Wednesday, April 11, 2012

BBC America- Why Bovver?

Apres le deluge, when we all moved back in November, our cable system offered us a good package that included BBC America. I was overjoyed at that- imagine! All the great BBC shows, even if they were reruns, they're new to me, and I was psyched.

But the reality bites. BBC America plays wall to wall Top Gear (a show I hate almost as much as I hate its host, Jeremy Clarkson), or wall to wall Gordon Ramsay, another freak show. There are treats here and there- a Dr. Who, a Graham Norton Show... but day after day 12-14 hours of Ramsay or Clarkson? Why? And more to the viewer, why bother? If you've seen either of these shows once, you've seen them all.

And why are we denied the really terrific BBC shows? Certainly there are enough stockpiled old shows that have no purchase in rerunning in the UK.
Is BBC America a throw-away channel, so much pink slime used to fill out the roster of channels promised? And even if they played them delayed by a few weeks, it'd be better than a couple of nasty old non-queens doing their superiority schtick. Oh, here's what we don't get- from just BBC 1 in one week
http://www.bbc.co.uk/bbcone/programmes/schedules/london/this_week/ataglance

If this is the best that BBC America can do for us, they may as well keep it. It's no better than Fox and in some cases, worse.

12 comments:

Twisted Scottish Bastard said...

What's wrong with Jeremy?
He's forthright, bitter, twisted, cynical and a real grouch. But he's often amusing.

I don't know why I like him, but I do.
We get the UK channel on our cable service in NZ, which contains a lot of good BBC, but not the real stars.
I wonder if the Beeb is hanging on to them for it's own internet-on-demand (and pay) service

Anonymous said...

Gordon Ramsay is disgusting..sorry...no other way to describe him.

klahanie said...

Aha, over here we have to have a television licence to fund the BBC. Most surprised that I needed a licence. Heck, I haven't even passed the test and have a "L" plate on my TV screen. And Graham Norton, sorry, but if I hear his ridiculous laugh again, that sounds like some kind of demented hyena, I swear I will chuck a brick at my television and watch it smash right through the "L" plate.
x

Starting Over, Accepting Changes - Maybe said...

I watch the best of BBC on PBS. I enjoy shows like Downton Abby (of course), EastEnders, Doc Martain and a few others on our own public TV. We also get BBC news which I listen to in order to get a European view on things.

Geo. said...

I don't know who any of these British tv people are but it sounds like they should do better! Don't have cable. Shut off PBS in the '90s when it got all Riverdance all the time. Still afraid to look.

Twisted Scottish Bastard said...

I've hit 300000 views you know.

Austan said...

TSB- He bores me to tears, so predictable.

It must be money. The BBC's gonna sell to the big bucks first

Austan said...

Lawless- the only thing worse than a bore is a pig, which is what Ramsay is.

Austan said...

Gary- we have to rent cable or get no recption anymore. Congress saw to that.
And he's on the best end of the lot of what we see?!
x

Austan said...

Arleen- Yes. we get the very popular stuff here on PBS, I guess. But there's so much that we only see while it remains on Youtube. I'd like to have one of the BBC channels. Now that would be good.

Austan said...

Geo- I didn't have TV for years here and there. If it went away tomorrow I'd adjust quickly. I have it now though, and it mostly sucks.

Austan said...

TSB- Congratulations!