Jump to content
aberdeen-music

America vs Britain


The_Tank

Recommended Posts

When it comes to drama on television, who makes it better. In my opinion america just do it better, they have the budgets to make high quality shows, there writers are better and there shows just interest me more.

Even when i was growing up and we didn't have sky and watched shows like the bill, coronation street, heartbeat. I hated watching those shows, they were just not for me.

In saying that we make amazing gameshows, bring back crystal maze.

Discuss.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hmmm,

Ultraviolet

This Life

Killer Net

Hustle

Queer as Folk

Red Riding

Teachers

Sugar Rush

Messiah

Bergerac

Spooks

The Buddha of Suburbia

The Crow Road

Life on Mars

Ashes to Ashes

Our Friends in the North

Cracker

Prime Suspect

Rome

Silent Witness

Survivors (70s and recent versions)

The Street

Taggart (early stuff only)

Waking The Dead

Apparitions

That's almost exclusively ignoring British comedy. I admit not everything in that list is to everyone's taste but there is some great drama in there. I'm sure i'll remember more.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Never seen any of these shows, maybe hustle. The old school itv has rotted my british viewing.

See, the Bill, Coronation Street and Heartbeat are all family serials or soaps. There is some boundary pushing, quality, British drama on TV. You might need to watch some to see it though.

It's no secret that the Americans are always trying to import our TV series (Life On Mars, The Office etc) over to their market yet we very rarely do the same with theirs.

Don't get me wrong, there are some brilliant US television programs out there but there are also some quality British ones as well.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hmmm,

Ultraviolet

This Life

Killer Net

Hustle

Queer as Folk

Red Riding

Teachers

Sugar Rush

Messiah

Bergerac

Spooks

The Buddha of Suburbia

The Crow Road

Life on Mars

Ashes to Ashes

Our Friends in the North

Cracker

Prime Suspect

Rome

Silent Witness

Survivors (70s and recent versions)

The Street

Taggart (early stuff only)

Waking The Dead

Apparitions

That's almost exclusively ignoring British comedy. I admit not everything in that list is to everyone's taste but there is some great drama in there. I'm sure i'll remember more.

Huge omission - The Lakes!!! Best British TV ever if you ask me. Even if series 2 was completely mad.

Shameless should also be included, certainly at least the first 3 series.

I thought Teachers went down hill after series 2.

haven't seen much of that list since I don't tend to watch TV, I usually end up buying whole series on DVD if I fancy it.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

When it comes to drama on television, who makes it better. In my opinion america just do it better, they have the budgets to make high quality shows, there writers are better and there shows just interest me more.

Even when i was growing up and we didn't have sky and watched shows like the bill, coronation street, heartbeat. I hated watching those shows, they were just not for me.

In saying that we make amazing gameshows, bring back crystal maze.

Discuss.

I remember growing up in the 80s when all the drama was British and the American shows were mostly soaps and action series. That's changed a lot, especially since our obsession with reality TV and talent shows gained in the last decade. We seem to be exporting that trend to the US and importing their scripted TV shows more than anything else these days.

Too many period dramas too. Fuck that...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Huge omission - The Lakes!!! Best British TV ever if you ask me. Even if series 2 was completely mad.

Shameless should also be included, certainly at least the first 3 series.

I thought Teachers went down hill after series 2.

haven't seen much of that list since I don't tend to watch TV, I usually end up buying whole series on DVD if I fancy it.

Ahhh, the Lakes was fantastic. Almost like a UK Twin Peaks in places.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

i'd go for british drama and comedy over american, some great stuff has come out the states but i much prefer british stuff, mainly bbc stuff - ITV dramas can be incredibly poor, i think they try too hard to emulate the beeb at times. having said that ITV are capable of some good stuff such as the bill (though havent watched it ages) and a touch of frost. hell even midsomer murders can be quite gripping. but then again some of the dross ITV produce is shocking, anyone remember rosemary and thyme - 2 crime busting gardeners???? beyond shit.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

British comedy hasn't been all that great for the last few years, with the exception of Peep Show. There's been nothing of the standard of The Office, Spaced or The League of Gentlemen lately whereas the US has had greats like Arrested Development and Curb Your Enthusiasm.

Although then they made Big Bang Theory, so I think we're still winning on balance :up:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I don't really watch Drama, but I've never been one for British comedy. I like Spaced, Peep Show and The Green Wing. I think British stand up comedians are better too. As far as Sitcoms go though, I think the States do them better. They seem to really saturate the Sitcom market though, but I geuss we do the same with sketch shows. We really need to stop making sketch shows. They are just godawful.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I don't watch a great deal of T.V, other than sports and comedy shows.

When it comes to comedy we have the likes of Spaced, Chewin' The Fat, The Fast Show all of which are genius.

Where as the U.S has the likes of South Park, Metalocalypse, Seinfeld, which are some of the greatest things ever made, in my opinion.

Although Dirty Sanchez > Jackass.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The reaction of Pritchard always made me wonder why he's even doing it in the first place, and what does he actually expect? It is pretty funny when he's trying to punch and kick people he push his limits ever so slightly too far.

My favourite Jackass sketch is Urban Kayaking. Ehrin and Dave are great.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...