Posted August 16, 2012 OK, am I the only one who thinks that British television is in a terrible state? Maybe I'm just being nostalgic and need to take the rose-tinted glasses off. Maybe it's as good/bad as it's ever been. But it definitely seems to me that there doesn't seem to be any decent shows being made any more. And it's not as if the shows just aren't hitting the mark, they don't seem to be putting any effort into shows. There's no originality any more. Everything just seems to be a cheap to make, guaranteed ratings, piece of shite. Things like TOWIE, and then we are swamped with shit loads of other rip-offs, Geordie Shore, Desperate Scousewives etc. Even worse, we make stars of these, and then make programmes about them. Didn't Mark Wright recently have his own show about being in LA or something? It's terrible. The last original show that I can think of was probably Misfits. It's not just the ITV, moronic teen demographics either. Every show seems to be cheap and cheerful, straight out of the box. Take panel shows for instance. Now I love panel shows. QI, HIGNFY, Mock the Week, Would I lie to You?, Celebrity Juice, I've seen pretty much every episode of every one, even ones that nobody else watched (anyone remember Petrol Heads hosted by Neil Morrissey, with Richard Hammond and Chris Barrie as captains?). So I don't really have a problem with them in themselves. But the trouble is, that nobody is putting any effort into making decent comedy shows/sitcoms any more. Why would they when they can get a cheap set, a simple premise, and then bung a load of comedians who'll stick their own material in. The last funny sitcom was probably The Inbetweeners. Most of the sitcoms are cheap and tawdry, with jokes and writing so poor that it leaves you wanting a refund for your TV licence. Take Jack Whitehall's new sitcom, Bad Education. Did anyone have the misfortune to watch it? Just watching it gave me cancer. The jokes were not only obvious and poorly written, but I've seen better deliveries by City Link (a few bad personal experiences, I won't get into it now). The characters were so 2 dimensional (well probably more like 1 dimensional) that to call them stereotypes would be giving them too much depth. Surely it demonstrates what a terrible state British television is in that this shit was ever made? Let's move on to Drama. This seems to one genre that, on first glance, there does seem to be a lot of effort put into. I know a lot of people raved about Lewis. But every single drama made seems to be just another cop show. Take Lewis, a tough, no nonsense cop, who doesn't do things by the book, and only ever seems to be solving strange and unusual crimes. Nope, never seen that premise before. Wasn't I saying something about straight-out-of-the-box, carbon copy tv shows? Even when they do stray away from crime dramas, it seems to me that they need to inject everything they make with the same old gritty, "real" feel that we've seen time and time again*. A few years ago, I was delighted to hear that the BBC was making a Sci-Fi. Great, finally we can compete, and have some variance, in a totally USA dominated genre. Unfortunately, anyone who watched Outcasts, will realise that, rather than an exciting space exploration, or a tale about the possibilities of science and technology, and analysis of human society, we just ended up with the usual East-end-esque drama, set on a rocky wasteland. Great. *Here's a video to demonstrate what I mean. Am I right? Is there any hope for British Television? Please tell me I'm wrong. Please show me the good, because for the life of me, I can't seem to find it. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted August 16, 2012 To be fair, Sci Fi TV is just shit across the board now. There's pretty much nothing worth watching in that department. Anywhere. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted August 16, 2012 Having spent a lot of time in Australia and America recently, these problems are worldwide. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted August 16, 2012 It's a lot cheaper and easier to make shows like TOWIE, people still watch them so why bother making anything decent? It's also the summer, when everyone is apparently outside/ out of the country not watching TV. I don't watch it anyway, I just download or stream things online. There will be a new series of Red Dwarf coming at some point though . Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted August 16, 2012 There's plenty of good panel shows, like QI, HIGNFY, Mock The Week, Would I Lie To You? along with bad ones like Never Mind The Buzzcocks (it died when Noel Feilding came on it) and Celebrity Juice, which I'd put below stuff like Geordie Shore (it may be decent if they got rid of Keith Lemon). However, these, along with other shows like Top Gear, seem to just start and finish really quickly. The worst was the latest Russell Howard's Good News which seemed to have six episodes then 8 or so "best of" episodes. The reason Lewis is familiar is because it essentially started years ago - it's a continuation of Inspector Morse. Doctor Who is still fun, but at the moment we don't get much of it. Sherlock is brilliant...but it's three episodes a year. I would rather they spread them out throughout the year rather than have the season finished with in January. Merlin is decent, but nothing special. Outnumbered is a decent sitcom. It's interesting but...that's about it. It's not great. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted August 16, 2012 It's kinda been like this for a while now... I pretty much blame big brother for ruining tv forever. it sent a message to producers that barely any money need be spent to make a show people will watch. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted August 16, 2012 Having spent a lot of time in Australia and America recently, these problems are worldwide. I don't have enough time for all the American TV shows I want to watch. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted August 16, 2012 Ive found with American shows that as a lot of the stuff I was watching like Chuck, Lost, Smallville etc was ending I wasnt finding anything new that I wanted to watch. At the moment there are only a couple of shows I bother with, otherwise its just watching older stuff on Netflix. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted August 16, 2012 Misfits may have been original, but it definitely was not original in a good way! Right now, I can't think of any good British television programme that I watch. A lot of people like Spooks and Doctor Who so I presume they could be counted? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted August 16, 2012 I'm with Hamish on this one. The majority of television sucks everywhere. I spend a lot of time reading American entertainment sites, and I regularly see Americans say how much better British television is. They know when to end shows and the writing is so much better and their shows are so much funnier and why does the US have to remake Skins/The Inbetweeners/Misfits isn't it bad enough that every other show is a remake of an older show these days and oh God I'm so sick of all the reality shows we produce and would Jersey Shore/Housewives of [Place]/whatever just end already? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted August 16, 2012 Most of the shows I watch now are American. The last new show I watched was Archer and I just can't imagine anything like that being produced for British TV. The only thing I watch that's on British TV are the panel shows because they stay topical and they've developed a trend for edgy humour. Whenever we do get something decent it's too short. Sherlock is exactly the kind of programme we need. The writing and the style were great but we need to follow America's example and have shows like this on for longer. We're good at high quality in short bursts but although America has a lot of fodder, they can produce quality shows for longer. Look at Mad Men, Friends, Lost, Breaking Bad, Fringe, Chuck, House etc. That's just a list off the top of my head and each show has gone on for at least 5 seasons and they are all entirely different and original. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted August 16, 2012 I don't really watch much tv at all. Usually because the stuff on BBC1+2, ITV1, Channel 4 and 5 isn't great. I watched a ton of the Olympics and I'll watch the football if that's on. If there's a film on, that's usually the time I'll watch something on there. Generally, I'm a bit bored of panel shows, like you say @MoogleViper. I turn them on and within a few seconds I know if I've seen this episode or not. It's disappointing. There's two things I watch on telly now, and they are Supersize vs. Superskinny and South Park. Lovefilm is a God send. I probably watch more films in a week than I do tv shows. Also, I laughed at the gritty brit flick video. So true. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted August 16, 2012 Just to add a bit of positivity, one reason why I will always love British TV over American TV, is that we have a realistic portrayal of people (with regard to looks). It seems that almost every actor in America is incredibly attractive and incredibly hot. This is the fattest nation on earth (about 1 in 4 are obese I believe), yet according to their media, there's not a single spot, freckle or hair out of place in the entire country. You do occasionally see it over here, but thankfully it's not the norm, and is only for shows where the writing is shit, so they fill it with good looking actors and turn it into softcore porn, such as Skins and Hollyoaks. The worst was the latest Russell Howard's Good News which seemed to have six episodes then 8 or so "best of" episodes. Doctor Who is still fun, but at the moment we don't get much of it. Sherlock is brilliant...but it's three episodes a year. I would rather they spread them out throughout the year rather than have the season finished with in January. Merlin is decent, but nothing special. Outnumbered is a decent sitcom. It's interesting but...that's about it. It's not great. I've always found Russell Howard very irritating.he has become so 2-dimensional. It's the generic, leftie liberal persona, coupled with insertions of incest and betsiality, all delivered in a series of overly animated shouting. "NOOOOOO!!! DAVID CAMERON DOING THAT IS LIKE YOUR NAN... BEING RIMMED... BY A BADGER!!!" I've never liked Doctor Who. For one it annoys me when people class it as sci-fi, it really isn't. And two, every plot seems to be solved with deus ex machina. Sherlock is good, but as you (and others) have said, it's over too quickly. Merlin, it's pretty shit, but you can't help but like it. Outnumbered is pretty funny. Although it started to go down hill. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted August 16, 2012 You've hit the nail on the head with one point. I've lost count of the amount of times I'll ask my Dad what he's watching on TV and it'll always end up being another Cop show. Every Sunday night without fail it's some fucking cop show. British TV at the moment seems to be a cop show, reality TV or some talk or quiz show hosted by some lame ass comedian. By its nature TV isn't realistic, so i've never identified with people's need to find it real. Part of the joy from watching TV for me is escaping life for a few hours. I don't really care if the characters seem overly produced or perfectly manicured. Some TV shows are good because they seem like such a realistic portrayal of life but that's because they're getting the key points right. It might not be politically correct but I don't want to see 2 fat people all over each other. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted August 16, 2012 I agree. But as Emma said it is summer, so we are pretty much guaranteed to get a bunch of cack shows shown on TV. It usually kicks off in Autumn doesn't it? Merlin, Doc Who and what not? I do have a soft spot for Merlin I have to say, but even that is getting a bit 'meh' lately. Eg: [Attack on Arthur/Arthur's dad... *use magic without anyone knowing*... Phew! Everyone's safe... Oh! but Morgana is still alive and now she's got an even better plan to attack Arthur with next week] Thinking back the only show I've actually looked forward to coming on every week was Life on Mars. And then they went and copied themselves with Ashes to Ashes. To be fair that show with Ned Stark as a tranny in the other day wasn't bad. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted August 16, 2012 You've hit the nail on the head with one point. I've lost count of the amount of times I'll ask my Dad what he's watching on TV and it'll always end up being another Cop show. Every Sunday night without fail it's some fucking cop show. British TV at the moment seems to be a cop show, reality TV or some talk or quiz show hosted by some lame ass comedian. Yes, but again, you can make that same argument about television in most countries. CBS is the most popular network in the US and they have two NCISs, two CSIs (used to be three) and one Criminal Minds (which had a failed spin-off not long ago). They're all sort-of-cop-shows. CBS is also the American home of Big Brother and The Price is Right. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted August 16, 2012 To be fair that show with Ned Stark as a tranny in the other day wasn't bad. You do know that Game of Thrones wasn't a documentary, right? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted August 16, 2012 You do know that Game of Thrones wasn't a documentary, right? You mean Winterfell isn't based on Sheffield? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted August 16, 2012 Yes, but again, you can make that same argument about television in most countries. CBS is the most popular network in the US and they have two NCISs, two CSIs (used to be three) and one Criminal Minds (which had a failed spin-off not long ago). They're all sort-of-cop-shows. CBS is also the American home of Big Brother and The Price is Right. That is true but they also have so much more. I think the whole way the TV industry works in America with how many shows are vying for the few new spaces there are every year, I think it just leads to higher quality and better produced Television. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted August 16, 2012 You mean Winterfell isn't based on Sheffield? Unfortunately not. Only in my dreams is Sean Bean the lord of Sheffield. That sounded homoerotic. It was. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted August 16, 2012 If Game of Thrones is a documentary, I want to be Tyrion. Anyway, I think we should all just give up on there being much good TV and go and rewatch The Wire. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted August 16, 2012 I barely ever watch TV (programmes) at all anymore, but Grandma's House (which finished it's second series a few months back) by Simon Amstell is brilliant comedy/sitcom, without being shit. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted August 16, 2012 (edited) If Game of Thrones is a documentary, I want to be Tyrion. You might wanna read the books before you make that decision. I barely ever watch TV (programmes) at all anymore, but Grandma's House (which finished it's second series a few months back) by Simon Amstell is brilliant comedy/sitcom, without being shit. It is a bit shit. It's watchable, but that's about the best praise I can give it. Edited August 16, 2012 by MoogleViper Automerged Doublepost Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted August 16, 2012 Fresh Meat was really, really good. Friday Night Dinner is decent. (Both have second series' coming). But Moogle, you don't watch Breaking Bad, so I don't think you should be permitted to form opinions about anything relating to T.V. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted August 16, 2012 Fresh Meat was pretty good, but not as good as everyone made out. I was going to watch Breaking Bad, but then I saw that you liked it so I didn't bother. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
