Sherlock

[HouseofWool]

It is back on. I freaking love Benedict Cumberpatch.

[scrub-jay]

I know, right? He is a big part of the reason I purchased the Star Trek movie.

[SoonerTexan]

Big fan here. It's in a league of its own

[HouseofWool]

I can't help but wonder why it is that everything I see from the BBC is phenomenal and on this side of the pond we've got Honey Boo-Boo... It's rather shameful.

Has anyone watched Call the Midwife?

[SoonerTexan]

Has anyone watched Call the Midwife?

Every episode. I've cried for almost every one! I love "birth" episodes of tv shows (ever since I was little. I'm weird) so it's like the perfect fix for me.

[L.Jane]

Has anyone watched Call the Midwife?

Love it.

[poky]

I can't help but wonder why it is that everything I see from the BBC is phenomenal and on this side of the pond we've got Honey Boo-Boo... It's rather shameful.

Believe it or not, they have their share of crap, too. It just doesn't generally make it across the pond. That said, the way the BBC has things set up does tend to produce a higher proportion of really good stuff.

[bobk]

Believe it or not, they have their share of crap, too. It just doesn't generally make it across the pond. That said, the way the BBC has things set up does tend to produce a higher proportion of really good stuff.

I agree with this. The BBC has vast resources to make their programs. If I'm not mistaken, every citizen has to pay an annual tax for each TV they own to fund the BBC (PBS gets peanuts in comparison).

I wouldn't be too dismissive of American TV either. Thanks to shows like 24 and Lost, quality episodic drama is making a huge comeback. There are a lot of great shows out there now, despite crap like Honey Boo Boo.

[HouseofWool]

I agree with this. The BBC has vast resources to make their programs. If I'm not mistaken, every citizen has to pay an annual tax for each TV they own to fund the BBC (PBS gets peanuts in comparison).

I wouldn't be too dismissive of American TV either. Thanks to shows like 24 and Lost, quality episodic drama is making a huge comeback. There are a lot of great shows out there now, despite crap like Honey Boo Boo.

I'm sure you guys are right - I am just so impressed with the quality of what filters through to the US. I never really got hooked into Lost or 24, and most other shows seem to degenerate fairly quickly into such stupid plot twists, it is unbearable.

[poky]

I'm sure you guys are right - I am just so impressed with the quality of what filters through to the US. I never really got hooked into Lost or 24, and most other shows seem to degenerate fairly quickly into such stupid plot twists, it is unbearable.

One of the major differences between US TV and BBC TV is that they tend to have one or two people writing each episode, and tend to have MANY FEWER episodes of each show each year. This tends to produce higher quality because they spend more time on each episode, and don't have "time to fill". They also, I understand, rate shows not only on how many people watch, but how much those who do watch like the show. If it's few people, but they REALLY REALLY like it, they give the show a chance to find its audience, rather than shutting it down (RIP, Firefly *sniffle*)

[MsSassyBaskets]

All of our favorite shows are BBC... DH anticipates new episodes of Sherlock, Luther, and Doctor Who for MONTHS, or in the case of Sherlock, years! We have already finished watching the new season, and episode 3 is awesome. Just a heads up -- if you use the Chrome browser you can download an extension from the Chrome Store called Hola that allows you to stream BBC episodes as though you are in the UK. It puts a little button up in the top right of the browser and if you go to a website that only allows streaming in the UK, like BBC or iTV, you just toggle the flag from US to UK and there you go!

[SoonerTexan]

Fringe was a US favorite for me. Miss it

[bobk]

I just looked up the current UK TV tax rate. In US dollars, people pay about $250 per year per TV they own, giving the BBC an $8 billion budget to work with. They'd better make some good shows!

[ballibeg]

Per household rather than per tv but yes a tv licence is a unique way to fund broadcasting.

I like it because on the BBC there are no adverts and it allows them also to make great tv that may not be commercially viable like the documentary we made with them in Malawi.

Dave

[SoonerTexan]

Interesting. I've always wondered how shows with setups like Sherlock (so few episodes) were commercially viable. The more you know...