British TV Series

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hhfarang
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British TV Series

Post by hhfarang »

For the most part, I think British TV sucks compared to American TV.

Ok, I've pissed most of you off but I am open to conversation about this as it is only my opinion from what I see here on TrueVisions.

I watch a lot of TrueVisions Tv and that includes a lot of both British and American series, and the British ones are mostly a "snore".

Please help me understand how you can enjoy this... there must be a lot more offered at home than there is here.

I've watched (forced myself to watch) the following British series:

Broadchurch
Footballers Wives
Strike Back
Hello Ladies
Hidden
Hit and Miss
Hunted
Hope Springs
Life of Riley
Spy
The IT Crowd

The only one that held my interest was Strike Back.

Please tell me that BBC tv at home is better than what we get here.
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dtaai-maai
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Re: British TV Series

Post by dtaai-maai »

For the most part, TV is crap, regardless of where it comes from. You have to sift the wheat from the chaff. And speaking of chaff, waterboarding couldn't force me to watch something called Footballers' Wives! :shock: :laugh:

Have you seen Matador...?

I use a couple of streaming sites with hundreds of series, mostly American, presumably because the Americans make far more series than everyone else put together. It's mostly complete dross. I'd say 1 in 20 is watchable IMO.
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Re: British TV Series

Post by Dannie Boy »

Without going into specifics, I'm sure that if you're American and you've been weaned on American TV all your life, you are going to prefer most of the programmes against what the Brits offer and conversely, having been weaned on British TV, I generally much prefer british TV programmes over American ones.

From your list, the only series I have watched on a regular basis (and enjoyed) were Strike Back and Broadchurch.
Last edited by Dannie Boy on Wed Aug 06, 2014 4:34 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: British TV Series

Post by PeteC »

I think you need to define the difference in the base styles.

If you like in depth drama and what can be very complicated plots.....British. Not much "shoot 'em up" most of the time but the plots can be good and keep you wanting to come back for more.

A lot of action and accompanying music and/or a steady diet of sit-coms....American. That's not to say there aren't some very good drama shows from time to time that hold interest. It's just a different style of presentation and technique of how to hold an audience.

There is a huge number of Americans who watch PBS which has many British shows on offer.....at least they did when I was living there. It was about the only source in those days.....before internet streaming was available. Pete
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Re: British TV Series

Post by Homer »

hhfarang wrote:For the most part, I think British TV sucks compared to American TV.
From your viewpoint, is American TV broadcast only or broadcast & cable?

These Brit shows are better than most American broadcast TV and most cable series:
Utopia - My Review - viewtopic.php?f=32&t=18046&start=330#p326549
Black Mirror - My Review - viewtopic.php?f=32&t=18046&start=270#p291392
Sherlock
Coupling - The worst episode of Coupling was better than the best episode of the show it inspired, 'Friends'.
Top Gear

One step down, but still watched all the episodes:
Misfits - Season 1 & 2. Season 3 was OK, 4 wasn't
Dancing on the Edge - The story resolution in the last 2 episodes was utterly predictable, but I think that was part of the point they were trying to make.

Others:
Spaced - Not enough 'hit' and too much 'miss', though it was fun seeing Simon Pegg developing.
Luther - The American versions of the genera also put me to sleep. Watched 2 episodes just for Idris Elba.
Musketeers - NO.

Which country gets credit for 'Coppers', a BBC America production? First season was good, but gradually became too predictable.
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STEVE G
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Re: British TV Series

Post by STEVE G »

Please tell me that BBC tv at home is better than what we get here.
I get BBC One and Two back in the hotel when I'm working in Europe and I couldn't say that they're bad, just that they seem to have absolutely no programmes aimed at someone of my interests. They have many cookery programmes and obviously living in a hotel they're of no use to me, the same for endless programmes about buying antiques and property. There isn't much else!
Mind you, I've just spent a couple of weeks in Thailand and haven't watched any TV at all despite paying for True vision.
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Re: British TV Series

Post by J.J.B. »

I have not heard or any of those shows, let alone watched them so can't reliably deny they are garbage; they sound like they are. I mostly prefer to watch comedies and some of the series I will actively record if I can't see them live are (in no particular order):

Spooks (not a comedy!)
Being Human
Top Gear
Episodes (not sure whether it's American or British)
Outnumbered
8 out of 10 cats
Jeeves and Wooster
QI
Two pints of lager and a packet of crisps


Then again, I am an avid fan of the Archers and must listen to or record the omnibus each Sunday so not exactly a representative of the Brits on the forum, I daresay.
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Re: British TV Series

Post by dtaai-maai »

J.J.B. wrote: I am an avid fan of the Archers and must listen to or record the omnibus each Sunday so not exactly a representative of the Brits on the forum, I daresay.
Probably not... :laugh: :laugh: Is Joe Grundy dead yet?

Altogether now, dum de dum de dum de dum, dum de dum de dum dum... etc.

A huge part of my childhood and an intrinsic part of British life (mine anyway!).
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Re: British TV Series

Post by J.J.B. »

From my mother's knee, D-M, and Joe Grundy is still breathing as far as we know. Peggy Archer's husband - Jack Woolley - died earlier this year but considering the actress (June Spencer) is 94 it just goes to prove that "the show must go on"!
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Re: British TV Series

Post by hhinner »

I've recently been working my way through Morse, Midsomer Murders, Lewis on ITV3. All guaranteed to put Americans to sleep. Probably most Brits as well. :)
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Re: British TV Series

Post by Henry 14th »

'Cracker' - Robbie Coltrane. As good as Hannibal, which I feel is the best thing since Breaking Bad.

Download Cracker, definitely the best that British TV has offered.
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Re: British TV Series

Post by J.J.B. »

^ +1
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Re: British TV Series

Post by hhfarang »

Ok, seems like maybe TrueVisions only shows the worst ones... They do show Downton Abbey, which I know is a very popular (award winning?) show, but I watched a couple of episodes and it just wasn't my "cup of tea". :D
My brain is like an Internet browser; 12 tabs are open and 5 of them are not responding, there's a GIF playing in an endless loop,... and where is that annoying music coming from?
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Re: British TV Series

Post by Homer »

I stumbled upon this article on AV Club about TV series that have never been released in the US. Of the 30 they want released, these are from the UK. Some date to the '70s. http://www.avclub.com/article/over-ther ... te-l-98605

1. Black Mirror
6. Max Headroom
7. Blake's 7
8. Press Gang
9. Garth Marenghi’s Darkplace
16. Green Wing
17. A Very Peculiar Practice
18. A Touch Of Cloth
19. Ashes To Ashes
21. Broadchurch
23. My Mad Fat Diary
24. Ripping Yarns
25. Brass Eye
26. Our Friends In The North
28. Utopia
29. The Changes
30. East Enders
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Re: British TV Series

Post by hhfarang »

I'm watching Broadchurch here right now. Interesting plot and good acting but a little bit slow for my tastes, though not slow enough to make me stop watching.
My brain is like an Internet browser; 12 tabs are open and 5 of them are not responding, there's a GIF playing in an endless loop,... and where is that annoying music coming from?
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