The Best Thing on TV - But not in the UK

[TillieTrotter]

I know this doesnt relate but I dont want to start a new thread.

Did anyone see Boy A on Monday night, I bottled out after an hour as wasnt feeling strong enough to watch after the Warning.....some viewers may find the next scenes upsetting......or something like that. Really want to know what happened to Jack? Also does anyone think that this was in anyway a reference to the Bulger murderers???

[dave]

For me, The Wire is peerless. I think it dips slightly in the second series, but picks up again nicely in 3 and 4. Am eagerly awaiting Series 5 and wondering whether I will be able to hold out until it's shown on FX rather than downloading.

Heroes has managed to twist and turn like nothing I have seen since the first series of 24 and it's been sustained over a longer period than most of the HBO/Showtime dramas (20+ episodes rather than 12). I have just started watching Dexter thanks the grace of Sky+ and repeats and it's mighty good stuff.

On a lighter note, My Name is Earl has stayed excellent as it's gone on, and Entourage is a guilty pleasure. Californication over on Channel 5 may rely a little bit too heavily on the laconic charm of David Duchovny, but it's worth a watch.

Looking at the list above, I am wondering why there's nothing British on it - where are the current equivalents of State of Play, or Blackpool, or the first couple of series of Shameless (before it got really silly)? I think the only home-grown TV I have been watching has been the Oz Clarke/bloke from Top Gear thing or the Gordon Ramsay shoutfests. There's nothing on the commercial channel worth watching and the BBC seems obsessed with making one-off dramas or hugely expensive Poliakoff nonsense.

A shame.

[SeanMacGabhann]

Nothing British? I thought I had

Although they are "only" sitcoms

I agree totally with Shameless. Fantastic for 2 seasons ("Kevus Interruptus" still raises a smile) but jumped the shark badly

[mockney piers]

We can at least do comedy (well, we can do it exceedingly badly too as it goes) but have recently got into Mighty Boosh, long after everyone else no doubt, and Peep Show is just terrific.

Hmm, another My Name Is Earl fan huh?

[Maurice]

American tele is far more competitive, thus more quality. Another dislike of the Greens et al.

[SeanMacGabhann]

Yes Maurice... go to America, flick on a tv and as you trawl through the multitude of channels,

GASP at the quality

MARVEL at the variety

SQUEAL with delight at the adverts every 2 minutes

the programs we are talking about being good are a VERY small majority and your constant needling is really pissing me off

[Maurice]

You can understand the silliness of you and your lot constantly putting down America then flick through this list and find the overwhelming majority of programmes you like are indeed American (and from count, HBO, Showtime, ABC and CBS so hardly a small group).

No wonder you are angry. When I'm shown to be a hypocrit I, too, get a bit red in the face with anger.

[dave]

Oh - two quick points.

- I meant my own list (not those above from other posters, though for what it's worth you couldn't pay me to watch The IT Crowd again)

- We get the cream of American telly (mostly) and we tend to get to see each programme once or twice. Even the mighty West Wing is awful when it's just on a constant loop. Ditto Scrubs, The Simpsons and Friends, which wasn't that bad for the first while. As Sean says, there's a very small minority that's worth watching, and even then the DVD box set is the way to watch it.

By the way, Shameless's very own Maxine Peake is frequently spotted over the hill in SE23.

[SeanMacGabhann]

Maurice

I'm not angry - I'm just fed up of your childishness

"you and your lot"

go on then, show how I am constantly putting America down. have a good dig around, you won't find it. I might criticise the current US administration but then so do plenty of American people

And who exactly is "my lot"

[mockney piers]

People who leave the guardian on the number 12 bus?

[Maurice]

Was that you Mockney? I always enjoy a good (proof) read.

[mockney piers]

Naah, I usually just leave a half finished london lite crossword on the 12.

[Maurice]

I confess to enjoying the new freebies. I particularly like The London Paper for its 'more or bore' voting. We've not really progressed since the days when public trials were the best show in town.

"What do we think of Mary's piece Smirting is unfair to non-smokers?"

"BORE - BURN HER!!!"

[TillieTrotter]

*Waves hands in the air* Boy A anyone??

[SeanMacGabhann]

sorry Tillie. I missed it - fully planned to watch it, then record it when I realised I would be out and then forgot that as well. It sounds like it's the sort of the thing that will be repeated on More 4 fairly shortly so I'll watch it then

[lozzyloz]

Anyone watch Britz a few weeks ago? Thought that was interesting. Contained added Spooks too.

[TillieTrotter]

Cheers Sean...really want to know what happened to him. It was obviously going to be quite disturbing either way. Think you would enjoy it.:)

[SeanMacGabhann]

Bulger comparisons aside, the premise reminded me also of the Kevin Bacon film The Woodsman which was also fairly tough (albeit in a buffed-up Hollywood way*)

(note to Maurice - that's not me being anti-American, that's me pointing out the way Hollywood has to sanitise films to get them in theatres, k? k )

[mockney piers]

Daniel Craig was making the point that over here there were complaints that the atheism in 'the golden compass' had been watered down, and in the US there were complaints (indeed boycotts and demos) that there was too much.

[East Dulwich Angst]

SeanMacGabhann Wrote:

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I'm a big fan of Scrubs.. and used to love Earl as well. But then one day... no, I can't/shouldn't spoil it for you

Do your worst Sean I'm well up to date......... B)

SeanMacGabhann Wrote:

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Heroes is building momentum nicely for the finale of season one. I suspect it will be an anti-climax but I'm enjoying the trip so far

........ But I could spoil it for you (6) >:D<

But seriously I think you'll like the end of series 1, & you'll love series 2 (the 1st 10 episodes are really cool)

[SeanMacGabhann]

EDA

nice one! >:D<

By "up to date" I was guessing that you knew what I meant - but re-reading it I think you mean spoiler-wise in the show itself?

Ok - but don't say I didn't warn you:

Why I went off Earl

It has spoiled it for me and I have watched 2 episodes since I found out only to sit there the whole time going "noooooooo"

[mockney piers]

Don't read it EDA, this knowledge has ruined the show for me too.

[Maurice]

It does seem Hollywood and American media companies don't square with your politics. Much like McDonalds and Starbucks, boycott!

[Jah Lush]

Aargh! Sean, what have you done....Subliminal brain washing messages aside My Name Is Earl is still a very funny show and one of the few American TV programmes I watch although I haven't seen it in a while as I'm usually out when it's on.

[SeanMacGabhann]

Jah: I know, I know... but the warning was there!

Maurice: I'm beginning to think you aren't a real person, but an automated response system with a limited vocabulary and set of parameters. Much like SPECIALRELATIONSHIP on this board here:

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