British Shows

[starlily88]

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

Loved those also.
I love watching "As Time Goes By" - missed last 2 seasons (now over) - so got them on DVD at library.

 

[lenora]

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.

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.

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:


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.

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.

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.

I keep giving SEINFELD one try after the other, but Rod can't stand the laugh tracks on American shows, and after listening to them, find I feel the same way. Please let me know if they ever appear without those tracks. Thanks for the info, I appreciate it. Yours, Lenora.

 

[lenora]

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

Both oldies, but goodies. Are You Being Served, is ancient by now, isn't it? These were among the earliest of British TV (see, it does help to have old folks around; we're good for some things -). Personally, I don't like watching the same show over and over again but understand that a lot of people do. True, I can't remember titles as well as I used to, but I sure remember storlines. You'd be pleasantly surprised at the newest British, Irish, NZ and Australian offers, to say nothing of the Scandinavian countries. Top stars in some of them...Toni Collette is always a good one, as well as Asher Keddie. She just finished (I think!) one about Cleo Magazine...a true story. it was good.

 

[lenora]

Like Call The Midwife ?

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.

And much of American TV seems to pander to whatever seems to be selling in that moment, usually sex and violence. Which I dont object to when it's attached to really good writing and decent character depth and development, but that's usually found on cable TV, not network.

Yippe....I do think you should give some of the more recent ones a chance, as I think you'll like them more. Just a suggestion, that's all. Yours, Lenora.

 

[lenora]

RebeccaRe.....I quite agree. I found the Bob Ross painting show very good and was so sorry when he passed away. Not that I would want the sameness of his landscapes on every wall of my home, but it did make me want to rush out and buy some painting supplies. He was a gentle man, and I find that I like that type best of all. Since art class was the one I dreaded the most, just the fact that I wanted to buy supplies says a lot. l/ We're tired of Antiques Roadshow, but then it has been remade into so many American shows, that it seems to be everywhere. Mind you, we watched it for years and years, so learned a lot and applied it to ourselves.

 

[YippeeKi YOW !!]

Yippe....I do think you should give some of the more recent ones a chance, as I think you'll like them more. Just a suggestion, that's all. Yours, Lenora.

As you can see in the post of mine you quoted, I've checked out, and enjoyed, quite a few of them. But as I said, a lot of the British TV offerings are just not my cuppa ...

An American comedy you might enjoy is Malcolm In The Middle , largely because it's side-splittingly funny and HAS ABSOLUTELY NO LAUGH TRACK, God bless it, .... great writing. Another oldie but goodie, I think it went off-air in the early-ish aughts.

And now I'm off for a little lie down, with a splitting head and some effort-discouraging dizziness.

 

[lenora]

Yippe....I do think you should give some of the more recent ones a chance, as I think you'll like them more. Just a suggestion, that's all. Yours, Lenora.

I hope your splitting headache was helped by your nap. Also, we've never tried Malcolm, etc., but will do so. It 's the laugh tracks that are so annoying, that's all. If British TV isn't your cuppa tea, then that's just fine. I don't object to sex scenes; but let's have some equal play (where is full frontal male nudity...you see it in European shows, and quite honestly, it doesn't take away from things one bit. One soon gets used to it...after all, how much staring can you do?....and stop using them as an excuse for violence against women. I don't like that...at all!!

 

[Wolfcub]

I remember One Foot in the Grave (one of the grumpiest "funny shows"....goodness knows why I found it so hilarious, but I did -every time)....and 'Allo 'Allo. That policeman in Allo Allo
Oh yes....and that one with the two Irish priests (what was that called?) And the cleaning lady who wanted to drown everyone in tea !

Edit: I just remembered the Irish priests show. It was called Father Ted.

I haven't found full episodes around for a while now. Not since Google/Netflix and other beings shipped quite a few free gems off YouTube when they twigged that they could make money from them Sadly, those shows didn't end up on Netflix, either that or I missed them

 

[Rufous McKinney]

Ragnarok is sure interesting...just Being in this other Culture...this other place physically- and of course its near a fjord. We love fjords.

"That" would never happen in Uptight USA!

Like just the second scene- you arrive at your New High School and are welcomed and then you disclose your basic shortcomings to the whole class. Not in the USA. You'd be bullled for the next year!

 

[Wolfcub]

I just found a little clip with the policeman from Allo Allo

 

[Rufous McKinney]

I just found a little clip with the policeman from Allo Allo

This should have been posted in the Good Moaning Thread.

 

[Wolfcub]

That policeman was supposed to be an undercover British agent pretending to be a gendarme. That was supposed to be his "terrible French"

 

[Prefect]

Anyone watched Bottom? British comedy show with two actors from the Young Ones. Extremely violent and crude, but I found it hilarious.

 

[Wolfcub]

I vaguely remember Bottom, but not really, as that came at a time when I lived in the mountains and had no TV.

 

[Wolfcub]

its near a fjord. We love fjords.

I was always interested in fjords. But I remember my Mama always had a horror of them. She hated to even look at pictures of them.

 

[Rufous McKinney]

But I remember my Mama always had a horror of them. She hated to even look at pictures of them.

My mother in law must have disliked them enough to Emigrate to the US! (but she was eight).(likely nobody asked her). She left Bergen...in..the 1930s. Does Bergen have a fjord?

 

[Wolfcub]

Does Bergen have a fjord?

Yes I believe Bergen is in the midst of fjord country,

https://www.visitnorway.com/places-to-go/fjord-norway/bergen/

I nearly went there once .....except I spent the money I saved up to go there, to do something else instead (age circa 17)

 

[lenora]

Hello Wolfcub,
I think one of the reasons a lot of older British shows don't make it to our shores has to do with the voltage of the electricity. I've noticed on old tapes (even CD's for sale) that it will often specify which ones are safe to use on machines made in the U.S. vs UK. Does that make any sense? I remember one of the earliest shows, going back to the 1960's was something like "On the Buses" or something of that sort. I can't even remember where we first saw it, but it was actually quite funny. I've tried to find it since but no go. I don't mean that you're old enough to have remembered it, heavens, that was a long time ago, and I'm surprised that even I do. Anyway, good luck and many happy chuckles!! Oh, another funny one was 'White Teeth,' I just about roared with laughter over that one, especially Season 1, and rushed out and bought her second book, only to think some horrible joke had been played on me. I can't even think of her name now. The first season of 'White Teeth' was definitely good, though.

 

[lenora]

I believe the authoress of 'White Teeth' was Zadia Smith. As I recall, she was adopted, of mixed heritage herself and pulled off this mastepriece while in her Freshman Yr. at Oxford. Like I said, her susequent book wasn't as well received...and didn't deserve to be, but I understand she's now writing and producing somewhere in London.

I'm quite sure it was called 'White Teeth' and please, let me know if there's more to the story than that. Yours, Penelope

 

[YippeeKi YOW !!]

If British TV isn't your cuppa tea, then that's just fine.

I think you're still not understanding me. As I stated in my original post a few pages back, after listing a half dozen or so BRITISH SHOWS that I really liked, and later including the memorably brilliant I, Claudius, it's the blander ones that tend to be one-dimensional just don;t hold my interest.

Am reposting my original quote re this for you again:

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.

Unlike what you posted above, I DO find gratuitous sex and violence offensive. Not just because it's sex and violence, but because it's crafted to appeal to the widest swathe of viewers possible, rather than advance either the story line or character development. It's a cheap ploy.