Film/TV Depictions of the UK -- Which Ones Get It Right?

What is the most accurate reflection of UK life you have seen on screen? Or the least accurate?

Shaun of the Dead?  No really, just with less blood.

Black books?
Or do I just hang out with a cute bearded simpleton and a drunk irish lunatic a lot? (hmm, I think I do)

I'm intrigued to think that you think that this question has an answer.

Which tv show does your life in the states represent most closely?
Heroes? House? Prison Break? 24?!! (that would be ace!) Days of our lives? Desperate housewives? Sex and the City? Or do you hang out with 6 beautiful friends in a huge unaffordable loft in NYC aka Friends?

TV is TV, i wouldn't expect to learn anything from a tv show that you couldn't learn from a 2 week holiday.

Note - this post is meant to be taken jovially

I agree with MaryKate.

Dent - you grew up in the UK right?  So, what tv shows/movies give an accurate portrayal of life in the UK?

Ha, none!  TV isn't real life and can't hope to approximate it with all its warts (otherwise it'd be very boring!)

and a drunk irish lunatic a lot?

MK, does your drunk Irish lunatic look anything like Dylan Moran?? 

MK, does your drunk Irish lunatic look anything like Dylan Moran?? 

My husband, when he gets lazy and lets his hair grow out, looks exactly like Dylan Moran, and he's even miserable to boot! 

My husband, when he gets lazy and lets his hair grow out, looks exactly like Dylan Moran, and he's even miserable to boot! 

Well, if things ever get rocky between the two of you, give him my number, OK? 

Black books?
Or do I just hang out with a cute bearded simpleton and a drunk irish lunatic a lot? (hmm, I think I do)

I'm intrigued to think that you think that this question has an answer.

Which tv show does your life in the states represent most closely?
Heroes? House? Prison Break? 24?!! (that would be ace!) Days of our lives? Desperate housewives? Sex and the City? Or do you hang out with 6 beautiful friends in a huge unaffordable loft in NYC aka Friends?

TV is TV, i wouldn't expect to learn anything from a tv show that you couldn't learn from a 2 week holiday.

Note - this post is meant to be taken jovially

Mine was just like SATC when I lived in NYC!!!!   (Well, I did meet Steve (Miranda's husband) at a movie premiere once)

I'm still trying to figure out where they actually got all the snow in the movie The Holiday, as it was filmed in my town and I've never seen that much snow here ever (I wish there were though!)

The places I've lived and the most accurate representations thereof...

So Cal: Friday
NYC: How I Met Your Mother
Vermont: Newhart
Weston: Fawlty Towers, or possibly Britain's Youngest Grandmothers

I think there are actually a lot of good representational programmes. Most will only represent one part of life, though. So you need about 5 to get an overall picture.

(Now I'm pondering writing a conference paper on representational television comedy!)

Mine was just like SATC when I lived in NYC!!!!   

Actually, my life is like one long episode of Hollyoaks.

Actually, my life is like one long episode of Hollyoaks.

LOL!  Now that is reality!!!!

MK, does your drunk Irish lunatic look anything like Dylan Moran?? 

Actually he is a bit swoon worthy and hillarious! and unintentionally comic as he is really tall and has dyspraxia (which he plays up a lot!) so is always doing ridiculous things like falling into wedding cakes (yup, he actually did that) and has no sense of self awareness so he does stuff like go up to Peter Jackson and Mick Jagger (who were bizarrely having a pint  together in camden) and shake Peter Jackson's hand and then turn to Mick Jagger and ask if he's famous too. (Mick Jagger gave him a look and just went really casually "I'm Mick Jagger" ) at which point he looked at me like I was a lunatic as I'd noisily collapsed on the floor laughing.

In conclusion, my life is probably Spaced but I wish it was Doctor Who! 

I definitely wish my life was dr. who and have since I was ickle.

I watched quite a bit of British television and a few British films.  When I came to study, I thought I'd know it all.  The reality was so different, but I liked it even better!!     I'm struggling to come up with one. 

I agree with Stacey on the snow thing.  I think I've seen snow maybe once a year, and evne then only a light dusting.  Big disappointment.   

I agree with Stacey on the snow thing.  I think I've seen snow maybe once a year, and evne then only a light dusting.  Big disappointment.   

Hey there was great snow just on/after Christmas 2005 - in East Anglia & Lincolnshire!    I know 'cause we were driving back to Yorkshire, through the mess of some of it.    Once we hit Nottinghamshire and South Yorkshire though, there wasn't much at all.  Next day we took the train up to Edinburgh (from Leeds) & the snow was fantastic again through parts of Northumberland (Berwick Upon Tweed), until we actually got to Edinburgh.  Our train up there had to go really slow because we were behind a smaller train that couldn't go very fast because of snow on the train cables.

I'm ok with not much snow though!