Stephen Fry article - Spooks / Doctor Who

[YourFutureMuse]

Yeah I agree with TL about the unrealisticness of certain American shows - not all of them! I think Brit shows are more gritty in a way if that makes sense haha.

And I didn't know that about cigarettes how annoying ha. Jo smokes one though after the bomb went of near her in s7 didn't she? On the roof with Connie?

[A Cousin]

(17-06-2010 07:49 AM)Tea Lady Wrote:  For example, most shows I have seen in recent years do not contain swearing, nudity, and certainly not sex scenes.

Puritans that we are, the FCC does not allow most swearing, nudity and sex scenes in US TV. I agree, not realistic at all. Ironic, given our annoying penchant for what is loosely called "Reality TV" which has nothing real about it. A good juicy expletive, full frontal or roll in the hay on PBS or cable is always fun and different but even there they have to mute/blur it out - depending on the word and air time.

I have tried but not found the groove with most of our dramas. I find our dramas to be rather formulaic. I prefer our comedies. The more satirical, the better.

There is good stuff on both sides of the pond. The way it is funded and made makes all the difference.

I remember seeing smoking in Zoe's last episode by some un-named guy covering her outside the building. However, the fact that I was so aware of it may mean that it is the anomaly. I may have struck me only because it certainly would not happen over here.

[Nia M]

Yeah, Jo smokes in early S7

Also, Ruth's journalist friend Gary Hicks from 4.5 (Jo's first episode) is a smoker too; he asks Zaf for a light at one point, and smokes in his car.

Admittedly that was a few series back though, and (I think) before the smoking ban in public buildings, but even so

[JHyde]

To be fair, almost all of the dramas to which I was referring are made on pay TV in the US. But I selected them not for 'gritty realism' but rather for their topicality and ability to consistently touch an audience.

I awaited Spooks and Ashes to Ashes with bated breath and anticipation in much the same way I do these other shows. US TV does have more shows I want to watch at the moment and I think they've been more consistent, that was all I was trying to say.

[Nitrus]

EDIT: Nevermind, I'm a fool.

[Nia M]

(16-06-2010 02:24 PM)JHyde Wrote:  It's probably HN. He worked with her for 3 years on Kingdom, after all.

^^ JHyde beat you to it Nitrus