British TV

[MX7]

You only pay a TV license for the BBC. All other channels are free because they feature advertising.

ITV and Channel 4 have recently started getting a share of the licence fee too.


The first episode of series 4 of The IT Crowd was quite fun, but also fairly lacklustre. I hope it gets better as the series progresses.

I've been re-watching series six of Peep Show on 4OD, and though I see it as the series where the jokes started to get a bit stale, it's still quality stuff.

A few months ago I taught a module on the low budget comedy/superhero/post-apocalyptic drama Misfits, first broadcast on E4. It's great stuff, I'd recommend it to anyone overseas looking for interesting UK drama.

Dead Set, a horror mini-series for E4 was pretty awesome. Incredibly bleak.

In general, I find myself watching UK comedy and US drama (99% HBO, so not really indicative of standardised network practices).

[stuntman]

I've been a whole year without a TV licence now, and with the money saved I subscribe to http://www.lovefilm.com for DVD rental. I also pick up cheap DVD box sets of classic TV shows from Amazon. And I watch 'em all on a big ass 4:3 CRT I got given about ten years ago

[xris]

A couple new American adaptations have started up.
Skins- I'm surprised that I forgot to mention this before, maybe 'cause I haven't seen too much of it. It was shown rather sporadically here, very good. I think it has been released on DVD here for some time, I'm going to have to look around for cheap copies. Anyway, Mtv has produced a series that just premiered this week, I was impressed by the first episode so far. They've done a really good job at capturing that gritty semi-real feeling from the original. I guess I'm just a big fan of teenage noir though. The cast for this seems pretty damn close to the original, maybe some liberties with Tony, but the kid playing him did such a great job in the first episode. This has been the closest I've seen so far to getting the feel of British programing so far, but it was only one episode, so we'll see. If you liked the series, this might be worth checking out.
Being Human- Sci-Fi channel has produced the adaption of this, I have yet to watch it, but the promos look terrible. So much of the original relies on the cast, they mixed so very well. These new actors seem like a bunch of wankers. I can't see this doing well here in the US.
I have only watched the first couple of episode of the second season of the British version. I felt a little underwhelmed so far. I think I'll just wait until the season is over and try to catch a marathon of it then, and see how I like it then.
So, have you guys in the UK been getting showings of our recent boom in popular junk/antique collecting and selling shows there? Seems like the kind of stuff you're into. What other import shows have been a hit in the UK lately?

[oli_lar]

So, have you guys in the UK been getting showings of our recent boom in popular junk/antique collecting and selling shows there? Seems like the kind of stuff you're into. What other import shows have been a hit in the UK lately?

We've had those shows for ages - turn on the tv during the day time and you are pretty much guaranteed to see one, if not two on. They're all pretty much standard daytime dross, involving items worth a couple of quid - you see Antiques Roadshow repeats though, which are interesting. So yeah we are pretty much saturated with that sort of stuff so no US imports on that front.

I only really watch comedy and UK comedy tends to sit better with my humour so can't really tell you what stuff we are getting. Though I do remember that superhero thing with the guy off the Shield is on, only because for some reason the advert for it really annoyed me! The Cleveland show is on too, not really for me. Did like American Dad though, the latest series has been showing here.

Edit: I've been watching Stressed Eric recently, very funny animation.

[neorichieb1971]

Best UK comedy imo -

Only fools and horses
Red Dwarf
Father Ted

I could watch all 3 of those time after time. They tried to make a movie of Red Dwarf but they wanted to put some Hollywood A star in place of Craig Charles and it fell through.

[TransatlanticFoe]

If you want to dip into British TV, try http://www.uknova.com

Torrents hosted are strictly not commericially available and there may be a wait to sign up, but just about everything gets covered. If you've got the bandwidth, dip in and see what we have to offer!

Also, on a ye olde post, does Bedford even have shops where you can buy DVDs or do you have to go to Cambridge or Northampton for that

[neorichieb1971]

We don't have a DVD shop, but Tesco and Sainsbury's have a decent selection. My point being is that if you want DVD quality you might as well download it. It takes me about 35 mins to download something in DVD quality and it takes me £6+, plus petrol, plus pissing about in queues to get the DVD. Not a hard choice.

I buy all my stuff online though its cheaper. Although I mainly buy special editions like Steelbooks. Of which I have 80 or 90 or so from worldwide sources. Some of them Australian. I am now hopelessly addicted with several on the way as I type.

[BIL]

Any Alan Partridge fans on the board? The new online series is actually very good. It's up to episode ten now, two to go. Only ten minutes a pop, but it's truly a return to hyper-neurotic "I'm Alan Partrige" Series 1 form after the disappointingly slapstick Series 2.

[oli_lar]

If you want to dip into British TV, try http://www.uknova.com

Torrents hosted are strictly not commericially available and there may be a wait to sign up, but just about everything gets covered. If you've got the bandwidth, dip in and see what we have to offer!

thebox.bz is good too, and has more archive stuff. I use a combination of both though.

[Siren2011]

Fawlty Towers is the only British show I've watched to completion and enjoyed. I don't watch much T.V. in general anymore.

[GaijinPunch]

Peep Show.
One of the funniest shows ever.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cOC6_g66VdA

[Zeether]

Do they still show reruns of Knightmare on TV in the UK?

Not to my knowledge, unfortunately.

Aw...that sucks. I watched some of it and it looked pretty advanced considering when it came out. Those wall monsters are pretty fucking creepy.

[Rebel Ninja]

Peep Show.
One of the funniest shows ever.

Peep Show is excellent, it's by far my favourite sitcom!!!! I do hope they wrap it up before its starts running out of ideas though.
I also found The Inbetweeners pretty funny although some of the episodes were a bit hit and miss, especially in the third series.

[szycag]

I think you guys have it better over there as opposed to America, even if that fee is kind of bullshit. 99 channels over air would be amazing. I don't pay for cable here especially since a lot of stuff is officially streaming online the next day like The Daily Show, South Park etc. You get maybe 11 channels over air here in Kansas City, and that's including spanish and religious programming. Paying for basic cable doesn't get you much these days and about three or four months of that would pay for one of those license fees I imagine.

Would anyone argue the opposite? I realize the UK is smaller than the US so broadcast range is an issue. I hope in the future there are a lot more public stations here in the states.

[neorichieb1971]

America is too diverse for an "airing" system that is nationwide and free. It is also broken down into too many sub companies all wanting market share. In the UK the opposite is true really. You can have 3 supermarkets, 3 banks and 3 TV stations run the whole country. Whilst this sets a balance of competition, it also sets a balance of only 3 players ever needing to agree on a standard.

On the flip side of the coin, banks are usually very very busy, TV stations show alot of repeated stuff and plenty of people buy satellite/cable anyway.

I'd like the idea of strip malls and chain restaurants to hit the UK, but we don't have the room. Instead all these chain restaurants try to ram themselves into shopping centers which is ridiculous. For what you spend on TV, we spend on car parking.

Oh how I would love to have a subway drive in..

[dcharlie]

Father Ted

I was genuinely upset when Dermot Morgan died.

However, the series is now an all time classic - absolute brilliance.

"Nazis go around dressed in black, telling people what to do, whereas priests........ "

[maxlords]

I just recently watched Seasons 1 and 2 of Misfits and it's brilliant....everything that Heroes should have been and wasn't. Can't wait for Season 3. Also tried Being Human....haven't even been able to make it thru the first episode...was bored out of my skull. It must get better? Recently went through Life on Mars as well....that was really amazing too. Started Ashes to Ashes, but lacking one of the main actors hurts a bit IMO.

Other UK shows I have DLed to watch (haven't started these and/or aren't through em yet):
Spaced
Jekyll
Sherlock
Paradox
Neverwhere
Survivors

I'll check out Dead Set for sure now too Anything else good that I'm missing out on? I pretty much don't watch comedy for the most part....

[njiska]

I just recently watched Seasons 1 and 2 of Misfits and it's brilliant....

I'm just watching Series 2 today. Hated Heres but I'm loving this, largely due to the fact it's a normal drama. Those old lady tits though.... christ that scarred me.

Caught the last episode of this series of Top Gear last night. Marks the second week in a row we had really good SIARPC interviews. Seeing Prescott try to defend himself again Clarkson and a crowd that clearly doesn't agree with him was quite entertaining. He even made the "Slower driving saves children's lives" bullshit argument. Shame we didn't get to actually see the 959 and F40 go round the track.

Tried watching an episode of the latest series of Skins. Christ did that show ever fall apart after the second Series.

[SuperPang]

Peep Show.
One of the funniest shows ever.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cOC6_g66VdA

"Who needs romance when you're doing it up the bum?"

I imagine you as a bit of a Super Hans actually GP.

"So have you kicked the crack then Super Hans?"
"No. Now i just bang a load of valium up my arsehole for the comedown."

[GaijinPunch]

Would anyone argue the opposite? I realize the UK is smaller than the US so broadcast range is an issue. I hope in the future there are a lot more public stations here in the states.

I think the US has upped their game. There's some truly interesting shit on TV now -- better than film in some cases. Breaking Bad, Mad Men... gritty, and not even on the expensive channels. Even some of the prime time comedies are pretty humorous, but they have to dance around a lot of the blatant naughty stuff. But just like with anything, there's TONS of shit, but the rewards are good with some searching.

I imagine you as a bit of a Super Hans actually GP.

Oh, dear. Maybe in my old days. He's classic though.

"Super Hans, are you trying to skin up with your feet again?!"

[dcharlie]

I quite enjoyed "No Heroics" and i've not seen it mentioned

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w3zpMTKvvgk

[Zeether]

Charlie Brooker started a new series called "How TV Ruined Your Life" and it looks pretty good from what I've seen. (His hair still looks fucked up though)

[njiska]

I quite enjoyed "No Heroics" and i've not seen it mentioned

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w3zpMTKvvgk

Shame it only had the one series. Was a rather well put together sitcom.

[Skykid]

Peep Show.
One of the funniest shows ever.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cOC6_g66VdA

"Who needs romance when you're doing it up the bum?"

I imagine you as a bit of a Super Hans actually GP.

"So have you kicked the crack then Super Hans?"
"No. Now i just bang a load of valium up my arsehole for the comedown."

Peepshow is brilliant, was watching it the other night.

[oli_lar]

Charlie Brooker started a new series called "How TV Ruined Your Life" and it looks pretty good from what I've seen. (His hair still looks fucked up though)

I'm quite disappointed with it. It would be fine if I hadn't watched his stuff before, but so much of it so far has been recycled topics, content, footage etc - the first episode especially. The 'sketch' bits are far too long too. A shame, as the Screenwipe review of the year 2010 was him back on form. That reminds me, that new 10 o clock live thing is pretty pants too.

Agreed about the hair, but if it got you Konnie Huq I'd grow it in a heartbeat!

[TransatlanticFoe]

A lot of it seems to have been pulled directly from You Have Been Watching (Channel 4) rather than BBC stuff like Screen/Newswipe, but granted it is a bit shameless.

10 O'clock Live was exactly what I thought it'd be. Obvious jokes and Brooker doing a mini-Newswipe bit occasionally. Didn't bother after the first episode.

[DocHauser]

I've enjoyed How TV Ruined Your Life, even if it does recycle some stuff from his other shows, particularly You Have Been Watching (maybe he thinks that since one was on C4 and the other on the BBC, maybe that makes it ok).

Still, the section on Automan in last night's show was pretty funny.

EDIT: looks like someone already beat me to the YHBW comparison...

[Rebel Ninja]

I didn't mind "How TV ruined your life" but it was nowhere near as funny as "screenwipe" and "newswipe". I'm not sure if anyone has already mentioned it here but "The Thick of it" is also worth checking out. It's a comedy which satirises the workings of the modern British Government.

[terry330]

Started watching Saxondale. Coogan is pretty hit or miss but this seems alright from the couple episodes I've seen so fan.

[Weak Boson]

I really enjoyed How TV Ruined Your Life. I think that by giving each episode a theme allowed each episode to have a delightful crescendo of cynicism. There way some overlap from his previous stuff but I think it came together to be more than just more of the same. I particularly enjoyed Orlov.