Globalization and the BBC
 

So, growing up in Argentina I was bombarded with American t.v. (responsible for 90% of my English-language and American-culture knowledge). However, some 8 years ago I got this channel that showed mostly bbc shows and I have to say, for many years, I spent my weekends watching Trinny and Susannah telling me what not to wear and Lawrence decorating rooms (Changing rooms). I just couldn't get enough of those shows.
Now that I actually live in the US, I've learnt to like Stacey and Clinton but I miss that British freedom of swearing on tv and being able to grab someone's boobs on camera (as triny ans Sussanah did many times) without having a "janet-jackson" scandal. I miss a bit of that freedom. Americans can overdo it when it comes to political correctness.
Now when I want my dosage of British attitude, I turn to Gordon Ramsay, Craig Ferguson and Graham Norton (and this forum, of course :p).
I guess I'm just trying to say Thank you, brits, for all those tv shows that I'm sure you consider crap but that gave me so many hours of joy.

Re: Globalization and the BBC
 

<fx: takes bow>Thank you kindly. I accept on behalf of all Brits everywhere.

Many people, myself included, find US TV completely unwatchable. If 'er indoors didn't like TV, I wouldn't have a cable package at all.

I'm so glad that after I moved to the US I discovered thebox.bz. It allows me to see things like Psychoville and cricket, neither of which are likely to make it into basic TV channel packages, or possibly any packages.

Of course, I spent a lot of time in Portugal, so I think that British TV can be a bit tame, and do miss some good T&A from time to time :)

Re: Globalization and the BBC
 

The weird thing is, if you listen to almost any British television critics, or go to a forum like Digital Spy, you'd think that almost all American television is wonderful, and almost all British television is awful.

Re: Globalization and the BBC
 

It's odd, isn't it? I remember it being very much like that with my colleagues before I moved to the US as well.

I think that people that spout that sort of stuff ought to be deprived of all British TV and forced to subsist only on US TV for a couple of months, and see how they like it then.

Re: Globalization and the BBC
 

I think it's either a case of "the grass is greener..", the fact that a lot of the really awful US shows never get shown in the UK (although some do), or perhaps that curious self-hating "if it's British it must be bad" attitude, i've seen from a lot of Brits.
Or maybe it's all 3.

Re: Globalization and the BBC
 

I've said it before but I was amazed that Happy Days, Mork and Mindy, and Little House on the Praire were adult shows here. They were shown in kids hours in the UK, they also show my age.:lol:

Re: Globalization and the BBC
 

Bill Bryson has mentioned in several of his books that Cagney and Lacey seemed to follow him around in the UK.

He did remark on getting a kick out of a Welsh program in Welsh that would go on and on in Wlesh until a phrase like "dirty weekend" popped out in English, :D

Re: Globalization and the BBC
 

This is true, mind you the stuff that gets shown in the UK tends to be the best of American TV ('cept for f*%#ing 'Friends'), and although US TV can be utter dross, there is some great TV too, and that's what gets shown on UK TV, together with all the usual crap on Channel 5.

Re: Globalization and the BBC
 

There are American tv shows that I like (Burn Notice, Royal Pains, Warehouse 13, etc.) and many, many more that I don't. That said, my personal taste abhors American television attempts at 'comedy' and so I spend as much time watching Mock the Week, Live at the Apollo, & the like.

Like most things, labeling the entire output of an entire country's television industry as 'crap' means you miss a lot.

Re: Globalization and the BBC
 

Ewww..you like that Warehouse 13 show? It's too much like those made-for-tv movies called 'The Librarian' (with Noah Wylie) for me to like it. Only shows I'm really liking right now are The Closer, Saving Grace, Eureka, Fringe, Primeval and a few faves on HGTV. There have been very few good comedy shows lately. I really miss Will & Grace - that show was funny. The rest are crap. :thumbdown:

Re: Globalization and the BBC
 

Now that I know that I will be unable to hold my head up in public ever again. It'll have to remain under my arm.

Re: Globalization and the BBC
 

LOL! As soon as I saw the previews for that show I instantly thought of The Librarian: people go trotting around the world gathering 'special' objects and bring 'em to a safe place to store them. It doesn't seem terribly original, and I do think Sci-fi...errr Syfy :rolleyes:, does not have as good programming as they used to.

Eh, well at least you like some sci-fi which means you do like to think outside the box. ;) So you can hold your head up somewhat hi.:lol:

Re: Globalization and the BBC
 

I really miss British TV. I only get BBCA which rarely has any decent shows. I long for the day when you can catch up on BBCIPlayer and for the other channels too. I have cable and am amazed how often there is nothing worth watching.

Re: Globalization and the BBC
 

Thank you! Thank you! I shall hold it in front of me and address it as Yorick.

Re: Globalization and the BBC
 

Alas I knew him well. :(

Re: Globalization and the BBC
 

Have you tried FilmOn Kate?

Re: Globalization and the BBC
 

I haven't but I will as soon as I get home - Thank you very much!

Re: Globalization and the BBC
 

Alas? Yeah he was an annoying bugger, wasn't he?

Re: Globalization and the BBC
 

Twas

Re: Globalization and the BBC
 

I used to watch all those shows as a kid, in re-runs though during the 80's.

Re: Globalization and the BBC
 

Hi - excuse the impertinence of an occasional visitor - but seriously guys you have little to complain about. At least you get HBO (Sopranos, The Wire, etc.). You could be in Canada... where the only refuge from really DREADFUL TV is US programming via satellite/cable.

As for the "excellence" of British TV... it's much harder to find quality stuff on today's low-budget-farm-it-out-to-an-indie-employing-cheap-teenagers terrestrial channels.

Re: Globalization and the BBC
 

Speaking for myself, I wasn't really talking about the "excellence" of British TV. I was saying that, British TV isn't as bad as some seem to think it is, and US TV isn't as good as some seem to think it is. They've both produced some great television, and they've both produced some utter crap.

Re: Globalization and the BBC
 

I wish they'd hurry up with making it Mac friendly.

Re: Globalization and the BBC
 

ahhh, but we don't. Or rather we don't unless we pay tons extra for HBO :(

Re: Globalization and the BBC
 

USA TV, very good at shoot bang fire, glitzy & high tech spy.

UK TV, very good at drama, thriller, comedy & "Tinker, Tailor, Soldier Spy" QUALITY.

Of course, Brits do have James Bond, the ultimate, high tech spy/agent.


Don't get me started, Only Fools & Horses. Quality supreme.
Reg. Frank

Re: Globalization and the BBC
 

I think its pretty simple, there is a false perception in England, that American TV is 'all that and more', probably for a couple of reasons

1.) In the past American cable companies always had hundreds of channels, while us Brits had much less; People were mistaken in to the thinking that quantity over quality was better.

2.) The American shows which were imported, were popular because they were American (exactly the same reason people drink Budweister in the UK) not to mention some of the popular shows such as The Simpsons and Friends were at least half decent. Not too much of the crap which makes up for 80% of American TV was ever imported.

As I watch, Sky, Freeview and Comcast all side by side and compare the listings, it is disturbing how simular the channel line-ups are now, Multitudes of American programming on every sky channel, and American 'rip offs' of British shows on Comcast.

Re: Globalization and the BBC
 

And birds with big tits

Re: Globalization and the BBC
 

I think that would be 'Pobl a Cwm'
:thumbup:

Re: Globalization and the BBC
 

That describes the sound effects, :D

Re: Globalization and the BBC
 

FilmOn Kate.... is that one of the porn channels? ;)

Re: Globalization and the BBC
 

The most popular movie (allegedly) is the one involving bodies and sprouts, lotsa, lotsa sprouts. :blink:

Re: Globalization and the BBC
 

I wish someone would turn up the prude meter a bit and stop all the 'erectile dysfunction' ads on tv! :)

Have you ever seen South Park? They somehow seem to compensate for all the other prudish shows on US TV! They had an entire show about Oprah's "minge" :)

I think some of the 'sexual stuff' in UK comedy is out of place; I remember watching the original (UK) 'The Office' show, in which one of the guys produces an inflatable penis ... it didn't seem to have any humor value and seemed to be there for shock or similar. I personally don't care ...

If you pay for a fairly extensive cable or satellite TV package you can find fabulous shows on US TV; I'd say every bit as good as in the UK. The difference is, you have to wade through hundreds of bad shows to find them - so the 'experience' is not as easy.

Re: Globalization and the BBC
 

I thought it was funny in the same way the rest of The Office was funny – in that it accurately skewered many of the frustrations, annoyances and absurdities that characterise that kind of working environment: IIRC the inflatable dick was a novelty present for someone, and that is exactly the sort of thing that some people in offices in Britain (and elsewhere) do because they think it’s hilarious, when in reality most people find it immature and tiresome.

Re: Globalization and the BBC
 

well a bit more imaginative than a whoope cushion or plastic vomit or something, :lol: