Televison

[J'Pol]

Biggles

That you sir, your class shines thro'.

I can express our relative merits no better than j2 has already done, so I will embarrass neither of us by even trying.

Whilst on, the Beeb does have the advantage of funding via the television licence. So it does not have a problem with cash flow. No tawdry advertising or sponsorship for our beloved Aunt.

I personally think that the US makes some great television, particularly in the comedic field.

Seinfeld, Frasier, Mash, The Simpsons all spring easily to mind amongst a great many others.

However I would appreciate it if you (as a nation) would try to avoid re-makes of British institutions. I remember having the mis-fortune of watching an Americanised version of what purported to be based on Fawlty Towers. I apologise to the sensitive of nature for this, it was fucking dreadful. Sorry but it has to be said.

I am told The Office is currently being converted for US consumption, I fear the worst.

Please stick to doing original comedy programmes, you can be quite good at it and sometimes, just sometimes, amongst the best.

[Lamsey]

Originally posted by JPaul@29 October 2003 - 00:01
However I would appreciate it if you (as a nation) would try to avoid re-makes of British institutions. I remember having the mis-fortune of watching an Americanised version of what purported to be based on Fawlty Towers. I apologise to the sensitive of nature for this, it was fucking dreadful. Sorry but it has to be said.

What about Red Dwarf? It was so bad, it made me physically cringe!

[Rat Faced]

Originally posted by Lamsey+29 October 2003 - 00:05--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (Lamsey &#064; 29 October 2003 - 00:05)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'> <!--QuoteBegin-JPaul@29 October 2003 - 00:01
However I would appreciate it if you (as a nation) would try to avoid re-makes of British institutions. I remember having the mis-fortune of watching an Americanised version of what purported to be based on Fawlty Towers. I apologise to the sensitive of nature for this, it was fucking dreadful. Sorry but it has to be said.

What about Red Dwarf? It was so bad, it made me physically cringe&#33; [/b][/quote]
I agree totally..

Take one of the funniest programs there is and re-make it as one of the worst...



They did the same with Dear John (made worse by the fact that we stopped making it and started importing the American version, which was crap...), Fawlty Towers and one or two others..

On the other hand, some of the American "Home Grown" stuff has been classic, as JPaul has pointed out. (Add Friends, MASH, Carloyn in the City etc to his list )


I think the moral is..."If it aint broke, dont fix it"




Erm........ I split this out of Media&#39;s original thread:

i) As it deserves a thread of its own, possibly...........but mainly

ii) Medias thread was being hijacked

[MagicNakor]

Sorry, I haven&#39;t heard of that one j2.

I can&#39;t really say I&#39;ve noticed any bias, be it "liberal" or "conservative" with PBS. All that I ever see on the listings are things like Sesame Street, Teletubbies, Antiques Roadshow, that Wall&#036;treet thing, whatever the Adult Learning Service is, Frontier House (which was really quite amusing), Joy of Painting, a man who teaches fractions, and a cartoon about a Siamese cat. I think Reading Rainbow was on it too, but I don&#39;t know if that program still runs.

I&#39;ve not seen any political programs. Or any "controversial" programs. Maybe they&#39;re there. But every time I flip past it&#39;s either one of the ones in the style above, or some middle-aged woman asking for my pledge.

[j2k4]

Originally posted by MagicNakor@28 October 2003 - 20:16
Sorry, I haven&#39;t heard of that one j2.

I can&#39;t really say I&#39;ve noticed any bias, be it "liberal" or "conservative" with PBS. All that I ever see on the listings are things like Sesame Street, Teletubbies, Antiques Roadshow, that Wall&#036;treet thing, whatever the Adult Learning Service is, Frontier House (which was really quite amusing), Joy of Painting, a man who teaches fractions, and a cartoon about a Siamese cat. I think Reading Rainbow was on it too, but I don&#39;t know if that program still runs.

I&#39;ve not seen any political programs. Or any "controversial" programs. Maybe they&#39;re there. But every time I flip past it&#39;s either one of the ones in the style above, or some middle-aged woman asking for my pledge.

I would be loathe to expect you to drop your ongoing studies just to fine-tune your "grip" on PBS, MN.

You keep doing what you do (your activities, and their import on this board, are essential), and I&#39;ll keep you apprised as to PBS.

QUOTE: JPaul-


I personally think that the US makes some great television, particularly in the comedic field.


I would like to return the compliment, and go you one better:

The biggest laughs I have ever had were prompted by your humor-BlackAdder, Monte Python, Fawlty Towers, Keeping Up Appearances, Are You Being Served?...

The list is never-ending.

And, the funniest guy alive-EDDIE IZZARD&#33;

[Busyman]

Eddie Izzard? Isn&#39;t that the guy with lipstick?
Man you need to check out some Richard Pryor.

[j2k4]

Originally posted by Busyman@29 October 2003 - 02:36
Eddie Izzard? Isn&#39;t that the guy with lipstick?
Man you need to check out some Richard Pryor.

I got R.P. covered, too.

I go back to Lenny Bruce.

[Busyman]

Are you European? I guess it makes sense.

[j2k4]

Originally posted by Busyman@29 October 2003 - 02:43
Are you European? I guess it makes sense.

No sir-

Just a 45-yr-old statesider.

I&#39;ve done a lot of laughing in my time, and I&#39;m very good at it.

[Biggles]

J2k4

I was surprised to hear Eddie has made it over in the States. His humour is surreal to say the least, but truly funny and original. I don&#39;t know much about US stand up although I have seen Richard Pryor - I struggled a bit with the accent and references so I didn&#39;t get as much out of it as the audience in the States clearly did.

I do like the Simpsons and I thought South Park had some good moments too. My kids really like Malcolm in the Middle which has grown on me a lot and I like the new thing (which is probably old news in the States) Dead Like Me.

Has Harry Hill crossed the Atlantic yet? - he is another quite unusual stand up artist.

As for comedies well, Monty Python, Blackadder, Father Ted and that newish one Black Books all work for me.

What sort of comedies appear on TV in say France or Germany? I know Holywood has remade successfully many French cinema comedies and Monty Python actually recorded a German version of their show (I&#39;m a Lumberjack in German looked just as funny) - are there any good European TV sit-coms?