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Why doesn't the US get good TV shows?
- Thread starter quagmire
- Start date
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I can't say that the U.S. has any good shows on standard broadcast t.v. at the moment. I don't find any joy in watching Lost, House, 24, Criminal Minds, or the multitudinous mindless game or reality shows. I think they've dumbed down most shows for the viewing public and gone to using a formula for most programming so that they don't conflict with the advertisements.
These things are slightly more boring than watching HGTV but more flashy and sometimes better decorated.
PBS looks better all the time.
These things are slightly more boring than watching HGTV but more flashy and sometimes better decorated.
PBS looks better all the time.
BBC America has some of the best shows on right now, even if they are older.
Coupling is the funniest thing I've ever seen.
Coupling is the funniest thing I've ever seen.
I love Australian and UK shows. But the US still has most of the best. Its kinda slow over here until the new seasons start. I've been filling my time catching up on hyperdrive and the IT crowd. I'm just pissed that we can't get our own shows in HD here. I have to wait until they are released in the UK to get them in HD.
When I saw the original title to this, the first thought that popped in my head was a scene in The IT Crowd.
Roy (Singing): We don't need no education
Moss: Erm, Yes you do, you just used a Double Negative!
Oh how that show is funny. But it isn't amazingly funny, I really don't think its the best show on TV, although I do like 'How I met your mother' but I have to get that through nefarious means...
Roy (Singing): We don't need no education
Moss: Erm, Yes you do, you just used a Double Negative!
Oh how that show is funny. But it isn't amazingly funny, I really don't think its the best show on TV, although I do like 'How I met your mother' but I have to get that through nefarious means...
*ahem* Sky TV? 599 channels. We've had it for years. How many shows do I watch on it? None. It's Absolute rubbish and full of adverts. Every month we say we're going to cancel, but they offer us a months service half price that we buy and never use.
The way I see it US TV is rarely good, but US films seem to be good fodder when there's nothing else on. I've made my way through Die Hard, Naked Gun, Matrix, Star Wars, various armageddon stuff when Casualty, IT Crowd (not as good as Black Books still), Doctor Who, Peep Show, Jekyll, Spooks and Robin Hood aren't on.
Spaced, Black Books, Office (original), Star Stories (ps, everyone has to watch this show. Even if it's just the Britney Spears or Tom Cruise ones!), The Young Ones, BrassEye, Green Wing, Alan Partridge, Armando Ianucci Show, Life on Mars make up the best finished shows I've seen in past few years.
What about Flight of the Conchords? Most hilarious TV show I've seen in years, and the best one currently running IMHO.
The Chaser stunt was maybe a bit over the top - it could have had deadly consequences. I think it's wrong to place the security personnel under additional stress. What if a real crisis occurred while the security were busy dealing with a prank?
The Chaser stunt was maybe a bit over the top - it could have had deadly consequences. I think it's wrong to place the security personnel under additional stress. What if a real crisis occurred while the security were busy dealing with a prank?
Heroes, Scrubs, The Office, Mad Men, and Rescue Me have all kept my attention for the past several years (besides Heroes and Mad Men, which are relatively new of course). And those are all on basic cable.
Top Gear and The IT Crowd > *
I wish we got them here. Oh well, there's always the interwebs
BBC America has been showing Top Gear episodes lately, although who knows for how long. Based on this list of shows currently airing on BBC America, there is now a show on that channel worth watching. Not that US programs are that great, but when people say they prefer shows from other countries, they're usually skimming off the top.
Some of my favourite-ever shows have come from the US, mostly HBO... Sopranos, Curb... and I so dearly would love to have the entire series of The Larry Sanders Show on DVD.
Only 'best of' collections from Larry Sanders so far. That was a groundbreaking show that wasn't fully appreciated at the time.
And the new season of Curb started here last night. "He served us penis!"
That's HBO, not TV. (Their slogan, not mine).
Yeah, HBO is pretty awesome.
Flight of the Conchords
Curb Your Enthusiasm
Real Time with Bill Maher
Pretty much the only three shows I watch.
The U.S. of A.'s shows are so bad because of the law of diminishing returns. Television is, for the most part, designed to separate idiots from what little intelligence they possess. Most U.S. of A.'ers are almost brain dead, so it takes really terrible programs to remove the last remaining vestiges of their independent thought.
OK...and all the shows in Korea are so high brow. BTW almost all US cartoons have the animation busy work done in Korea. Don't bite the hand that feeds you. Everyone has their fair share of crap.
Only 120+ channels on your satellite? Think 500+ in the UK for mini dish satellite. More channels does not mean better programmes though, most of them are just repeats and are completely rubbish except for Film4. That shows some quality films.
Question for the US people, how many advert breaks do you have in 1 hour of TV? Also for one hour of TV watching on a single channel what proportion of that would be spent watching adverts?
Edit : This is a prime example of why I think British comedy is > than American comedy
http://youtube.com/watch?v=hYq-Ljwov_s
A one hour show is about 42-44 minutes long with 6-8 breaks. I have a Tivo so I rarely watch ads. Completely changed how I watch TV.
Wow I don't think I could ever cope with that
It's horrible. Highly rated shows can begin at :58 or :59 passed the hour or end at :01 or :02 past to squeeze in more ads.
Edit : This is a prime example of why I think British comedy is > than American comedy
http://youtube.com/watch?v=hYq-Ljwov_s
Since it's one of the most praised British comedies of all, "prime examples" don't tell you much. For every "Only Fools and Horses", the British produced at least 20 crap shows that have long been forgotten. Same thing over here. It would be like me saying that U.S. comedy shows are best because we created "The Simpsons". It's not a reflection of one country or another, it just shows that the whole industry only occasionally produces something good.
True but in general British comedy is much less ¨in your face¨. Which is something I personally prefer, it is more subtle in its approach.