Snobbery about watching american shows

[Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 448
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Anyone else come across this when you mention you watch american tv and people react like " how can you watch american crap?" . They don't even give a show a chance as its american. The irony being they happily watch american movies. I can understand people who might get put of by 22 episode shows but just simply refusing to watch because its from america is odd. I get it from older family members a lot. It only seems to be friends or family members who are similar age to me (early 20's) that are open to watching american tv.
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  • daisiesfandaisiesfan Posts: 2,722
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    AJW210892 wrote: »
    Anyone else come across this when you mention you watch american tv and people react like " how can you watch american crap?" . They don't even give a show a chance as its american. The irony being they happily watch american movies. I can understand people who might get put of by 22 episode shows but just simply refusing to watch because its from america is odd. I get it from older family members a lot. It only seems to be friends or family members who are similar age to me (early 20's) that are open to watching american tv.

    I think it is generational thing.
    I would say 99% of the stuff I watch is American. Even down to the cookery shows.
  • montyburns56montyburns56 Posts: 2,011
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    AJW210892 wrote: »
    Anyone else come across this when you mention you watch american tv and people react like " how can you watch american crap?" . They don't even give a show a chance as its american. The irony being they happily watch american movies. I can understand people who might get put of by 22 episode shows but just simply refusing to watch because its from america is odd. I get it from older family members a lot. It only seems to be friends or family members who are similar age to me (early 20's) that are open to watching american tv.

    With all due respect to your family members, they sound like ignorant arseholes as most of the best TV comes from the US these days. To be fair it's only in the last 15 years of so that this has become the case, so perhaps they are basing their opinions on watching Dynasty, The A-Team etc from the 80s.
  • LyceumLyceum Posts: 3,399
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    I prefer a lot of things about American TV.

    For starters you know when your favourite show will be returning. You know it will be back in September.

    I loved Sherlock and Luther but now we've had a 2-3 year wait for new episodes I've lost interest. I can't remember what happened and can't be bothered tuning in for three episodes and then waiting another 3 years.

    Quality seems to be an issue too. Take Broadchurch and The Fall. Series one was fantastic, gripping TV. Series two suffered dramatic drops in quality. Put them together and there is still less episodes than one series of an American drama like NCIS. But they couldn't keep up the quality.

    Shows over here seem to be on whenever the show runners can no bothered and were supposed to be grateful for three episodes of Sherlock every 3-4 years. You're okay thanks, I'll have 22 episodes of Elementry instead (I actually prefer JLM's Sherlock to BC's).

    No they're not all great, but then neither are British shows. I'm just greateful I can stream things at US pace instead of having to wait weeks/months/years for UK channels to catch up.
  • darkjedimasterdarkjedimaster Posts: 18,621
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    Given the choice of American TV or British shows like Kill the midwife, or downtown shabby, American shows will always get first choice.
  • Sifter22Sifter22 Posts: 12,057
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    American shows wreck the British ones. It's almost embarrassing.
  • ohglobbitsohglobbits Posts: 4,481
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    With all due respect to your family members, they sound like ignorant arseholes as most of the best TV comes from the US these days. To be fair it's only in the last 15 years of so that this has become the case, so perhaps they are basing their opinions on watching Dynasty, The A-Team etc from the 80s.
    Some may disagree and remember the 80's as a golden era, The A Team and Dallas are not that different from the many procedurals or soapy US dramas on today like Scandal or Secrets and Lies.

    As for the US answer to Sherlock, Elementary it's just another standard procedural except the lead has a British accent and an old fashioned wardrobe.
  • MoreTearsMoreTears Posts: 7,025
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    AJW210892 wrote: »
    Anyone else come across this when you mention you watch american tv and people react like " how can you watch american crap?" . They don't even give a show a chance as its american. The irony being they happily watch american movies. I can understand people who might get put of by 22 episode shows but just simply refusing to watch because its from america is odd. I get it from older family members a lot. It only seems to be friends or family members who are similar age to me (early 20's) that are open to watching american tv.

    There is a great deal of anti-American bigotry in the UK. I see ample evidence of it on every UK-based website I visit. There is a lot of it on DS, though not this particular DS forum (obviously, since this is a forum for people interested in American TV).
  • JDFJDF Posts: 4,250
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    MoreTears wrote: »
    There is a great deal of anti-American bigotry in the UK. I see ample evidence of it on every UK-based website I visit. There is a lot of it on DS, though not this particular DS forum (obviously, since this is a forum for people interested in American TV).

    It's not OK to be anti / bigotry to say polish people or muslims,
    But people seem OK with it been to Americans>:(
  • Hamlet77Hamlet77 Posts: 22,440
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    I was one of those who was snobby, but I fell in love/ became obsessed with one US show, now most new stuff that interests me is US stuff.
  • GrecomaniaGrecomania Posts: 19,591
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    Mot sure this snobbery exists at all, in my experience, in fact I think it's the opposite with people being embarrassingly sycophantic about shows like The Wire, Breaking Bad and Mad Men.
  • LMLM Posts: 63,503
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    Yeah i get that all the time. Mainly from people over the age of 40. No idea what it is. It does seem snobby.

    And I kind agree what you are saying Lyceum. My main issue with british shows are low episode orders are. Well Some episode orders. I mean shows like Downton Abbey have about nine episodes and it works well. Doctor who does wonders with it's 13. But then some shows like Sherlock with small episodes are pathetic. I am not fond of Sherlock but if i was, i wouldn't be too pleased in having three episodes once a year. I think three episodes is pathetic. I don't see how you can develop characters and tell story-lines in just three episodes.

    I do think American shows are better in quality. 90 per cent of the shows I watch are US, 5 per cent british and 5 per cent Australian.
  • MoreTearsMoreTears Posts: 7,025
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    Mot sure this snobbery exists at all, in my experience, in fact I think it's the opposite with people being embarrassingly sycophantic about shows like The Wire, Breaking Bad and Mad Men.

    Nobody is saying that ALL Britons are one way or the other. Clearly there are British people who really admire American TV. But there are also a lot of Britons who spit poison at American TV, and the most infuriating thing about those people is that they never watch any American TV (why would they watch something they KNOW is crap?) but nevertheless feel qualified to give an opinion about the thing they are quite ignorant of. That is why it is "bigotry." Having a negative opinion of something doesn't make a person a bigot. Bigotry is being against something based on an absence of knowledge or knowledge so incomplete as to be totally misleading.
  • LyceumLyceum Posts: 3,399
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    Yeah i get that all the time. Mainly from people over the age of 40. No idea what it is. It does seem snobby.

    And I kind agree what you are saying Lyceum. My main issue with british shows are low episode orders are. Well Some episode orders. I mean shows like Downton Abbey have about nine episodes and it works well. Doctor who does wonders with it's 13. But then some shows like Sherlock with small episodes are pathetic. I am not fond of Sherlock but if i was, i wouldn't be too pleased in having three episodes once a year. I think three episodes is pathetic. I don't see how you can develop characters and tell story-lines in just three episodes.

    I do think American shows are better in quality. 90 per cent of the shows I watch are US, 5 per cent british and 5 per cent Australian.

    Once a year wouldn't be too bad. The last series of Sherlock was shown in January 2013. That's two years ago.

    Apparently we won't get a full series of Doctor Who next year because Moff will be working on those three episodes of Sherlock.
  • degsyhufcdegsyhufc Posts: 59,251
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    Well I've yet to encounter this phenomenon.

    Plenty of my friends watch US shows. Mosty comic book ones. I'm more into sci-fi or crime drama.


    My dad probably watches more US shows from me. I'm always amazed at the amount of series he has recorded on his planner.
  • LyceumLyceum Posts: 3,399
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    I actually didn't answer the OP's question just had a bit of a rant about UK TV schedules.

    To actually answer your question OP no I've never personally come cross this snobbery and pretty much everyone I know is a massive fan of at least 1/2 US shows.

    It seems to me that you've just met a few idiots!
  • JDFJDF Posts: 4,250
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    Yeah i get that all the time. Mainly from people over the age of 40. No idea what it is. It does seem snobby.

    And I kind agree what you are saying Lyceum. My main issue with british shows are low episode orders are. Well Some episode orders. I mean shows like Downton Abbey have about nine episodes and it works well. Doctor who does wonders with it's 13. But then some shows like Sherlock with small episodes are pathetic. I am not fond of Sherlock but if i was, i wouldn't be too pleased in having three episodes once a year. I think three episodes is pathetic. I don't see how you can develop characters and tell story-lines in just three episodes.

    I do think American shows are better in quality. 90 per cent of the shows I watch are US, 5 per cent british and 5 per cent Australian.

    I am 42 & love US TV shows.97% of my TV viewing is US TV shows.
  • Dan RDan R Posts: 2,201
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    I naturally lean towards UK versions of my favourite shows - Got Talent, Apprentice etc. but I've also enjoyed lots of US shows such as CSI, Impractical Jokers, Warehouse 13 and so on. I'd say I'm fairly nationality-blind, if the show is English-speaking then I find I can get into it and people being snobbish are just a bit stupid. :)
  • IWasBoredIWasBored Posts: 3,418
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    I think Peep Show could have done with the same episode numbers per series as Friends and 3rd Rock From The Sun
  • MR_PitkinMR_Pitkin Posts: 30,774
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    What snobbery? We've been watching US shows since the 60's.
  • margarite6666margarite6666 Posts: 2,969
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    MR_Pitkin wrote: »
    What snobbery? We've been watching US shows since the 60's.

    Because the main film/tv industry is in the US they produce an enormous amount. Sometimes its good sometimes it is awful. I do think it is interesting to see the success of the Scandinavian Nordic Noir. I think they are great. Unfortunately the US tries to copy them as it is well known they don't like subtitles. I can't think of any they have done which hasn't ruined the original concept.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 12,190
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    Given the choice of American TV or British shows like Kill the midwife, or downtown shabby, American shows will always get first choice.

    two shows that have done very well in the states....
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 12,190
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    Lyceum wrote: »
    Once a year wouldn't be too bad. The last series of Sherlock was shown in January 2013. That's two years ago.

    Apparently we won't get a full series of Doctor Who next year because Moff will be working on those three episodes of Sherlock.

    be thankful for small mercies then....
  • socialdancersocialdancer Posts: 150
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    We watch a lot of American dramas and I find it interesting that so many British actors are in the very successful ones - Eddie Marson in Ray Donovan, Dominic West in The Wire and The Affair, Ruth Wilson in the Affair, to name just a few. So many series lose their way on this side of the pond, but so do US ones, I'm thinking of The Good Wife and The Following, Scandal, Damages...just my personal opinion of course.
  • sheila bligesheila blige Posts: 8,012
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    With all due respect to your family members, they sound like ignorant arseholes as most of the best TV comes from the US these days. To be fair it's only in the last 15 years of so that this has become the case, so perhaps they are basing their opinions on watching Dynasty, The A-Team etc from the 80s.

    You can't really say that though - as even then there were fantastic US shows - I'm thinking Hill Street Blues, Lou Grant, St Elsewhere, LA Law, Dream On, Taxi, Cheers - the list goes on. For every Dynasty, Dallas and A-Team - there were half a dozen good US shows that made it over here.
  • Reality SucksReality Sucks Posts: 28,538
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    Mot sure this snobbery exists at all, in my experience, in fact I think it's the opposite with people being embarrassingly sycophantic about shows like The Wire, Breaking Bad and Mad Men.

    I think people just give praise where it's due - I didn't particularly like Mad Men, but I can't think of a British show that comes close in quality to The Sopranos or Breaking Bad. I've watched 2 seasons of Luther, for example, and despite great acting from the cast, the murders were so gross and the baddies so black and white that it was hard to take it seriously, while at the same time it made me feel a bit grubby just watching it.

    Of course there are many American shows that are shallow and gratuitously violent and I avoid those shows too. But when it comes to top notch drama, the Americans beat us hands down.
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