In 2000, the British Film Institute conducted a poll of industry professionals to find the 100 Greatest British Television Programmes of the 20th century, with "Our Friends in the North" finishing in twenty-fifth position, eighth position out of the dramas featured on the list. The commentary for the "Our Friends in the North" entry on the BFI website described it as a "powerful and evocative drama series ... The series impressed with its ambition, humanity and willingness to see the ambiguities beyond the rhetoric." The serial was also included in an alphabetical list of the 40 greatest TV shows published by the "Radio Times" magazine in August 2003, chosen by their television editor Alison Graham. In January 2010, the website of "The Guardian" newspaper produced a list of "The top 50 TV dramas of all time," in which "Our Friends in the North" was ranked in third position.