Valentine’s Day is less than two weeks away, so what better way to get in the mood for love than cosying up in front of your Manhattan box and enjoying the very best Freeview Play has to offer. Whether it’s with your significant other, loved ones, pets or on your own - there’s something for everyone to enjoy.
So with January Blues finally out of the way, we’ve put together some of the best Valentine’s Day viewing over the next couple of weeks.
Channelling romance
Perhaps the only thing better than films and TV shows dedicated to love is an entire channel and that’s exactly what the wonderful folk at Great! (Channel 50) have gone and done. You may already be familiar with their Christmas channel that was jam-packed with festive films. This time, they’re back with some brilliant romantic viewing that’s free to watch 24 hours a day. If their schedule doesn't fit with yours then owners of our freeview recorders get to record and playback at a time that suits you. What more could you want?
From 2005’s Hitch, which starred Hollywood A-Listers Will Smith and Eva Mendes, to lesser known cult classics, such as Anything For Love and A Summer to Remember - Great! Romance really is the perfect place to help get you into the Valentine’s Day mood.
Something old
Before you even think about getting stuck into some of the brilliant new shows already out this year that centre around love, you should probably ask yourself this: did I even catch all of the great romantic telly from last year and beyond? If the answer is no, then pay close attention to some of these modern classics we dug up from the archive. And of course, they’re all still available to watch on demand. Perfect viewing if you and your loved one are ever at a loose end during the week.
We simply have to start with Normal People. Even if you caught the much-loved series the first time around, we promise you it’s definitely worth a rewatch on BBC iPlayer. The series, which is based on Sally Rooney’s best-selling novel by the same name, is so layered and nuanced that you’re almost guaranteed to find new meanings to the juicy plot and complex characters.
Going even further back into the archive, we stumbled upon what many would argue is the BBC’s romantic pièce de résistance - Gavin & Stacey. Three seasons, two Christmas Specials and countless tears of joy and laughter along the way. If Shakespeare was knocking around in the mid-noughties, Romeo & Juliet would probably look a lot like this. Utterly timeless.
How about some Valentine’s Day viewing with a twist? We stumbled across an absolute gem with this Not Going Out episode that will surely tick that box. In it, main characters Lee and Lucy squabble over how to keep the romance alive in their relationship after seven years together, something some of us might be able to relate to all too well. As you can imagine in true Lee Mack and Sally Bretton fashion - it’s hilarious!
Something new
Love doesn’t have to be all about romantic candlelit dinners in the evening, though. Nothing encapsulates this more than Channel 4’s A New Place in the Sun - a series following expats as they chase their dream of finding a new life in sunnier climates.
We love that the show gives a realistic insight into the compromises and let’s face it - disagreements - that come with navigating through life with our nearest and dearest. Be it family, romantic, platonic, or even business. The show is as real as it gets, documenting all the ups and downs that come with trying to agree on a property, price, not to mention a location!
From one end of the spectrum to the other, we couldn’t talk about love being in the air without discussing the latest offering of Love Island. Love it or loathe, there’s no denying the fact that it captures the zeitgeist of what the modern dating landscape looks like. So if you’re ever at a loose end from Monday-Saturday at 9pm, you might want to give this a try. You’ll find yourself bickering over your favourites in no time, trust us.
Going on record
So now you know all the best shows to immerse yourself with before Valentine’s Day, but what if your schedule doesn’t quite align with your partners? Or if you want to wait for the whole family to get together before debating whether X and Y are truly compatible? That’s where we come in of course.
Instead of hopping from one on demand app to another trying to find something to watch, why not make use of our watchlist feature? All our Freeview Play boxes have this feature allowing you to create your own personalised Valentine’s TV evening!
We’ve tried to cover all bases but we’d love to hear about any shows that are helping you get in the mood for love. Keep your eyes peeled for our special Valentine’s Newsletter where we want to discuss just who you think some of the greatest on-screen relationships are. You don’t want to miss it.
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