This is quite eye-opening - there have been three American remakes of Fawlty Towers :laughing:

I either knew about most of these or they dont surprise me, however...Men Behaving Badly? Red Dwarf? I really can't imagine either of these working over there to be honest. Thats why I didn't watch the Spaced pilot that was made, what possible good could come from it?

Also I noticed it says that both Shameless and Skins are getting American remakes? I did not know that. And The Vicar of Dibley with Kirstie Allie? Oh dear. That was shit enough the first time around!

It dumbfounds me that they tried remaking the Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin. That definitely wouldn't work :laughing:

I've seen John Cleese talk about those on chat shows. He said on one remake they came up with the brilliant idea of writing out Basil Fawlty.


They made an American version of Never Mind The Buzzcocks?

:laughing:

Good

Shameless USA? How the hell is that gonna work? :confused:

A history of Horror with Mark Gatiss (League of Gentlemen, Doctor Who)
TV Pixie | A History of Horror with Mark Gatiss | TV Review

I had high expectations for this but I found it dissapointing and learned nothing new apart from a James Whale (director- Frankenstein) curio from 1933 that looked like it merited a viewing (The hat or something like that was in the title). To not mention Nosferatu is quite simple blasphemy when talking about the early days of horror.

http://img1.fantasticfiction.co.uk/images/x1/x9205.jpg
I caught this when it originally aired around 4-5 years ago and loved it and was absolutely stoked to find it online a couple of nights ago:
The Adventure of English | Watch Free Documentary Online
(if you click on the episode links you get the full episodes and not yt fractured 8 parters of one episode)
what I loved about this series that it doubles as a concise history of Britain after 500 AD without it becoming too 'university stuffy' and can answer many questions about why the English language is so damn huge and although it doesn't mention it explicitally, it also goes some way to answer questions about the 'English' mentality and why we have a ridiculous sense of pride.

yes, yes it is. i gotta wonder how he does the american accent so well...

If the track record is anything to go by, it isn't.

Sorry for the double post.

Are we still discussing House here? I forget who they were, but two of the people involved in the casting of the show, I assume two of the people involved in creating the show in the first place were arguing about whether the role of Doctor House should be given to an Englishman or an American. One of them wanted Hugh Laurie to come in and audition and the other (who did not know who Hugh Laurie was other than that he was English) absolutely refused to believe that he was right about this because House absolutely HAD to be American.

Hugh Laurie came in, auditioned for the role, in his American accent, and the two were in complete agreement immediately that he was the right man to play the part and the guy who was so adamant that House NOT be English apparantly went up to the other and cockily told him that he was right all along.

:rofl:

You wanna talk about Englishmen doing good American accents, check out Idris Elba. He's most well known for playing the business man/gangster Russell 'Stringer' Bell on the HBO series The Wire. Listen to how good his American accent is:

^gotta love season 3 of the wire... my favorite storyline of the entire series was probably stringer and barksdale.

Third Rock From The Sun reruns
Supernatural
The Big Bang Theory
Boardwalk Empire

Stringer and Barksdale was a really well told story. I remember my first time going through the first season I really despised both of them, they were real villains. Yet come 3rd season and the introduction of Marlo Stanfield, you were almost rooting for them, because they were the lesser of two evils. It was also a little depressing for Stringer just because of the lack of talent he had at his disposal. I mean I remember during his 40 degree day rant, the look of absolute frustration with his muscle when one of them happily exclaims "like a 40 degree day" with the most sincere smile on his face, completely oblivious to what Stringer was trying get across. I actually felt a little bad when

As far as my favourite season, season 2 had some really great moments, and Frank Sobotka, one of the most tragic figures in modern television. Season 4 and 5 were also great, season 5 being particularly good because it's so hard to watch, yet you can't help but look. Season 3 is where the show kind of fell off a little bit for me, I mean don't get me wrong it was still miles better than everything else on TV combined, but it just didn't have that same feeling at the end of the season that I got from the others. I mean it still had its moments, Bubbles walking through 'Hamsterdam' at night was quite surreal and terrifying, and watching Freamon sell the Barksdales their own wiretap was just hilarious. The introduction of Maj. Colvin was also a great addition to an already amazing ensemble cast, and I was glad that they kept him around in season 4.

Best show on television.

it's fitting that you think season three was a bit off(my favorite) because I probably don't hold the series in such high regard as you do. it's excellent, don't get me wrong, but there's no way i would ever say i prefer it to the sopranos.

Idris Elba, Dominic West, Aiden Gillen- all British actors on The Wire who more than hold their own.

Just finished season 1 today for the 2nd time and cannot get enough of it. I managed to get the boxset for a decent price and it's one of the few T.V series that I can devour 2 or 3 episodes at a time and I will admit to rarely watching U.S shows or a lot of T.V in general but The Wire works on so many levels it's scary.

Rarely has any sort TV series remained as impartial as The Wire.

:laughing: It's true! It's on the special features of the season one DVD's.

I love reality shows, so currently watching The apprentice, survivor, dancing with the stars, cutthroat island and hell's kitchen

http://www.examiner.com/images/blog/...AndDown_S1.jpg
Pretty dang good.

I got hooked to Crime dramas over the summer, and have been slowly making my way through all of NCIS and Criminal Minds. My best friend laughs at me for doing so, but he spent a large amount of his summer watching Pokémon, thus his opinion is invalid.

I've recently discovered Arrested Development (2003-2006)
http://www.tvovermind.com/wp-content...66_375_500.jpg

I don't understand why there are only 3 seasons of it. It's the funniest series I've seen. Just finished with the second season. I'm going to miss the lols when I'm done with the third. :(

it kinda tails off in the 3rd season too...

and there may or may not be a movie coming.

http://www.independent.co.uk/multime...bc_430185s.jpg
BBC Sherlock

I just started and finished watching it last week. Crazy good. Can't believe they only aired three episodes for the year though.

NCIS is a personal favourite of mine. The character writing is incredibly solid and the script is genuinely funny. It's definitely one of the weaker in terms of crime and realism, however it's the type of show you watch for the characters and not to see how they catch the bad guy. I do think the show has shifted from season 6, with season 7 and 8 being pretty mediocre. Season 7 had some good one off episodes, but the lack of a real story line hurt the season, and so far season 8 has been just OK. The product placement for Apple products has gone to annoyingly noticeable, but there's not much you can really do about that. Most shows loose their spark after the 5th season, so I will give NCIS for attempting to hold onto the same quality writing style, even after production changes.

However if you're into crime dramas then you need to get your hands on HBO's The Wire. Not only was it the best crime drama on TV, it was the best show on TV. The writing and acting are absolutely phenomenal, far above even HBO's high standards. Also if you're into police procedural that is a realistic view into the lives of both criminals and police officers, there is no better show than The Wire. Feel free to look up reviews on the show if you don't believe me, every one of them will say it's the best show they have ever seen, I can guarantee you that.

I've heard seriously good things about The Wire from friends, it's definitely on the list! Agreeing with you on the NCIS front, though that said, at least their computer technology is sliiightly more believable than the usual "hmm, zoom in that really pixellated CCTV camera and sharpen the image so that that one pixel becomes a face!" method, their image sharpening software makes a nod towards how obscenely dodgy a science it is at the moment...

The character relationships are so excellently built though, it's the same with Criminal Minds, you stop caring about what they're actually trying to do in any one particular episode and rather pay attention to how each character reacts and grows as a result of the experience. I've only got as far as season 7 (about half way through now) and I've noticed what you mean. Pity really, but I guess it's only to be expected. :(

I discovered that show a couple months ago myself. I was so upset when I finished it...there needed to be a lot more.

I do enjoy NCIS's attempts at adding small realistic details, for example whenever they head out and have to pull their Sig's out of their desk, when you work plainclothes you do have to remember to take your gun with you. I actually just read a book called Homicide: A Year on the Killing Streets which had a small aside about a detective who forgot his gun and had to investigate a body in one of the worst areas of town. As far as Criminal Minds goes, I haven't really given it much of a chance because criminal profiling doesn't really interest me all that much. Serial killers only make up a small percentage of all the murders committed yearly, however when it comes to books, movies, and TV shows about them, they probably make up 98% of the focus. I find the thought of a 15-year old drug dealer murdering a junkie who has a $10 debt to be far more disturbing than any MO any serial killer has ever had, mostly because my scenario is far more believable. Still like I said, I haven't really seen the show so I won't knock on it too much, I'm sure it's quite a good show if it's lasted as long as it has with the ratings it gets.

Aye, the way they set things up is quite believable; the methods are solid, they just get a little lucky with the fact that very few people meet the exact profile :P

When it comes down to it, most of the stuff I read and watch I do so in order to escape reality, I get enough of that in RL, so Unless the show is trying to be serious and they end up doing something ridiculous or pulling some ridiculously fabricated line that's means to sound like higher level physics out of their asses, I'm not really that bothered by how realistic it is, but I guess that's a matter of opinion!

Absolutely hilarious. The first season was the best...so many great quotable one-liners.

The Walking Dead – Shows – FXUK.com

This starts over here tomorrow night (Friday- Bonfire night) after debuting in the U.S earlier this week. Zombies + based on a comic series + Frank Darabont (Shawshank/Green Mile/The Mist) smacks of win to me. I have my night planned out already :D

I'm a huge fan of Sons Of Anarchy and I also like watching It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia. I've been somewhat hooked on The Event as well, but that's about it.

I used to watch a lot of South Park, then family guy, now all I watch is The Office (US version, way funnier than british one :p:) I just think the obvious is hilarious in every way. I don't like Steve Carell in anything else, but he is so perfect as Michael Scott.

Before I lost my HBO subscription I watched entourage every Sunday and usually Hung too. Hung just because I was usually blazed after Entourage and too lazy to change the channel

this season of it's always sunny has mostly sucked. :(


and season 4 of mad men is almost impeccable. it has propelled mad men into my personal conversation about best tv show ever. on second viewing, it really eclipses prior seasons for me.

Did anyone happen to catch AMC's new series The Walking Dead?
Just watched the premier and I gotta say, I'm digging it.

AMC is streaming the 1st episode for free here:
The Walking Dead - Video - AMC

Episode 2 airs tonight at 9 central.
:D

I tried reading the comic a while back but gave up on it soon. I'm not that big into zombies...but maybe the show is more dynamic...:\

Yes! I watched the first episode last night on hulu, awesome stuff.. can't wait until they post the next episode. A few scenes were predictable but overall I was really into the whole thing.. loved the part where he was under the tank and realized at the last moment the hatch was open.

I am watching The Walking Dead in T-minus 3 hours I am GOING INSANE

LOVING this show! Saw the premier at the movie theater (they were doing a free showing), and I'm on volume 8 of the comic book series. They are surprisingly similar, which is good. The only differences seen in the series really add to the story and make it that much better.

I can't wait to see the second episode tonight!

It'll never happen. Every time I see a source claiming it is confirmed or even in filming, someone comes out and says it's bull. I really hope it does get made though.

Arrested Developement was such so good. Creatively, it could have gone on for years.

http://portisaaccottages.com/wp-cont...in-tv-show.jpg

A good ITV drama. I'm still reeling from the shock :p:

Just finished watching series 2, and it's all very impressive stuff. Martin Clunes is fantastic in the lead role.