't make it across the pond, right? And, let's be honest, the third season Downton Abbey was pretty crummy.

Yes, I'm overstating my point because it's easier to start a lively that way, but I really want to know, what am I missing about Anglophilic television tastes?

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