What was the name of the series that took place in a neighborhood in Manchester. One guy was a cabby. There was neighbor who was a young dealer and an older retired couple. I can remember the name of it. I only saw one season. The writing, acting and directing was stunning. Great drama series.

The U.S. cannot produce that kind of thing because Americans won't watch it and it wouldn't play well on commercial TV. Besides America would glam it up and make it so feckin Hollywood that it would not resemble anyone's lives anyone has ever known. Everyone on American TV has to be beautiful and rich and slick while in reality Americans aren't like that. I don't understand why Americans watch such (*)(*)(*)(*)e.

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You, you, and you, panic. The rest of you follow me.

"This year I have come to terms with the idea that I might be my own best hope to defend my future. Hopefully all of us will realize that we are the ones we have been waiting for." - Tim DeChristopher

I like Dr. Who and Torchwood but what I prefer most about UK TV is the political coverage and the news. US news, especially network, is really lame.

Having said that most of the things I loathe about US network TV were actually birthed in Europe: Weakest Link, Big Brother, Millionaire, American (Pop) Idol etc. so I don't blame the Americans for that.

I prefer US drama on the whole but it has to be said that the heyday was probably the 80's and 90's, things like Star Trek TNG, Deep Space 9, Buffy, Frasier etc. There's still some good stuff out there but the stuff that Brits would really love (Jericho is a good example) tends to get canned too quickly while the more mediocre stuff lives on but doesn't translate to our market.

One thing the Brits are learning is that if you want something to succeed on an international level you've got to embrace higher production values. A good story and great acting won't sway it anymore. You need a great widescreen presentation and surround sound et al.

Here again I've seen US network TV slip up heinously. Shows that are supposed to be broadcast in widescreen high-def are all too often shown in old style "square" standard def and then after a commercial break revert to how they're supposed to be. That would never happen in the UK. I know many UK TV staff and they're totally anal about getting these things right whereas sometimes I think US network staff just pack up at 5:30 and leave things on auto-pilot. You can't even contact the station to tell them something's wrong because there's no one to pick up the phone "after hours".

TV is for people with nae imagination

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A kind word is like a Spring day ....

Yes British TV is awful the majority of the time but if you really want to be bored watch channel 5 in the daytime it gives a whole meaning to bad TV.

Firstly I have to ask a question that hasn't been asked yet, but why are you looking to "English speaking" programs? Listening to your Pres, I guess many don't have a good handle on the basic language: mrgreen:

Secondly, I think this thread is LOL funny. . . . . . Maybe you don't like Python because it's too much of an intellectual stretch for you. . . .Perhaps Joey from Friends saying "How you doin'" is funny, not to me though

FYI we don't just have five channels, there's hundreds on BSKYB, loads of American shows there, I'm watching the Contender Kickboxer right now and it's awesome! I agree with a previous poster America does drama well (just love ER and Twin Peaks was the best ever and lets not forget the Iran-Contra scandal, O J Simpson etc.)

But honestly, having been to your country, I'd much rather just import the good stuff, the best word I can think of to describe your TV is vacuous. .

Your news and current affairs are frankly an embarrassment, while the British Lead the world in something you may not have heard of called 'public sector broadcasting' How many ppl watch and Listen to the BBC World Service?

*rant over*

P.S if you can find it watch a series called Coupling, it's the funniest thing ever!