‘Ackley Bridge’

When to watch: Now, on Acorn.

If you like the jangly sprawl of the British “Shameless” but want something less bleak, or if you like the straightforward narrative of the teen show “Degrassi” but want something more adult, try this British series about the staff and students at a working-class high school. The show is grounded and unfussy — no montages, no flashbacks, no twists — and while the plot points can tend toward the soapy, they feel authentic and earned. (People have affairs in real life, too, not only on schmaltzy dramas.)

“Ackley” isn’t big on cliffhangers, but it still makes for a dangerously easy binge because the characters are people you want to spend time with, which can feel like a rarity these days.