The reason why we fail

[Phil Rhodes]

I think Stephen Fry has - not unusually, for him - put it better than I ever could:

 

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment_and_arts/10326761.stm

 

This is why nobody buys British TV. Because, and I'm paraphrasing only very slightly, it's all complete poop.

[Brian Dzyak]

I think Stephen Fry has - not unusually, for him - put it better than I ever could:

 

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment_and_arts/10326761.stm

 

This is why nobody buys British TV. Because, and I'm paraphrasing only very slightly, it's all complete poop.

 

 

Monty Python was funny. For some reason, British dudes dressing up as old housewives is inherently amusing. American guys doing the same thing just doesn't work.

 

Play your strengths. B)

[Rob Vogt]

Obviously he doesn't watch The IT Crowd.

[Guest]

Coronation Street is arguably the most successful show in the history of TV. Find a show that has been running longer and is shown in more countries.

 

R,

[Tom Jensen]

Coronation Street is arguably the most successful show in the history of TV. Find a show that has been running longer and is shown in more countries.

 

R,

Meet the Press

[Guest]

Meet the Press

 

It's been running longer, yes.

 

How many countries outside of the USA does it air in?

 

R,

[Tom Jensen]

It's been running longer, yes.

 

How many countries outside of the USA does it air in?

 

R,

 

There are countries outside the US? Now, I've heard everything.

[Guest]

There are countries outside the US? Now, I've heard everything.

 

Yep sorry, stupid question on my part. Carry on :D

 

R,

[Chris Keth]

I think Stephen Fry has - not unusually, for him - put it better than I ever could:

 

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment_and_arts/10326761.stm

 

This is why nobody buys British TV. Because, and I'm paraphrasing only very slightly, it's all complete poop.

 

Interesting you say that. I don't know what this says about me, since it's all complete poop, but I watch more British TV than American. I try not to miss Top Gear, The IT Crowd, Dr. Who, and Torchwood. There are American programs I like and watch but they're all on a "if it's on, great" basis. I don't go out of my way.

Edited June 17, 2010 by Chris Keth

[Guest]

Hey Phil, at least there are some British TV shows on US TV.

 

The only time Canadian shows get a shot at the holy grail of TV (the US market) is when the WGA or SAG goes on strike and the US nets need shows to fill the empty schedule. That's when the US nets look North to see what Canadian shows they can air in the USA. During the last WGA strike Canada was proud to supply the USA with some of its greatest shows.....

 

1) Willy The Wild Woodchuck

 

2) Barney The Batty Beaver

 

3) Re-Runs of Referendum 95 Coverage.

 

4) Igalogog, Hunter Of The North.

 

5) The Red Fisher Show.

 

R,

 

PS: I'm guessing NBC will not be replaying the final hockey game from the 2010 Olympics :D

[Brian Dzyak]

Hey Phil, at least there are some British TV shows on US TV.

 

The only time Canadian shows get a shot at the holy grail of TV (the US market) is when the WGA or SAG goes on strike and the US nets need shows to fill the empty schedule. That's when the US nets look North to see what Canadian shows they can air in the USA. During the last WGA strike Canada was proud to supply the USA with some of its greatest shows.....

 

Our people like to take YOUR ideas/shows and re-imagine them with new Actors. :)

[Guest]

Our people like to take YOUR ideas/shows and re-imagine them with new Actors. :)

 

That's actually an important point.

 

America's Got Talent, American Idol, The Office, Who Wants To Be A Millionaire.

 

Are all British shows, re hashed for US audiences.

 

The only Canadian show re-hashed for US audiences that I know of is Cold Squad, which became Cold Case in the USA. Except in that instance the Canadian producers where not included in the deal and tried to sue the US producers.

 

British and Canadian film and TV producers all have the same problem, often they have good ideas, but no money. US producers can take the same show idea and throw a budget ten times the size at the show idea.

 

R,

[John Sprung]

Coronation Street is arguably the most successful show in the history of TV. Find a show that has been running longer and is shown in more countries.

 

What about Dr. Who?

 

 

 

 

-- J.S.

[Chris Burke]

What we do see of British TV here in the States is usually on PBS or BBC America and in my humble opinion, quite good. I do realize that the vast majority of British TV is not aired here, so perhaps we only see the very best. All the "Mystery" programs or Masterpiece Theatre releases are usually of the highest caliber. A lot of American remakes fail in my eyes. Coupling comes to mind as the best example. Maybe Coupling was strongly influenced by Friends, but the british Coupling was better, much better. Life on Mars, another fine example. Wallander is a great mini series. Can't wait for Torchwood to come back if ever. My opinion has always been that the brits do it better. Granted the US has some great gems for shows; The Wire, Battlestar Galactica, Breaking Bad, Weeds, Califorinacation et cetera. Notice most are all cable shows. Lost is perhaps the last great broadcast show, who knows what will follow. the grass always seems greener on someone else's lawn.

[JD Hartman]

Another Canadian contribution: The Red Green Show

Other notable British programmes: The Two Ronnies; The Rise and Fall of Reginald Perrin; Faulty Towers.

[Guest]

Another Canadian contribution: The Red Green Show

 

 

You totally left out Dark Reprieve, gee nice guy. :D

 

R,

[Thomas James]

What about the British TV show "Space 1999" ?

[Brian Drysdale]

What about Dr. Who?

 

 

 

 

-- J.S.

 

Coronation Street was first broadcast on 9 December 1960, Dr Who on 23 November 1963.

 

There was a gap for many years from 1990 before the BBC reincarnated (or regenerated?) the doctor in recent years, so far as I'm aware Coronation Street has been non stop.

[Adrian Sierkowski]

I think "SyFy" would do well to pick up Red Dwarf ;)

[Dominic Case]

Coronation Street was first broadcast on 9 December 1960, Dr Who on 23 November 1963.

You will note the date of Doctor Who. I believe the first episode was run again a week later because the audience was distracted by tragic events across the water in the US.

 

and hear the original theme music - so much better then because the electromic sounds were new (and analogue!)

 

Just realised that Coronation Street is 50 years old this year. OMG. Is Ken Barlow still in it?

[Freya Black]

I think Stephen Fry has - not unusually, for him - put it better than I ever could:

 

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment_and_arts/10326761.stm

 

This is why nobody buys British TV. Because, and I'm paraphrasing only very slightly, it's all complete poop.

 

For once I have to disagree with you Phil.

 

The sentence "This is why nobody buys British TV." (I notice it ends with a full stop) is far from the truth. British TV is doing incredibly well overseas. Better than ever.

 

This article from the observer sums it up very well:

 

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2010/jun/20/piers-morgan-british-tv

 

Although he seems to have not actually read what Stephen Fry really said, as Mr Fry made it quite clear that he thought that Dr Who was a great series. That wasn't the point Mr Fry was making tho. Still a much better and well thought out article than another piece in the Media Guardian that described Fox TV as a cable channel and implied it was subscription only! *sigh*

Out of it journalists who do no research. :(

 

I actually have a theory that perhaps British TV is leading the world.

Back in the day British TV was the best in the world and we imported some preety low quality stuff from overseas. American dramas were cheap and bad. Then things changed, and America started making high quality drama that was much more intelligent and upped it's quality across the board. The UK at this point decided to cut costs and shoot everything on video. Now America has started to cut costs and shoot everything on video, and the UK is now exporting reality TV and gameshows like crazy. I wonder if UK TV isn't the future!

 

I know that won't be a popular idea and I'm not sure if it is true but I wonder sometimes.

 

On the upside the UK does export some semi-quality documentary type things too I understand.

 

love

 

Freya

[Thomas James]

What is it about these British television shows like "Space 1999" ? This show should rather be called "Nuclear Space 1999".

This show features an atomic waste dump on the Moon that not only glows with the heat of intense nuclear radiation but the dump ends up in a massive nuclear explosin that knocks the Moon out orbit. The atomic power plants not only melt down but actually blow up and the atomic powered rockets spew out radiation killing everything in their wake. The commanders judgement is always questioned because of alleged radiation poisening. I bet if these astronauts who pilot these obscene atomic rockets would not have girlfriends waiting for them to come home after their missions if the girlfreinds were environmentalists.

[Freya Black]

What is it about these British television shows like "Space 1999" ? This show should rather be called "Nuclear Space 1999".

This show features an atomic waste dump on the Moon that not only glows with the heat of intense nuclear radiation but the dump ends up in a massive nuclear explosin that knocks the Moon out orbit. The atomic power plants not only melt down but actually blow up and the atomic powered rockets spew out radiation killing everything in their wake. The commanders judgement is always questioned because of alleged radiation poisening. I bet if these astronauts who pilot these obscene atomic rockets would not have girlfriends waiting for them to come home after their missions if the girlfreinds were environmentalists.

 

but to be fair, it's all on the moon! Therefore saving the earth's environment from being polluted!

 

I'm curious, how are you guys getting to see space 1999!??

 

love

 

Freya

[Phil Rhodes]

I'm afraid that Guardian article sums up my point of view almost perfectly.

 

"They give us The Wire, we give them Piers Morgan"

 

God, it's embarrassing.

 

 

P

[Thomas James]

It is true that in theory some environmentalists would not have a problem with either a nuclear power plant or a nuclear waste dump on the Moon. However in praticality until a Lunar colony becomes self sufficient it would require supplies from Earth based launches of atomic powered rockets since space elevators would be too high tech to be available in 1999. Also to get 300 astronauts to the Moon by 1999 would not only require nuclear fission but much more powerfull nuclear fusion. Since nuclear fusion can neither be contained or controlled with even todays technology let alone technology availble in 1999 the atomic spaceships would have to be powered by atomic bomb explosions in Earths atmosphere. Thus we have a field day for the environmental protests however the story of "Space 1999" is still credible because storing atomic waste on the Moon could have been regarded as the only possible solution to get rid of Earth's atomic waste so the Lunar colony would have been built in spite of environmental protests. However the idea of the nuclear waste dump blowing up and knocking the Moon out of orbit seemed to be a little far fetched. Although environmetal protests were not featured in the "Space 1999" I believe this would have added a lot of depth to the story line especially if it affected the interpersonal relationships of the astronauts themselves. This is because a rocket powered by atomic explosions launched from Earth would have been considered so obscene that I doubt that the environmentalist girlfriend of such an astronaut would wait for the astronaut to come home from his mission.

 

"Space 1999" was broadcast in the United States during its heyday in the 1970's. However it is hard to find reruns of this show as reruns of Star Trek are more popular. Space 1999 is currently being remastered for distribution on Blu-Ray high definition.