Photo: Gary Kirk / Wikimedia Commons — CC BY-SA 4.0. Presentation adapted: uncropped portrait centered on a neutral 3:2 canvas.
Screenwriter and television producer Russell T Davies has written and created television across social drama, speculative fiction, science fiction, and queer storytelling. His work includes both limited dramas and longer-running series, so deciding where to begin depends on the tone you are seeking. Below is a curated editorial selection of his notable works, with each recommendation matched to the kind of viewing experience it offers.
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1. It’s a Sin
- Format: Five-part drama
- Key Focus: Young gay friends and the AIDS era
- Why It Stands Out: This guide’s leading recommendation is a focused, personal drama about young gay friends living through the AIDS era. The Guardian described the series as its best TV show of 2021, while its coverage also connects the material to Davies’s own experiences and identifies Jill as a unifying character. Those elements make it a strong choice for viewers looking for a concentrated, emotionally serious drama.
- Best For: Viewers seeking a powerful drama centered on friendship, the AIDS era, and personal experience.
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2. Doctor Who (2005–2010)
- Format: Science-fiction drama
- Key Focus: Davies’s 2005–2010 era, with Rose’s family and a London tower block grounding the story
- Why It Stands Out: This guide recommends Davies’s Doctor Who era for the way it places Rose’s family and a London tower block within the show’s science-fiction setting. The approach gives the series a grounded point of entry while retaining its genre identity. It is a good starting point for viewers who want character-focused science fiction with a strong domestic perspective.
- Best For: Fans of imaginative, character-led science fiction and an accessible point of entry into Davies’s era.
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3. Years and Years
- Format: Limited drama
- Key Focus: A family-to-dystopia premise
- Why It Stands Out: Years and Years uses a family story as the basis for a dystopian drama. That combination is the reason to choose it over a more conventional family series or a purely speculative work: it keeps the focus on the family while placing their lives within a deteriorating wider situation. This is a strong fit for viewers interested in speculative and political drama.
- Best For: Viewers interested in speculative fiction, family drama, and political themes.
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4. Queer as Folk
- Format: Drama
- Key Focus: Manchester’s gay scene
- Why It Stands Out: Queer as Folk is a useful choice for readers interested in Davies’s early exploration of Manchester’s gay scene. Its value here is its direct focus on that setting and subject matter, making it a natural recommendation for viewers looking for queer British television and character-driven social drama.
- Best For: Anyone looking for queer British television, Manchester-set storytelling, and character dynamics.
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5. Cucumber and Banana
- Format: Linked series
- Key Focus: LGBT+ subject matter across connected stories
- Why It Stands Out: Cucumber and Banana are best considered together because the supplied critical description presents them as a linked structure with LGBT+ subject matter. That connection makes this pairing a useful recommendation for viewers who want to explore related perspectives rather than choose a single self-contained series.
- Best For: Viewers looking for connected stories about LGBT+ experiences.
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Expanding the List: Notable Genre and Concept Works
Davies’s body of work extends beyond the recommendations above:
- **Torchwood:** A darker science-fiction work associated with sexuality, humanity, compassion, companionship, and moral ambiguity. It is a suitable next choice for viewers who want a darker genre direction.
- **The Second Coming:** A drama about the second coming of Jesus that treats religious prophecy in a non-devotional way. It suits viewers interested in a naturalistic or non-religious treatment of a religious premise.
- **Bob & Rose:** An unconventional relationship drama about the bond between a gay man and a straight woman. It is a good option for viewers seeking a character-focused relationship story.
These additional works show the range of premises and settings in Davies’s television writing without changing the central recommendation: start with the series whose subject matter and tone most closely match what you want to watch.
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