Quote: Aaron @ April 13 2008, 9:49 AM BST
. . .
Not really, I don't think. Godot didn't state that all American TV shows are subservient to all British TV shows. But he makes a valid point. Homegrown shows have a level of familiarity and identifiability which one just can't get from overseas. There are different aspects of the general notion of identification though. I can see more to identify with in Desperate Housewives or Samantha Who? (which hasn't even made it to British TV yet) than I can with something like Coronation Street or Hollyoaks, for example. They may be set in Britain, but I'll be f**ked if I can understand what they're saying half of the time.
One of my biggest problems with American drama personally (well, American TV in general) is that there are so many episodes in a season. I just don't have the willpower or strength to tune into something for half of the year, particularly when they all seem to be scheduled at times which clash with other shows, often long-running, and aren't repeated as much/at all. End.
I agree. The principle of the 'novel/season' - don't know how to describe it – but a show unfolding like a novel over many, many weeks, with many episodes being incomplete and focussing on peripheral characters or events (supposedly like a novel) was devised to satisfy advertisers, not programme makers or audiences. They basically don't want you to touch that dial - ever. I don't blame them, but I can't acquiesce.
I also agree about shows like Hollyoaks and Corrie - they don't speak to me at all - but neither does the sopranos or Lost.
Quote: swerytd @ April 13 2008, 12:21 AM BST
I can't see it myself and certainly can't agree with it! Certainly the best drama written in the last ten years has all been American: The Sopranos, The Shield, Six Feet Under to name but three and is continuing with shows such as Mad Men, Dexter, and Californication. British drama just doesn't compete at all. Arguably the best and most original British thing I've seen recently was probably Life on Mars, but given the choice of watching that or the above programmes it would be bottom of the list every time.
Dan
I don't agree with your comment that the best drama of the last ten years has been American at all. I haven't seen all of the shows you mention, but i have seen Sopranos, Six Feet Under and Mad Men. The Sopranos is marred for me by being principally about a thug, adulterer, murder and criminal. I don't believe the life of such a person should be celebrated. Six Feet Under was well made, but was undeniably walking on the grave of American Beauty and I stopped watching it because I was beginning to lose respect for Alan Ball, as it seemed he had so little to say. Mad Men is an attractive show, but even the episode about Don's son wasn't really very deep. It's essentially a style exercise. The gloss on the terrorism of the Stern Gang in the Babylon episode was shameful, even for out-of-touch New Yorkers, as was the reference to Israel 'also containing Arabs'!
I think 'Talk To Me' by Danny Brocklehurst which was shown last year was better than any of the shows you mentioned, and mercifully it was gone after four, sparkling, jaunty, emotionally drenching episodes. I also liked both series of The Street, Clocking Off and Conviction.
I have nothing against American drama. My girlfriend is American and it is an exciting place. I find much of the TV slick but shallow, and we know that there are far more no-go issues in their broadcasting than ours. British TV is frequently beneath toilet in quality, but much of the best stuff is just unknown, because it isn't celebrated in papers and journals like the yank stuff. Series four of Murphy's law is a case in point.
