About Online Originals

An independent UK guide to television that started life online — and where to find it today.

What counts as an online original?

We cover 120 series that fit one of four routes:

• Streaming originals — series that premiered as originals on a streaming service such as Netflix, Prime Video, Apple TV, Disney+, Hulu, Paramount+, HBO Max, Peacock or YouTube.
• Web series that went mainstream — shows that began on YouTube, Vimeo or another website and were then picked up by television.
• Rescued by streaming — series that started on broadcast or cable TV and carried on with new episodes online. Shows saved by another TV channel don’t count.
• Online-first British series — programmes that premiered online before (or instead of) a TV channel, such as BBC Three’s online-only years and ITVX originals.

How we research

Every show page lists its sources. Dates, season counts and status (returning, ended, cancelled) come from published sources and carry the date we last checked them. Synopses are written by us — we never copy official blurbs. Where we couldn’t verify something, we left it out.

We don’t use posters, stills or publicity images. Each show gets a typographic title card generated from its name and genre instead. Trailers, where shown, are official trailers embedded from the official YouTube channel, and they only load when you press play.

Where to watch

UK availability changes constantly as licences come and go. Each show’s “Where to watch in the UK” box shows when it was last checked. If you spot something out of date, please tell us.

Independent

Online Originals is not affiliated with, endorsed by or connected to any streaming service, broadcaster or studio. Programme and service names are trademarks of their owners and are used only to identify them. Some links earn us a commission — see our affiliate disclosure.