Do Brits watch a lot of American TV shows (home, movies)
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From what I noticed, British TV shows are only like 1-6 episodes before they stop, and wait for another year or longer to film next story. With that being true more or less, how does the UK TV channels fill in the spaces between? I figure the only thing they can do is use American TV shows which have like 22 episodes a season.
Well prior to the age of premium channels, streaming, and slow burn; American TV shows were around 20 episodes a season. Sci Fi shows like Star Trek, Sliders, Quantum leap showcased many episodes per year. Other examples are cop shows like Miami Vice, Silk Stalkings, Law and Order franchise, CSI franchise, Blue Bloods, Bones. All have quite long seasons. Drama shows too like Seventh Heaven, Party of Five, Gilmore Girls, Baywatch, all too had standard 20 episodes per year. All can be used as filler.
How popular are American media properties in Britain? Is there a lot of reruns too?
From what I noticed, British TV shows are only like 1-6 episodes before they stop, and wait for another year or longer to film next story. With that being true more or less, how does the UK TV channels fill in the spaces between? I figure the only thing they can do is use American TV shows which have like 22 episodes a season.
Well prior to the age of premium channels, streaming, and slow burn; American TV shows were around 20 episodes a season. Sci Fi shows like Star Trek, Sliders, Quantum leap showcased many episodes per year. Other examples are cop shows like Miami Vice, Silk Stalkings, Law and Order franchise, CSI franchise, Blue Bloods, Bones. All have quite long seasons. Drama shows too like Seventh Heaven, Party of Five, Gilmore Girls, Baywatch, all too had standard 20 episodes per year. All can be used as filler.
How popular are American media properties in Britain? Is there a lot of reruns too?
Britain has a strong home grown film and television industry, and most of the content is home grown, although some channels do show US shows more than others.
There has also been a move away from traditional terrestrial channels to cable, satellite, streaming/internet and on demand services.
I would say the vast majority of content is home grown, whilst the series you mention tend to be stuff offered on obscure cable/satellite channels.
Channel 4 has some US content such as Friends, 3rd Rock, Everyone Loves Raymond etc, whilst shows such as Taxi,, Married with Children and Cheers have proved popular in the past, although Seinfeld was not really shown in the UK, and Curb Your Enthusiasm is shown on cable/satellite.
In terms of the British film and television industry it is one of the largest and most successful outside the US and there are numerous vast studios, and lots of recent investment.
Britain has a strong home grown film and television industry, and most of the content is home grown, although some channels do show US shows more than others.
There has also been a move away from traditional terrestrial channels to cable, satellite, streaming/internet and on demand services.
I would say the vast majority of content is home grown, whilst the series you mention tend to be stuff offered on obscure cable/satellite channels.
Channel 4 has some US content such as Friends, 3rd Rock, Everyone Loves Raymond etc, whilst shows such as Taxi,, Married with Children and Cheers have proved popular in the past, although Seinfeld was not really shown in the UK, and Curb Your Enthusiasm is shown on cable/satellite.
In terms of the British film and television industry it is one of the largest and most successful outside the US and there are numerous vast studios, and lots of recent investment.
Must admit back in the late 1950s early 60s I loved all American shows like Bonanza.. Maverick. Gunsmoke.. Rawhide.. 77 Sunset Strip.. Dallas . and all the other soaps of the 80s.. loved them all.. but the UK has picked up great with some good tv... I dont get some US comedy at all. although Cheers. Fraser was good... but I dont like old US interviewers.. I feel uneasy and dont find them entertaining.. Of course I havent seen them all... I think we in the UK do interviews much better... although we ve had some rotters like Simon Dee.. Russel Harty .... but Parkinson Frost.. Wogan were excellent and unlike chat shows in the US where the host sits behind a desk like a doctors surgery.... our sit with the people being interviewed... and yes we do it better... but as I said I still love a good American series or show... usually more glamour ... ours are more gritty in general.. and more true to life..
How popular is South Park, Simpsons, Futurama and the rest of the American adult animated cartoons in Britain? Are there Brit versions of each show since a lot of references may not be understood by foreigners?
If indeeed Britain only largely views Brit made media property, and is true your series are very short; then are you guys basically coming out with new titles practically every other month if not every next month ?
How popular is South Park, Simpsons, Futurama and the rest of the American adult animated cartoons in Britain? Are there Brit versions of each show since a lot of references may not be understood by foreigners?
If indeeed Britain only largely views Brit made media property, and is true your series are very short; then are you guys basically coming out with new titles practically every other month if not every next month ?
Not all British series are short, and there are new series coming out all the time.
In terms of the Simpsons and other animation it has been popular, however South Park and other such animation is now mainly aired on subscription cable/satellite channels.
Like ,any parts of the world, traditional terrestrial television is in decline, and being replaced by cable/satellite, on-demand subscription and streaming etc, so people generally pick and choose what they watch from a wide selection of both domestic and international options.
In terms of investment in UK tv and film production, large US giants including the likes of Disney, Netflix, Warner Bros and numerous others have invested heavily in the UK, with the establishment of ever more large studios and production facilities.
It also should be noted that young Directors often came to the UK to make their films, and this included the likes of George Lucas and Steven Spielberg. Whilst US directors such as the late Stanley Kubrick, lived in England, and made most of his movies here.
Last edited by Brave New World; 05-06-2023 at 03:21 AM..
My Mrs likes some US telly, I find a lot of stuff coming out the US today a bit 'samey' ie the 'hero' beating up the bad guys in some kind of superhuman way while muttering wisecracks, lots of bad guys waving guns with Spanish or English accents! :-D. I'm no fan of US comedy either, I have enjoyed US shows though, I think Columbo is one of the best TV shows in history.
I watch quite a bit of British TV in US, but I’m British. To me, British TV is far superior, but I like that kind of TV. DH prefers US TV, but he is American.
I'm American and fell in love with British TV since the 1970s with The Onedin Line, Callan, and No Honestly. I still have a No Honestly paperback story book
One of the best British comedy series was "Are you being served?" I must have seen every episode at least twice over.
The follow up "Are you being served again" was a flop and deservedly so. Not funny at all
James Garner in "Rockford" a really good American series also
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