American tv shows in the UK & UK tv shows in the USA

Of course being an avid anglophile, BBC America and PBS are a click away for my favorite British shows- My favoriyte shows from accross the pond aired in the US (on cable) include:

Doctor Who (I'm an old school Whovian, with Jon Pertwee being my favorite Doctor, but Matt Smith does a good job)

Monty Python's Flying Circus (The funniest show ever made)

Life on Mars (Great show, the American remake was a dud)

Masterpiece Theatre- (I love the British victorian dramas)

How Clean Is Your House? (Kim and Aggie find some VERY messy homes)


any other favorite British tv shows in America?

Are any good US shows aired in the UK? my impression is they get some of our worst shows...


some really good American shows  to look out for are:

Fringe- a bit X-files-ish, doomed for cancelation


The Walking Dead- Based on the award winning zombie comic book- an amazing series


Lost


House- One of my favorites, starring English comedy legend Hugh Laurie, playing a pitch perfect American.


The Office-  This might be one example where the American remake is as good as the British original.



I hope you don't get 'Sarah Palin's Alaska reality show- it's a trainwreck in motion.

Doctor Who (I'm an old school Whovian, with Jon Pertwee being my favorite Doctor, but Matt Smith does a good job)

I agree.  I've been watching dr. who since I was about 4 years old.  Huge Jon Pertwee fan, and I love the new Dr. Who since Stephen Moffat took over writing most of them!!  

See icon!  <---------------------  My ringtone might also be the 1970's Dr. Who theme.  

"Masterpiece Theater/Theatre" never showed in the UK. It is a US repackaging of various British TV dramas of quality ranging, IMHO, from great to ho-hum. My favorite US TV dramas that may have aired in the UK are Six Feet Under, The Sopranos, Dexter, True Blood, and a recent find, Nurse Jackie. I quite liked Dirty Sexy Money (as it had Nate in it!)

I agree.  I've been watching dr. who since I was about 4 years old.  Huge Jon Pertwee, and I love the new Dr. Who since Stephen Moffat took over writing most of them!!  

See icon!  <---------------------  My ringtone might also be the 1970's Dr. Who theme.  

Did you see the recent episode of the 'Sarah Jane Adventures', where Katy Manning reprised her role as Jo Grant (the 3rd Doctor's companion). Seeing Jo Grant and Sarah Jane Smith together was such a treat- too bad Brigadier Lethbridge Stewart wasn't included.

The Pertwee era was in my opinion THE best era of Doctor who- He was in exhile on earth, he couldn't work the Tardis, so he had to improvise. 'Inferno' is my all time favorite Doctor Who episode.

During the Pertwee era there was stunningly good Terrance Dicks stories, and the chemistry between the cast members was superb. Roger Delgado was THE Master in mho...

Stephen Moffet does a better job than Jonathan Nathan Turner- i think Turner tried to turn Doctor Who into a kids show, and Moffet wants it to be real scifi

"Masterpiece Theater/Theatre" never showed in the UK. It is a US repackaging of various British TV dramas of quality ranging, IMHO, from great to ho-hum. My favorite US TV dramas that may have aired in the UK are Six Feet Under, The Sopranos, Dexter, True Blood, and a recent find, Nurse Jackie. I quite liked Dirty Sexy Money (as it had Nate in it!)

Dexter is a superb show! Ditto with Six Feet Under and True Blood.I think the actor who plays the star vampire Bill Compton in True Blood is in fact from Essex.


It's interesting how English actors make the best Americans, such as Hugh Laurie in House   ( a really good show)
The actor who plays southern sheriff Rick Grimes inThe Walking Dead is in fact English

Are any good US shows aired in the UK? my impression is they get some of our worst shows...

Not sure about that - I've always generally felt that we get the best of both worlds in the UK... the good UK shows plus the good US shows too .

We have Fringe, The Walking Dead, Lost (before it finished) and The Office here in the UK. We also have tons of other US shows too (some channels seem to air more US than UK shows!).

]I think the actor who plays the star vampire Bill Compton in True Blood is in fact from Essex.

Yeah, the first show I ever saw him in was the UK mini-series Ultraviolet back in the late 90s (ironically, he played a vampire in that show too!). Randomly enough, Ultraviolet also starred Jack Davenport (who went on to star in Pirates of the Caribbean and FlashForward) and Idris Elba (who went on to star in The Wire and a few episodes of The Office).

The actor who plays southern sheriff Rick Grimes inThe Walking Dead is in fact English

I haven't seen The Walking Dead, but I've just noticed that Andrew Lincoln is in it - I had no idea he was doing a US show.

Did you see the recent episode of the 'Sarah Jane Adventures', where Katy Manning reprised her role as Jo Grant (the 3rd Doctor's companion). Seeing Jo Grant and Sarah Jane Smith together was such a treat- too bad Brigadier Lethbridge Stewart wasn't included.

I haven't watched the Sarah Jane Adventures, but my brother was an extra in one of the episodes filmed in the summer (I think he was playing a journalist) .

Did you see the recent episode of the 'Sarah Jane Adventures', where Katy Manning reprised her role as Jo Grant (the 3rd Doctor's companion). Seeing Jo Grant and Sarah Jane Smith together was such a treat- too bad Brigadier Lethbridge Stewart wasn't included.

The Pertwee era was in my opinion THE best era of Doctor who- He was in exhile on earth, he couldn't work the Tardis, so he had to improvise. 'Inferno' is my all time favorite Doctor Who episode.

During the Pertwee era there was stunningly good Terrance Dicks stories, and the chemistry between the cast members was superb. Roger Delgado was THE Master in mho...

Stephen Moffet does a better job than Jonathan Nathan Turner- i think Turner tried to turn Doctor Who into a kids show, and Moffet wants it to be real scifi

No, I haven't seen the Sarah Jane Chronicles.  I watched it once and couldn't get into it, but I couldn't get into Torchwood.  I'm often not a spinoffs fan, but if I had a chance with any of them it would be Dr. Who ones.  Katy Manning as Jo again though, that's a blast from the past.  She was a decent assistant.  I remember her as vaguely useful as opposed to the screamers that seemed to be more prevalent later.

I do love the stuff with UNIT, but I wish they did it with Jon Pertwee more like they did with some of the Tom Baker episodes.  He gets called back from big adventures to once again help the British army save puny humans.  I loved that.  And I like when they aren't so earth-centric.  I know he's a big fan of earth, but I want to see him doing other things too.  However, nothing beats Jon Pertwee speeding along in Bessie off to gather information.    I so wanted that car!!  I also love the way JP's doctor and Lethbridge-Stewart play off each other.  I think that's why JP is my favourite, because of how he reacts to humans and their relationship really displays that.  It's been so long since I've seen JP episodes, because the only dvds I really have are The Keys of Time with Tom Baker and Douglas Adams writing, because I love Douglas Adams writing.  

I think Russell T. Davies wanted it to be a children's show when he restarted it too because some of episodes he wrote were silly rather than science fiction in my opinion.  I think a fresh face and a new writer though will really attract the scifi geeks that may have gotten bored with it and wandered off.

No, I haven't seen the Sarah Jane Chronicles.  I watched it once and couldn't get into it, but I couldn't get into Torchwood.  I'm often not a spinoffs fan, but if I had a chance with any of them it would be Dr. Who ones.  Katy Manning as Jo again though, that's a blast from the past.  She was a decent assistant.  I remember her as vaguely useful as opposed to the screamers that seemed to be more prevalent later.

I do love the stuff with UNIT, but I wish they did it with Jon Pertwee more like they did with some of the Tom Baker episodes.  He gets called back from big adventures to once again help the British army save puny humans.  I loved that.  And I like when they aren't so earth-centric.  I know he's a big fan of earth, but I want to see him doing other things too.  However, nothing beats Jon Pertwee speeding along in Bessie off to gather information.    I so wanted that car!!  I also love the way JP's doctor and Lethbridge-Stewart play off each other.  I think that's why JP is my favourite, because of how he reacts to humans and their relationship really displays that.  It's been so long since I've seen JP episodes, because the only dvds I really have are The Keys of Time with Tom Baker and Douglas Adams writing, because I love Douglas Adams writing.  

I think Russell T. Davies wanted it to be a children's show when he restarted it too because some of episodes he wrote were silly rather than science fiction in my opinion.  I think a fresh face and a new writer though will really attract the scifi geeks that may have gotten bored with it and wandered off.

The 'Sarah Jane' episode in which Katy manning appeared also had Matt Smith appear as the Doctor, so it was more like a Doctor Who episode. Moreso than Torchwood, Sarah Jane's show is more of a direct link to Doctor Who, as Sarah Jane was a companion, plus she faces the same monsters (Sauntarans, Daleks, etc)- plus the Doctor pops in on occasion.

The 3rd Doctor/Brigadier relationship dymamic was very interesting- I think the Doctor saw the Brigadier as a bit of a clod- which he was- In the 3 Doctors the Brigadier refused to believe that UNIT had been shifted to another planet- but over time I think the Doctor and Brigadier grew to respect one another.

Tom Baker's approach to the Doctor was interesting- he started off as being completely  insane, then just had him as eccentric.

A bit better than Colin Baker's arrogant and occasionally violent 6th  Doctor (He tried to murder Peri)

The 'Sarah Jane' episode in which Katy manning appeared also had Matt Smith appear as the Doctor, so it was more like a Doctor Who episode. Moreso than Torchwood, Sarah Jane's show is more of a direct link to Doctor Who, as Sarah Jane was a companion, plus she faces the same monsters (Sauntarans, Daleks, etc)- plus the Doctor pops in on occasion.

The 3rd Doctor/Brigadier relationship dymamic was very interesting- I think the Doctor saw the Brigadier as a bit of a clod- which he was- In the 3 Doctors the Brigadier refused to believe that UNIT had been shifted to another planet- but over time I think the Doctor and Brigadier grew to respect one another.

I really enjoyed the three doctors.   

I did try Sarah Jane, but it's just too much of a kids show for me, but I know others who like it.  I prefer the cheesey to more kid oriented. 

I really enjoyed the three doctors.  

I did try Sarah Jane, but it's just too much of a kids show for me, but I know others who like it.  I prefer the cheesey to more kid oriented.  

Oh, I agree- but when the Doctor or other companions make an appearance on her show, I have to watch, as it is part of the Doctor Who universe. I think David Tennant's appearance on Sarah Jane's show was filmed after he left Doctor who- his final words to Sarh jane were pretty moving-

Sarah Jane- "Is this the last time I'll ever see you"?
The 10th Doctor- "I don't know....I hope not"
Sarah jane- 'Well, until the next time Doctor'
The 10th Doctor- 'Don't forget me sarah jane'
Sarh jane- 'No one could ever forget You'

Then the next time she saw the Doctor was in the scene in the final Tennat episode where he stared at her from accross the street (after saving her son from being hit by a car)

Then on the  'Sarah jane' episode where Jo Grant and the 11th Doctor appeared, the conversation between the Doctor, sarah Jane and Jo Grant was intresting


Sarah jane- It's You! Oh, you've done it again! (referring to his regeneration)

One of Sarah's young friends asks who he is, Sarah said 'the Doctor'

Jo Grant said 'What Doctor, The doctor, my doctor??'

Sarh jane- 'You know he can change his face'
Jo Grant- Yes but...into a baby's?

11th Doctor- 'Oy! Look at it from my point of view- last time I saw you Jo Grant you were what, 19 or 20? it looks like someone baked you'.

Good episode! Sarah and Jo reflected on old times,and taled about their visits to Peledon..
Sarh mentioned looking up other companions, and mentioned Tegan, Ace and Ian


it's interesting that the name of one of the female characters on the Sarh Jane show is 'Ranni'
Any relationship to THE Ranni, the renegade Time Lord? No such luck....


I really hope that a few loose ends are gtied up- such as what happened during the Time War.

I say bring back the 8th Doctor  (Paul Magann), have him fight in the Time War, be injured and regenerate into the 9th Doctor (Christopher Eccleston.)....


Also, whatever happened to the Doctor's granddaughter Susan?

I would like to see "House meets Doc Martin" 

Also, whatever happened to the Doctor's granddaughter Susan?

It's a valid question.  They've also never satisfactorily answered how he could have a human grandchild, and they did make a fuss I seem to remember about her being human. 

It's a valid question.  They've also never satisfactorily answered how he could have a human grandchild, and they did make a fuss I seem to remember about her being human. 

I think any claims that she was human was to make the earth people think she was human- i think she was from Gallifrey, but claiming otherwise was just a cover story(such as lying that her last name was foreman) One BBC Doctor Who novel touched on Susan's fate, and suggested she was the reason the Master was so charred and gnarled- he murdered her human husband, so she shot him- and set off a weapon he was holding...burning him to a crisp..The next time the doctor saw him was 'The Deadly Assasin'. The Doctor is a bit of a liar- after all. his 8th incarnation told Grace he was half human, and clearly that wasn't true...

Maybe.  I honestly don't remember, I just remember it being a big thing that she would age and die.

A guy I knew in SC who was a total Dr. Who nerd (and literally memorized anything about it) had all sorts of conspiracy theories about how or why she was human.  It was intense.  I love Dr. Who and I love watching them and love the story lines, but I really don't get into all the franchise stuff, aside from a few of the newer audio books.  But that's mostly because we've been getting them for free as trial stuff that we have to review. 

I'm absolutly gutted that BBC America is no longer showing Come Dine With Me.  I love that show!