TV USA V UK

[Lighthouse]

Following on from The Greatest British Actors, it is a shame that nearly all of them have had to go to the States to find fame and fortune. Meanwhile a few American Actors have come over here to learn a bit more about the craft of acting. When I was a kid the UK TV was looked upon as the best in the World. Rightly so. We had the costume dramas, the tongue in cheek thrillers and everything in between. Sadly no more.

UK comedy is a poor second, we have only a few thrillers and frankly as we do not have Seasons but series in the UK, we can only pump out around 6 or 8 episodes to the USA Season of progs.

Deadwood was mentioned and there is everything from The Wire (over rated imo) and all the good thrillers (The Shield (7 seasons of great writing,acting etc) etc, the Sci Fi stuff. Where as even with our lack of funds and short series we can not produce much more than Spooks and a few costume dramas. Still at least some of us can spend the evening watching DVDs and not the awful tripe dished out by the UK TV. Yes USA has an awful lot of tripe too but their cream at least is visible.

[alfie]

Agree with you on this one Lighthouse, although a lot of our now top class actors/actresses made their way through programs like Coronation Street, as much as we knock it, it gave good grounding.

Can't say the same about Eastenders though, appear in that and you disappear.

[Logicalman]

BBC America is just showing Survivors over here.

It was the fourth episode last Saturday, and it's quite good. Spurred on by this, I went hunting for a download of all the Survivors series, and once found and suitably ensconced on my hard drive, I discovered that the 6 part series in the UK, is being stretched out to 8 or 10 parts over here. For example: We watched Part 4 (US) and that equates to Part 3 (UK), and you couldn't even see the joins, if it weren't for the bloody numerous commercials!!

[Lighthouse]

Eastenders and the like are Fill Up TV. Odd good moment but if you fall out of watching it, you can go back three years later and they still have the same plot but with differnt characters. Strange how it used to be Good Actors coming from Soaps into other things now great actors love being in soaps.

Survivors was good enough tv until one episode( I wont spoil it). I felt really drawn in  and thought, blimey they can act. So great acting is down to so many things.

[HatterDon]

The reason that Brit actors go to America to seek fame and fortune is two-fold:

1. Not as much money to make in Engerland
2. Tax rates higher in Engerland

Where does the BIG MONEY come from? Action flicks, the the USA perpetrates most of those. When a brilliant actress can make more money from 30 minutes of screen time on a James Bond movie at age 60, than she made her entire career up to then, that says a little something.

The corollary to this, by the way, is music. There's tons of American musicians who went to England to become stars -- Jimi Hendrix is perhaps the best example -- or who migrated over to extend their moribund careers -- ladies and germs, I give you Gene Pitney.

[finnster01]

I'd pay money to see Amy Winehouse mud wrestle Lady GaGa as a warm up for the World Cup

[FatFreddysCat]

Following on from The Greatest British Actors, it is a shame that nearly all of them have had to go to the States to find fame and fortune. Meanwhile a few American Actors have come over here to learn a bit more about the craft of acting. When I was a kid the UK TV was looked upon as the best in the World. Rightly so. We had the costume dramas, the tongue in cheek thrillers and everything in between. Sadly no more.

UK comedy is a poor second, we have only a few thrillers and frankly as we do not have Seasons but series in the UK, we can only pump out around 6 or 8 episodes to the USA Season of progs.

Deadwood was mentioned and there is everything from The Wire (over rated imo) and all the good thrillers (The Shield (7 seasons of great writing,acting etc) etc, the Sci Fi stuff. Where as even with our lack of funds and short series we can not produce much more than Spooks and a few costume dramas. Still at least some of us can spend the evening watching DVDs and not the awful tripe dished out by the UK TV. Yes USA has an awful lot of tripe too but their cream at least is visible.

The Wire was quality Lighthouse, though i did sometimes struggle to understand what the corner boys were saying. but have to agree the US of A kicks our arse in the tv dept.On the brightside we have Curry and proper beer.

[White Noise]

The American industry is about 8 times the size. Work galore!

Yes there are some fantastic shows but it is a layer of hell when you to the US and watch their TV for real.

'Dexter' and 'The Mentallist' are great recent TV for when you have retunred from the pub and killed half your braincells.

[FatFreddysCat]

Eastenders and the like are Fill Up TV. Odd good moment but if you fall out of watching it, you can go back three years later and they still have the same plot but with differnt characters. Strange how it used to be Good Actors coming from Soaps into other things now great actors love being in soaps.

Survivors was good enough tv until one episode( I wont spoil it). I felt really drawn in  and thought, blimey they can act. So great acting is down to so many things.

Survivors was good tv untill episode 1 ::).

[finnster01]

There is a tremendous amount of shite on the telly here (US), but you can't beat the top shows NCIS, CSI (in various permutations), Cold Case, Criminal Minds and the odd Mentalist.
I have a lot of time for US TV. On top I have to get up early to deal with some work admin things in Europe and having old re-runs of Frazier, South Park and Star Trek in the background just makes me chuckle in a big way.

Our TV used to be the tops, but there is a big gap now.

[FatFreddysCat]

There is a tremendous amount of s***e on the telly here (US), but you can't beat the top shows NCIS, CSI (in various permutations), Cold Case, Criminal Minds and the odd Mentalist.
I have a lot of time for US TV. On top I have to get up early to deal with some work admin things in Europe and having old re-runs of Frazier, South Park and Star Trek in the background just makes me chuckle in a big way.

Our TV used to be the tops, but there is a big gap now.

That CSI programme makes me thank God that my mother didn't have that blue floroscent light tool that shows up ***** stains on sheets when i was a 16 year old. ::)

[dancrawford]

American drama simply smashes British stuff all over the place. The Wire's obviously awesome, but then there's The West Wing and 30 Rock.

[Lighthouse]

The US has so many quirky series. Dead Like Me lasted a few seasons, Carnivale,House and Battlestar Galactica are such well put together drama. It is not just lack of money. The US cancels plenty of good stuff they shouldn't for lack of money. The UK just has a few good ones and so many poor series  that money is poured on.

Can the UK ever make a series as good as Mad Men? We do good one off Dramas that are put on obscure BBC stations and are then sold overseas and then we see them on main BBC stations. Tonight there is nothing worth watching other than a one of  week long series that is already beginning to drag. An hour plot spread over five hours so we can learn about the private life of the policeman who is splitting up with his wife and... Yea Gods how much more.

I do have plenty of DVDs Series and Rented DVDs to watch. But why pay a fee to the BBC for news and one prog. 50p a day becomes a lot for nothing.