British Television

British Television

About a year ago, we migrated from Comcast Cable to Dish Network. Frankly, we got really tired of the fact that our cable company was always increasing our rates and requiring us to buy equipment that we didn’t want. We’ve been very happy with our decision so far. A really nice unintended consequence of the move was that we got BBC America with our subscription.

I’ve just finished watching “Ed vs Spencer.” Right now, I’m watching “The Thick of It.” I became a big fan of “The Office” long before NBC made their version. About the only thing I dislike about BBC America is the reliance on Benny Hill, and Monty Python. I love Python, but those series went off the air over 30 years ago. Hasn’t British humor evolved some since then? I’m also not a huge fan of the British versions of the TLC shows, like What Not to Wear and Trading Spaces. Of course, the British versions came first. But whether I see a fashion disaster from a Tyneside village or from Knoxville, Tennessee, does it really matter?

Maybe I’ll catch up with some of the other series in future posts. Ed vs Spencer is a very fun show. Two roommates (and apparent friends) are given a challenge and compete each week. I’ve seen an episode where Ed and Spencer compete to see who can become more famous. Another episode has Ed and Spencer competing to see who can make the most money. Ed sells all of Spencer’s clothes and rents out his room. Spencer tried to be an illegal cabbie, but can’t find anything. It’s a great and original show. Be looking for an American knockoff any day now.