American Entertainment is Dependent on Other Countries (Full Version)

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wareaglekd -> American Entertainment is Dependent on Other Countries (7/21/2008 9:47:59 AM)

When the show The Office came out, I thought someone finally was going to take a look at what the office environment was really like. From day one - I hated the show. I have no interest in the show & find it to be kind of stupid & not close to reality. Then, just recently I figured out why. New season info introduces it as being a show from England. Where there you go.
The concept is stemming from British humor which I'm not a huge fan of.

Now, it appears more & more shows are coming from England & other countries. The nanny shows come from England & now a new show is coming from Australia, Kath & Kim. What's happened to American entertainment? Have they run out of ideas & they are dependent on foreign television to come up w/ our viewing? kd



uncabeeil -> RE: American Entertainment is Dependent on Other Countries (7/21/2008 10:07:34 AM)

It's always been like that. All In The Family, that revolutionary show, was based on a British sitcom. Nothing new here.



debilyn -> RE: American Entertainment is Dependent on Other Countries (7/21/2008 1:04:07 PM)

I believe other countries borrow from us as much as we borrow from them. Rather like books that have similar plots - others always borrow a "really good idea" and try to improve or put their own spin on it.



wareaglekd -> RE: American Entertainment is Dependent on Other Countries (7/23/2008 2:17:40 PM)

The problem is a lot of them are not good! k



Roberta_ -> RE: American Entertainment is Dependent on Other Countries (7/23/2008 4:59:46 PM)

Three's Company came from the British sitcom Man About the House - at least I think that was the name of the show.



lexie -> RE: American Entertainment is Dependent on Other Countries (7/23/2008 5:24:14 PM)

But that's just your taste in television programming and humour. I would rather watch a British show over an American one any day. Besides, American television puts out enough programs I'm sure there's something you can find that you like.

However, the Office's failure to make you laugh is probably not because the idea was taken from a British show, but probably because the American people making the show just aren't that funny.

And I do think that American entertainment has just run out of ideas. You're even picking up Canadian shows now!!![;)]



gaylel1 -> RE: American Entertainment is Dependent on Other Countries (7/23/2008 5:47:17 PM)

Yeah, we picked up MVP, which CBC since cancelled. That show is a mess .....



Dancre -> RE: American Entertainment is Dependent on Other Countries (7/23/2008 6:43:48 PM)

quote:

ORIGINAL: lexie

But that's just your taste in television programming and humour. I would rather watch a British show over an American one any day. Besides, American television puts out enough programs I'm sure there's something you can find that you like.

However, the Office's failure to make you laugh is probably not because the idea was taken from a British show, but probably because the American people making the show just aren't that funny.

And I do think that American entertainment has just run out of ideas. You're even picking up Canadian shows now!!![;)]


I agree, Lex. It seems that American comedies are just plain stupid. :( Give me British comedy anyday. The British are funny, they know how to make one laugh. But these American writers today don't have a clue. And yes, the AE has run out of ideas. The writers have no original ideas, the producers haven't a clue, it's just a plain mess. :( That's why shows like Lost, Heroes, 24, the vampire shows etc are ruling the waves. They are original, new, fresh and aren't a stupid reality show. Please, God, Make the reality shows go away!!! :( It seems anymore cable rules while the main networks snooze.

kim



stateofgrace -> RE: American Entertainment is Dependent on Other Countries (7/24/2008 6:01:19 AM)

Actually, vampire shows aren't rulling the waves. Moonlight didn't get a second season pickup. The show Lifetime picked up from Canada (was it Blood TIes?) was cancelled by Lifetime.

True Blood is frankly not looking good - the pilot was leaked and most of the feedback has been really negative. I hope there's some better news from ComicCon regarding it - as in significant reshoots if not a total reshoot. . At this point, it will likely get a season or two on HBO, but many fans of Charlaine Harris' books will be very, very disappointed.

Now, I think it's fair to say that we are seeing somewhat of a resurgence of fantasy and sci-fi, which we can thank the success of Lost and Heroes for (and maybe Battlestar Galactica and the international success of Doctor Who and Torchwood - but these three are all cult shows in the US, not mass hits).. But shows like Chuck and Pushing Daisies have been really fortunate to survive more than one season. Network TV is generally not kind to SF&F - witness how quickly New Amsterdam, Bionic Woman and Journeyman were dumped.

As to this fall - Fringe is looking good. There are some other SF&F shows beginning in the fall, but that one seems to be the best. Dollhouse shows promise, but that's midseason.



manda59 -> RE: American Entertainment is Dependent on Other Countries (7/24/2008 7:18:48 AM)

quote:

ORIGINAL: lexie
However, the Office's failure to make you laugh is probably not because the idea was taken from a British show, but probably because the American people making the show just aren't that funny.



I've had a number of American friends telling me that they don't like the American versions, and much prefer the Brit versions. This has been said to me in regard to The Office and AbFab.



uncabeeil -> RE: American Entertainment is Dependent on Other Countries (7/24/2008 8:18:10 AM)

I'll add in Whose Line Is It Anyway. The British version is faster paced and funnier. The only thing the American version had better was Greg Brady.

Of course the shoe's on the other foot musically speaking.



manda59 -> RE: American Entertainment is Dependent on Other Countries (7/24/2008 9:00:03 AM)

uncabeil

It's funny - my 14yo dd prefers the American version, as she prefers the guy who chairs it. (She finds Clive Anderson "too annoying").

I'm a Brit [:D] btw. We get your Whose Line on one of our Freeview channels.



wareaglekd -> RE: American Entertainment is Dependent on Other Countries (7/24/2008 9:19:09 AM)

No, that's Wayne Brady! You know, I forgot about that show. It is good. I liked both the British & American versions & the appeal was comedy from different places (including Canada). The quick attention, to react & still be funny made the show really good. k



uncabeeil -> RE: American Entertainment is Dependent on Other Countries (7/24/2008 10:20:04 AM)

quote:

that's Wayne Brady!
Ooops, you're right. It was very early and my brain hadn't fully engaged yet. [&:]

My only problem with Clive is he talks so fast I can't understand half of what he says.



lexie -> RE: American Entertainment is Dependent on Other Countries (7/24/2008 10:27:20 AM)

quote:

I've had a number of American friends telling me that they don't like the American versions, and much prefer the Brit versions. This has been said to me in regard to The Office and AbFab.


What was the American version of AbFab? That is my all time favourite show, I don't think I could handle an American version (I know that Roseanne Barr bought the rights to it, but she never made it.)

But yeah, I don't think there is any American show that I prefer over it's British predecessor.

As for Whose Line Is It Anyway...I'm convinced that the lady playing the piano on the American version is the guy that played the piano on the British version[;)]

The thing I really love about British comedy is that a lot of it is the same thing each episode (think AbFab, Keeping Up Appearances where the same jokes are in each episode) and yet it still makes you fall over laughing every time. When I've seen American shows try to do this, it just doesn't seem as funny.

(And don't flame me for using Keeping Up Appearances, I know there is more to British comedy than that show, but I'm using it as an example!...actually my husband and I both love watching that show still because we grew up in two different countries and both grew up watching that show....Hyacinth Bucket....uniting cultures all over the world!)



debilyn -> RE: American Entertainment is Dependent on Other Countries (7/24/2008 11:41:41 AM)

"Boo-Kay residence, lady of the house speaking" She is just so hilarious. I still laugh everytime she answers the phone.

I agree that British comedy is often better than American comedy. Amercia has had a few standouts, but British humor requires a bit more thought, and I've always enjoyed dry wit.



wareaglekd -> RE: American Entertainment is Dependent on Other Countries (7/24/2008 2:54:14 PM)

So what is the British version of Last Comic Standing? I always watch this show, but I never seem to hear of any of the winners ever again. They don't go in media central castle like the winners of AI do. But, then it seems that AI is the only reality show that enters media central castle (yes I made that up - for lack of a better term)! k



Roberta_ -> RE: American Entertainment is Dependent on Other Countries (7/25/2008 9:30:19 PM)

I have very limited exposure to British TV. I'm not wild about TV in general. I liked Butterflies. I like Prisoner, Cell Block H, but recently learned that was not British. Benny Hill, well I'll be as nice as I can be....... that show was STUPID!! The last week or so, I've tried to watch Are You Being Served? Every time I think I've figured out the idea of the show, I have to start adjusting the color on my set because that one lady's hair looks like it has a rainbow in it. [;)]

I really like How Clean is Your House? I do wish that when Kim and Aggie came to America that they would've come to my house.



lexie -> RE: American Entertainment is Dependent on Other Countries (7/26/2008 12:20:36 PM)

My grandmother brought me up on Keeping Up Appearances and Are You Being Served....now at I watch back Served, I can't believe she let me watch it with her!

DenimDiva - Kim has a new show up here, maybe it will end up in the US soon!



Roberta_ -> RE: American Entertainment is Dependent on Other Countries (7/26/2008 4:00:13 PM)

Are Kim and Aggie still working together?



lexie -> RE: American Entertainment is Dependent on Other Countries (7/26/2008 11:09:58 PM)

I don't know. Kim came here and did her show with a Canadian guy. They didn't film a lot of episodes here, but she did do some other advertising work while she was here. I don't know even know when they last made How Clean Is Your House episodes.



Roberta_ -> RE: American Entertainment is Dependent on Other Countries (7/27/2008 12:09:03 AM)

We don't have BBCAmerica with our cable package and Lifetime doesn't carry the show anymore, so I don't get to see it anymore anyway.



TooLoudx4 -> RE: American Entertainment is Dependent on Other Countries (7/27/2008 12:32:54 AM)

quote:

I really like How Clean Is Your House? I do wish that when Kim and Aggie came to America that they would've come to my house.



I agree. I like that show & the Suppernany, but I don't want to be on TV. I just need someone to come to my house & tell me what to do. I spend too many hours in the day manking waaayyy too many decisions. [sm=crazy.gif]



Roberta_ -> RE: American Entertainment is Dependent on Other Countries (7/27/2008 5:23:53 PM)

quote:

ORIGINAL: TooLoudx4

quote:

I really like How Clean Is Your House? I do wish that when Kim and Aggie came to America that they would've come to my house.



I agree. I like that show & the Suppernany, but I don't want to be on TV. I just need someone to come to my house & tell me what to do. I spend too many hours in the day manking waaayyy too many decisions. [sm=crazy.gif]


I don't wanna be on TV and I don't want them telling me what to do..... I just want them to clean my house for me! [;)]

I like Jo on SuperNanny too!



lexie -> RE: American Entertainment is Dependent on Other Countries (7/28/2008 8:22:24 AM)

I know a few homes I would like to send Supernanny to![;)]



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