Oakvillian

It's not bad, is it? The writers have done a pretty good job translating the plot to Congress from Westminster, and Spacey (at least in part, I suspect, due to his long ties with London theatre and an understanding that peculiarly British underplayed sardonic wit) is a pretty good replacement for Ian Richardson in the Urquhart/Underwood role.

Underwood is more calculatedly cold-blooded than Urquhart was, I think. There was still an element in the British one that politics is all about playing the game, whereas in the US version the driving force is a much more nakedly ruthless ambition. Makes great aeroplane watching, definitely. I, too, caught most of it on flights.

dbd33

Noted. I suspect the internet connection we have now would support Netflix but there's a video shop just around the corner from here that keeps 'most everything. I called my zip subscription because the shop has a better selection.

nldfc

Is Toby Keith Canadian ? I know I have just been forced into spending 800 bucks on tickets to go see him so he better be good

nldfc

Nope just checked wiki he isn't - so half a chance it may be good then

Atlantic Xpat

Dear God, Country and Western? You couldn't pay me to put up with that.

Steve_

There are loads of really good Canadian rock bands, I suggest you start listening to local radio over the web, e.g. www.cjay92.com

I'm actually quite shocked at how many there are, most people know the obvious ones like Neil Young and Nickelback but how about Matthew Good, The Trews, Big Sugar, Big Wreck, Mobile, 54-40, The Headstones, Moist, The Tea Party, Sam Roberts, etc., etc.

They are all genuinely really good:

Matthew Good
The Trews
Big Sugar
Big Wreck
Mobile
The Headstones
Moist
The Tea Party
Sam Roberts
54-40

And they're not one-hit wonders either and there's plenty more.

As for TV and films, a lot of US shows are made in Canada, usually Vancouver but also fairly often in Toronto, I call them JASSOGS, Just Another Show Shot On Granville St. You can usually figure out the location but the credits tell you anyway.

The only problem is that Canadians do have this tendency to listen to crap American rock as well. And Ozzie Osbourne.

BristolUK

Yes, but dozens of other on-line options too.

Not got around to The Wire or Breaking Bad yet. Homeland was good.
Stuff like The Fall and Broadchurch comes around a bit more often though.

On my list too.

Souvy

The Murdoch Mysteries is quite watchable.

Les Parent is a very good sitcom. It's been running for years. It's in French, though, so probably of limited appeal to many people on here.

Steve_

I thought Kevin Spacey was good in House of Cards but the story itself and the rest of the cast isn't anything to get excited about. If it wasn't for Kevin Spacey I wouldn't recommend watching it.

Tangram

Agreed. My other must watch is The Newsroom, unfortunately stopping after Season 3.

ultrarunner

The "best thing about it" would be if it wasn't on Telly at all

What a pile of.........they were so desparate they even paid Russell Crowe to appear one time

dbd33

A U2 tribute band, good grief.

beckiwoo

No way!

Souvy

Way.

Steve_

The Tea Party have done some really good stuff, another example: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kUx3SYvcTdQ

This is probably their best known track though.