Brits and the English Language

[Canadien]

When will the British learn to speak English correctly? Unfortunately they probably never will. Their incorrect use of whilst in place of the correct while is just the top of the pile. Calling the television a telly is so childish as to be ridiculous. Then, of course, we get to such poor descriptions as "trainers" and "wank." Since the Yanks left the old country it seems that those still trapped in Merry Ole Britain can't progress beyond their ancient tongue.

Of course, the Brits are at least understandable in comparison to Scottish people who can't even understand themselves. They sound as though someone had cut their tongues down the middle and tied the two pieces in a knot.

Now that I have your attention please be advised that the above is all a joke that I (an American) just made up to get my British friends up in a tizzy.

What I really want to say is that I don't understand why US television is such trash. The US news media is a joke in comparison to BBC and Al Jeezera. Comedy in US television is usually silly slapstick that I really don't care to watch. British television has, on the other hand, has produced material like Midsommer Murders, Are you being served, Faulty Towers and others. Perhaps this explains why we elected Geroge Bush twice, let Cheney walk the streets a free man rather than placing him in prison as he should be, and why so many Americans hate Obama. Do you think it's retardation, ignorance, stupidity or a combination of all of the above? I recently returned to my home town for a visit and was more than happy to return to Thailand. Not that the government here is any better but I have less emotion invested in what goes on here.

[fountainhall]

I don't understand why US television is such trash

I can't speak for the political side of your comments. As for television, I suspect one reason for British TV being superior in some respects to much of what is aired in North America is cash. With the exception of PBS, American stations are commercial and have to pay for their own programming through advertising. Ratings are everything! A large chunk of British TV is paid for by a license on viewers through government levy that is channeled to the BBC.

The BBC has been undergoing a lot of changes in the last decade and more. But the fact that it still produces some good programmes means the commercial channels have to up their game to compete. It’s no accident. I think, that two of the shows you mention, Fawlty Towers and Are You Being Served? were BBC productions made decades ago. Those were the days of classic BBC comedy that produced over the years such shows as Steptoe and Son, Till Death Us Do Part, Yes, Minister and Yes, Prime Minister, Dad’s Army, Porridge and Absolutely Fabulous! The BBC seemed to have a knack of developing and keeping the best comedy writers.

On the commercial channels, the emphasis seemed to be more on developing good prime-time drama like Midsomer Murders, Brideshead Revisited, The Jewel in the Crown, Queer as Folk, Inspector Morse, The Sweeney, Prime Suspect (with the peerless Dame Helen Mirren) and more recently Downton Abbey.

Another factor, I’d suggest, is the huge pool of acting talent that has always been available in the UK. Live theatre may have lost weekly rep in many parts of the country, but there is still a large pool of very fine actors around. Interestingly, many of the today’s major stars started in theatre with the classics, especially Shakespeare, before graduating on to television and only later to the big screen. Stars like Vanessa Redgrave, Judi Dench, Helen Mirren, Maggie Smith, Anthony Hopkins, Albert Finney, Ian McKellen, Patrick Stewart, Derek Jacobi and many others were generally in their late 30s and 40s before Hollywood beckoned, but they mostly kept their roots in the theatre and to a certain extent on TV. Compare that with the US where most actors are thrust into TV and movies in their 20s without that stage background, and without that experience of classical drama.

As Sir Richard Eyre, a former director of the National Theatre, said recently, "our publicly funded not-for-profit theatre has nurtured our great actors. There was an eruption of creative talents in the 60s – writers, actors, directors and designers – which has continued, supported by public subsidy. The index of the success of our theatre has been quality rather than profit." In the US, the reverse seems to be true to a large extent.

[Smiles]

Great list of British made-for-TV comedies and dramas.
Not included above, but two of my all-time favorites from BBC productions: 'Upstairs-Downstairs' and - talking about Derek Jacobi - the greatest soap opera of all, 'I, Claudius'.
I read Robert Grave's novel of the same name many years before it was made into an ongoing BBC show, but loved the book(s) and when I heard of the production I couldn't wait until it eventually showed up on CBC, and wasn't disappointed in any way, unlike many other adaptions.

[bao-bao]

...and - talking about Derek Jacobi - the greatest soap opera of all, 'I, Claudius'.

No kidding. Jacobi was wonderful as clau-clau-Claudius! Available on DVD and several streaming services. Well worth seeking out.

[Jun]

The proportion of outstanding comedy programmes produced in the UK seems to have dropped markedly in the last 25 years, so I think the BBC lost their way some years ago. Are we talking about past glories? Morecambe & Wise, Blackadder etc

More recently they've been wasting our "TV Tax" money on ill advised ventures like buying up 75% of Lonely Planet, which it proceeded to bugger up. No surprise, as the BBC knows naff all about publishing.

[Gaybutton]

I too loved 'I Claudius.' I have it on DVD. I'm also a big fan of 'Fawlty Towers.' I have that on DVD too. About once every couple of years I watch them again, always discover something I missed in previous viewings, and enjoy them just as much as I did, if not more so, the first time I saw them.

Here's one of my favorite moments from Fawlty Towers. Basil has suffered a concussion and walked out of the hospital. He's confused and not thinking clearly at all. Meanwhile, a group of Germans come to Fawlty Towers. Here's what happens next:

[fountainhall]

I think the BBC lost their way some years ago.

I agree. I suspect the change in the nature and quality of programming is partly a question of taste. The younger generation of producers now wants something more appealing to the youth culture in the UK. And partly, perhaps, it’s a lack of writing talent. Those of us who grew up in the 60s were spoiled with the work of writing teams like Ray Galton and Alan Simpson or Frank Muir and Dennis Norden. They all learned their craft on radio where they were reliant on pure audio humour – not cheap visual gags. I can remember as a child being in hysterics listening to programmes like Hancock’s Half Hour, Take it from Here, Round the Horne and re-runs of arguably the most famous classic of all time – The Goon Show.

[bkkguy]

Here's one of my favorite moments from Fawlty Towers. Basil has suffered a concussion and walked out of the hospital. He's confused and not thinking clearly at all. Meanwhile, a group of Germans come to Fawlty Towers.

in a moment of madness the BBC has taken the PC razor to this episode so it can be re-aired at a 7:30PM time slot in England - surprisingly your favorite scene survived but the one with the Major outlining the difference between "niggers" and "wogs" in cricket was censored. the irony of course is that this scene was actually taking the mickey out of the bigoted English!

BBC rewrites TV history with Fawlty Towers censorship

bkkguy

[Gaybutton]

the one with the Major outlining the difference between "niggers" and "wogs" in cricket was censored.

Oh well, at least they can't censor YouTube. That entire episode is there. Fortunately for me, I have the entire DVD set - and none of that is censored.

I wish these people who decide they ought to censor these things would shove it right up their politically correct rear ends. Why is it that the wrong people always seem to get into positions that allow them to do these things? Of course, there are many who think the wrong person runs this board . . .

[ceejay]

I suspect the change in the nature and quality of programming is partly a question of taste.

I suspect it also has to do with the BBC outsourcing so much of its programming now. There's no room, or at any rate less room, to support a promising but not fully formed writing talent on the staff until they find their mature voice. The independent production companies have an incentive to produce something instantly digestible - it places a premium on the glib, facile and unoriginal.
Don't forget "Under Milk Wood"" was commissioned from Dylan Thomas because he was broke and a BBC producer considered him worth supporting as a long term prospect. Where's the producer to do such a thing now?