TV Without Borders

Clockwise from left: The Great British Bake Off, The Thick of It, The Fall, Please Like Me

The Great British Bake Off
[U.K.] This BAFTA award-winning baking-competition show, hosted by the comedy duo Mel Giedroyc and the droll (and queer) Sue Perkins, seeks the best amateur baker in Britain. In each season's episodes, contestants endure increasingly difficult challenges, and gentle innuendo from the hosts, until a winner is crowned. View at BBC.co.uk, with the aid of a service like Hola

Please Like Me
[Australia] In the first episode, Josh's girlfriend tells him he's probably gay, which really weirds him out. But then a cute guy in his best buddy's office stays the night in his bed, weirding him out further. This smart Australian comedy by Josh Thomas (he plays the lead) follows his transition from straight to gay, and into adulthood. View at Pivot.tv

Borgen
[Denmark] It's been on many must-see-if-you-can lists for over two years. But now it's finally available to viewers who refuse to view it illegally. Danish politics might sound dry, but Borgen is happy to disabuse you of that notion. The first female prime minister (played by Sidse Babett Knudsen) balances cutthroat politics with family drama to make this an amped-up West Wing on the Continent. View at KCET.org

The Fall
[Northern Ireland] In this miniseries about a London detective in Belfast tracking down a serial killer, the hunter and hunted are equally swoon-worthy: The detective is X-Files star Gillian Anderson, and the murderer she's tracking is pre-Fifty Shades of Grey Jamie Dornan. That wasn't a spoiler -- it's revealed right up front. View on Netflix

The Thick of It
[U.K.] The precursor to Veep (also created by Armando Iannucci) is a foul-mouthed satire of British politics, starring Peter Capaldi (Dr. Who). If the copious insults keep you glued to Veep, this show is even more obscene and swear-y. View on Hulu