How does British TV compare to American TV?

1356789

Comments

  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 2,642
    Forum Member
    ✭✭✭
    The yanks do some great shows but they are at the mercy of a much more fickle rating war than here so sadly a lot of shows go down the pan due to being poorly received.

    I think of one like Threshold which had a lot of potential but was binned after one season, flash forward like wise.
  • brangdonbrangdon Posts: 14,090
    Forum Member
    ✭✭
    Ragnarok wrote: »
    what comparison, we start the reality TV crapolution.

    While they yanks are constantly chucking out quality TV...
    As I sort-of said before, America produces lots of rubbish shows (and lots of rubbish reality TV). We tend to only import the best stuff, so we don't see all their rubbish. It's a sampling bias. It's not fair to compare our typical with their best.
  • PsychosisPsychosis Posts: 18,591
    Forum Member
    ✭✭
    British TV compares badly to US TV. There is not one single British drama that I fancy watching.

    Part of it is superficial, of course. I want to live a fantasy. I don't want to sit and watch people who look perfectly normal, who say perfectly normal things and do perfectly normal things at perfectly normal times.

    I want to watch someone with unabashed charisma like Nathan Fillion, solving ridiculous criminal cases that would never happen, with strokes of genius that just don't exist. I want to watch two brothers run around chasing demons. I want to watch military crews deal with foreign planets. I want to watch mysterious government agencies, teenage girls playing detective, and secret agents running wild.

    All I can think of here that fits that description is Doctor Who (too childish for my tastes), Primevil (poorly done) and Spooks (good, but Alias was better). Everything else is just another variation of real life plastered on screen.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 4,895
    Forum Member
    ✭✭✭
    Arguably the best thing that has came out the UK is Doctor Who which whether you like it or not is extremely popular here and is becoming popular in the States
  • RebelScumRebelScum Posts: 16,008
    Forum Member
    ✭✭
    Doctor who has been highly regarded by the americans for many years. But being the most popular doesn't make it the best. Even so, I wouldnt say it is our most popular export anyway. As highly regarded as it is DW still doesnt come close to the mass international popularity of, say, Monty Python for example.


    In general I tend to like more American programes than UK ones, but at the end of the day I don't really care, I like what I like regardless where it's made.
  • RodriguezMan267RodriguezMan267 Posts: 28,156
    Forum Member
    ✭✭✭
    British TV:
    Eastenders
    Harry Hill's TV Burp
    The X Factor
    Britain's Got Talent

    I know the above aren't dramas, but they are literally ALL I watch on UK television.

    Past:
    Bad Girls
    Footballers Wives

    Would like to watch:
    Nothing else...

    American TV:
    Dexter
    Glee
    Supernatural
    Desperate Housewives
    30 Rock

    Past:
    24
    Lost

    Would like to watch:
    House
    Grey's Anatomy


    So ultimately, American TV kicks British TV's ass (like what I did there ;))
  • ElectratElectrat Posts: 589
    Forum Member
    ✭✭
    I think we do certain things very well such as documtentaries and period dramas. I think our reality tv is on a par with U.S and I would say that things like Strictly look to be of a better quality in this country than America. What I think the U.S does best is procedural shows - anything to do wtih cops or doctors. They spend a lot of money on writers and sets etc, which we can't compete with. Fantasy is also done a lot better over there although it is always a precarious thing because they cost so much to make and often don't get the ratings required to keep them on the air. As the BBC has started doing programmes with American money (The Tudors, Torchwood etc) it'll be interesting to see how their output changes.
  • ZicoZZicoZ Posts: 7,642
    Forum Member
    The Sopranos , The Wire.

    END OF !
  • MoreTearsMoreTears Posts: 7,025
    Forum Member
    Electrat wrote: »
    As the BBC has started doing programmes with American money (The Tudors, Torchwood etc) it'll be interesting to see how their output changes.

    It is true that a lot of BBC-made shows have American co-production money involved, but The Tudors is a Canadian-Irish co-production that the BBC buys in as an import.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 10,273
    Forum Member
    ✭✭
    ZicoZ wrote: »
    The Sopranos , The Wire.

    END OF !

    + Dexter and I'm with you!
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 7,305
    Forum Member
    Apart from Peep Show, The Inbetweeners and Spaced, i can't think of a single British show that i've watched in the past ten years that i've actually enjoyed. The BBC are too focused on period dramas, while ITV just throw Robson Green into everything. The US is a hell of a lot better than the UK for TV shows, drama in particular.

    The Sopranos
    The Wire
    Dexter
    24
    Lost
    Breaking Bad
    Rescue Me (criminally dropped by UK broadcasters)
    House
    Curb Your Enthusiasm
    Scrubs
    Modern Family
    Battlestar Galactica
    The Simpsons
    Family Guy
    CSI (less so with the later seasons since Grissom left and the increasingly dire spin offs)
    Mad Men
    The Walking Dead
    Californication
    Boardwalk Empire
    Sons of Anarchy

    All of these in the past decade, and what classics have UK braodcasters given us in that time period? I can't think of a single one apart from the three shows i mentioned in my opening paragraph. I know it's all down to taste, but The Sopranos and The Wire alone completely destroy in every aspect anything the UK has created in recent times.
  • ElectratElectrat Posts: 589
    Forum Member
    ✭✭
    MoreTears wrote: »
    It is true that a lot of BBC-made shows have American co-production money involved, but The Tudors is a Canadian-Irish co-production that the BBC buys in as an import.

    My mistake, poor example but there are others.
  • masterquanmasterquan Posts: 5,804
    Forum Member
    Arguably the best thing that has came out the UK is Doctor Who which whether you like it or not is extremely popular here and is becoming popular in the States

    The Popularity of Doctor Who is truely mystifying to me. The best sci fi drama show to come out the UK is Misfits. Just so much better than that show in every department.
    Being human too is leagues above it.
  • mrkite77mrkite77 Posts: 5,386
    Forum Member
    Electrat wrote: »
    My mistake, poor example but there are others.

    Planet Earth was jointly produced by the BBC, the Discovery Channel, CBC (Canada's public broadcasting), and NHK (Japan's public broadcasting).

    It's a shame they didn't use PBS instead of Discovery, then the entire show would've been produced by public broadcasting... :)
  • mrkite77mrkite77 Posts: 5,386
    Forum Member
    whedon247 wrote: »
    the main channels in USA are regional up until 8pm i think,not sure id like that here

    Or 7 central. No idea why that is. On the coasts primetime starts at 8, but 7 everywhere else.
  • StarryNightStarryNight Posts: 7,289
    Forum Member
    I think they both have their merits and their failings.

    Generally brittish television is considered to be some of the best in the world, in terms of what is allowed to be shown it is light years ahead of US tv. It also tends to favour quality over quantity, most of our series are 6 episodes long while in america it's 22. Happily, as far as I can recall, the UK has never produced such stomach wrenching works as Dawson's creek and One tree hill - quality wise they may be good, the actors may be good but they are just sentimental bull***t.

    Take a series like Lost or the X-files, both were dragged out long after they should have ended. Why? because the network was making a profit and didn't particuarly care about the quality. Now consider the Office or life on Mars, short but sweet, it was the quality of the programe that mattered and it was up to the writers/producers when the series were ended.

    Then there are those series like Firefly, which were excellent but they never got the rating so were ripped off air before they have even finished. This doesn't happen in the UK, if a programe was under performing then it probably would not be renewed and moved to another time slot.

    The USA is responsible for most of my favourite programes, it produces excellent television many of which Britain isnt capable of - probably for bugetery reasons and also I think because there is more of a snobbery about 'sci-fi' shows over here. We have doctor who but that's mainly marketed at children.

    I'd be hesitant to take a sides but I guess generally speaking i'd go with the UK, main reason being I think US televison as a whole is too right wing, too cencored and often has an agenda.
  • ZicoZZicoZ Posts: 7,642
    Forum Member
    ZicoZ wrote: »
    The Sopranos , The Wire.

    END OF !

    ....... + Seinfeld. :)
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 10,019
    Forum Member
    ✭✭
    CJClarke wrote: »
    Apart from Peep Show, The Inbetweeners and Spaced, i can't think of a single British show that i've watched in the past ten years that i've actually enjoyed. The BBC are too focused on period dramas, while ITV just throw Robson Green into everything. The US is a hell of a lot better than the UK for TV shows, drama in particular.

    UK shows are too much the same, poor writing, poor acting, no incentive to bother watching UK shows. But with the amount of US shows getting cancelled we might all have to watch Eastenders before long :eek:

    The biggest laugh that I had was that bigheaded bloke Jimmy Mcgoven who slagged US shows, he dont really have a lot to shout about, the lakes was about the only thing he done that was worth watching.
  • BesterBester Posts: 9,698
    Forum Member
    masterquan wrote: »
    The Popularity of Doctor Who is truely mystifying to me. The best sci fi drama show to come out the UK is Misfits. Just so much better than that show in every department.
    Being human too is leagues above it.

    Doctor Who is predominantly a kid's show, that has a broader appeal to adults as well. Both Misfits and Being Human play to a much narrower audience.

    I enjoy Doctor Who, as it's largely something that I can just watch without having to concentrate too much, pretty much perfect Saturday evening television.

    Best sci-fi drama to come out of the UK? Blake's 7, easily.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 7,305
    Forum Member
    masterquan wrote: »
    The Popularity of Doctor Who is truely mystifying to me.

    I feel exactly the same. It's so hilariously bad these days that i can't actually sit through an entire episode (even the cute red head can't hold my attention!). The storylines are frequently ripped off of other better shows, the acting is laughable, and the scripts feature some of the most cringeworthy dialogue i've ever heard. Why it's so popular over here is a complete mystery. Although i suppose we are a nation that buys into reality TV guff like The X Factor every year, so it's not a complete surprise that crappy taste (imo of course!) extends to other genres too...

    God, i hope nobody who frequents the Dr Who forum reads that. I'll get lynched!:p
  • BesterBester Posts: 9,698
    Forum Member
    ^^ Is this the same Doctor Who that's won the Hugo award 4 years out of the last 5? ;)

    For context the original Star Trek, TNG and B5 all won 2 apiece.

    Perhaps not just popular here?

    I must admit, I don't quite get it either, I like it, but I wouldn't exactly consider it to be better than any of the other three aforementioned shows. Weird.
  • PlatinumStevePlatinumSteve Posts: 4,295
    Forum Member
    ✭✭✭
    brangdon wrote: »
    As I sort-of said before, America produces lots of rubbish shows (and lots of rubbish reality TV). We tend to only import the best stuff, so we don't see all their rubbish. It's a sampling bias. It's not fair to compare our typical with their best.

    I've seen this written here before and while I will agree there is lots of reality television being produced here in the United States. However, we export most of it right along with what you would call the "quality" stuff it's not like it's hidden here hehe. Can you give me an example of something American made that's "rubbish" that we didn't export to the UK?

    I'm just curious, unless you're talking about the stuff on Bravo like Millionaire Matchmaker, or Million Dollar Listing which I'll admit are some of my guilty pleasure watching. hehehe ;-) :-)
  • Digital SidDigital Sid Posts: 39,870
    Forum Member
    CJClarke wrote: »
    I feel exactly the same. It's so hilariously bad these days that i can't actually sit through an entire episode (even the cute red head can't hold my attention!). The storylines are frequently ripped off of other better shows, the acting is laughable, and the scripts feature some of the most cringeworthy dialogue i've ever heard. Why it's so popular over here is a complete mystery. Although i suppose we are a nation that buys into reality TV guff like The X Factor every year, so it's not a complete surprise that crappy taste (imo of course!) extends to other genres too...

    God, i hope nobody who frequents the Dr Who forum reads that. I'll get lynched!:p

    Bollocks. Examples?
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 10,019
    Forum Member
    ✭✭
    CJClarke wrote: »
    I feel exactly the same. It's so hilariously bad these days that i can't actually sit through an entire episode (even the cute red head can't hold my attention!). The storylines are frequently ripped off of other better shows, the acting is laughable, and the scripts feature some of the most cringeworthy dialogue i've ever heard. Why it's so popular over here is a complete mystery. Although i suppose we are a nation that buys into reality TV guff like The X Factor every year, so it's not a complete surprise that crappy taste (imo of course!) extends to other genres too...

    God, i hope nobody who frequents the Dr Who forum reads that. I'll get lynched!:p

    Doctor who should never have been remade, its just a comedy show now, the original looks cheesy now but was looked upon as a serious show and in its time was great TV.
    Some things are best remembered for when they were truely great, Doctor who is one of those shows.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 958
    Forum Member
    ✭✭
    I think you are never going to get a totally unbias answer to this question, the reason being the target of this site. Generally, British drama is made for the A,B,C1 demo, which you generally need to appeal to an older audience to get these viewers (which means more period dramas and police dramas). American drama on the whole is focussed on the 18-49 demo first and foremost (which means more action based dramas), and lets be honest the great majority of Digital spy readers will be in this demo.

    If you compare the main four networks (ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC), with BBC1/BBC2, Channel 4 and ITV1 i would say they are pretty much on par. For every quality american network programme, you cold probably come back with a worthy british one. Considering the difference in population and budgets, this is quite an achievement.

    Where i think that the americans have surpassed us in the last ten years is cable channel/ niche drama. They have had a growing number of cable channels that have been able to spend out on expensive niche drama, that doesnt need to get a mass audience. These subscription channels have been able to go for quality over ratings, to win awards to try and gain wealthy subscribers. Even the free to air cable channels are now following this model. Now these may be quality dramas, but they are very niche audience wise. Now due to a willingness to pay extra for general entertainment, the size of the american audience, and the decline of the networks, america is at a stage where a niche audience can be profitable.

    In the UK no ones willing to try a fee based general entertainment channel. There isnt a big enough available audience to make a niche drama pay by adverts in the UK, and ITV is not allowed to charge advertisers based on the demo profile, so it has no incentive to go for anything other than mass audience. However, as people have mentioned, there are signs that you are seeing some shoots in niche drama on cable in the UK eg E4 - Misfits, BBC 3 Being human etc.

    Look at it this way, Sky has roughly 10 million subscribers. If you could get 1 million viewers to pay £10 a month for a subscription channel, that would give you £120 million budget a year, which isnt that much for a channel that would be aiming to take on BBC1 and ITV 1.
Sign In or Register to comment.