British TV dramas, with their unique sense of humor, delicate plots and rich cultural connotations, are attracting more Chinese audiences, especially young people. As they say, those who watch British series despise those who watch American ones; the Americans despise those who watch Japanese shows; and the Japanese disdains those who watch South Korean ones. Let's have a look at some of the most popular British TV shows in China.
凭借独特的幽默感、精妙的故事情节和丰富的文化内涵，英国电视剧正吸引着越来越多的中国观众，尤其是年轻观众。如他们所言，看英剧的瞧不起看美剧的;看美剧的瞧不起看日剧的;看日剧的瞧不起看韩剧的。今天，我们就来看看在中国最受欢迎的一些英剧吧。
Sherlock
《神探夏洛克》
Talking about the top ranking British TV series, Sherlock will be definitely on the list. According to statistics provided by Youku.com, the video website where the TV program was initially released with Chinese subtitles, viewership for Sherlock's third season premiere totaled 89.73 million people, making it one of the most popular TV shows on the web.
说起人气超高的英剧，《神探夏洛克》一定榜上有名。视频网站优酷最早放出该剧的中文字幕版，该网站的数据显示，《神探夏洛克》第三季的首播集收视人数达到了8973万，让此剧成为互联网上有史以来最多人观看的剧集之一。
The BBC-produced videos are based on the classic detective stories in The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle, and yet this time the setting is moved from the 19th century to the 21st century. The actors portraying the protagonists, Holmes and Dr. Watson, Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman, have become new favorites for young people.
这部电视剧由英国广播公司(BBC)出品，内容改编自亚瑟•柯南•道尔的《福尔摩斯探案集》里的经典推理故事，不过这次故事背景从19世纪换成了21世纪。扮演主角福尔摩斯(Holmes)和华生医生(Dr.Watson)的分别是本尼迪克特•康伯巴奇(Benedict Cumberbatch)和马丁•弗里曼(Martin Freeman)，他们现在都是中国年轻人心目中的新晋男神。
Downton Abbey
《唐顿庄园》
With its deep sense of British culture, complicated plots, historical background and high production quality, Downton Abbey won the hearts of many Chinese fans. On Youku.com alone, the program's nine-episode fifth season has been viewed nearly 20 million times in total.
凭借着深厚的英国文化气息、曲折复杂的故事情节、历史背景和高水准的制作，《唐顿庄园》俘获了不少中国粉丝的心。仅在优酷上，该剧第五季的第九集就收获了近2000万的总浏览量。
The series, set in the fictional Yorkshire country estate Downton Abbey, depicts the lives of the aristocratic Crawley family and their servants in the post-Edwardian era - with the great events of history affecting their lives and the British social hierarchy. It has won numerous accolades, including a Golden Globe Award for Best Miniseries or Television Film and a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Miniseries or Movie.
该剧背景设定在约克郡一个虚构的乡村庄园——唐顿庄园，描述了后爱德华时期贵族大家庭克劳利家族及其仆人们的生活，他们的生活和英国的社会等级制度也随着历史上发生的大事件而不断变迁。《唐顿庄园》荣获无数荣誉，包括金球奖迷你剧和电视电影类最佳剧集以及黄金时段艾美奖最佳迷你剧或电视电影剧集。
Black Mirror
《黑镜》
Satirical themes, high technology, the uncertainty of modern life and humanity - yes, that is the British series hit Black Mirror. The speculative fiction enjoys increasing popularity in China season after season since its first release in 2011.
讽刺性的主题，高端的科技，现代生活和人性的无常——没错，这就是大热的英剧《黑镜》。这部科幻作品自从2011年开播以来，随着每一季剧集的播放，在中国的人气一路水涨船高。
The TV series earned a super big wow among Chinese audiences for its film-like editing and production quality, its creative and unexpected plots, delicate and stylish narrative approach, and satirical yet thought-provoking themes. It discusses and explores the relationship between new technology and human life, media and society, morality and ethics. Each episode is an individual story, with different settings and casts.
这部电视剧因为其可媲美电影的剪辑和制作水准而让大批中国观众拍案叫绝。它不落俗套而又出人意料的情节，精妙而又紧跟潮流的叙事手法，以及讽刺但又让人深思的主题都让人啧啧称奇。它探索了新科技和人类生活，媒体和社会，道德和伦理之间的关系。每一集都是一个独立的小故事，故事背景和演员也都不同。
The Black Mirror was created by English satirist Charlie Brooker and was first aired on British Channel 4 in 2011. Charlie Brooker once explained the series' title to The Guardian: "If technology is a drug – and it does feel like a drug – then what, precisely, are the side-effects? This area – between delight and discomfort – is where Black Mirror, my new drama series, is set. "
《黑镜》由英国讽刺作家查理•布鲁克(Charlie Brooker)创作，2011年在英国电视四台首播。查理•布鲁克曾经向《卫报》解释过此剧的标题：“如果科技是毒品的话——而且它的确很像毒品——那么，它到底有什么负面影响呢?这片介于开心和不适之间的区域，就是我的新剧《黑镜》的立足点。
Mr. Bean
《憨豆先生》
The Mr. Bean series has been a global craze for years and China is not an exception. Rowan Atkinson, the British actor who created the humorous character, is quite a star among Chinese audiences. The creative yet daily-life plots and his unique British personality make Mr. Bean one of the most successful British TV characters.
《憨豆先生》系列喜剧风靡全球多年，中国也不例外。英国男演员罗温•艾金森(Rowan Atkinson)在中国也是一位大明星，他创造了“憨豆先生这位令人捧腹的幽默角色。故事情节颇有创意，可讲述的又是日常琐事，再加上他独具一格的“英式性格，让“憨豆先生成了英国电视史上最成功的角色之一。
Mr. Bean and the animated series are available on many video websites in China, such as Youku, Tudou, Iqiyi and Letv. On Iquiyi alone, the 26 episodes of the 2002 Mr. Bean animated series received 3,390 million viewing times.
《憨豆先生》及《憨豆先生动画版》在中国很多视频网站均可观看，如优酷、土豆、爱奇艺和乐视。仅仅在爱奇艺一家网站上，2002年出品的《憨豆先生动画版》的26集节目就有33.9亿的浏览量。
Meanwhile, the image of Mr. Bean has also been used in funny stickers on social media, such as Weibo and QQ.
同时，微博和QQ等社交媒体也使用“憨豆先生的形象作为搞笑表情。
Hustle
《飞天大盗》
Hustle is the British TV drama made by Kudos Film and Television and broadcast on BBC One in the UK. First aired in 2004, the series produced eight seasons and ended in February 2012. On Douban.com, a Chinese online social community where many fans review films and TV dramas,Hustle received nearly 70,000 comments, with an average rating point reaching 9 out of 10.
《飞天大盗》由Kudos影视公司(Kudos Film and Television)制作，在BBC第一频道播出。该剧在2004年首次播出，总共制作了8季，2012年2月结束。豆瓣网是中国在线社交社区，许多粉丝在这里评论电影和电视节目。《飞天大盗》在豆瓣得到了近7万条评论，平均评分高达9(满分为10)。
The series follows a group of con artists who specialize in "long cons" - extended deceptions which require greater commitment, but which return a higher reward than simple confidence tricks. The victims of their defraud are often those who are greedy or have misgotten wealth or tainted fortunes.
这部英剧记录了一群专门做“长线骗局的诈骗高手们的故事，这类骗局要求的投入更高，不过丰厚的收益也是小打小闹的骗人把戏所不能比的。他们所骗的人一般都是贪得无厌、发了不义之财或者非法赚钱的人。
Merlin
《梅林传奇》
Merlin, the British fantasy-adventure television program, plays a large role in many young Chinese audiences' spare time, especially among colleague students. From the first season to the fifth, the TV series received around 40,000 comments, with the average rating point reaching above 8/10. The derivative videos, such as Merlin: Secrets & Magic (2009) and The Real Merlin and Arthur (2009) also enjoy high popularity due to people's love of the original TV episodes.
英国魔幻冒险电视剧《梅林传奇》在很多年轻中国观众的闲暇时间陪伴着他们，其中大学生尤其多。从第一季到第五季，这部英剧的评论已经有4万左右条，评分也在8以上(满分10)。不少衍生剧如《梅林传奇之魔法秘境》(2009)和《梅林和亚瑟的前世今生》(2009)因为原剧的原因而在中国观众中也享有很高的人气。
Meanwhile, British actors Colin Morgan and Bradley James are becoming increasingly known in China for playing the protagonists Merlin and Arthur in the drama. The close ties and brother-like relationship between the two roles became a hot gossip among young audiences. Some of the classic dialogue in the episodes has even been used in as a teaching tool on English education websites, such as hujiang.com.
与此同时，英国演员科林•摩根(ColinMorgan)和布莱德利•詹姆斯(BradleyJames)也因在剧中出演梅林和亚瑟而在中国人气渐长。两个角色之间如兄弟般亲密的关系成了很多年轻观众的热门八卦。剧中很多经典的对白甚至被沪江等英语学习网站用于教学。
The show is loosely based on the Arthurian legends of the young wizard Merlin and his relationship with King Arthur but differs from traditional versions.
这部英剧取材自亚瑟王的传说，可和原作联系并不紧密，讲述了年轻巫师梅林和亚瑟王的故事，但又与老版本有所不同。
Doctor Who
《神秘博士》
Doctor Who, another classic British TV series, enjoys great popularity in China. The science-fiction television program has been reviewed with high rating for years, with an average 9/10 mark on Douban.com, one of the most popular websites for film fans and critics.
同样经典的英剧还有《神秘博士》，它在中国同样广受欢迎。这部科幻电视剧评分多年来一直居高不下，在豆瓣网上平均打分为9(满分为10)。豆瓣是最受影迷和影评人喜爱的网站之一。
The show was produced by the BBC from 1963 to the present day. The program depicts the adventures of the Doctor, a Time Lord - a space and time-travelling humanoid alien. He explores the universe and combats a variety of foes while working to save civilizations and help people in need. The series is the most "longevial" science-fiction TV drama in the world, with the ninth season broadcasting this year.
这部剧在由BBC制作，从1963年开播直至今日。这部剧讲述了一位能穿越时空的类人外星人、名为“博士(Doctor)的时间领主的冒险故事。他不仅探索宇宙，更和各类敌人斗智斗勇，拯救星球文明，帮助所需之人。《神秘博士》是世界上最长寿的科幻电视剧，第九季于今年播出。
North and South
《南方和北方》
North & South is another must-see for British TV fans in China. The 2013 series gained more than 14 million viewing times with only four episodes on V.QQ.com, a popular Chinese video website.
《南方和北方》是另一部中国英剧迷必看的作品。这部2013年出品的的电视剧，仅凭借四集节目，就在中国人气视频网站腾讯视频得到了超过1400万的点击量。
The story is described as Pride and Prejudice in the Industrial Age. It follows the story of Margaret Hale (Daniela Denby-Ashe), a young woman from southern England who has to move to the north after her father decides to leave the clergy. The family struggles to adjust to the industrial town's customs, especially after meeting the Thorntons, a proud family of cotton mill owners who seem to despise their social inferiors. The story explores issues of class and gender, as Margaret's sympathy for the town mill workers clashes with her growing attraction to John Thornton (Richard Armitage).
这个故事被誉为工业时代的《傲慢与偏见》。出生在英格兰南部的玛格丽特•海尔(Margaret Hale)(丹妮拉•丹拜-阿什 Daniela Denby-Ashe饰)因为作为牧师的父亲辞了工作，而搬去英国北方生活。整个家庭都在努力适应着北方工业小镇的习俗，尤其是在碰见桑顿一家之后。盛气凌人的桑顿一家是棉纺厂的厂主，看似瞧不起社会地位比他们低的人们。玛格丽特对小镇棉纺厂里的工人的同情与她对约翰•桑顿(理查德•阿米蒂奇)日渐增长的情愫相冲突，这个故事借此探索了阶级和性别的话题。
Silk
《皇家律师》
Barristers, the laws, the ethical dilemmas, "the overlap between the personal and the professional", "principles fought for and principles sacrificed"… Silk is another popular British TV drama.
律师、法律、道德困境，“私与公的重合，“追求捍卫的准则信念和牺牲抛弃的准则信念······《皇家律师》是另一部大受欢迎的英国电视剧。
Silk follows a set of barristers from a chambers in London. The series' main focus is on Martha Costello (Maxine Peake) and her ambition to become Queen's Counsel, as well as on her rival, Clive Reader (Rupert Penry-Jones). Martha achieves her ambition at the end of Series One, leaving Clive disappointed. He however becomes a Queen's Counsel in the opening episode of Series 3. The chambers' senior clerk, Billy Lamb (Neil Stuke), also features heavily in the series.
《皇家律师》记录了伦敦一家律师事务室里几位出庭律师的生活。剧集的主角是一直梦想着成为英国王室法律顾问的玛莎•科斯特洛(Martha Costello)(玛克辛·皮克 MaxinePeake饰)以及她的对手克里夫•利德(Clive Reader)(鲁伯特·彭利-琼斯 Rupert Penry-Jones饰)。玛莎最后在第一季的末尾梦想成真，让克里夫大失所望。然而，在第三季的首播集中，克里夫同样成为了王室法律顾问。事务室里的高级职员比利•兰博(BillyLamb)(内尔·斯杜克 Neil Stuke饰)在此剧里也是不可或缺的角色。
The White Queen
《白王后》
British historical dramas are always quite a hit among Chinese fans and The White Queen is one of them. Search "British TV drama" on Baidu.com, the most-used Chinese web browser, and it's easy to find The White Queen on the hottest-series list.
英国历史剧在中国粉丝中一直反响不俗，《白王后》就是其中之一。在中国最常用的搜索引擎百度输入“英剧，不难发现《白王后》一直是热门英剧榜单的常驻对象。
The White Queen is a 10-part television drama series based on Philippa Gregory's historical novel series, The Cousins' War (The White Queen, The Red Queen and The Kingmaker's Daughter). The first episode premiered on BBC One on June 16, 2013. It was first broadcast in the United States on Starz on Aug 9, 2013.
《白王后》分为10集，故事改编于菲利帕•格力高里(Philippa Gregory)的历史题材系列小说《兄妹的战争》(《白王后》，《红王后》和《拥王者的女儿》)。第一季的首播集2013年6月16日在BBC播出，在美国的首播时间为2013年8月9日，在Starz频道播出。
Vocabulary
connotation：内涵意义
despise：轻视，鄙视
disdain：蔑视
viewership：收视人数
thought-provoking：发人深省的;引起思考的
con：骗子，骗局
confidence trick：欺骗手段
defraud：欺骗
misgotten：非法得到的
humanoid：像人的
barristers：出庭律师
Queen's Counsel：(英格兰女王在位期间)英国王室法律顾问
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