General Television Discussion

[DoctorDodge]

Well, at least Doctor Who has managed to stay around a little while.

So true! I'm even okay that they keep changing him because that's just the way it's always been done. I love Doctor Who now but I couldn't stand the old ones. OMG talking trash cans! RUN!!!

My friend, you need to watch the early Baker episodes. Almost anything from his first 3 years kicks arse, with the Talons of Weng Chiang being fucking perfect. Mostly, they just stole a lot of truly classic gothic horror stories for the plot, but they did it so well that it hardly mattered.

Don't get me wrong, a lot of old who does pale in comparison to the old series - mostly the stuff from the 80s, imo - but the first 3 years of tom baker are still the best seasons of Doctor Who ever. No ifs, no buts, no exceptions!

[Brice]

If it were on Fox they'd have cancelled it as soon as they realized someone (anyone) liked the show.

[DoctorDodge]

One more thing:

[quote=ICry4Oy;470613]

I know Uk shows are not prooving too popular but... quote]

I love BBC shows but get pissed when they go away after only 2 or 3 seasons. Robin Hood is one but they screwed up by killing Marian and made me ill by making Kate part of the gang. Torchwood and Primeval both "seem" to be gone. Even if they're not gone they piss me off killing all the people I liked. There were some others but I can't remember them right now.

Can't think of a single horror writer who does that...

[ola]

I love BBC shows but get pissed when they go away after only 2 or 3 seasons.

Not to mention really short seasons! Boo to that. Of course, it might help the overall quality of the show when you're making 18 instead of 180 episodes. Theoretically, less writing filler.

[DoctorDodge]

If it were on Fox they'd have cancelled it as soon as they realized someone (anyone) liked the show.

Send all your truly great cancelled shows to us! Better yet, send it to channel 4: that channel loves making truly great shows that absolutely no one watches! I'm not joking: they've made 6 series of Peep Show - one of the greatest comedy shows ever, i must add - even though no one watches it when it's actually on telly, but it sells incredibly well on dvd (strange, i know).

Ok, considering the "6 episodes per series" rule we have in the UK, especially with comedy shows, that means that there's only a grand total of 36 eps, but don't knock it! Quick dvd = quick sales = quick new series. Shame Fox hasn't discovered this, yet!

[ICry4Oy]

Well, at least Doctor Who has managed to stay around a little while.

So true! I'm even okay that they keep changing him because that's just the way it's always been done. I love Doctor Who now but I couldn't stand the old ones. OMG talking trash cans! RUN!!!

My friend, you need to watch the early Baker episodes. Almost anything from his first 3 years kicks arse, with the Talons of Weng Chiang being fucking perfect. Mostly, they just stole a lot of truly classic gothic horror stories for the plot, but they did it so well that it hardly mattered.

Don't get me wrong, a lot of old who does pale in comparison to the old series - mostly the stuff from the 80s, imo - but the first 3 years of tom baker are still the best seasons of Doctor Who ever. No ifs, no buts, no exceptions!

I'd be willing to give the old Baker episodes another look but, and you're gonna hate me for this, I absolutely hated them and him when I tried to watch previously.

[Brice]

If it were on Fox they'd have cancelled it as soon as they realized someone (anyone) liked the show.

Send all your truly great cancelled shows to us! Better yet, send it to channel 4: that channel loves making truly great shows that absolutely no one watches! I'm not joking: they've made 6 series of Peep Show - one of the greatest comedy shows ever, i must add - even though no one watches it when it's actually on telly, but it sells incredibly well on dvd (strange, i know).

Ok, considering the "6 episodes per series" rule we have in the UK, especially with comedy shows, that means that there's only a grand total of 36 eps, but don't knock it! Quick dvd = quick sales = quick new series. Shame Fox hasn't discovered this, yet!

Actually the one thing I dislike about your tv seasons/series is how short they are. Well, that and the weirdness of your insisting on calling seasons series.

[DoctorDodge]

If it were on Fox they'd have cancelled it as soon as they realized someone (anyone) liked the show.

Send all your truly great cancelled shows to us! Better yet, send it to channel 4: that channel loves making truly great shows that absolutely no one watches! I'm not joking: they've made 6 series of Peep Show - one of the greatest comedy shows ever, i must add - even though no one watches it when it's actually on telly, but it sells incredibly well on dvd (strange, i know).

Ok, considering the "6 episodes per series" rule we have in the UK, especially with comedy shows, that means that there's only a grand total of 36 eps, but don't knock it! Quick dvd = quick sales = quick new series. Shame Fox hasn't discovered this, yet!

Actually the one thing I dislike about your tv seasons/series is how short they are. Well, that and the weirdness of your insisting on calling seasons series.

You think that's weird? Why do you call your shows that last for 6 months seasons?

[turtlex]

Send all your truly great cancelled shows to us!

I'm not sure that we have that many .... I mean, I'm still upset about 240-Robert being cancelled, but I'm fairly odd.

[Brice]

If it were on Fox they'd have cancelled it as soon as they realized someone (anyone) liked the show.

Send all your truly great cancelled shows to us! Better yet, send it to channel 4: that channel loves making truly great shows that absolutely no one watches! I'm not joking: they've made 6 series of Peep Show - one of the greatest comedy shows ever, i must add - even though no one watches it when it's actually on telly, but it sells incredibly well on dvd (strange, i know).

Ok, considering the "6 episodes per series" rule we have in the UK, especially with comedy shows, that means that there's only a grand total of 36 eps, but don't knock it! Quick dvd = quick sales = quick new series. Shame Fox hasn't discovered this, yet!

Actually the one thing I dislike about your tv seasons/series is how short they are. Well, that and the weirdness of your insisting on calling seasons series.

You think that's weird? Why do you call your shows that last for 6 months seasons?

To confuse y'all, of course.

[DoctorDodge]

But, to answer the question: Why are UK series so short? Well, whole bunch of reasons:

1. If it's 6 episodes only, it's usually because it's written by one or two writers, no more. So writing 6 brilliant episodes rather than 20 can prove to be a bit less of a strain!
2. How it's filmed: peep show is filmed using only one camera. Sounds simple enough, but it's meant to be from the point of view of every character. Literally, the pov. So that can take a fucking long time to do!
3. It's short because the writers planned it that way. Look at the different versions of the Office, for example: original had a beginning, a middle, and an end. So did the remake...until it continued with season 4!
4. Because we're cooler than you!

Although HBO does have some of the most awesome shows ever, but one question: why are all those shows so short?

[candy]

[*]Because we're cooler than you! [/LIST]

hell yeah!

[idk, my bff jill?]

HOLYSHITIDIDN'TKNOWSTEPHENKINGWASONTHECOLBERTREPOR TLASTNIGHTWHOA!

/dies

My two favorite Stephens.

[DoctorDodge]

Just watched the series 1 finale of Misfits. I hope they do another series. And I mean, I really fucking hope they do another series, cause that ending was just the most horrible, horrible cliffhanger, ever. Funny, in a dark way, but also fucking harsh.

To those of you in the US who have BBC America, if you ever see that it's on, watch it. It may be easy to overlook as just another show about a bunch of total shits, but trust me, it's brill. Hilarious, weird, and just all round brilliant, like Life on Mars, Doctor Who and The Office, it goes on the list of, "Programmes that make me fucking proud to be British!"

[Brice]

[*]Because we're cooler than you! [/LIST]

hell yeah!

Clearly you haven't met ME.


*goes off to try to find what Paula speaks of*

[Brice]

BEST fuckin' interview ever!!!

http://www.colbertnation.com/the-col...--stephen-king

[DoctorDodge]

Right then, seeing as it's CHRRRRIIIIIIIIISSSSSMAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAASSSS SS!, to quote Slade, and is, as always, a time for celebration, for families to come together, and also of course, for spending hours and hours in front of the tv, i thought i'd do a little post here of what was on in the UK today.

First of:
Sarah Jane Adventures - just a repeat of the Doctor Who crossover last month, but still, great to catch that in the morning!

Doctor Who
Brand new ep, but i'm not saying a word until you folks in the US have a chance to see it! (Seeing as it's only a one day gap, i thought i'd be fair!)

Eastenders
For those of you who don't know, Eastenders is a British soap that's filled with stupid plotlines, stupider characters, and cockneys. Thought i'd watch it though: tonight the local villain was murdered. Gasp! Shock! Horror! Who did it? The daughter? The wife? The mistress? The ex? The weasel? The baby? Although, from what i saw, it appeared to be a statue. He really shouldn't have turned his back on that!

The Royle Family Xmas Special
Ah, now that's more like it! And before any of you in the US ask, no, this wasn't the queen's speech, but a brilliant, brilliant, brilliant comedy about a northern english family who spend most of the time in front of the tv. Actually, that's no exagerration: most of the entire series is the family in front of the telly! Not only that, but the laughs don't come from the family being dysfunctional as a ton of other sitcoms try to do so much as the family being so close because of the telly! The best example was the family constantly singing the tune of a BBC news programme called "The One Show"! That really did get my entire family howling with laughter, that did! (Can you spot the irony, folks?) Oh, i can't praise this programme enough, unless you haven't seen it, in which case i'll shut up now!

Gavin and Stacey
Oddly enough, this wasn't a xmas special, as it was clearly set in summer. Still, another great comedy, although admittedly one i don't watch often enough. Completely worth it for an old lady singing The Smiths, though!

Well, that's about all i've watched today. Americans, Canadians, everybody on this board: any notable xmas specials that were shown today?

[turtlex]

Actually, I spent just over two hours watching that heart-warming holiday extravaganza ... Jurassic Park. Ah. Good times.

[DoctorDodge]

Sounds like very good times, pam.

Actually, pam, one question: in america, do you have any special episodes of tv shows on xmas day? I mean, i know you've got plenty of xmas themed episodes as part of a regular season, but do you have any xmas one offs, or double lengthed episodes, or extra miserable soaps, JUST for xmas day?

Or it is that just an eccentric british thing?

[turtlex]

Some US shows do a Christmas themed episode, yes, but not a lot of them. I guess that cuts into the reruns or re-playability, or something. I don't know the reason.

Oh, and they'd NEVER be shown on Christmas Day. They'd be probably the week or two before Christmas, in the shows normal time slot.

Actually, probably one of the more rememberable programs, at least that come to mind for me, are the many different Thanksgiving Themed episodes that Friends did each year.

And... Friends did a very funny Christmas/Hanukkah featuring the "holiday armadillo".

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XEAVDID6HwU]The Holiday Armadillo[/ame]

Mostly, I think, in the US - we're big on running specific movies on television at Christmas. Every year - 24 straight hours of A Christmas Story is on. It's A Wonderful Life, and Miracle On 34th Street are constants. I just finished watching Little Woman, which is on every Christmas. Oh, and even National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation.

[candy]

Eastenders
For those of you who don't know, Eastenders is a British soap that's filled with stupid plotlines, stupider characters, and cockneys. Thought i'd watch it though: tonight the local villain was murdered. Gasp! Shock! Horror! Who did it? The daughter? The wife? The mistress? The ex? The weasel? The baby? Although, from what i saw, it appeared to be a statue. He really shouldn't have turned his back on that!

?

i don't watch the soaps anymore (hav'nt done for around 5 years - long story) but that just summed up every Xmas episode of ANY soap.

[DoctorDodge]

Right, for some clarification on why my sig is currently one of the most awesome on this board (not THE most, but pretty close), and why you should bow down before the greatness of Matt Berry:

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zdWI5OksQNI"]YouTube- Snuff Box- Quest for the Silver Cowboy Boots[/ame]

Snuff Box: whether you're British, American, or from the constellation of Betelgeuse, you need to see this show!

[Brice]

[turtlex]

Okay, finally caught The IT Crowd on IFC and laughed my ass off. It's a UK import ( of course! ) and it's priceless, especially if you have any kind of IT background.

[DoctorDodge]

And to prove my point about Berry further: he's in The IT Crowd, too! Well, from Series 2 onwards at least. He really does have the most amazing voice in that show!

Actually, he really does have the most amazing voice in any show!