BBC America TV rules!! (The Office and Coupling) (1 Viewer)

[Lew Crippen]

Do they ever show a full cricket game on BBCA??

No but Fox World Sports has feed from ‘Sky’ (satellite service from the UK) for an hour about three times a day. This usually has cricket scores and a few film clips.

If you subscribe to Dish, you can get a lot of cricket—it does not seem to be available on DirecTV.

Or, if you live in an area with a substantial population of South Asians, (Pakistan, Bangladesh, India, Sri Lanka) it is highly likely that some sports bar will pick up these telecasts. This is a pretty good way to watch, as you can learn a whole lot from the other patrons.

A test has six hours of play each day, not including breaks for lunch and tea. The short form of the game, one-day cricket has about seven hours of play plus an hour for lunch.

Watching a whole test is pretty hard—a good many people will only go for one or two days. I used to tape during the day and watch on fast forward at night for a lot of the match, slowing down for wickets, boundries, disputations, bowling changes and so forth.

 

[John_Berger]

Do they ever show a full cricket game on BBCA??

No. They strictly do movies and episodic shows. They used to show sports every now and then (football/soccer) but I haven't seen a game on BBCA in quite some time.

 

[Malcolm R]

Yep, the typical "series" (= US season) of a UK show is usually 6 episodes, though it seems to vary. I know Series 2 and 3 of "Keeping Up Appearances" were 10 episodes each.

 

[Brian Kaz]

Usually what makes these shows so funny is their envelope-pushing humor. Take that away and you have any one of 1,000 other tired sitcoms.

I tend to think it's more about the actors they get. The comic delivery just seems much better on British sitcoms.

Case in point: The jokes shown so far for the American "Coupling" just don't have the same punch as the Brit version. They seem more staged, too. Like they're reading from a cue card or something.

Ever see the unaired US pilot for Red Dwarf? Weird how the same jokes that make me laugh out loud can also make me uncomfortable when those guys say them.

 

[Phil Florian]

Read an article about the American version. Sounds horrid. They toned down the sexual content...which is like saying taking the banana out of the banana split...that is what it is about, eh! Sheesh. Leave it where it belongs. I agree about delivery, too, especially since the article said it is taking the pilot almost verbatim from the Brit version. The language, though both English, are still quite different and sound quite different. Look at the farce "Noises Off." One of the greatest farces for the stage but in the hands of even a talented American cast (for the disappointing movie version) it sounds oh so wrong. It is BRITISH and means to be that way.

There has to be some better, fresher ideas out there. I mean, beyond the few of us that have BBCA (quickly becoming the greatest station on the Dish) who else has heard of "Coupling."


Blimey.


Phil

 

[ThomasC]

I mean, beyond the few of us that have BBCA (quickly becoming the greatest station on the Dish) who else has heard of "Coupling."

I said earlier in this thread that I first saw Coupling on PBS just a few weeks ago.

 

[Lew Crippen]

It's because they always "sanitize" it for the American audience. Usually what makes these shows so funny is their envelope-pushing humor. Take that away and you have any one of 1,000 other tired sitcoms.

These adaptations have been going on at least since All in the Family, which was quite sanitized compared to ’Til Death Us Do Part, the BBC original. Even though sanitized, All in the Family did very well and was considered groundbreaking by the American audience (although it does seem dated by now).

 

[ThomasC]

WOW. Just finished watching "Inferno," 4th episode in the 1st season of Coupling, and Steve's speech at the end
is absolutely classic. I never thought a TV show would go that far, but hey, it's not American TV, that's for sure. I wonder if the American version is going to do the same thing with this episode, if they do it at all.

 

[Mark ZA]

3 seasons of coupling so far I think - the one with the mis-understanding over language has to be one of the best.

2 seasons of The Office, both 6 eps each - season 2 is just too funny, and unfortunately the last. :frowning:

I'm not sure how many 'David Brents' you get over there in the States but I've known plenty of them in my time.

 

[John_Berger]

the one with the mis-understanding over language has to be one of the best

If it's the one that I think it is (with the Israeli babe), she's reason enough to watch that episode.

I just saw a "new" one (new on BBCA as far as I know) called "My Hero" where the lead role is an alien superhero played by th eguy who played Dougle on "Father Ted". This show is a trip! I hope that BBCA plans on showing a lot more of it!

 

[Lee L]

I wonder why they have not run the second series of the Office over here then. I guess BBCA has to run the old ones at least 342 more times first.

 

[Joel Mack]

3 seasons of coupling so far I think - the one with the mis-understanding over language has to be one of the best.

Correct on 3 series so far. There's an intention of doing a 4th, but nothing concrete so far. The actor playing Jeff is actually off doing another series, now, and it's unknown at this time if he would return.

My all-time favorite eps are "The Woman With Two Breasts" (the one you mentioned) and "Split" & "Remember This" from series 3. Brilliant stuff.

We need Series 2 & 3 on DVD in Region 1!

 

[Huzefa]

Don't forget Manchild; very funny to watch middle-aged men with unlimited bank accounts act like little children.

 

[Paul Mason]

Correct on 3 series so far. There's an intention of doing a 4th, but nothing concrete so far. The actor playing Jeff is actually off doing another series, now, and it's unknown at this time if he would return.

Yes, Strange it's called. It's about an ex-priest demon-hunter and it's dire. (Those of us Buffy fans who've been teased with rumours of a Ripper spin-off were particularly unimpressed)

Anyway if there's any justice there won't be a series 2 of Strange but there will be a 4th Coupling.

 

[Phil Florian]

A rogue demon hunter?

I checked out the bios of the actors for "Coupling" on IMDB to see why Jack Davenport looked familiar...then saw he was in "Ultraviolet," an interesting mini on vampires and such. Was on SciFi...I thought it was cool, but apparently I was the only one as I haven't seen it anywhere again. Saw that Jack was in Pirates of the Caribbean, too! Good for him!

Does BBCA ever show "new" BBC shows or do we get them one or more years behind the original release?

Phil

 

[Paul Mason]

A second series of Ultraviolet was planned but they put it on hold because key production staff were involved in a proposed US remake. The remake never got made and by that time there had been a long gap, people where involved in other projects...

Jack Davenport was also in This Life - something I never watched but which was a critical and popular success over here. I don't think it's available on DVD yet.

And of course he appeared in The Talented Mr Ripley as the guy Matt Damon falls for but kills at the end.

 

[BrianB]

Jack Davenport was also in This Life - something I never watched but which was a critical and popular success over here. I don't think it's available on DVD yet.

"This Life" was shown on BBC America a while ago, but I seem to remember it being cut to bits. I enjoyed it when it was originally shown back on BBC2, damn good show.

Wasn't there a US version of "This Life" attempted which flopped?

 

[GregoryP]

Thanks for the recommendation about "My Hero." I watched an episode recently and really enjoyed it! A british show I have on R2 DVD but would love to see airing on television is "Spaced."

The comments on Amazon do it more justice than I could

Spaced Season 1
Spaced Season 2

 

[BrianB]

Spaced is /very/ British popculture, I'd be curious to see how it "translated" to an American audience over here. Then again, I've been suprised before with how popular UK stuff is over here.

How many people get the Royston Vasey reference for example?

 

[Paul Mason]

How many people get the Royston Vasey reference for example?

Heck, how much British people do? Of course once you tell them that it's Roy 'Chubby' Brown's real name they at least know who that is. (A comedian in case you're wondering)