05-10-2006, 03:21 AM
I haven't watched a whole lot of television since I've been back in the UK, but I must say that an awful lot of stuff that is supposed to be funny isn't. There seem to be a pile of "My Family" clones which are extremely dire. My Family itself is an exercise in psychological warfare. Clearly the BBC are attempting to lobotomise us all. In fact nearly all of BBC television is cheap reality style tv. Mostly it is cooking - hours and hours of it. Some gardening and house-redecorating shows. ITV though is a non-entity. The only show it has is Coronation Street - everything else is pish.
It must also be considered that The Apprentice is regarded as the best show on television. Which is why I listen to the radio instead.
Unfortunately things that I thought were funny are pretty poor now. Never Mind The Buzzcocks is just pitiful. Bill Bailey is funny on it, but Llamar and Jupitus are horrible. Have I Got News For You is weird - it is still funny but now Ian Hislop is the funny one! Merton is entirely too silly, and they use guests as hosts who are very funny. except Julian Clary who has never been funny. Ever. Hislop has really become an angry satirist - he clearly feels pissed at New Labour.
However, there are a bunch of sketch shows that are absolutely hilarious - very surreal and very very dark. There was one where a doctor was trying to save someone from dying but the electric paddles weren't working. He quickly tells the family that "it's time to try something new. It is experimental. But I think it might just work. I'm going to try wanking on her tits." He then comes back in and says "I'm sorry.....it didn't work." Nonsensical, silly, but pretty off-beat funny.
The last two people I can think of right now are Noel Edmonds and Billy Piper. Both would have been nominated to be ejected into outer-space a few years back. Edmonds is now fronting Deal or No Deal and is regarded as being very very good at it. I can't watch that sort of naff though. Billy Piper plays Dr Who's assistant on...well...Dr Who. I have never watched Dr Who until this series and must say it is pretty good. But the most surprising thing is that Billy Piper, that irritating teenage crap singer, is excellent. Really surprisingly good.
I did try watching Easternders but the first thing I saw was Pauline Fowler discovering that her new boyfriend is actually a bank robber. Too silly so I turned it off. I have watched Neighbours if only for the fluff value. I was surprised to see Paul Robinson back on it - and looking and behaving exactly as he once did.
American shows are on but at the strangest times. Lost is on at at 10pm. Which seems late to me - especially when they do the 2 hour specials. Yes there as many commericals here. It is regarded though as a bad show with good promotion. Other things like My Name Is Earl are on at midnight in the hopes of killing them off. House is on, praised to the heavens, but as it's on late on channel 5 no one sees it. Shite like How I Met Your Mother is coming too. If only the BBC would show Rick Mercer Report, Chilly Beach, The Hotel or some of the other cool shows from the CBC.
It must also be considered that The Apprentice is regarded as the best show on television. Which is why I listen to the radio instead.
Unfortunately things that I thought were funny are pretty poor now. Never Mind The Buzzcocks is just pitiful. Bill Bailey is funny on it, but Llamar and Jupitus are horrible. Have I Got News For You is weird - it is still funny but now Ian Hislop is the funny one! Merton is entirely too silly, and they use guests as hosts who are very funny. except Julian Clary who has never been funny. Ever. Hislop has really become an angry satirist - he clearly feels pissed at New Labour.
However, there are a bunch of sketch shows that are absolutely hilarious - very surreal and very very dark. There was one where a doctor was trying to save someone from dying but the electric paddles weren't working. He quickly tells the family that "it's time to try something new. It is experimental. But I think it might just work. I'm going to try wanking on her tits." He then comes back in and says "I'm sorry.....it didn't work." Nonsensical, silly, but pretty off-beat funny.
The last two people I can think of right now are Noel Edmonds and Billy Piper. Both would have been nominated to be ejected into outer-space a few years back. Edmonds is now fronting Deal or No Deal and is regarded as being very very good at it. I can't watch that sort of naff though. Billy Piper plays Dr Who's assistant on...well...Dr Who. I have never watched Dr Who until this series and must say it is pretty good. But the most surprising thing is that Billy Piper, that irritating teenage crap singer, is excellent. Really surprisingly good.
I did try watching Easternders but the first thing I saw was Pauline Fowler discovering that her new boyfriend is actually a bank robber. Too silly so I turned it off. I have watched Neighbours if only for the fluff value. I was surprised to see Paul Robinson back on it - and looking and behaving exactly as he once did.
American shows are on but at the strangest times. Lost is on at at 10pm. Which seems late to me - especially when they do the 2 hour specials. Yes there as many commericals here. It is regarded though as a bad show with good promotion. Other things like My Name Is Earl are on at midnight in the hopes of killing them off. House is on, praised to the heavens, but as it's on late on channel 5 no one sees it. Shite like How I Met Your Mother is coming too. If only the BBC would show Rick Mercer Report, Chilly Beach, The Hotel or some of the other cool shows from the CBC.