What shows do the UK and other Europeans watch?

[Nickolai77]

Peep Show, IT Crowd, The Inbetweeners and Not Going Out all all popular shows which have not made it to America, or at least as far as I know.

There's also a lot of popular panel shows like QI, Would I Lie to You? and Mock the Week which are very popular but probably won't ever make it to the US (think QI is an exception) because you need to be familiar with British (celeb) culture and politics to get them.

Have I got News for you is also brilliant, but again you really need to know British politics to appreciate it.

I'll actually check it out even "I Got News for You" seriously, politics are politics. I was also curious because many UK shows that make it to the US seem to be comedic or whimsical shows that are not to be taken too seriously. Being Human and House of Cards being exceptions. Are the tv shows you said above like that? Is serious, dramatic overactive life scenarios an American theme?

All those shows I listed are comical and humourous, but I think that's just reflecting my own personal tastes rather than any generalisation about British TV. I should say though that comedy is very popular on UK television. Other, popular shows that arn't comedies include: Educating Yorkshire, a documentary series about teachers, Hollyoaks, a tv soap, The Great British Bakeoff, which is fairly self-explanatory, the Apprentice, which I think may have an American variant, and Life on Mars, a police drama set in the 1970's. There's absolutely loads.

What you're probably best doing is finding yourself a UK proxy and finding something that takes your fancy on BBC I player, ITV player or 4OD. BBC 4 does some great, in-depth documentaries that you wouldn't get on American television I imagine.

We just don't hear about much in the USA, which is said considering the worlds connected with lightspeed communication networks.

I just can't grasp the logic of why they don't simply import British/European shows straight into the US market rather than make a crappy American version. I can get why some shows might be "too British" for American audiences, in that there may be too many insider jokes and cultural references, but I think it's a bit of an odd assumption to assume that American audiences wouldn't "get" shows like the Inbetweeners or the IT crowd. Humour about teenage angst aand office related humour computer humour is pretty universal.

Edit: If you have not discovered it yet, watch Black Books. I've met Chinese students who love that show!

 

[DanielBrown]

Hm, another Swede here and I can't add much. We really don't do any TV-shows here that aren't lame reality shows and copies of American/British shows... Don't watch TV that much either. The only current one I can think of is one called Solsidan(The Sunny Side). Haven't seen it though since I really dislike the comedians in it.

Generally I watch British or American shows on Netflix. Only the popular ones, so I don't have anything obscure to contribute with. You could check out Misfits though. It's a British show about a bunch of young offenders that get super powers in a storm. With their newfound power they decide to(!!!) continue with their lives and do jack shit. Decent show, with tons of humor, but it lost a lot of it's charm after the first two seasons.

Oh well, here's a clip from Swedens most beloved TV-show; Björnes Magasin. Featuring Pedobears fat, retarded cousin.
Enjoy.

 

[Angelowl]

Sherlock and Vikings are the only non-animated shows that I currently watch. Not on TV of course, I buy the series. Can highly recommend both, the latter being a bit ahistorical with how uninformed and tyrannical the vikings are portryed (as well as a huge lack of witches, sorcery and female deities). Seriously considering Hell on Wheels, seems pretty awesome. I am considering purchasing Dark Angel out of nostalgia, I remember how awesome it seemed during my teens.

If we include animated shows then of course My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic. My best friend is a straight guy after all, and thus can't stop talking about it. Some old school disney such as Ducktales. Really intend to get myself Avatar: The Last Aibender & Legend of Korra, seen the first one on TV and it is somewhat of a masterpiece of a show. And to my deep regrets I am seriously considering The Clone Wars, far better story and script than the prequels. And a lot more of things that are sidelined in the movies such as the mandalorians.

 

[FPLOON]

I totally forgot about Modern Toss. The books were better than the series though.

Wait... How many books are there of Modern Toss? I'm curious because, to be honest, a vaguely remember the series outside of a few choice scenes both "live-action" and animated...

 

[Breakdown]

I'm not sure, I've only got the first book. I think there's a best of Modern Toss hardback book being released soon though.

 

[Zantos]

The fact that nobody has mentioned of touch of cloth yet is incredibly disappointing. You should all be ashamed of yourselves.

ToC is so amazing, I might have to go watch it now. Totally puntastic!

"On the table, Cloth"

"Cut from the same, Cloth"

It was a while ago, but Brass Eye is amazing. Also, does anyone remember Look Around You?


Also while I'm thinking about Peter Serafinovic, Spaced was awesome.

 

[Verlander]

Reading through this has reminded me how stellar British comedy is. Tally ho!

 

[FPLOON]

Also, does anyone remember Look Around You?


Also while I'm thinking about Peter Serafinovic, Spaced was awesome.

Wow... How could I forget about Look Around You, another British show that was featured on Adult Swim? *flips self*

Also, I started thing about The Peter Serafinovic Show right afterwards, which I forget which American network showcased that particular show...

 

[someonehairy-ish]

Please tell me you've watched Fawlty Towers?

Oh, has noone mentioned the Vicar of Dibley? It's pretty inoffensive comedy compared to everything else that's been mentioned but it's alright to stick on when your Nan's over or something.

I've been ninjad on virtually everything else though. Skins maybe, if you like teen drama that isn't utter wank? And PhoneShop, which is just... well. It's phoneshop. It's people who work. In a phone shop.

Just go watch it.


Oh yeah, I might as well second Mighty Boosh, Black Books, QI, Utopia, Black Mirror, Sherlock, Vikings, Spaced, Luther, The IT Crowd, 8 of 10 Cats, Top Gear (at least watch the specials where they do challenges in foreign places. They even do one or two in 'Murica).

Also there are like a trillion good british stand-ups and I suddenly can't remember what any of them are called. They've all been featured on 8 out of 10 cats at some point or other though.


OOOH, on that note, has anyone mentioned Never Mind the Buzzcocks or Have I Got News For You?

 

[beastro]

What TV shows do the British and other Europeans watch? I speak of shows besides Doctor Who, Torchwood, Red Dwarf, Blackadder etc. I'm seeking out shows that are popular, but have yet to be introduced to America and spread like virus.

You mean "What TV shows do the British and Europeans watch?"

I'll forgive you for assuming the British are Europeans. The people of my motherland have been acting increasing like Europeans for the past several decades.

 

[beastro]

Let's not confuse the silly smallminded rhetoric of the UKIP/EDL chavs with actual fact, shall we?

It's neither small minded nor am I speaking for those parties, I'm Canadian and have always been aware of my families and homelands difference from the Continentals.

 

[Nickolai77]

Let's not confuse the silly smallminded rhetoric of the UKIP/EDL chavs with actual fact, shall we?

It's neither small minded nor am I speaking for those parties, I'm Canadian and have always been aware of my families and homelands difference from the Continentals.

I think your statement there implies that the "Continentals" as a whole can be collectively characterised as distinct and separate from Britain which is something I don't personally agree with. There's lots of different cultures within Europe=- Perhaps most obviously Scandinavia, but I would also include eastern European, slavic cultures, those countries around the Mediterranean, and possibly the Benelux states as well. The culture of Britain, or the British Isles, is just one of a number of different European cultures.

 

[beastro]

The culture of Britain, or the British Isles, is just one of a number of different European cultures.

Yes it is, but it's gone enough to be different enough to be separate from them, one which Britons were well aware of for centuries.

It's also where Americans got their own world view from, being related to, but separate from the West of the World by being free of it's ailments and factional divides.

 

[Nickolai77]

The culture of Britain, or the British Isles, is just one of a number of different European cultures.

Yes it is, but it's gone enough to be different enough to be separate from them, one which Britons were well aware of for centuries.

I don't really see though how British culture is any different as a European culture to Scandinavian or Greek culture say- but of course being Canadian you'd feel much more at home in the UK than you would France or Germany- Anyway this is just off-topic but speaking as a Brit, just keep in mind though that Europe is a very diverse place and there's room for lots of different European cultures- Britain is just one among many; even if some Britons on the right/conservative side of politics like to think we're somehow different.

 

[Me55enger]

Not intending to start any sort of war here, but by and large, the US's crime shows are shite.

Personal opinion, of course.

So I watch Crime stuff in the UK. If and when I watch it. The key difference between British and American crime tends to be the depth, thought and development of the narrative. In many cases a crime is solved across two hour-long episodes instead of a 40 minute one.

Best one I know? Waking the Dead. Dark, sinister, thoughtful, complex and with amazingly compelling Characters (Trevor Eve as Boyd is fantastic. He should be the next Doctor.)

Other one is Luther. Idris Elber is a superb actor and Luther is an excellent character.

Oh and House, he says ironically.

EDIT: Something else you really should try and get your hands on is a copy of Neil Gaiman's Neverwhere. One of the best depictions of London I know.

 

[beastro]

Britain is just one among many; even if some Britons on the right/conservative side of politics like to think we're somehow different.

Oh, but you are. The fact that I live in a daughter nation of yours that isn't a third world cess-pool is testament to that fact, as is the fact that we're not the only one.

Very, very few European daughter nations can say the same thing.

And it isn't a political bent. Britons have been calling them Continentals for centuries.

 

[Nickolai77]

Britain is just one among many; even if some Britons on the right/conservative side of politics like to think we're somehow different.

Oh, but you are. The fact that I live in a daughter nation of yours that isn't a third world cess-pool is testament to that fact, as is the fact that we're not the only one.

Very, very few European daughter nations can say the same thing.

That doesn't make the UK any more or less separate or distinctive from Europe- if anything it shows we were very good at something that is a very European activity- colonialism!

And it isn't a political bent. Britons have been calling them Continentals for centuries.

But not necessarily in a way that implies separatism or exceptionalism from the rest of Europe, which is a political bent, hence why you were accused of using UKIP/EDL rhetoric before.

Would you like to take this to R&P? I'm concious about derailing this thread.

 

[Drop_D-Bombshell]

porn

I mostly watch whatever is on Dave. Top Gear, Storage Hunters, Mock the Week, QI. Sometimes Dog the Bounty Hunter.