British Shows

[Prefect]

Bit of a lighter subject about my personal experience of this miserable condition, but perhaps it's a nice beak from the seriousness and desperation our daily lives have consisted of, in search for answers, the anxiety, the depressing hopelessness. Sometimes I get tired of this bloody abyss, so for those who feel the same way, here it is...

Ever since I got sick, I have sensory overload and concentration problems. I find it peculiar that I find British shows easier to watch. I live in Canada, so it should be easier to follow a show in an accent I'm more familiar with (American), but for some strange reason I'm calmer and better able to concentrate when watching British series on Netflix. American shows now feel like a sensory assault, with all the sizzle, the unwarranted scene flashbacks along time lines to create a false sense of mystery, the boisterous personalities, the overt emotionality, the over the top-ness...

It's as if the woodenness of British shows, the reservedness of the characters, the subtle emotiveness, the beautifully understated nature (something the Brits are brilliant at), and the lack of flashiness is easier on my senses, so I can concentrate better. I'm 50, but did live in the UK from age 16-19, so I have an easier time understanding common British, scottish, and Irish accents (believe me it's not the Queen's English), but that was so long ago. Before I got sick and didn't have these problems, I could watch anything.

Is this just a quirk of mine? I wonder if I'm alone in this bizarre predisposition. Feel free to let me know if you share this experience, or something similar?

 

[xebex]

I hear ya! Being British in Canada I really struggle with the in-laws when their cable tv is on all the time! it’s so brash. There are some American shows that I like where I feel the acting is more natural and subdued, but I’d imagine to each their own so my suggestion might not suit you, but certainly certain shows assault my senses more than others!

 

[ahmo]

I never thought about it, but I certainly don't like loud, quick, noisy viewing. I get a great choice of British and Australian programs, and notice that I generally don't prefer American shows, though I was raised in US.

 

[Zebra]

Hi @Prefect.

The other day I was listening to National Public Radio (NPR) in the States, and they did a program about "Norwegian Slow TV."

Apparently it's very slow, peaceful, and calming. And surprisingly popular!

I have been meaning to look into it to see if this programming is available outside of Norway.

Perhaps the Norwegians have unknowingly created a TV genre appropriate for those with ME/CFS!

Best,
Z

 

[Prefect]

@Zebra just looked it up. The BBC also did some in 2015-2016. It's appears to be about showing ordinary situations (such as a boat going through a river) as the entirety of a film, likely no dialogue. "An early example of extended length cinematography was artist Andy Warhol's 1964 film Sleep, which showed poet John Giorno sleeping for five hours and twenty minutes," Wikipedia.

 

[Avena]

Same here. But I am living in a very Anglophile Country media vise, British drama is what many people around me watches for real feel good.

Some favorites: Doc Martin, William and Mary, Inspector Lewis, Foyle‘s War, Cold Feet, The Bletchley Circle, Last Tango in Halifax.

A few with a more modern take: Fleabag, Crashing UK, Lovesick.

 

[andyguitar]

It's as if the woodenness of British shows, the reservedness of the characters, the subtle emotiveness, the beautifully understated nature (something the Brits are brilliant at), and the lack of flashiness is easier on my senses, so I can concentrate better.

As an Englishman who watches both UK and USA shows it seems to that in the USA they try to cram in as much in as they can. As they say 'Less is more' So i prefer UK stuff.

 

[lenora]

Hello Everyone.....I'm still new here, but I agree 100%. I've lived in both Estevan, Sask. (my hubby was building a power dam and we were newly married at the time), Hamilton for a short period of time and mainly Toronto, Ontario, for a good 12 yrs. or so. We've been in Dallas, TX for about 42 yrs. or thereabouts, my mother was British, as is my hubby, and I agree so much with what you're saying. British TV is wonderful and we watch mainly PBS, Netflix and Amazon Prime (you can access older British shows via Prime...Acorn, for e.g.). We've always watched British shows and sadly, I also have to admit they're responsible for my hubby never losing his accent.

We all have so much to learn from each other. See if you can Haley Mills in "The Flame Trees of Thika," and all other old Masterpiece Theatre shows. Most are in the process of being remade, but there are still a few left in their original format. My favorite of favorites is 'I, Claudius' and I have to say that I wasn't ready for it the first time it was shown. Our tastes develop with age. I can remember re-watching it when my hubby was studying for one of his advanced degrees, and thinking "Why, oh why did I/we reject this the first time around?" It's truly a masterpiece if you can sit through the first 3 episodes, you'll be all set. PBS has only shown this 2 times in its history, but I'm so glad I watched it thoroughly the second time around. You'll find many, many that I can't think of the names of...some set in India are especially good, as well as the ones being produced today. I, too, find the American shows (and I'm American, I was born and raised here), are too much for me and I soon find something else.

Our daughters follow the same route and enjoy British shows and have introduced their husbands to them. The Australian, New Zealand and yes, the Scandinavian films are also good. I'm a reader, a serious reader on a wide variety of topics, are any of you that way inclined? Books are my great joy, after my family, and I know so many of you have found that joy and love in your pets. Whatever works, go for it!!

Take good care...and have a good enough day. Yours, Lenora.

 

[Prefect]

@Avena just watched The Bletchley Circle last night, amazing show. The woman who screen wrote Last Tango in Halifax also did Happy Valley, which is my favourite crime investigative show; I've watched it three times. Also Scott & Bailey. I'm a big fan of British crime investigation series.

 

[Avena]

@Prefect Have you watched the San Francisco-continuation of the Bletchley Circle as well?

I really enjoyed Happy Valley, but a bit too heavy for me on bad days. I need to save this category for brain fog free periods, but if you are are in for the more Concentration requiring show, Line of Duty is about as good as it get. Bodyguard is another. Also: UK version of State of Play.

Scott & Bailey is great, have to mention Trial & Retribution as well.

 

[Avena]

@Prefect I almost forgot Shetland - one of my absolute favorites of the current Shows.

 

[Prefect]

@Avena Planning to watch Bletchley San Francisco today once my morning brain fog lifts off. I've already watched Line of Duty, Shetland and Bodyguard. Unfortunately Trial & Retribution and State of Play aren't available on Netflix Canada. I highly recommend Thirteen and Doctor Foster.

 

[Wolfcub]

The Stranger on Netflix at the moment is very good. It takes a good drama to make me watch a whole series, but I did like that one. It is a British drama, and very well done, in my opinion.

I also enjoyed Ragnarok but that is not British, it's Norwegian. A kind of fantasy drama but well done, and got me watching all the episodes!

As for "shows", I did used to like "QI" with Stephen Fry and the others (sorry I have forgotten their names). It was so funny. It may still be around but I don't have a TV any more so wouldn't know.

 

[Prefect]

@Wolfcub I've watched The Stranger. As for Ragnarok I have trouble watching shows from non-english speaking countries. I find the English translated voiceovers irritating and unnatural, and when there's subtitles I have troubles concentrating on screen and subtitle at the same time, my mental processing is slow.

 

[Rebeccare]

We were recently discussing on another thread how certain PBS shows are quite soothing: The Joy of Painting (Bob Ross), Antiques Roadshow, This Old House, etc. Even though they're American shows they're understated, and they have a nice slow pace. I much prefer watching the fellows from This Old House meticulously renovate a home over the course of an entire season rather than watching a half-hour house flipping show on another network.

My favorite of favorites is 'I, Claudius'

I loved this show, but there were so many different characters and so much backstabbing that it was difficult for me to keep track of everything that was going on! My roommate owns the DVD set, so we've enjoyed watching it a few times over the years.

Hamilton for a short period of time

My father grew up in Hamilton! I just booked a flight to visit my grandmother there in the spring.

 

[lenora]

@Avena just watched The Bletchley Circle last night, amazing show. The woman who screen wrote Last Tango in Halifax also did Happy Valley, which is my favourite crime investigative show; I've watched it three times. Also Scott & Bailey. I'm a big fan of British crime investigation series.

Yes, Avena, Happy Valley was a good show. Very indicative of British mystery TV shows. For lighter things you may consider the Durrell's in Corfu, or the like in name...quite sure that's the correct name, though. It's based on a book written by the middle son and is a true story. Hard to believe for the time and place, but it did occur. This was just on, so should still be readily accessible. Go to Acorn via Amazon Prime...it's very inexpenesive, and also share/swap names with a circle of friends who have developed the same tastes over the yrs. Enjoy, while you can!

 

[lenora]

There was an excellent cop show starring Gillian Andersen (of the X-Files). It was highly watchable, but oh the horror of it all. Another favorite starred Stellan(r) Skaarsgarrd (Swedish) in which he played opposite a well known British actress....sorry, I tried looking up the name, but he's very popular and is in quite a few quality films. As I recall this played last year or even the year before. A friend who's into the same shows, just called and her memory's 10 x worse than mine. Between us we couldn't come up with the title. It's a great pity as I not only fell in love with the character (which I never do), but it was such a good show. Perhaps someone out there will have a memory jolt and will be able to give you the titles of both...I hope so. There is something far more soothing about these shows; the lack of sudden movements, the gathering of evidence, the quality of the writing, etc. Funny thing is that the UK is totally taken with American shows!! Go figure. Anyway a few leads, for some willing detective. We also watch good ones on American TV, but there just aren't that many in comparison to the others. Parisian films I find often miss nuances, and the subtitles often leave out entire meanings of conversations. Good luck....Yours, Penny

 

[Jessie~]

There are a lot of shows that I enjoy watching on PBS too (British and American). That calm and quieter factor also works well for me, although I still watch a mix of American shows and movies. I only do free TV, but I have a Roku streaming media player and have found so many shows and movies to watch for free, especially on the TubiTV and Roku Channel apps. In the last couple of years I have been happily discovering (mostly older) British and other foreign shows that I never knew existed.

I recently finished all episodes of Detectorists. I love that show, and the theme song! It is funny and somewhat dramatic and exciting, yet calm and quiet enough that it is not too fast paced or an assault to my senses when I watch. I also really enjoyed the little clips of all of the nature, birds, bugs, and flowers that they showed between scenes. I have posted a lot of pictures in the Nature and Wildlife types of threads that are similar content, so that is right up my alley.

 

[Avena]

@lenora I understand your references, have watched most
Stellan - River
Gillian - The fall

Can also mention Collatteral and London Spy.

 

[Prefect]

I think one of things that bothers me about some American shows is the incessant camera angle switches during a scene, which throws me off because my brain has trouble with set shifting. On British shows the camera is often held still, say, during a dialogue between people. Some American shows even have the camera wobbling during a scene presumably to add effect...annoys the hell out of me.

I should say I do and have enjoyed quite a few American shows though. Breaking Bad, You, and Messiah were excellent.