British Telly Programmes

Some observations on British television:

I don't get cable or satellite, I figured I'd try "regular" television, which here is called Freeview.  As the name implies, it's free, and all you need is a digital coverter (built into my telly) and a wire to connect the telly to the rooftop antenna.  That's right, my telly (alright, enough of that) is connected to Ye Olde Rooftoppe Antennae.

Quiz Shows
Brits love their evening quiz shows.  These are, one on the one hand, pretty highbrow affairs, in that the questions are pretty challenging, and other the other hand, pretty goofy, because the guests are mostly comedians. I'm particular to "QI", which is hosted by the great Stephen Fry.  Here's an episode:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IOPfymVkRZE.  Always good for a few laughs.

Evening Dramas
I won't call them "soap operas," but these are the evening drama programmes that have been running forever.  "Coronation Street" has been running since 1960, which makes it the longest-running TV drama still in production.  I started to watch "Corrie" (as it is fondly known as) to pick up on various British accents -- seriously -- and I kind of got hooked on the story after a few episodes.  Unlike American evening soaps, British ones focus mostly on middle-class people.  What I've noticed about these programs is how they are cut:  no scene lasts more than 30 seconds.  So a typical episode goes like this:

Scene 10:  Viv and Reg in Reg's flat.
Viv:  So, Reg, are we going to tell your parents the news?
Reg:  What news?  There's no news to tell my parents!
Viv:  You know what news I'm talking about!!
Reg:  And you're saying we should tell my parents??
Viv:  I'm asking you if you think we should tell them the news!!!

Scene 11:  Clive and Maude at the Rover's Return Pub
Clive:  What was all that fuss about last night?
Maude:  I don't know what you're talking about.
Clive:  C'mon, you know.  There was a regular row.
Maude:  What, last night?  What time?
Clive:  Round about ten.  Quite the row, it was!
Maude:  Get on, I don't know anythin' about a row last night round about ten!

Scene 12:  Maude and Reg at Reg's flat
Maude:  Clive says there was a row at the pub last night, around ten
Reg:  What are you doing here in this scene?  I thought you were at the Rover's Return?
Maude:  I've been in that bloody pub for the last thirty scenes!  I needed some fresh air.
Reg:  Maude, I need to tell you:  I'm secretly your brother!!

Top Gear
I'm told Top Gear is a cult hit in the US, and that they are making a US version. Top Gear is car show, with a difference.  While it's about testing out new cars, there is a bit of an obsession with very expensive cars that no one in the audience could afford.  As the show has matured, it has developed a surreal sense of humor, and the three hosts don't take themselves at all seriously.  On weekends, Top Gear reruns run all day across a variety of channels (a subject of jokes itself).

Dave
The main comedy channel on Freeview is called "Dave."  It shows a lot of standup comedy, as well as the quiz shows and reruns of Top Gear.  When it is off the air (British programmes are off the air a lot), they show a title card onscreen that says "Dave's Not Here."  Alright, they don't, but they should.

US Programs
A lot of time is dedicated to US TV programs, but the selection is pretty much limited to "CSI", "Friends", and "Two and a Half Men."  This may explain why Brits believe that most Americans are either homicidal manics or complete morons.