I've forsaken American television.

[Simple]

See, the thing is, that I've always told people that I've given up television.  It's mindless, it's annoying.  It's like a big electronic bee that you pay to keep stinging you in the ear.  

Of course, there were a few shows that were very good...but they hardly outweighed the mass of junk, junk, junk surrounding them.  But I'd watch The Simpsons.  And Drew Carey.  And SNL, sometimes.  But then, it just wasn't worth it.  I disconnected my cable and lived on DVDs.

Anyway, it's about 2 years later now, and I swear to all you brits on this board, you are the luckiest bunch of clowns who ever sat in front of a TV screen.  Your television is remarkably sound, and I never ceased to be impressed.  While I've always loved certain shows (Fawlty Towers, Red Dwarf) I found a few over the past year that just truly blew me away.

I'm speaking specifically of Series 3 of The League of Gentlemen, and either series of The Office.  Truly beautiful, each honest in its own right, and so intellectually poignant that I can't help but be moved by the comedy.  And that's something American television just doesn't seem to have.  Emotion.  Real emotion.  The fact that I can sympathize more with Steve Pemberton dressed up like a 50 year old lesbian than with most American characters says a lot!

Ah, I don't know.  I'd like to think I'm just bitter...but I keep crawling back to American TV lately and it doesn't seem to be getting any better.  It bores me...and yet I could watch just about any episode of The Office or League over and over and laugh every time.  

If anybody knows of something particularly good that's been on TV over here, let me know...I'll give it a chance.  I actually feel a bit let down that there's nothing I want to watch.

And don't you dare mention the American version of The Office that premiers in February.  I'm trying to forget it already.

[AGA]

As true as it is that The Office and LoG are great, that's about it. We have just as much dross as American networks do, too. We have 200-odd satellite TV stations of crap, and most of our 'regular' TV stations are mostly awful too. Fortunately for you, plenty of great British TV filters through, while the more awful stuff is ignored...

[MillsJROSS]

American telivision sitcom wise, is still suffering from all the reality show wave. They're going to try and bring sitcoms back into television in the not so far future. They're already starting, but most of the shows, if not all, aren't worth watching. And, no, you're right, you really don't feel for any of the American sitcom stars of today. There are some funny shows, but the situations and characters are so characterized or ridiculous, no one could really relate to them. Not to mention, that the new wave of sitcoms have this fat or unattractive husband with this gorgeous wife.

The best place to look for great American television is TV Land. I'm a fan of the old shows. There is only one sitcom show that I watch that's running today, and that's Everybody Loves Raymond, but even that's starting to slowly go in a downward spiral.

There is Frasier, if your looking for something intelligent. I don't enjoy the show, that much, but it's worth a try I guess.  

I don't think you're bitter. But I don't watch too much tv, myself. So maybe I am bitter. I like Conan O'Brian, even though it's no sitcom. In a few years we'll probably get a few better sitcoms, when the mass is sick of reality tv.

-MillsJROSS

[Trapezoid]

Yeah, as far as I'm concerned, Conan O'Brien, The Daily Show, Cartoon Network's Adult Swim (Sunday) are all good enough to keep me watching. Not to mention reruns of shows like SNL, Drew Carey, Whose Line Is It Anyway (US or British)...  I dunno, it's enough for me. If none of these things are on I usually just find something else to do.

[Evil]

I agree with the shows Trap mentioned. I also enjoy the Discovery Channel informational programs (But thats because I am a loser and like those things), Monster House with is also on the Discovery Channel, Inside The Actors Studio, Public Access when they play movies, AMC's late night silent movies, Old Yankee Workshop, Fairly Odd Parents, along with others.

[Timosity]

I had cable TV for a few years and all that I watched was a couple of movies, it was just a waste of money cause I still watched a lot of free to air programs, but here in Australia cable is pathetic, but probably the same as anywhere, just probably not as many stations, and most of them American anyway.

I prefer British comedy to American generally, If you ever get to see a British sitcom "Coupling" watch it, It's clever, witty, well developed characters, hilarious, best sitcom I've seen in years, I just wish it was still on here, I haven't seen it for almost a year, I hope it gets played again, I have no idea if they still make it.

As far as American sitcoms go, It's gone down hill since Seinfeld finished, I don't like any that still get showed here. And for some reason Everybody Can't Fucking Stand Raymond became the next big thing, and it's really annoying.

as far as Drama/cop shows go, CSI was good at first but becomes a bit the same hence boring after a while, I did enjoy X-Files in the first few series, but nothing of note has been intersting since.

I never watched Charmed, but I can see why it's been popular, put some cute chicks in sexy clothes (or lack of) and put them on tv, it doesn't really matter what they say.

I used to like tv but now I prefer to use the computer or go to the pub.

It's good in a way that Tv has gone down hill, it allows you to do other things without thinking, "but I don't want to miss that show". If I miss a show these days, It doesn't really phase me.

I watch a lot of sport, Cricket, Rugby League, AFL, Tennis, so these basically cover the whole year, so there's always something to watch.

The only good show I've seen in the last few years was Coupling, so if you can find it anywhere, it's worth the watch.

here's a link http://www.bbc.co.uk/comedy/coupling/

If you know the show, I'm like the character Jeff

[TheYak]

I gave up on TV in 1995.  Of course, there are a few shows which pique my interest.  They are mostly the shows that Trap mentioned.  I really don't think it's worth it to pay X amount per month in order to watch the 2 hours of TV I might find worthwhile each week.  I've been doing movies, for the most part, and downloading episodes of shows I wanted to catch (MST3k, Invader Zim, blah, blah).  Currently, I do watch about 3-4 hours of TV per month, mainly in the interest of spending time with friends & family that are still into the non-interactive glowbox.  

[Simple]

AGA--good point.  I expected that you must have a lot of junk too, but didn't want to admit it to myself.    But, the point about so much GOOD television filtering through just proves that you actually have good stuff to begin with!  We don't really have too much, sadly.  Nothing with any real...significance to it, you know?  Nothing doing anything really...daring.  Or...worth it.  

Like Mills says, American sitcoms are in a formula right now...and have been for some time.  Yeah, we do have Frasier, and Conan, and The Daily Show...which are great shows, don't get me wrong...but I think my frustration is that these are all old shows.  And...eventually they will be gone.  I wish we could keep moving ahead and stop relying on a few staggering greats to carry us through.  It's actually pretty sad.

And of course there's public television, which is (relatively) exempt from corporate meddling, so that's a nice change...ah, but I don't know.  

My big complaint, I guess, is one that's probably valid in every country.  Why the hell do we need hundreds of channels?  We don't even need hundreds of SHOWS, let alone a full cycle of shows for every one of these networks.  I'm just a big fan of the way the BBC works:  take your time, do episodes when you have good ideas, and not necessarily just when the summer is over.  Only have six good ideas?  Do six episodes...don't do twenty-eight episodes and spread out those six ideas all over a watered-down series.

God!  Why does this frustrate me so much?  AGS TV Network must be born.

[Damien]

I wonder nobody mentioned the Jerry Springer show.
I can't beileve that there are so pathetic people who would do anything just to be on tv. And there are even more pathetic people who pay to see the show and shout: Jerry Jerry Jerry Jerry, or Steve Steve Steve Steve

I tell you, i wish they had one big neck so i could squeeze the life out of all of them!  <--GTA2

[Las Naranjas]

The British have TV licences. Maybe you need to suffer and absurdity like that to have decent TV....

But on Australian TV, News-Current Affairs, SBS, The Footy Show and Sport. All else can be ignored.

[Robert Eric]

I only watch stand-up comedy and sometimes Conan O'Brien.  For some reason, Irish comedians make me laugh more than any other kind.

And I agree wholeheartedly, Simple.  Now I must go and see if I spelled wholeheartedly right.  Actually, screw it, I don't care.

[Stu Helm]

Hi every1

I live in the UK, and I have to say there are only a few shows from the US I will watch happily, those being

Malcolm in the Middle, FRIENDS, The Simpsons, Fraiser, Futurama, Family Guy, SCRUBS and I honestly think that's about it, I'll watch the odd thing if it looks good, and then usually switch back over to UK Gold to catch some Only Fools & Horses!

Us brits have the greats, the afore mentioned OFAH, The League of Gentlemen, The Office (the christmas specials were fantastic, last 2 episodes ever acording to Ricky Gervais) Fawlty Towers, Red Dwarf, The Brittas Empire, One Foot in the Grave, Phoenix Nights (well anything Peter Kay does actually!)

Well feel free to e-mail for a chat

Stu

[Matt Brown]

I dont watch american tv much. snl, conan, the news and espn...and thats bout it. Most everything else sucks

[AGA]

I thought Coupling was alright, Tim, but nothing amazing.

Stu Helm: I agree with most of your selections as being good, but I can't stand Peter Kay. Maybe Phoenix Nights is good, I've never seen it, but I hate his stand up stuff...

[DGMacphee]

24, 24, 24, 24, 24, 24, 24!!!

And the Sopranos...

And Six Feet Under...

That's probably about it.

[BOYD1981]

wow, the only shows mentioned that i don't actually want to drown the writers and actors of is Only Fools & Horses (and even that just isn't funny sometimes), and Fawlty Towers, i hate all this so called "new comedy", i believe people laugh at it because they want to find it funny and not because it actually is funny, they want to fit in to today's culture by laughing at everything when they really should just be stabbing eachother in the face.

oh yeh, i also dislike most old comedy too, down with comedy!

[Goldmund]

I adore television, because it never hurts me.

[MillsJROSS]

Actually, one new show that I am fond of...that I didn't mention was Monk. It's not a sitcom, but I feel it's well written and funny.

I was never one for Seinfeld...I thought they complained just way too much, and they weren't nice people at all.

American tv has some greats, under its belt, it just seems rather stagnant at the moment. Though, someone mentioned SCRUBS, which I found funny, but it was never able to make it into my schedule. We have Dick van Dike, I Love Lucy, Bob Newhart, Newhart, Taxi, All in the Family, tons more. I'm certain a good comedy will come soon, hopefully.

-MillsJROSS

[Evil]

I never watched Charmed, but I can see why it's been popular, put some cute chicks in sexy clothes (or lack of) and put them on tv, it doesn't really matter what they say.

Me and my gal have Charmed days. They go something like this.

"They call me. I show up late. We sit around watching the show. I complain how crappy it is. We make out. Watch Full House. I go home."

Charmed is that good.

[Bob The Hun]

I have like 300 channels, but all i need to watch is HBO.

The Sopranos, Six Feet Under, Curb Your Enthusiasm, the list goes on and on.

That and the latest movies, which you can watch before anyone else gets em.



Although watching cable is probably much more rewarding if it's not stolen..