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Old 04-19-2009, 01:42 AM   #1
JiriHrdina
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Default I like British TV

Recently I've discovered that the BBC is putting out some great programs of late.

A couple that I'm currently hooked on that I recommend:
- Life on Mars: yes the same series that ABC has on right now, but this is the original BBC version that is about 10 times better than its American counterpart. Showcase is airing it Sundays at noon. Fantastic.
- Robin Hood: rented the DVDs of this series - and its a fantastic re-imagining of the classic tales.

Just a couple of recommendations for you if you are tired of the usual TV.
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Old 04-19-2009, 11:54 AM   #2
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I may be only a tad biased, but British TV is some of the best there is out there. You just have to enjoy british humour.
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Old 04-19-2009, 12:02 PM   #3
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great thread idea Jiri!

I loved the Robin Hood series too. A little campy, but really entertaining.

A great comedy is Gavin & Stacey which is filming its third season.
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Old 04-19-2009, 12:14 PM   #4
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http://forum.calgarypuck.com/showthread.php?t=64949

Plenty of great British stuff involved in our TV draft, though I don't think any of it is current. We probably could've used an extra category slot for it.

British TV...not a very well kept secret!
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Old 04-19-2009, 12:35 PM   #5
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Spooks, under the name MI5 in North America is one of, if not the best dramatic series I've watched. They aren't afraid to do the unexpected. There are several times you'll say "wow, wasn't expecting that". It's not just a build up to the season finale like most North American dramas, it's throughout the season.

The recent House episode with the unexpected Kutner angle is the best comparison to what Spooks is like...except Spooks will do that sort of thing season opener, mid season, 3 episodes from the end, the season finale, anywhere.

Very well acted, written, and shot series. Highly recommend watching from season 1 on, well worth the DVD purchase.
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Old 04-19-2009, 12:44 PM   #6
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I may be only a tad biased, but British TV is some of the best there is out there. You just have to enjoy british humour.

Subtle, dry, great presentation, some of the best humor out there.
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Old 04-19-2009, 01:22 PM   #7
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great thread idea Jiri!

I loved the Robin Hood series too. A little campy, but really entertaining.
Campy but still has a pretty dark tone - people die....the bad guys do truly horrible things.

They managed to find a pretty tricky balance.
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Old 04-19-2009, 01:49 PM   #8
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Originally Posted by FurnaceFace View Post
Spooks, under the name MI5 in North America is one of, if not the best dramatic series I've watched. They aren't afraid to do the unexpected. There are several times you'll say "wow, wasn't expecting that". It's not just a build up to the season finale like most North American dramas, it's throughout the season.

The recent House episode with the unexpected Kutner angle is the best comparison to what Spooks is like...except Spooks will do that sort of thing season opener, mid season, 3 episodes from the end, the season finale, anywhere.

Very well acted, written, and shot series. Highly recommend watching from season 1 on, well worth the DVD purchase.
I concur! I absolutely love Spooks and have gotten my sister and her hubby hooked on it. It's a TV Show where the story-writters dictate the story not the audience's potential/probable preferences; any character can die or be removed at any point.
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Old 04-19-2009, 03:15 PM   #9
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Originally Posted by JiriHrdina View Post
Recently I've discovered that the BBC is putting out some great programs of late.

A couple that I'm currently hooked on that I recommend:
- Life on Mars: yes the same series that ABC has on right now, but this is the original BBC version that is about 10 times better than its American counterpart. Showcase is airing it Sundays at noon. Fantastic.
- Robin Hood: rented the DVDs of this series - and its a fantastic re-imagining of the classic tales.

Just a couple of recommendations for you if you are tired of the usual TV.
Seems you could apply that to most shows that gets made into an American version. The original British show is normally superior in quality. The Office actually turned out well though.
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Old 04-19-2009, 03:41 PM   #10
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I concur! I absolutely love Spooks and have gotten my sister and her hubby hooked on it. It's a TV Show where the story-writters dictate the story not the audience's potential/probable preferences; any character can die or be removed at any point.
Quote:
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Spooks, under the name MI5 in North America is one of, if not the best dramatic series I've watched. They aren't afraid to do the unexpected. There are several times you'll say "wow, wasn't expecting that". It's not just a build up to the season finale like most North American dramas, it's throughout the season.

The recent House episode with the unexpected Kutner angle is the best comparison to what Spooks is like...except Spooks will do that sort of thing season opener, mid season, 3 episodes from the end, the season finale, anywhere.

Very well acted, written, and shot series. Highly recommend watching from season 1 on, well worth the DVD purchase.

I absolutely agree. North America seems to kill it with the bizarre time slots (late night A&E) that DVD purchase is the way to go. The season is a full hour episode of 10 (except the latest season that was only 8). It would be like 24 in the sense that no major character is safe and almost nothing is taboo. Great great series

For those that watch, I still like Tom Quinn the best
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Old 04-19-2009, 04:07 PM   #11
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Robin Hood has just started showing it's 3rd season on BBC1.

If you like Life On Mars, there is a follow-up called Ashes to Ashes featuring DCI Gene Hunt that is just about to start it's 2nd season.

Spooks (Mi5) is brilliant...and never predictable. Being a lead character on that show is no guarantee of not meeting a dramatic end.

The makers of Spooks also make and write Hustle which is about a group of con artists and is also very good.
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Old 04-19-2009, 04:22 PM   #12
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Oh my! One of the best things about leaving England was leaving the AWFUL television behind - hated all the soaps and the reality programmes. I really do blame programmes such as EastEnders for the breakdown in morals and the standards in society in England - just a terrible example of how to live your life. I do hate commercial television as a rule so I do have a smidgen of fondness for the BBC. Not an advertisement to be seen, responsible news reporting, excellent sports coverage and they do set the standard for producing period dramas. I know I can still see BBC programmes here but I so hate the commercial breaks added - sort of spoils it for me.
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Old 04-19-2009, 04:33 PM   #13
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I guess this could go in the confessional thread--but I love Doctor Who. It's campy and incredibly dorky, but it's entertaining nonetheless. Life on Mars was a fantastic series, several friends of mine brought me into the awesomeness of British TV--it's so much better than most American television.
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Old 04-19-2009, 04:54 PM   #14
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Robin Hood has just started showing it's 3rd season on BBC1.

If you like Life On Mars, there is a follow-up called Ashes to Ashes featuring DCI Gene Hunt that is just about to start it's 2nd season.
Yeah Showcase is airing that one Sundays at 1 pm after L.O.M. but I haven' been watching it because I wanted to see how the first series played out first.

Gene Hunt is one of the great characters on TV right now.
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Old 04-19-2009, 05:29 PM   #15
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Really not a fan of British humor. Just don't get the appeal. Don't find it funny, I think my belief that all British people are arrogant snobs gets in the way of enjoying their style of humor.

just not my kind of thing.
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Old 04-19-2009, 09:57 PM   #16
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Graham Norton is funny as hell. His show is hilarious
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Old 04-19-2009, 10:10 PM   #17
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The funniest show you will ever see is Man Stroke Woman. Highly recomend its with Nick Frost from Shaun of the Dead
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Old 04-20-2009, 01:10 AM   #18
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Peep show has to be one of the greatest pieces of art ever made. Bottom, Auf wiedersehen pet and Men Behaving badly are also superior to any tv sitcom coming from NA.
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Old 04-20-2009, 06:40 AM   #19
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I'm generally not a big fan of tv but the British make very good documentaries and I admit that I love Most Haunted Live and any of Yvette Fielding and Karl Beattie's other shows.
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Old 04-20-2009, 07:42 AM   #20
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I have, in the past, been a fanatic about Jeremy Brett's brilliant portrayal of the eccentric Sherlock Holmes

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Adv...mes_(TV_series)

. . . . . .and David Suchet's equally definitive portrayal of Hercule Poirot . . . .

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agatha_Christie%27s_Poirot

These still periodically appear on PBS - Holmes was on last night - even though Brett is now deceased and Suchet has moved onto other things.

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