# British TV Shows That Have Been Popular In The U.S **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 11, 2023, 8:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-tv-shows-that-have-been-popular-in-the-u-s/978018 "2023-01-11T08:35:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 7
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2023, 2:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-tv-shows-that-have-been-popular-in-the-u-s/978018/121 "2023-01-13T02:52:40Z")
> [@terentii](#): > > Add Gerry Anderson’s _ **Stingray** _ to the list That wasn’t on when I was growing up. I do have the DVD set, but haven’t had a chance to watch them yet. ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2023, 2:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-tv-shows-that-have-been-popular-in-the-u-s/978018/122 "2023-01-13T02:58:00Z")
I first saw it back in the '60s. Troy Tempest was modeled after James Garner. [![](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Bs-_-YcIAAAC-y9?format=jpg&name=240x240) ](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Bs-_-YcIAAAC-y9?format=jpg&name=240x240) ---
**Author:** ![John\_W.Kennedy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_w.kennedy/32/1031_2.png) [@John\_W.Kennedy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_W.Kennedy)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2023, 2:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-tv-shows-that-have-been-popular-in-the-u-s/978018/123 "2023-01-13T02:58:24Z")
Yes, except that _Coupling_—the first two years at least—was brilliant and _Friends_ was distinctly stupid. ---
**Author:** ![Kimstu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ecd19e/32.png) [@Kimstu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimstu)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2023, 3:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-tv-shows-that-have-been-popular-in-the-u-s/978018/124 "2023-01-13T03:10:24Z")
No love for Foyle’s War? A favorite of my late mother’s, and I like it too. ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2023, 3:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-tv-shows-that-have-been-popular-in-the-u-s/978018/125 "2023-01-13T03:13:06Z")
Yes, _ **Foyle’s War** _ and _ **Danger: UXB** _. Neither one ever had a bad episode. ---
**Author:** ![John\_W.Kennedy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_w.kennedy/32/1031_2.png) [@John\_W.Kennedy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_W.Kennedy)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2023, 3:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-tv-shows-that-have-been-popular-in-the-u-s/978018/126 "2023-01-13T03:24:50Z")
Back in the 50s, there was a whole string of British historicals. _Robin Hood_, _William Tell_, _The Buccaneers_, _Sir Francis Drake_, _Ivanhoe_, _Sir Lancelot_—those are the ones I can recall. And the 60s saw the first version of _Danger Man_ (30 minutes, and John Drake was a Canadian working for NATO) and nearly the entire Supermarionation family. The whole world of “prestige” British television began with the Eric Porter version of _The Forsyth Saga_, which US networks turned down because it was in black and white, and so ended up on NET (the predecessor to PBS). _Prisoner Cell Block H_ was the US name for a series simply called _Prisoner_ in its home country of Australia. I once described _The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin_ to a friend as “Tom Stoppard’s version of _Father Knows Best_”. I believe _The Prisoner_ being sold to CBS was a necessary precondition for the show to be made at all. It was an expensive production. ---
**Author:** ![Bashorian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bashorian/32/3546_2.png) [@Bashorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bashorian)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2023, 3:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-tv-shows-that-have-been-popular-in-the-u-s/978018/127 "2023-01-13T03:28:43Z")
Was The Avengers a British show? ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2023, 3:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-tv-shows-that-have-been-popular-in-the-u-s/978018/128 "2023-01-13T03:32:29Z")
The one with John Steed and Emma Peel, yes. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/10QW3Az1FTw/maxresdefault.jpg "The Avengers TV Intro - Season 5 - 1966") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=10QW3Az1FTw) Steed had other partners through the run of the series, but Emma Peel is the one best remembered. ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2023, 3:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-tv-shows-that-have-been-popular-in-the-u-s/978018/129 "2023-01-13T03:58:25Z")
> **[The Avengers](https://theavengers.fandom.com/wiki/The_Avengers)** > > The Avengers was a British espionage television series created by film and television producer Sydney Newman, airing a total of 161 episodes from 1961 to 1969. The series primarily followed the adventures of John Steed (portrayed by Patrick Macnee),... ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2023, 4:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-tv-shows-that-have-been-popular-in-the-u-s/978018/130 "2023-01-13T04:05:18Z")
> [@Kimstu](#): > > No love for Foyle’s War? Of course. And _Vera_. > [@terentii](#): > > _ **Danger: UXB** _. I liked it, but it got repetitive. And yes, _The Avengers_. People today think of Marvel Comics when they hear ‘Avengers’. I think of John Steed and Emma Peel. ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2023, 4:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-tv-shows-that-have-been-popular-in-the-u-s/978018/131 "2023-01-13T04:19:39Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > > [@terentii](#): > > > > _ **Danger: UXB** _. > > I liked it, but it got repetitive. The best episode (IMHO) was the one where the Australian naval officer is called in to help defuse a parachute mine dropped on London by the Luftwaffe. Just as he’s about to insert the widget that will stop the detonator, it slips out of his fingers and falls into the pile of debris on the floor of the demolished flat. The timing mechanism starts whirring, and the Australian turns to Anthony Andrews and yells **“RUN!”** Andrews gets the hell out of there and runs as fast as he can, while the Australian fishes around trying to find the widget before the mine goes off and destroys the entire city block. Pure butt-clenching tension! [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/llW1o-W3G5Y/hqdefault.jpg "Danger UXB Opening Theme") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=llW1o-W3G5Y) ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2023, 4:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-tv-shows-that-have-been-popular-in-the-u-s/978018/132 "2023-01-13T04:47:53Z")
> [@terentii](#): > > My favorite was the British agent who masqueraded as a French policeman. His French was so bad the Germans would have nailed him immediately if they hadn’t been _ **Hogan’s Heroes** _-level stupid. I liked Michelle of the Resistance. “Listen very carefully, I shall say zis only once.” > [@Acsenray](#): > > One Foot in the Grave Possibly the best final episode, ever. ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2023, 4:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-tv-shows-that-have-been-popular-in-the-u-s/978018/133 "2023-01-13T04:52:30Z")
> [@Robot\_Arm](#): > > “Listen very carefully, I shall say zis only once.” _“'Allo, 'allo. Zis ees Nighthawk. Do you hear me?”_ _“ **Of course** I hear you!”_ ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2023, 6:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-tv-shows-that-have-been-popular-in-the-u-s/978018/134 "2023-01-13T06:01:11Z")
Aah! Ze flashing knobs! [![](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Fgq5X5nXgAADgBi.jpg) ](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Fgq5X5nXgAADgBi.jpg) Unlike other Lloyd and Croft shows, **'Allo 'Allo** was actually a direct parody of an earlier drama series called _[Secret Army](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Secret_Army_(TV_series))_, about a Cafe owner who was harbouring Allied Airmen, assisting the Resistance against the German occupation. ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2023, 8:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-tv-shows-that-have-been-popular-in-the-u-s/978018/135 "2023-01-13T08:23:18Z")
> [@GuanoLad](#): > > Unlike other Lloyd and Croft shows, **'Allo 'Allo** was actually a direct parody of an earlier drama series called _[Secret Army](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Secret_Army_(TV_series))_, about a Cafe owner who was harbouring Allied Airmen, assisting the Resistance against the German occupation. Did he have a Madonna with big boobies? 🤨 ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2023, 8:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-tv-shows-that-have-been-popular-in-the-u-s/978018/136 "2023-01-13T08:29:21Z")
> [@Acsenray](#): > > I really liked the Clive Anderson version, although it took a few episodes to hit its stride. When it had celebrities like Jonathan Pryce or George Wendt, it didn’t work. Funny you should mention George Wendt. He was the murderer in tonight’s episode of _ **Columbo** _. Just sayin’. ---
**Author:** ![PatrickLondon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/patricklondon/32/4422_2.png) [@PatrickLondon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PatrickLondon)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2023, 8:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-tv-shows-that-have-been-popular-in-the-u-s/978018/137 "2023-01-13T08:33:00Z")
> [@GuanoLad](#): > > Unlike other Lloyd and Croft shows, **'Allo 'Allo** was actually a direct parody of an earlier drama series Actually, Lloyd and Croft slipped in gags from, and references to, other shows and movies into several of their shows. They’re re-running a lot on various archive channels over here at the moment, and even now I’m noticing new ones: Mainwaring in **Dad’s Army** , when someone points out an obvious flaw in some plan of his: “I was wondering who"d be the first to spot that” (straight from _Whisky Galore_) One entire episode of **Are You Being Served** works up to the pantomime favourite paperhangers’ sketch. In **Allo! Allo!** , various bits of business are distinctly reminiscent of an old movie called [Secret Mission](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Secret_Mission), plus the episodes riffing on 1950s POW camp movies. And one I noticed just the other day: Yvette buys herself a new hat with feathers, which tickle René’s nose into a sneeze as she moves her head - straight out of Jacques Tati’s **M. Hulot’s Holiday**. ---
**Author:** ![Reeses\_Monkey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/reeses_monkey/32/2885_2.png) [@Reeses\_Monkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reeses_Monkey)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2023, 8:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-tv-shows-that-have-been-popular-in-the-u-s/978018/138 "2023-01-13T08:53:41Z")
I found out recently that Entwistle in **Last of the Summer Wine** was played by Bert Kwouk. You may know him better as Cato from the Pink Panther movies. ---
**Author:** ![K364](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/k364/32/5_2.png) [@K364](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/K364)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2023, 9:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-tv-shows-that-have-been-popular-in-the-u-s/978018/139 "2023-01-13T09:58:25Z")
Let’s not forget _Up Pompeii!_ starring Frankie Howerd. ---
**Author:** ![Slow\_Moving\_Vehicle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slow_moving_vehicle/32/291_2.png) [@Slow\_Moving\_Vehicle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slow_Moving_Vehicle)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2023, 12:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-tv-shows-that-have-been-popular-in-the-u-s/978018/140 "2023-01-13T12:02:23Z")
> [@John\_W.Kennedy](#): > > Yes, except that _Coupling_—the first two years at least—was brilliant and _Friends_ was distinctly stupid Nevertheless, _Friends_ came first. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-tv-shows-that-have-been-popular-in-the-u-s/978018.md?page=6) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-tv-shows-that-have-been-popular-in-the-u-s/978018.md?page=8)