I think most Americans struggle with the real differences between the UK, Great Britain and England, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland etc.
(the first is all four and the second just the first three and all four are individual countries bonded by official unions that could be severed one day)
As a writer of books and articles published in the US I have more than once had to edit text back to its correct form that had been changed on me. I saw Glasgow, Scotland changed to Glasgow, England once!
But I think most Americans appreciate there is a difference and are genuinely just confused by the nuances. I have seen UK used more often in US shows. But I agree there is a tendency to just say England even when it is not just inaccurate it might be offensive.
I recall reading that when some of the American cast and crew were involved in the recent Torchwood series they asked where Wales, England was? Some apparently had no idea it was an actual country in its own right with its own government and laws/rights that can differ markedly from England. They even wrote this in to the script which was the best way to make a laugh out of the point. But always used UK on screen in captions.
But then when you look at how the EU treat the nations of the UK we can hardly shout too much at American TV for lapsing into the use of England when it is not appropriate.
I also guess it is partly because they refer to the Queen of England and do not realise this is an abbreviation.
This was confusing for me as an English child growing up in North Wales, regularly going to visit my grandparents in Wales, England! I wasn't always sure which Wales we were referring to!
This was confusing for me as an English child growing up in North Wales, regularly going to visit my grandparents in Wales, England! I wasn't always sure which Wales we were referring to!
There is another one in Lancashire (in Rossendale). My great grandparents were born there as I discovered via genealogy,.
Oh, an on the theme of the original thread - a recent Once Upon A Time episode had images of an early 20th century London that looked like a US town with Big Ben CGId over the top of the roofs to turn it into London!
I think what annoys me most about the way America portrays Britain is they seem to get off on writing most of the British characters as hating the Americans or rolling their eyes up at the "crazy American" antics. When I've met and befriended Americans living in the UK I just registered they're American on meeting them and then forgot about it. Of course there's the way we're shown as still living in the Victorian era (can't believe that one earlier in the thread about the doctor asking why the widow wasn't still dressed in mourning!). Sometimes it seems like America still harks back to the War of Independence and seem to think we actually care about it. I was once asked by an American if we don't learn about it at school because it makes Britain look bad...aside from the fact we have a lot more history to learn than they do, we went on the lose practically the whole empire and no one cares about that, so why would anyone care about 1776?? Also in films Americans are always saying the British shouldn't be offended at always being the villains in Hollywood films but if Britain has made films where all the villains had America accents, I wonder what they'd say?
Finally there's references to the Second World War, like in Friends when Jack Geller says we would be speaking German if it wasn't for them and the ignorant audience cheered. I find that statement irritating in the extreme. Battle of Britain? And I don't think any person that wasn't alive during the Second World War has any right to use it as some sort ego boost. Those that we do owe our lives to would never make such an arrogant statement. But that's a different issue sorry lol.
I didn't mean that to be a big rant. And please don't think this makes me an American hater because I have some lovely and funny American friends.
I think what annoys me most about the way America portrays Britain is they seem to get off on writing most of the British characters as hating the Americans or rolling their eyes up at the "crazy American" antics. When I've met and befriended Americans living in the UK I just registered they're American on meeting them and then forgot about it. Of course there's the way we're shown as still living in the Victorian era (can't believe that one earlier in the thread about the doctor asking why the widow wasn't still dressed in mourning!). Sometimes it seems like America still harks back to the War of Independence and seem to think we actually care about it. I was once asked by an American if we don't learn about it at school because it makes Britain look bad...aside from the fact we have a lot more history to learn than they do, we went on the lose practically the whole empire and no one cares about that, so why would anyone care about 1776?? Also in films Americans are always saying the British shouldn't be offended at always being the villains in Hollywood films but if Britain has made films where all the villains had America accents, I wonder what they'd say?
Finally there's references to the Second World War, like in Friends when Jack Geller says we would be speaking German if it wasn't for them and the ignorant audience cheered. I find that statement irritating in the extreme. Battle of Britain? And I don't think any person that wasn't alive during the Second World War has any right to use it as some sort ego boost. Those that we do owe our lives to would never make such an arrogant statement. But that's a different issue sorry lol.
I didn't mean that to be a big rant. And please don't think this makes me an American hater because I have some lovely and funny American friends.
Yeah that scene always annoyed me a bit, especially the whooping and hollering 'USA! USA!' crowd.
Didn't bother me either. I think its because Joss Whedon (Creater) went to school in England that he did quite a good job with it, although obviously the stereotypes were still there.
He wasn't being posh. He was doing a cockney accent and quite a good one imo. There's alot of people who didn't even realise he wasn't english.
The worst one i've seen was on The X-Files - actually there were two examples that come to mind. One upper class family who spoke like 'I say darling...' and then during the movie when they briefly go to a scene of a guy in england he's living in a big posh house with a Butler and he's with his grandkids who are wearing playsuits like something out of The sound of music - actually cringeworthy..
Oh yes, that film was a hodgepodge. That exterior of that house was filmed in California, in fact I think it was the same house used in Adam West Batman. But the London scene was definitely London, with Brit character actor stalwart Milton Johns.
It was European Vacation,because it had Chevy Chase in it.
I just saw that part of that movie today, so not only did they drive past it they knocked it down!:D We Americans seem to ruin all the national treasures in the world...:rolleyes::eek:;).
That definitely was for laughs, espec. as those films parody America too, ie Chicago's slums being full of blacks and pimps.
I remember the Def Leppard biopic with great fondness. This was so obviously filmed in Canada with the minimum of disguise (apart from the red phone box and Mini). Best bits were a sign to the M25 a few miles outside 'Sheffield' and an American bus with doors on the left driving past on the right hand side of the road.
Nobody has mentioned the Charliecentric London episode of Lost yet, which also featured the cavernous London pub with a big Union Jack on the wall (also seen in Ugly Betty).
I also remember an adaption of Stephen King's short story Crouch End from a few years ago, featuring pick up trucks and a tram in central 'London' as well as some very gothic un-East London houses (but there was a red phone box).:D
Crouch Endwas filmed in Melbourne. One of the auld ladies in it was in Prisoner - Cell Block H.
LOST, I'm sorry, but Hawaii is not London, nor is it "Eddington, Scotland" or Clitheroe. The bad accents, same with Sydney. The glaring error hough was a company called Buttie's Diapers not Butties Nappies.
I thought it was quite dire when the Only Fools and Horses team went to Miami.
Good point well made, as dire as US or any other country's depiction of Britain, I am convinced that Brit ideas of other countries is probably worse, even when filmed on location.
Finally there's references to the Second World War, like in Friends when Jack Geller says we would be speaking German if it wasn't for them and the ignorant audience cheered. I find that statement irritating in the extreme. Battle of Britain? And I don't think any person that wasn't alive during the Second World War has any right to use it as some sort ego boost. Those that we do owe our lives to would never make such an arrogant statement. But that's a different issue sorry lol.
Exactly, it's just plain ignorance and offensive to everyone who fought and saved Britain from invasion BEFORE America got involved.
I might be entirely wrong here but didn't Friends film the two London episodes actually in London? Not just the location shoots but the soundstage scenes in front of a British audience?
The recent Revenge episode had a "visit to the UK" which was laughable.
An obviously American exterior of a house. Turned into England by making it rain and having a black cab pull up.
The British guy is wearing a trilby (though I suppose they're back in fashion somewhat) and his mother (along with ludicrous accent) is obsessed with cleaning her tea china.
Not to mention the British guy himself constantly talks as though he's a member of the royal family.
I'm sure they think Britain is like the Jane Austen books.
Good point well made, as dire as US or any other country's depiction of Britain, I am convinced that Brit ideas of other countries is probably worse, even when filmed on location.
That reminds me of when Eastenders went to Ireland some years ago. That was quite shocking too.
I might be entirely wrong here but didn't Friends film the two London episodes actually in London? Not just the location shoots but the soundstage scenes in front of a British audience?
24's current trip to London deserves an honourable mention for plain weirdness.
Travelling by warp speed across the city, tube entrance to platform in 20 seconds, Stephen Fry cast for no discernible reason, the oddest 'Parliament' you'll ever see, a British 'copper', everyone being armed to the teeth... and no one batting an eyelid at a bunch of CIA operatives storming around London without a warrant!
I can't believe this thread has gone 16 pages with no mention of David Boreanaz's dreadful Oirish accent in the flashback scenes in Buffy and Angel. It was like one part Gerry Adams to three parts leprechaun, and he was supposed to be from Galway!!
24's current trip to London deserves an honourable mention for plain weirdness.
Travelling by warp speed across the city, tube entrance to platform in 20 seconds, Stephen Fry cast for no discernible reason, the oddest 'Parliament' you'll ever see, a British 'copper', everyone being armed to the teeth... and no one batting an eyelid at a bunch of CIA operatives storming around London without a warrant!
Even ITV can do that, though!
Did you see the recent series - Prey - where the John Simm jumped off a motorway bridge marked 'Trafford Park' - in Manchester, survived the impact but was badly hobbling, to be pursued by fully fit police who in the next scene have not caught him but are chasing him round Victoria Station and then onto a train at Piccadilly Station. There are miles between these locations.
What amazes me is that when a British actor is in a US film or TV drama, they don't point out that the writers have things incorrect. Aren't they allowed to comment?
What amazes me is that when a British actor is in a US film or TV drama, they don't point out that the writers have things incorrect. Aren't they allowed to comment?
Maybe they don't comment because they know it is just a bit of entertainment and they would be silly making a big deal out of it, as if their patriotic pride had been wounded.
Comments
Yes, Jimmy's Irish accent was truly awful...
Sometimes, Wales can be in England...:D :
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wales,_South_Yorkshire
This was confusing for me as an English child growing up in North Wales, regularly going to visit my grandparents in Wales, England! I wasn't always sure which Wales we were referring to!
There is another one in Lancashire (in Rossendale). My great grandparents were born there as I discovered via genealogy,.
Oh, an on the theme of the original thread - a recent Once Upon A Time episode had images of an early 20th century London that looked like a US town with Big Ben CGId over the top of the roofs to turn it into London!
Finally there's references to the Second World War, like in Friends when Jack Geller says we would be speaking German if it wasn't for them and the ignorant audience cheered. I find that statement irritating in the extreme. Battle of Britain? And I don't think any person that wasn't alive during the Second World War has any right to use it as some sort ego boost. Those that we do owe our lives to would never make such an arrogant statement. But that's a different issue sorry lol.
I didn't mean that to be a big rant. And please don't think this makes me an American hater because I have some lovely and funny American friends.
Yeah that scene always annoyed me a bit, especially the whooping and hollering 'USA! USA!' crowd.
Exactly, it's just plain ignorance and offensive to everyone who fought and saved Britain from invasion BEFORE America got involved.
Oh yes, that film was a hodgepodge. That exterior of that house was filmed in California, in fact I think it was the same house used in Adam West Batman. But the London scene was definitely London, with Brit character actor stalwart Milton Johns.
Crouch Endwas filmed in Melbourne. One of the auld ladies in it was in Prisoner - Cell Block H.
LOST, I'm sorry, but Hawaii is not London, nor is it "Eddington, Scotland" or Clitheroe. The bad accents, same with Sydney. The glaring error hough was a company called Buttie's Diapers not Butties Nappies.
Good point well made, as dire as US or any other country's depiction of Britain, I am convinced that Brit ideas of other countries is probably worse, even when filmed on location.
I might be entirely wrong here but didn't Friends film the two London episodes actually in London? Not just the location shoots but the soundstage scenes in front of a British audience?
An obviously American exterior of a house. Turned into England by making it rain and having a black cab pull up.
The British guy is wearing a trilby (though I suppose they're back in fashion somewhat) and his mother (along with ludicrous accent) is obsessed with cleaning her tea china.
Not to mention the British guy himself constantly talks as though he's a member of the royal family.
I'm sure they think Britain is like the Jane Austen books.
That reminds me of when Eastenders went to Ireland some years ago. That was quite shocking too.
Those were cringe worthy episodes. It was like the cast of Finians Rainbow had been hired to play the Irish "folk".
Yes they did.
Travelling by warp speed across the city, tube entrance to platform in 20 seconds, Stephen Fry cast for no discernible reason, the oddest 'Parliament' you'll ever see, a British 'copper', everyone being armed to the teeth... and no one batting an eyelid at a bunch of CIA operatives storming around London without a warrant!
Even ITV can do that, though!
Did you see the recent series - Prey - where the John Simm jumped off a motorway bridge marked 'Trafford Park' - in Manchester, survived the impact but was badly hobbling, to be pursued by fully fit police who in the next scene have not caught him but are chasing him round Victoria Station and then onto a train at Piccadilly Station. There are miles between these locations.
Maybe they don't comment because they know it is just a bit of entertainment and they would be silly making a big deal out of it, as if their patriotic pride had been wounded.