British Shows

[YippeeKi YOW !!]

There have been research finding that Soap Opera/tv series following the same rules every time can have a similar effect on the brain as meditation.

This is fascinating. During meditation, the frontal cortex, which is the part of the brain that processes sensory information and input about the surrounding world, shuts down or goes off-line, as it were. Activity in the parietal lobe also slows to near-nothing. The parietal lobe is vital to sensory perception and integration, managing taste, sight, hearing, smell, and touch. It houses the brain's primary sensory area.

So to be engaged, or even mildly involved, with watching a soap opera is pretty much the dead opposite of meditation, at least that's the way it seems to me. But I've been wrong before, and whenever that was (probably yesterday), I don;t think it'll be the last time.

Can you remember where you read that? I'd be interested in the research on it ..... it seems so counter intuitive.

 

[lenora]

Hello All....No, the name of the one I'm trying to think of isn't Scotia, (we used to live in Canada and New Scotia is a province there), but is titled "Last Tango in Halifax" (which is in the Province of New Scotia in Halifax)...which then leads to other things that no one would understand or wants to hear. Yours, Penny

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.

I'll have to watch 'Detectorists'....don't understand how we missed it. Perhaps this coming summer when nothing is on.

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.


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.


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

I keep saying that the world's far smaller than anyone ever thought. I'm sure that Hamilton's now part of the greater Toronto area by now. We remember it as being off the QEW between Toronto & Niagara Falls, Ont. The Peace Bridge connected the two cities, Ft. Erie & Buffalo, NY. We only lived in Hamilton for under a year, we were anxious to return to Toronto. We've been back many times since then...many, many wonderful memories of our years in Toronto. Many wonderful memories of people and places in all the areas we lived in, including England. We didn't actually live there, but b/c my mother was British and Rod was also, it's as if I had dual nationality. Both of our daughters were born there, although we never told them they held tri-heritage (British, b/c of Rod, American b/c of me and Canadian b/c that's where they were born). We were right...the teen years were hard enough without them up and leaving to move there!! No, Dallas was perfect for raising them in during those years. A safe harbor. Rod became a Canadian citizen and has been American ever since he first could. He spends more time voting than anyone I know. The citizenship exam isn't an easy one to ace and these people take it all very seriously. Great citizens, no matter where they hail from.

This thread made me realize why I do not watch tv. I hate American tv filming apparently! All I watch is PBS, although somehow my antenna got knocked and PBS doesn't come in any more. I haven't had the energy to go into the garage to fix the antenna. So I no longer watch tv. Yep, another free tv only watcher here. Why pay for crap I can't watch?

And I, Claudius???? I nearly fell out of my chair at the mention of it. My brother in law is a drama professor, and 30 years ago he had recorded this (from PBS) on video for us. It is where I learned of the British term "wind." (What was that? Wind? ) LOVED that show. Like everything else the lexicon has changed over the years...even we don't recognize certain terms any longer. P.

Very pleased to hear that many of the Brit shows I like are on Prime. I just started paying, so this might be worth looking into.

Absolutely, look into Acorn TV....first mo. is free, the trick is to mark when you started getting it on your calendar. You'll find hrs. of great entertainment that exercises the brain, but not the wallet. Happy viewing. Like everything else, the lexicon has changed over the years...even we don't recognize certain terms any longer and keep Rod's text handy for quickly looking things up. On the whole, I'd say the British know far more about us than we do about them. Time to up our game as far as the world is concerned. Past time, even. Yours, Lenora. l

 

[lenora]

For something lighter, see the DOC MARTIN series, starring Martin Clunes, one of the UK's most beloved comedians. Very odd sense of humor, but you'll soon get used to it and will enjoy the series (9 seasons in all). I'll hate to see it end. This is especially good when you've had surgery, feel really sick, etc. when you can't really concentrate on the heavy stuff (like where I'm at this moment, although some sleep would help restore me to myself)...well, you recognize the feeling. Anyway, another funny one is John Cleese's piece set in Torquay, England. it's very old but I still get a laugh out of it, and I don't particularly do well with humor. FAWLTY TOWERS is the name of the series. For trivia buffs, the waitress was, at the time his wife in real life. The woman who plays his wife in the series is another British comedian great. We've always enjoyed FAWLTY TOWERS and can attest to the accuracy of the portrayals as we stayed in much such places during our younger years. Watch and enjoy...each and every one of you. Yours Lenora. Of course we also stayed in places a whole lot worse. Penniless, carefree, stupid...all the wonderful things of youth. We had each other and that was more than enough. Still is.

 

[lenora]

I hear you. My favourite films are those outdoor landscape type movies. I think that was one small reason why I liked Ragnarok (though the story was good anyway) But there were some beautiful shots of the fjords.

But give me the north pole....or siberia....or Canada etc, put a lot of wolves in it and maybe one guy trying to live off-grid....and I am in seventh heaven

It's a great pity that we no longer go to England. We could have met up in a tea shop, or the like, and met each other and shared a laugh or two. I'm the outgoing one in our relationship; it has always been that way. What I say, a girl from small-town America, and I enjoyed life there tremendously. Sure, there were hard times, but it's what we knew and we also knew love in great abundance. The latter is what I choose to dwell on. Yes. we were/are both gardeners at heart and I've made note of Ragnarok for future viewing. Right now we're finishing the final season of DOC MARTIN....that Martin Clunes is something else, isn't he? Yours Lenora.

Actually, no, it didn't. The Wire first aired on HBO, starting in June of 2002 thru March of 2008. You must be thinking of another show with a similar name.

Perhaps I am, I'm a far cry from infallible. We'll have to dig up the original The Wire in the U.S. Anything different is for us. We've converted many people into quality TV viewers and, in turn, they watch out for us. See, there is a chain and we're the links holding it together.

 

[lenora]

Its over here! I've got it for you!

Seriously- with this stuff, one can enjoy watching something all over again. Sometimes its simply our retrieval challenge- I'll remember once something else reminds me. Until then, don't need to worry about remembering.

Please hold it and safely guard it, b/c it's one of the few things I absolutely can't be without. When i come out of this, I'll know exactly where it is. Thanks, Rufous. Yours Lenora.

 

[Avena]

@YippeeKi YOW !! It was referenced in a Lecture several years ago (bachelor level). I have never seen the actual paper myself. It focused on the predictability of the formula having an effect on the brain.

 

[YippeeKi YOW !!]

@YippeeKi YOW !! It was referenced in a Media Science Lecture several years ago (bachelor level). I have never seen the actual paper myself. It focused on the predictability of the formula having an effect on the brain.

That's really interesting, and totally counter intuitive. I'm not sure I agree with it yet, but I can see where the soothingly predictable could possibly relax and slow the brain.

Hmmmmmm .... I'll have to give this some thought. On one of the days when I actually have 'thought'. Thanks for responding @Avena, much appreciated !!!

 

[Tammy]

Some American shows even have the camera wobbling during a scene presumably to add effect...annoys the hell out of me.

I remember when they first started doing that and yes........it's beyond annoying. I can't imagine why someone thought that would be a good idea.

 

[Hip]

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've not noticed the different between UK and US material in terms of camera shake; Ill have to pay more attention.

But definitely I find it mentally uncomfortable and disconcerting when there is a shaky camera effect in films or TV programs. I suspect having ME/CFS may make processing the visual information more difficult when there is a camera shake.

The Jasons Bourne films in particular all had heavy camera shake, and to make things worse, often very rapid editing with the scene or shot angle constantly changing every few seconds. I found these films stressful and mentally exhausting to watch.

I think the camera shake is done to create an edgy atmosphere; so I guess some people might like it. But it seems many find it hard to watch: this article about the Jasons Bourne films says:

individuals who claimed to like the Bourne films — complained about Ultimatum’s "choppy, jumpy camera work," its "unwatchable" action scenes, and/or its reliance on incomprehensible staging and editing, which one reader dubbed a "gimmick."

"The entire movie shake-a-shakes with an incessant Queasy-Cam affectation," wrote another reader. Multiple letters suggested that the Ultimatum’s editing was bad enough to cause physical illness, while some complained of the style’s influence on other action filmmakers.

 

[Rufous McKinney]

@YippeeKi YOW !! It was referenced in a Media Science Lecture several years ago (bachelor level). I have never seen the actual paper myself. It focused on the predictability of the formula having an effect on the brain.

This may also relate to other phenomenon- like why children ask that Daddy read the same story, again. There is a whole psychology around this- issue of- predictability, patterns, expectations...

 

[Rufous McKinney]

This is one aspect of the phenomenon of familiarity and predictability thru stories...

https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/583247/the-reason-kids-want-to-hear-same-bedtime-story

 

[lenora]

This is one aspect of the phenomenon of familiarity and predictability thru stories...

https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/583247/the-reason-kids-want-to-hear-same-bedtime-story

Yes, that makes a certain sense. Our girls often liked the same story over, over and over again. I just hope they'll return to reading with the same passion they developed oy over the years. Who knows? There's nothing I can do about it now, and they're quite correct in that time limits what they can do for themselves. Still, a life without reading, doesn't seem like a very good one to me. I understand that I'm the odd woman out, but still, it would be nice to have company to discuss books, etc. Both love the British shows that we watch(ed) with them when they were young, and the James Herriott is a particularly nice way to start children on their own path to learning. Mind you, it's been remade so many times, that I hardly know where to tell people to begin. Personally, I like the originals but then that's probably just me. Both took piano lessons for their entire lives, but one won't even touch it now and the other retains a fair bit of knowledge about it. Both of her children are musically inclined, so that's nice. I'm not saying they're great, but they do want to learn about all instruments and both find the piano much easier than say, the guitar. I find that interesting. Rod built a harpsichord but that turned out to be a whole more work than either of us anticipated. We had a terrible winter in Dallas. and the soundboard (approx. 1/8th" thicke) snapped almost in half; it couldn't be repaired until the same conditions re-appeared again a few years later. Anyway, we had to put two additions on our house (which Rod did) as a result of musical instruments. It makes one wonder who's going to want to buy this place someday?? That will be our daughter's hered concern...like everything around us, it will probably be ripped out & turned into some psdeuo-modern monstrosity, the charm completely lost and the sense of history gone. However, I have no control over that anymore than the people who sold it to us so many, many years ago. I like feeling surrounded as opposed to cavernous. Sorry, I think via my fingers; it's a bad habit, I know. Feel free to tell me.

OK, folks, back to you and tell me about your lives and loves. I always like both sides of the coin; no favorites for me. Take good care...and I do mean that. I hope tonight sees you off i

 

[Prefect]

I've found show viewing repetition is also perfect for this condition. I've watched each Seinfeld episode probably 7 times in the last few years and enjoyed them every time. Due to cognitive deficits, after about a year or so I don't remember an episode all too well, so when I watch it again it makes me laugh like I'm watching it for the first time...lol. I guess one positive aspect of cerebral dysfunction is you get a bang for your buck on show viewing.

 

[Prefect]

BTW are a lot of British women left handed? I see so many left handed women (and not men) on British shows, and it's got me wondering if I'm losing my mind. It's so bizarre.

The other thing I've noticed, which you don't usually see on shows from US, is the commonness of age disparity in couples, mostly observed in the case of extra marital affairs; older women with much younger men, or older men with much younger women. You'll see the odd one on an American show if a point is being made on the very matter, but on British shows it's so common and never emphasized on through plot, as if par the course? Scratching my head. Is this a form of age cultural openness on the issue, just my imagination, or, again, maybe I really am losing my mind? Not a criticism of course; if the Brits are this immune to ageism they're culturally way ahead!

 

[lenora]

Hello Prefect....Yes, I'd say the British are culturally ahead of us, probably b/c of the close proximity to European Countries. Is it for the best? One wonders at times, as we tend to follow the same trends.

No, there isn't the same age disparity as you see on American TV. Now whether that has to do with Europe's influence or is a genuine UK trend, I couldn't tell you. I've been going there rather regularly for over 50 ++ yrs., OK, not the last 18 or so, but then we have friends who travel from the UK and their children, and we see the same general trends toward us. It's rapidly changing, but looks aren't as important to them as they are here. I see the Hollywood look creeping into some of the characters now, and feel that's a great shame. The country's really losing something if it begins to look like Hollywood. I love the look of real people playing real characters. With period shows it simply doesn't matter unless remakes are made and the glitz somehow follows in. That would be a great shame. I've noticed, for e.g. that a lot of their teeth are now capped, and other cosmetic work has been done.

Try some of the Australian and New Zealand shows, also, you may see more honesty in their characters.

As far as the l. handed business goes, I hadn't noticed. I assume you're probably a leftie, and I have two grandchildren who are ambidextrous, but I've never noticed the l. handed business. I'll have to pay closer attention and will ask Rod to, also.

Yes, by travelling and watching other shows we begin to learn a lot about the world. You're very perceptive and it's been nice "chatting" to you. Yours, Lenora.

 

[Pearshaped]

I found that old documetaries/ comedy and especially old plays on a stage are easier to watch bec the camera doesn't move all the time.

its a big contrast to the fast,scene-changing,camera waving- documentaries or shows.

 

[Prefect]

@YippeeKi YOW !! I just started watching Sherlock last night. So fa I love it. Haven't watched any of the old Sherlock movies/series, but half an hour into the first episode I thought "This guy is on the spectrum". So I googled it and bam! There it was.

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/10521128/Sherlock-Holmes-is-autistic-leading-charity-claims.html

 

[Prefect]

@lenora I'm not left handed, but my father is. I've watched a couple of Australian shows, Rake and Wentworth being my favourite.

 

[YippeeKi YOW !!]

This started with the incredibly good and waaaaay ahead of it's time network show Homicide , early 90's or late 80's I think..... written by the inimitable David Simon, who later expanded it to The Wire probably the most brilliant thing ever done on TV, maybe ever done on film.....they used a handheld for many of the scenes to give it more gritty authenticity and immediacy than the over-produced usual network fare ....

I can't imagine why someone thought that would be a good idea.

Homicide used the edgy immediacy of the hand-held, slightly shaky camera in an effort to make it clear from the opening titles and credits that this wasn't going to be your usual plate-of-pablum type police show, but something else entirely. They used the effect judiciously, which is what made it so effective.

The citizenship exam isn't an easy one to ace and these people take it all very seriously. Great citizens, no matter where they hail from.

I agree. Most new citizens know 250% more about this country's history, its Constitution, and its governing bodies than those of us who were fortunate enough to be born into this rich inheritance, thereby taking it completely for granted. This is beyond dangerous, as we're learning.

For something lighter, see the DOC MARTIN series, starring Martin Clunes, one of the UK's most beloved comedians. Very odd sense of humor, but you'll soon get used to it and will enjoy the series (9 seasons in all). I'll hate to see it end.

Totally agree. It's one of the best British offerings around, along with the ones I listed above in a prevous quote, and have re-quoted here to save time:

This is just me, but I find much of British TV to be simplistic and kinda dull, with a few outstanding exceptions: right now, the only ones I can think of are Doc Martin, Luther, Sherlock, Victoria, The Durrells of Corfu, Poldark (both the new and the old) but I know there are others.

FAWLTY TOWERS

Fawlty Towers was a gem of luminous brilliance, and of course, disappeared after 2 1/2 short seasons. It was side-splittingly hilarious, partly because you could easily recognize all the personality types that appear in each episode. Penelope Scales was often overshadowed by the manic, wildly funny John Cleese, but she was the glue that held it all together.

We'll have to dig up the original The Wire in the U.S.

You won't have to do much digging. It's regarded as a brilliant, iconic, classic gem (it's only about 11 years since it ended) and is available everywhere from Netflix to HBO, who was still running it on HBO Go!! the last time I checked.

 

[Tammy]

I really miss ........."Are you being served" and "Keeping up Appearances"