Category Archives: TV
Make Bradford British
What does it mean to be British?
This is the subject of the Channel 4‘s cracking new two-part series starting Thursday, which explores the very notion of British culture through the lens of Bradford, a diverse Northern English town and its residents.
I’m excited that it’s already trending big globally on Twitter and is shedding light on this national debate.
Watch the preview, take the citizenship test and see how well you fare. Post your score and I’ll share mine, too, in a bit!
Upstairs, Downstairs
Move over, Downton Abbey.
There’s a new (old) period drama in town: Upstairs, Downstairs.
This 1970s show has been revamped with new faces, hotter story lines and still all of the juicy class warfare that we’ve come to expect from the original.
It’s a bonafide hit in the U.K. on BBC One and one can only hope that we’ll see it via PBS’s Masterpiece Theatre before too long.
I don’t like tea. I like gin.
American supermarkets would never do an advert (translation: commercial) like this, which is a shame. Aldi rules!
‘X-Factor’ loses the deadweight
Buh-bye, Nicole and Paula!
Paula Abdul, Nicole Scherzinger and Steve Jones out?
Bravo, Simon!
I’m actually enjoying the shake-up.
If you’ve been hiding in a cave the past 24-48 hours, here’s what you’ve missed!
What do you think? Is “X-Factor” going to be even better next season without the deadweight?
What Brits are watching
While most Americans are just now discovering the charms of “Downton Abbey,” Brits are onto the next big thing.
Namely, BBC’s “Call the Midwife,” a period piece set in 1950s London centered on a group of midwives. TV critics are heralding it the Sunday night equivalent of a comfy, warm pair of slippers, and the viewership is off the charts, with 8.5 million Brits watching the series premiere.
I’ll catch it when it hits Netflix. I’m currently immersed in the decidedly non-British escapades of “Breaking Bad.”
‘The Layover’ in London
Anthony Bourdain walking Marco Pierre White's dog in London. Photo credit: Travel Channel
Anthony Bourdain, I love you. Despite the fact that you’ve ruined my ability to appreciate hollandaise sauce at a restaurant, I forgive you and have faithfully read your books and watched “No Reservations” without, well, reservation.
When I heard about Travel Channel‘s latest incarnation, “The Layover,” where Anthony Bourdain spends 24 hours in any given city, I was all over it. And when I heard the London episode of “The Layover” was airing last weekend, well, ditto a hundred times over.
If you haven’t seen the episode yet, you can watch clips and see photos.
If you missed it, I am sure they will repeat it, but you can catch the highlights and one-liners, courtesy of Eater.com.
Meet the Scouse brow
Is this a post-Halloween joke or April Fool’s Day come early?
MSN.com is reporting that the latest trend in brows in Britain is the “Scouse brow,” as seen on “Desperate Scousewives,” a new reality TV show that follows the lives and loves of eight blokes and birds in Liverpool.
But is this really a look that Brits are going to recreate? Only time will tell.
I will say that I doubted that the mullet would ever become a fad and then visited the UK a few years back, only to find mullets on the Tube, on the high street, on the bus.
I thought that was shocking, but this? Brow-raising…
Another chance for Ricky Gervais
Thank goodness for third chances.
I was happy to read yesterday that Ricky Gervais will be hosting next year’s Golden Globe Awards, despite the mixed reviews (okay, I’m probably being a little too kind) that he received for his last stab at hosting the Golden Globes earlier this year (in which I do believe most of Hollywood wanted to stab him.)
I happen to like his devil-may-care attitude, in the face of frosty A-listers. I’m drawn to the awkwardness. The audible outrage from the audience and yes, even the boos.
He’s a funny guy and “The Office” is living proof of that (both the U.K. and U.S. versions). Let’s hope that he knocks it out of the park next time. I’ll be watching.
Christmas, John Lewis style
I’m not the kind of person who listens to Christmas music right after Halloween, or puts the tree up right after Thanksgiving. As far as I’m concerned, November 14th is way too early to be even contemplating the holiday season.
But the latest Christmas advert by British retailer John Lewis, which was released a few days ago, absolutely has gotten me into the Christmas spirit. Watch.
This advert just captures the magic of Christmas in Britain to me.
Some fans of The Smiths are up in arms about the use of a cover of “Please Please Please Let Me Get What I Want” for such commercialism, but I like it.
(It should be noted that “Please Please Please Let Me Get What I Want” was used in “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off” as well as “Pretty in Pink” so am failing to see the big whoop.)
Jeremy Kyle is a British Jerry Springer
Ah, daytime TV. In between all of the depressing adverts (translation: commercials) for prescription drugs (“Ask your doctor about Novolog Flexpen today”), personal injury lawyers and technical colleges, I stumbled upon this little nationally syndicated talk show (or rather shout show) gem: The Jeremy Kyle Show.
Who’s Jeremy Kyle? Apparently he’s a ratings giant in the UK, who brought his Springer-esque talk show style to the US last month.
I know that Jerry Springer was born in London, England but this guy is British. Really British. And he’s counseling troubled, stupid Americans. You know the type.
In the riveting episode I watched yesterday titled, “How Could You Choose Your Girlfiriend Over Your Son!” (these episode titles always have to end in an exclamation point or a question mark or sometimes both!), a teen mom claims her child’s father is a deadbeat dad and his girlfriend and the child’s grandmothers take sides.
It’s your typical white trash junk food fare, but Jeremy classes it up a bit. He wears a nice suit and the chairs on the set look quality. Not like the kind that they throw around on Jerry Springer. And he’s not afraid to lay down the law, shouting at the teens and calling them stupid little children and adding Britishisms like, “This will be sorted!” or “You keep having a go at her!” which is worth their weight in gold.
I never quite get a gauge on whether these people have any idea what he is saying or whether they even know where Britain is. Maybe it doesn’t matter as long as they get paid whatever they get paid to air their dirty laundry, take the DNA test or reveal the details of their botched sex change operation. Bottom line: Isn’t that what good shout show TV is all about?
Watch out, Maury Povich and Jerry Springer. There’s a new sheriff in town.
Check your local listing for the time and channel of The Jeremy Kyle Show. This week’s episodes include “Stop Destroying My Marriage, Your Baby Isn’t My Husband’s!” and “I’ll Prove Today That My 24-Year-Old Daughter Is Yours.” You won’t want to miss those.
BRITRISH.COM 