BritBox: The Best British TV Reviews

Before this newest update, I’d rate my two-year this app membership a 10-star streaming option for it’s variety, quality, and frequent additions of vintage and current programming. I’ve used my membership access to review various shows for an online magazine. However, this Nov. 2020 update has many issues! I was very disappointed that my “entertainment” iPad (10.3.3) no longer plays the video, even though it states it works on IOS 10.0.0 and above; I hear the audio, but see nothing. I can access programming on my “business” iPad, but the full-screen is still not a real “full” screen, and watching on my iPhone is, of course, inherently small. Also BritBox is aligned with portrait for browsing and landscape for viewing making it just slightly annoying. Lastly, the video end before the ending credits finish...maybe it’s an OCD thing, but I like for the program to be complete, ending credits and all. I do like the addition of the 10-second forward or rewind. I’m not in anyway saying “so long,” I greatly enjoy my daily “Brit Fix” way too much and just hopes these and other issues will be addressed and corrected...soon. If and when they do, I’ll revise my review!

I have been searching for a place to watch surviving episodes of Classic Doctor Who and this service provides! Though it isn’t perfect due to missing the episodes that have not survived (including the parts of those episodes that did survive) having 90% of the classic series available makes up for it anyway. Plus, since I am subscribing to the service I also get to check out everything else the service has to offer besides Doctor Who.

The actual streaming service of BritBox is good, much better than most reviews suggest, but it could use a few improvements. It would be nice if it kept track of what you have watched and had a “continue watching” section where it had the next episode ready for you instead of making you remember what you have already watched yourself. Other services also have features that let you skip back or skip ahead a few second to get to a part you want to see which is also absent here. You also cannot watch videos on BritBox while opening another. Despite these small flaws, BritBox has been reliable so far and I have subscribed to the annual plan. Here’s hoping to a good use of it.

I don’t know who thought this new design was a winner for this app but it’s a total clunker for users. The design is neither clean nor intuitive - it is in fact a total disaster. And who was the genius that decided you would force users to navigate BritBox in portrait mode only - even though your content is best viewed in landscape mode? Back in November you stated a new design would be delivered soon. You promised it would allow us to navigate and view content all in landscape mode. Remember that promise? Well, it’s February and while there have been updates, we are still forced to twist our iPads like we are clearing an Etch a Sketch just to view and navigate your content. Why?

UPDATE

Well, it took a while but the latest app update is a real winner. Gone are all the forced awkward gymnastics needed to search and play content. Now BritBox is smooth, intuitive, and it just plain works! Finally, an app worthy of the truly great content offered by this app.

I was literally in the middle of watching a show on the old (and FAR superior) app, when play was interrupted and I was told I had to update BritBox . I obliged the request and upon opening the newly updated app, the entire formatting has changed....for the worse! 1. Now the landing page is ONLY vertically oriented, so if your lying in bed watching you iPad, the vertical orientation is a pain and not worth adapting to. 2. Then, IF you can tolerate the stupid landing page and subsequent navigation to find the video you want to watch, the playback orientation, now able to go horizontal, only offers a window within a window sort of video. In other words, it no longer takes advantage of the full horizontal, wide screen playback and feels more like I’m watching on a phone or worse yet, like I’m watching on an old cathode ray tv...via an iPad! NO other streaming apps have such ridiculous interface and I totally regret the lure to and eventual capitulation to update BritBox . Unless it’s redone like it originally was and per the standards of all streaming apps for iPad, I’m deleting BritBox and I’ll just have to watch via telly for the foreseeable future. Your developers just set back BritBox by about 10 years!

I am a huge Brit tv fan, and luckily live in DC metro area where we get a unique PBS channel, WETA UK showing 24 hour Brit programming. Even though it's wonderful, I also subscribe to Acorn, and now this app to round out my options with very few duplications. However, I have had to sign out and back in every day to access this app as I am prompted with " invalid token". This is got to be resolved soon. Support suggests to sign out and back in, duh,... I get that, but every day? UPDATE...I've adjusted my rating to 5 stars after sign in issues resolved. this app app support contacted me to confirm their update corrected my issue. Barely over a week new, and already more content. I haven't used any other apps all month! Very Happy!!
Edit/Update Several months on and I'm still loving BritBox!!! No longer any sign in issues.
I've learned that 95% of the classic Doctor Who episodes that are NOT available on this app can be watched on Dailymotion, although some are animated.

During the free-trial period BritBox, while not brilliantly organized, worked fine, no crashes. The day after the first month was billed, it began crashing! Every darn time I start to watch an episode of something, about 10-15 minutes in, it crashes. Doesn't matter which device (iPhone, iPad, Apple TV) or what the program is. Close app, reset device, restart app, crash, repeat. Delete app, reset device, reinstall app, sign in again, choose program, start to play, crash. Doesn't matter at that point that I like programs offered, I'm fed up!

As for BritBox 's design, it's as if whoever the developers were, they must have never used any other streaming service themselves, since BritBox has virtually none of the features a good streaming service has. Doesn't properly track and save what you've watched so you can immediately return to a series and/or episode you've already watched. Search makes it crash. What's the point?

While I like the huge selection of British programming that it has, what use is it if BritBox is unusable?! The only reason I gave BritBox two stars is the size of its library of programming.

UPDATE in response to developer response: You have told me what I already know (knowing that I already knew it!) Obviously, your product developers do not understand the behavior of the serious binger and are blind to the need to improve your product by (a) providing option to turn APN off, (b) programming APN not to cut off program before its actual end, and/or (c) both. One star rating stands.

ORIGINAL REVIEW: I would give this app five stars for content and overall functionality if it weren't for the dang auto-play-next. It would be OK if the next episode would play after the current episode were actually over. However it frequently cuts off the end of the program, when the action continues under the credits. It also cuts off closing credits music, some of which is rather good, and I would like to listen to it and have a less abrupt transition to the next episode. The only solution that this app offers is to instruct you to" simply hit cancel if you don't want to continue onto the next episode." The problem is, you do want to continue onto the next episode, you just want to finish the one you're watching before you do.

I was stationed at RAF Upper Heyford many years ago and while there I fell in LUV with British comedies and murder mysteries. For years, my local PBS station was the only place I could watch some of my old faves...until (Netflix and) this app!

BritBox has a good variety of comedies, mysteries, dramas, etc., and I’ve had no problems streaming with or without WiFi.

I do have a better experience suggestion: it would be really helpful to have the ‘Up Next’ feature like Netflix so when one episode ends, within a few seconds the next one begins.

A couple of requests: there are so many crazy funny comedies that would be great additions — shows like Open All Night, ‘Allo ‘Allo, Yes, Minister, Last of the Summer Wine, Waiting for God, May to December, Dad’s Army and You Rang, M’Lord. A few really good mysteries to add to the current library: Murder in Suburbia, Foyle’s War, The Inspector Alleyn Mysteries, The Avengers, Special Branch and The Saint.

If you like watching British classics mysteries like Agatha Christie’s Poirot and Prime Suspect and comedies like Are You Being Served, As Time Goes By and Blackadder, then I highly suggest you check out the 7-day FREE trial. During my FREE trial I discovered a few new shows so I decided to subscribe and I’m very glad I did — I’m really enjoying having all the time access to some of my favorite British shows!!!

maybe they can spend the extra $1 from everyone to make a platform that operates the way it should… when i try to choose a program i have to go back and forth *hoping* it will land on what i want as one click of the remote arrow = one to five spaces moved. BritBox regularly kicks me out MID-EPISODE and signs me out as well so i have to go over the whole process of signing in again - sometimes several times in an evening. want to FF or REV a few seconds? good luck there too, the control is so laggy and jumpy i wind up going 10 minutes back instead then forward past where i was to begin with. really guys, it’s not worth the $7.99 you are currently charging because of the bother of actually getting around (or being allowed!) to watching anything on this horrid app. that’s my iphone AND my roku tv. and before you blame it all on my devices, as is the custom these days, know that that excuse holds no water as it is on you to keep your product functional with the current times.

I like the shows, although lately I seem to watch Acorn more often. Not sure if acorn has had better programs lately or what - but that has nothing to do with BritBox itself. There are a few things that bother me about BritBox : 1) it doesn’t show that you’ve already watched an episode or movie. I don’t usually remember the name or number of the last episode I watched so then I need to read the descriptions and usually watch part of several episodes to find one I haven’t seen. 2) you can’t jump ahead and backwards 15 or 30 seconds. If you want to go move up or go back you have to drag the dot on the progress bar. That’s really inconvenient and hard to do just 30 seconds or so. I usually like to skip the intro that’s the same in all episodes.. can’t do it on this app. 3) you have to choose close captions every time you watch a show. It would be nice to set that as a preference and then it would default to that choice each time.

I signed up for the free trial, entered in my payment information, and then I couldn’t even sign in through BritBox to watch anything. this app said I had an incorrect password, so I requested password reset MULTIPLE times and it never sent to my email (only email I received was a welcome). this app charged me after the 7-day free trial ran out. I called them, they said my email and my pay details aren’t even in their system. I told them that the email IS correct, and I’ve been charged already. while I’m on the phone with customer sevice going back and forth, somehow MAGICALLY i’m finally able to log into my account……but to my surprise, there’s no record of my charge underneath the billing history, and I can’t even delete my account??? This was a complete scam and customer support didn’t really help. I could care less about the $8, (the website says $6.99), I just want to delete my account!!! They are completely lying when they said they don’t have my payment info on file, how else would I be charged?? Feels like a violation.

I signed up for their streaming service on my iPad thru my Apple ID. I was charged right away but I wasn't able to watch anything. (Every time I clicked on a program it said "choose subscription" and I would, AGAIN. Then it would say, "already subscribed" over and over again, never letting me access any content. SUPER FRUSTRATING!) I sent TWO emails to customer service over 4 days ago, never got a single response (not even an automated generic response of "looking into your case"). I finally called to talk to someone and they said they had no record of my account being active and said it was a problem with Apple. The rep was "immediately referring my case to tech support" (no one called me back). I called Apple (who was quite helpful immediately) and after trouble shooting for quite awhile, couldn't find the problem and refunded me my money. The only thing I can think of is the interface isn't set up properly with Apple. Stick with Acorn, they have better service and better content. this app is not worth the hassle and terrible customer service.

I love, love, love this app. I have everything I need there, instead of a lot of junk on Netflix I’ll never watch. And Acorn was fine, but I could get most of what’s there on PBS Passport. this app was a little shaky at first (a year ago, when they first started). The video streaming would malfunction, and it wouldn’t keep track of where you had left off. But the toll-free customer service was friendly and quick with their response. They even reinstated a show I wanted back (“Vicar of Dibley”) the day after we talked! One last thing: Some will roll their eyes at this, but I really like it that you can watch cultural programs like the Royal Wedding, Edinburgh Tattoo, and King’s College Choir Christmas and Easter services. With my mum living in the UK, it makes me feel like I’m there with her... Thank you, this app, for bringing cheer to us here in the States!

I am new to this app and while I enjoy the programming, all versions of BritBox need work. Has BritBox ever had the ability to turn off auto play. It would appear that at least since Nov 2019 people have requested this. Developers need to give people the option to decide how to watch the programs. After all, we are paying for the service. There are far too many programs that continue the show well into the 15 seconds and even beyond the credits. Older folks like myself have difficulty seeing the smaller window and cannot resize it in time to catch what we missed. Fix this problem already and stop taking your customers for granted. It’s not as though you were forcing a commercial for us to see. Stop shrinking the end of the shows. Other services shrink the auto play warning. Other still simply overlay the warning. Why are you making us miss the ending or go blind trying to see it? I thought Brits had their brit together! Fix this already.

Would love to see option to turn off auto play or leave it on. I tend to watch the shorter comedies and would like this feature very much because my IPad stays on until I shut it off. It used to shut off until the last update.
Or maybe an ‘are you still watching’ after it has played for a couple of hours. If you don’t reply, it could shut itself for off.
Also I get a lot of shows in my keep watching section that I never watched to begin with or have already removed.
Like watching the shows and I pay a monthly fee, but BritBox needs a lot of help.

Wonderful selection, worth it for me just to get access to all the old Doctor Who episodes.

Streaming works fine for me, and I’ve more than gotten my money’s worth from the subscription fee. But there are some rough edges in BritBox . For example, in trying to catch up on classic Doctor Who, where stories may span several episodes, there is no indication in BritBox as to which episodes have been seen. And there’s no “binge watching” feature: in most apps that stream series, you have the option of continuing immediately to the next episode; but not here. It wouldn’t be so bad if BritBox repositioned the list to the episode you just saw; but no, it goes back to the beginning and you have to scroll back to where you left off.

Of the two, I would most want to see some mechanism for tracking which episodes have been seen. A progress bar at the bottom of the screen shot would be nice.

this app has great content but BritBox functionality leaves a lot to be desired. Developers could learn a lot from Netflix!
App doesn’t show current or most recent watched episode correctly. Every time I go back into BritBox it starts the wrong episode from the beginning (the last one I watched) and when I go back to look at the history BritBox tells me that or more past episodes - I can “continue watching” when in fact they were all watched in full beginning to end so I have to fumble around to try to figure out where I actually left off! For As Time Goes By you have to watch the intro and ending credits every single time, trying to use the 10 seconds skip ahead works a bit but, clearly a skip credits button would be much helpful!
For $6.99/ month, especially compared to similarly priced streaming services, I expect more.

When I got BritBox, I had all kind of problems with lag time on Fire TV. Then, color jumps on Apple TV. I finally gave up on the Fire TV App. Everything seemed to be going well on Apple TV. Tonight, I get a message that my credentials aren't any good. So, I reset my password. That took just fine on this end. Too bad it didn't take on this app's end! I'd be okay with an occasional hiccup if I knew Tech Support would be helpful, but my experiences with them has been far less than stellar. If I didn't enjoy the programs so much, I would have given up by now. Oh, and don't believe the ads, some shows that are supposed to be updated weekly, aren't. BritBox's days may be numbered.

UPDATE: Today's problems are a service outage. For that, I put 2 stars back. That happens beyond control sometimes.
And, Tech Support did let me know within 30 min or less.

Brit box content isexcellent but it can make you crazy when it goes into a “retrying“ loop. Apparently this happens if it loses the Wi-Fi connection for an instant, and then even when every other app is working fine on Wi-Fi, BritBox is still in a
“ retrying to get information “ loop that will not let you get anywhere.
I closed and reopened BritBox A half dozen times and still the same message. No way out just a blank screen that says it’s retrying. I would like the developers to have a button on the screen that says “OK, time to give it up!”
Just went back after a 20 minute break and it’s still telling me it’s retrying to get the information. I just want to watch my show and I can’t now, lunch hour is over and this has been going on for at least 30 minutes maybe 40.
Why am I paying for BritBox that I cannot use when I want it?

January 2021. If you’re going to use BritBox on a TV it’s now somewhat stable. On an iPad, forget it. What a piece of junk. It forces the Home Screen into portrait mode and then when you select a program it will finally switch to landscape mode. No thought to look and feel? Next it will sit their with a spinning arrow for an inordinate amount of time. It appears to be downloading or caching the entire show before starting.

February 2020 update: works fairly consistently on iPad. On AppleTV4 (latest) it frequently crashes. “Could not load this app, network error - Retry” gets stuck on the screen and the only solution is to delete BritBox and reinstall.

May 2020 update. Crashing on AppleTV4 has gotten to the point BritBox is unusable. Almost a daily occurrence now that on loading BritBox , the usual this app could not load - retry error comes up, but now it does that with the previous viewed content blurred out but still running in the background. When is this going to get fixed!!??

When are you guys gonna add more shows, movies and documentaries, especially ones that aren’t detective themed ones? Thinking of canceling my subscription cuz its very limited in selection to begin with and after a year now not much has been added since. Not everyone likes who done it/murder mystery/detective shows but that’s all there really is on BritBox to watch. Ive watched everything on BritBox already and there’s been nothing new and new seasons hardly even rarely get added. Like what happened to the rest of the seasons from All Creatures Great and Small? What about more Britcom shows like Vicious, Chewing the Fat, Still Game, Chef, British Men Behaving Badly etc etc? So many other drama series old and new that could be added as well. It was a great start but it seems like BritBox has been neglected by its creators for some time now. Its disappointing to us in the US

I was a little skeptical at first as I had not heard much about BritBox until recently; but that aside I am so far very pleased with it. The main draw for me is the fact that your service provides all of the classic Doctor Who episodes, save those few episodes that had to be animated since the original footage has been lost, but that aside it is a fantastic app that has really made my day. The only change I would like to see is a continue to the next episode button so that you don't have to close the one episode and find the one after it again; a small nuisance, but a great app all the same. Looking forward to more of the wonderful movies and series that the U. K. produces.

I’ve been experiencing issues with streaming on my Apple TV for a while now and I’ve finally cut off my subscription. All I get is response from this app saying the developer knows about it and they are fixing the prob
Isn’t it peculiar how they sure do flawlessly take subscription fees without a glitch but their team can’t fix forcing the viewer needing to input their password Every Single Time we wish to watch a show? It’s troublesome since I’m bingeing Vera currently. Who else is experiencing this trouble? My device is up to date with latest version. I’ve uninstalled and reinstalled this app app shut my TV off turned it back on. I’ve done all the necessary troubleshooting on my end and still I’m experiencing the same problems. Now it won’t recognize my unchanged password that I’ve used since day one I keep getting put on a repeat to input my password over and over and over and over and over and over.