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The dog days of summer have arrived. It’s too hot to go outside, but there’s nothing to watch on television because reruns and quickly multiplying talent competitions have taken over the airwaves.

Maybe it’s time to look across the Pond for some midsummer entertainment; check out some BBC shows that you may have missed the first time around:

: A modern take on Holmes and Watson, this series was produced as three 90-minute episodes in 2010, and a new set is scheduled for this fall.

: Robin has returned from the Crusades to find the Sheriff of Nottingham mistreating those under his authority. This three-season show was created as a family show to fill the gap between seasons of “Doctor Who.”

: In the United States this was renamed “Nature’s Most Amazing Events.” If you love “Planet Earth”-style nature documentaries, this is for you! Watch it free at .

: Dame Judi Dench and Geoffrey Palmer star as old flames who find each other again in this long-running sitcom, which ended in 2005.

and : These documentary series bring viewers back to what farm life in the respective historical periods would be like. This is a different take than the PBS shows like “Frontier House”—both farms are taken on by two archaeologists, Peter Ginn and Alex Langlands, and historian Ruth Goodman. You won’t find them on North American DVD, but you can watch them for free at .

Then, of course, there is the sci-fi phenomenon of if you haven’t yet given it a try. And last season’s nobility vs. servants drama, just picked up a slew of Emmy nominations. Its second season is slated to return sometime this winter. If you like “Downton Abbey,” you might also enjoy the new version of

Thanks to the BBC, there’s no reason to sit through another rerun this summer!