What TV shows are people watching?

Mojo · 10-12-2012, 04:10 AM

I'm not claiming you are ignorant to all things American, Goofle, I know from previous posts this isn't the case. However I think a lot of Brits are and are happy to state that we do everything, especially TV and music, better and likewise, a lot of Americans are the same way.

The way I see it is that it's all down to personal taste, yes, but also what you are exposing yourself to. Brits often use the best British shows as examples and the worst American shows in comparison and vice-versa. It's easy to believe that all British shows are Life On Mars, Spaced etc and all American shows are Married With Children, Will & Grace and Stacked but this just isn't the case.

I would say that most of my favourite shows are British but then again we didn't make Seinfeld, Curb, Arrested Development, Six Feet Under and The West Wing and I personally adore all of these.

For me the way we do TV, for example the way we produce, air and actually give shows a good chance of surviving and existing to their conclusion is far superior to the cut-throat reality of how American television networks demand instant ratings, success and profits and will cut their losses at the drop of a hat rather than invest in a variety of different programming to the extent we tend to do here. America still produces some great TV though and the American sense of humour that we love to criticise certainly does exist in a lot of the shows produced but really is not that easily definable. Just like it would be easy to claim that the British sense of humour is exemplified by Last of the Summer bastard Wine but if that were the case, I would be a very unhappy man.

**Goofle** · 10-12-2012, 04:19 AM

Basically if somebody put a gun to my head and said "Choose American or British comedy" I would say British. I don't think it has anything to do with what I am exposed to, as I very rarely watch television any way, more where my personal tastes have taken me over the years.

If I put a lot of thought into it, made a spreadsheet and ranked my favourites, I may have a different opinion.

Mojo · 10-12-2012, 04:27 AM

I would say British too, I just feel that a lot of people take a stance on this particular topic without even having an understanding of what it is they are passing opinion on. Basically, when someone tells me that all American comedy is rubbish, I have to question it. Just like when someone tells me that all heavy metal is "just noise".

As I said, I'm not directing that at yourself. Its just something that irritates me.

**Goofle** · 10-12-2012, 04:30 AM

Yeah, and you are right to question it. Eric needs to sort himself out

Trollheart · 10-12-2012, 05:17 AM

British TV comedy that has stood the test of time:

Fawlty Towers
Red Dwarf
Black Adder
Bottom
Spaced
Monty Python
Black Books
The Young Ones
Only fools and horses
probably a lot more I can't think of right now...

American TV comedy that has stood the test of time:
Cheers
Frasier
Friends (hate it, but can't deny its popularity)
Sex and the city (same)

(Kind of hard to think of any others... I wouldn't include animations like Simpsons, South Park etc)

I think eric (though probably joking) will have to admit that over this side of the pond we most certainly do know how to do comedy, and do it well. Of course, we have some rubbish as well. Armando Ianucci's shows I have not watched, but I know he writes all the Alan Partridge stuff with Steve Coogan, and they're all excellent.

**Goofle** · 10-12-2012, 05:22 AM

My favourite Armando Iannuchi moments are the dialogues between himself and Stewart Lee on his Comedy Vehicle.

I also think that Britains have the edge on comedians. I base this purely on the ones I like, not the entire landscape of comedy as I am well aware of the god awful comedians in both parts of the world.

The Batlord · 10-12-2012, 09:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Trollheart

Grimm is on the way back, yay!

Do you watch it as it airs, or do you use DVR?

Quote:

Also that "Arrow" show looks interesting (though from Sky's promo pic I thought it was yet another Robin Hood series!),

Not as terrible as I was thinking it would be. The acting and characters are nothing to write home about, but the action was actually pretty entertaining.

Quote:

but why did they have to ruin the new Sherlock Holmes drama by casting as Doctor Watston.. wait for it... Lucy Liu??? Bloody hell! Where's the point in that? One of my least favourite actresses; this may stop me from checking the show out. Damn.

I actually like Elementary. Now that House is gone, it's the next best thing I guess. I generally won't touch cop dramas with a ten foot pole, but this one is worth your time. Of course, Castle is still easily the best cop show on network television. I'd watch Nathan Fillion no matter what show he was in.

Trollheart · 10-12-2012, 10:41 AM

I must admit, I usually let a few episodes build up then watch them via the Sky Plus Box, unless I really can't wait and have to see it NOW! The downside with the latter approach is that once the episode is over you want to see the next one, and you have to wait till next week! Yes, folks, it used to be that way all the time! No such thing as VCRs or plus-one channels, and definitely no show on more than once a week (other than soaps)...

I'm starting on "House of lies": haven't made my mind up about it yet, but it's both funny and annoying, as I'm sure this is the way real management consultant firms work, and it's a little hard to laugh at such behaviour, even in a satirical, comedic way. "Lillyhammer" continues to get better every episode though...

The Batlord · 10-12-2012, 10:59 AM

So you haven't seen the new episodes of Grimm yet? Bastard. You kids and your "Sky Box Plus".

Trollheart · 10-12-2012, 01:17 PM

First time anyone's called me a kid in a very long time. 50 next year...
Anyway, it only starts over here in, what, ten days?

10-12-2012, 04:10 AM	#1531 (permalink)
Mojo Melancholia Eternally Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: England Posts: 5,018	I'm not claiming you are ignorant to all things American, Goofle, I know from previous posts this isn't the case. However I think a lot of Brits are and are happy to state that we do everything, especially TV and music, better and likewise, a lot of Americans are the same way. The way I see it is that it's all down to personal taste, yes, but also what you are exposing yourself to. Brits often use the best British shows as examples and the worst American shows in comparison and vice-versa. It's easy to believe that all British shows are Life On Mars, Spaced etc and all American shows are Married With Children, Will & Grace and Stacked but this just isn't the case. I would say that most of my favourite shows are British but then again we didn't make Seinfeld, Curb, Arrested Development, Six Feet Under and The West Wing and I personally adore all of these. For me the way we do TV, for example the way we produce, air and actually give shows a good chance of surviving and existing to their conclusion is far superior to the cut-throat reality of how American television networks demand instant ratings, success and profits and will cut their losses at the drop of a hat rather than invest in a variety of different programming to the extent we tend to do here. America still produces some great TV though and the American sense of humour that we love to criticise certainly does exist in a lot of the shows produced but really is not that easily definable. Just like it would be easy to claim that the British sense of humour is exemplified by Last of the Summer bastard Wine but if that were the case, I would be a very unhappy man. __________________ Last.FM \| Echoes and Dust

10-12-2012, 04:27 AM	#1533 (permalink)
Mojo Melancholia Eternally Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: England Posts: 5,018	I would say British too, I just feel that a lot of people take a stance on this particular topic without even having an understanding of what it is they are passing opinion on. Basically, when someone tells me that all American comedy is rubbish, I have to question it. Just like when someone tells me that all heavy metal is "just noise". As I said, I'm not directing that at yourself. Its just something that irritates me. __________________ Last.FM \| Echoes and Dust

10-12-2012, 05:17 AM	#1535 (permalink)
Trollheart Born to be mild Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: 404 Not Found Posts: 26,970	British TV comedy that has stood the test of time: Fawlty Towers Red Dwarf Black Adder Bottom Spaced Monty Python Black Books The Young Ones Only fools and horses probably a lot more I can't think of right now... American TV comedy that has stood the test of time: Cheers Frasier Friends (hate it, but can't deny its popularity) Sex and the city (same) (Kind of hard to think of any others... I wouldn't include animations like Simpsons, South Park etc) I think eric (though probably joking) will have to admit that over this side of the pond we most certainly do know how to do comedy, and do it well. Of course, we have some rubbish as well. Armando Ianucci's shows I have not watched, but I know he writes all the Alan Partridge stuff with Steve Coogan, and they're all excellent. __________________ Trollheart: Signature-free since April 2018

10-12-2012, 10:41 AM	#1538 (permalink)
Trollheart Born to be mild Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: 404 Not Found Posts: 26,970	I must admit, I usually let a few episodes build up then watch them via the Sky Plus Box, unless I really can't wait and have to see it NOW! The downside with the latter approach is that once the episode is over you want to see the next one, and you have to wait till next week! Yes, folks, it used to be that way all the time! No such thing as VCRs or plus-one channels, and definitely no show on more than once a week (other than soaps)... I'm starting on "House of lies": haven't made my mind up about it yet, but it's both funny and annoying, as I'm sure this is the way real management consultant firms work, and it's a little hard to laugh at such behaviour, even in a satirical, comedic way. "Lillyhammer" continues to get better every episode though... __________________ Trollheart: Signature-free since April 2018

10-12-2012, 01:17 PM	#1540 (permalink)
Trollheart Born to be mild Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: 404 Not Found Posts: 26,970	First time anyone's called me a kid in a very long time. 50 next year... Anyway, it only starts over here in, what, ten days? __________________ Trollheart: Signature-free since April 2018