Filed under: Urban Advice | Tags: american dad, bbc, Dr who, family guy, humor, humour, ITV, Parts Of Britain Like The Wire, the simpsons, The Wire
So I’m sat here watching the excellent Californication (starring sex addict David Duchovny) with my good mate Snide, and it dawns on me, again, that British Telly doesn’t compare to what the Americans have to offer.
Now I’m not some kind of yankophile, but they do know how to make great television. Lets start with the Wire. Now I’m sure you’re sick to the fucking back teeth of everyone saying how great the Wire is (if you haven’t seen it that is, if you have then you’ll be nodding, probably going “sheeeeeeeeeeeeeiiiiitt”) but it is the prime example of how Television should be made.
Well written? By ex Po-leece and a Bawlmer journo. Well acted? Dominic West excels as a pisscan Homicide Po-leece. Well produced? So finely done that the story of Bubbles makes you root for a heroin addict. In contrast lets look at Dr Who. Well written? Not unless you like sub par science fiction that sounds like its been written by an 8 year old. Well acted? A fine blend of overacting & wooden performances. Well produced? Only if you think the production values of Prisoner Cell Block H are the epitome of the art.
I know the two are hardly comparible programmes, but both are lauded to some degree and I wanted to highlight the contrast. So why does television from these fair isles tend to be shite?
I personally think its down to people being happy to settle for less, that whole stiff upper lip business. If you don’t like it, don’t complain, just keep your fucking mouth shut. This has led to us being fed utter bilge over the years, I can’t think of any ITV “comedies” off the top of my head, but they’ve never made a funny one, the BBC persist in making dark and “gritty” police dramas that are anything but and don’t get me started on their costume dramas.
Maybe its because we have two broadcasting behemoths which are loathe to deviate from anything thats nice and safe or middle of the road. Whereas our yank cousins have the likes of HBO, a paid for television channel that has repeatedly handed us television programmes that are so far from the norm, they manage to become something more than mere actors on a screen.
