# Even yet more questions about UK TV **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 2, 2003, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/even-yet-more-questions-about-uk-tv/152336 "2003-02-02T19:24:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2003, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/even-yet-more-questions-about-uk-tv/152336/1 "2003-02-02T19:24:16Z")
The title says it all: 1. When the end credits roll, is there a voice over telling you what’s next? or, worse yet, does the screen squeeze to one side and the news people come on? 2. Speaking of news, do UK news programs follow the same pattern as US shows (news, weather, and then sports)? Do you have local news shows for each town? are they as bad as some US local news personalities? 3. Is there an equivalent of a “State of the Union” address? 4. Do you have reruns? I know a lot of UK shows have very short runs (compared to US shows). 5. What’s the worst UK-version of a US show and vice-versa? 6. How much US programming is available? is there a backlash against it? Thanks! ---
**Author:** ![Francesca](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/9fc348/32.png) [@Francesca](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Francesca)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2003, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/even-yet-more-questions-about-uk-tv/152336/2 "2003-02-02T20:33:47Z")
1. There didn’t used to be, but increasingly the announcers now talk over the credits. The squeezing-to-one-side I’ve only seen on children’s TV so far but I have a creeping fear it’ll make its way into adult programming too. 2. The national news generally goes: Headlines, more in-depth analysis, human interest piece, sport, weather. There are local news programs, frequently run straight after the national news. They’re not for towns, more like regions. London has its own news, then areas like The West Country, Wales, Yorkshire, East Anglia. County news rather than town. I have no idea if they’re as bad as some US local news programmes, but they can be pretty dire. 3. Not really. Our Tony pops up and holds press conferences but there’s not really a scheduled Address. Unless you count the Queen’s speech at the opening of parliament each year where it’s announced what Bills will be put forward and what issues are going to be looked at in that parliamentary session. Oh, and there’s the budget speech. Where the chancellor explains how we’re all doing financially and how much more the price of fags and booze are going to be. 1. Yes, we have repeats. UK shows and US shows are repeated. Mainly sitcoms. Friends gets a lot of repeats. At the moment we’re having a glut of Columbo repeats. It’s fabulous. But that’s because I love Columbo. 2. I’m not really sure. There was once an attempt to make a UK version of The Golden Girls called Brighton Belles. It was appallingly bad and axed after one series. A US version of a UK show? I shudder to think what the oft-proposed US version of Absolutely Fabulous would be like. 3. Loads. Mainly US sitcoms. Friends, as I said, and Frasier and Will & Grace. That sort of thing. Increasingly US-made documentaries are being shown here with a British voice-over. You can tell they’re American documentaries because they’re called “When trees attack!” or somesuch 😉 Happy to answer your questions if there are more. ---
**Author:** ![Tuco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/46a35a/32.png) [@Tuco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuco)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2003, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/even-yet-more-questions-about-uk-tv/152336/3 "2003-02-02T20:41:44Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Mr. Blue Sky \* > The title says it all: > > 1. When the end credits roll, is there a voice over telling you what’s next? or, worse yet, does the screen squeeze to one side and the news people come on? On some channels it does (notably Sky One), but I _think_ all the free ones just play the credits, especially if there’s still stuff going on (eg. saying what’s on the show next week, a funny scene/song, etc.) > [@](#): > > 1. Speaking of news, do UK news programs follow the same pattern as US shows (news, weather, and then sports)? Do you have local news shows for each town? are they as bad as some US local news personalities? UK news shows are normally news, sports, then weather. We have local news for each ‘region’, there are about 6/7 of these. Sorry, I have no idea how they compare to US personalities, but they seem competent news readers on the whole. > [@](#): > > 1. Is there an equivalent of a “State of the Union” address? I’m not overly sure what this is, but if by ‘State of the Union’ address you mean a televised report from the head of state, then we only have the Queen’s Christmas message. > [@](#): > > 1. Do you have reruns? I know a lot of UK shows have very short runs (compared to US shows). There are a LOT of re-runs (we call them repeats), but a lot of the free channels shpw new stuff as much as possible, in fact IIRC the regulatory body for overseeing TV output has stated how much ouput has to be original for some channels. > [@](#): > > 1. What’s the worst UK-version of a US show and vice-versa? We just get the US versions of the shows and get confused when they talk about their pants. As for worst US version of a UK show, I heard that the US version of Men Behaving Badly was dire, and I once saw the US pilot for Red Dwarf, :shudder:, it was sacrilige - ‘I can only touch myself, it hasn’t changed my sex life’. > [@](#): > > 1. How much US programming is available? is there a backlash against it? We get Friends, Scrubs, Angel, Buffy, Frasier, Simpson, Futurama, etc., there’s not really a backlash against it, but some people refuse to watch imported shows, but I’m sure that’ll be the same in the US. > [@](#): > > Thanks! No problem. ---
**Author:** ![Crusoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/49beb7/32.png) [@Crusoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crusoe)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2003, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/even-yet-more-questions-about-uk-tv/152336/4 "2003-02-02T20:46:03Z")
1. I would have said this is less common. The BBC is planning to axe continuity announcers this year. Certain channels do certainly do this, and for some shows too – e.g. where a new show is about to start, or where there’s an extended break in a film due to a news bulletin. 2. Pretty much the same. Local news, local sport, local weather. There’s not really much in the way of personalities, mind you – most TV news presenters aren’t nearly as famous as their US equivalents, local or national. 3. Nope. The Queen’s Christmas speech is the nearest equivalent, but it’s usually pretty apolitical and neutral, and in my experience not exactly required viewing (shown on one channel). Put it this way, Channel 4 shows an alternative speech that usually rates similarly highly, and last Christmas it was given by Sharon Osbourne. 4. Yes, lots, although since the uptake of cable and digital TV less so than I remember; cable/digital channels often specialise in re-runs (called repeats over here). 5. The worst? Easy. Russ Abbott, one of the unfunniest people in living memory, tried remaking “Married With Children”. Awful; lasted about two episodes. The British version of “That '70s Show” wasn’t much better. 6. Huge amounts. Often on Murdoch’s Sky One channel, and with the odd flagship shows heavily bartered over (e.g. The Simpsons, Friends, The Sopranos and so on). Most standard network channels are pretty balanced, though, so there’s no real backlash. ---
**Author:** ![Loneraven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c0e974/32.png) [@Loneraven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loneraven)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2003, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/even-yet-more-questions-about-uk-tv/152336/5 "2003-02-02T21:01:47Z")
_1. When the end credits roll, is there a voice over telling you what’s next? or, worse yet, does the screen squeeze to one side and the news people come on?_ Sometimes, is all I can say. On Sky One, there always is, but the screen hardly ever squeezes in one corner. I hate that, too! The BBC are good about this, as are Channel 4. _2. Speaking of news, do UK news programs follow the same pattern as US shows (news, weather, and then sports)? Do you have local news shows for each town? are they as bad as some US local news personalities?_ It’s news, sports, then weather. We have local programmes for different regions… ie, up here we have the news in the Northwest. The presenters have their own personalities but they’re not bad/annoying. The BBC in particular wouldn’t allow it. _3. Is there an equivalent of a “State of the Union” address?_ Just the Queen’s speech, as said before. But I haven’t seen one for years, and they’re certainly not political. \*i4. Do you have reruns? I know a lot of UK shows have very short runs (compared to US shows). \* Oh, God, yes. The only show I feel I really have the time to watch lately is M_A_S\*H. That should tell you something! _5. What’s the worst UK-version of a US show and vice-versa?_ I don’t know about the first one, but the US version of the Weakest Link really annoyed me. Oh, yes, to take it to America, inflate the main prize a hundredfold… _6. How much US programming is available? is there a backlash against it?_ There’s a whole load of it, don’t worry. I generally watch Friends, Frasier, M_A_S\*H, Will and Grace, and a few more… But then there’s great British shows, too. Was watching Last of the Summer Wine this afternoon… I’m off to watch the Sixth Sense now… BBC 1, nine o’clock… ---
**Author:** ![Tuco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/46a35a/32.png) [@Tuco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuco)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2003, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/even-yet-more-questions-about-uk-tv/152336/6 "2003-02-02T21:16:27Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Loneraven \* > **I don’t know about the first one, but the US version of the Weakest Link really annoyed me. Oh, yes, to take it to America, inflate the main prize a hundredfold…** Not as funny as the legal bits the US version has on the end of it 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Futile\_Gesture](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/f05b48/32.png) [@Futile\_Gesture](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Futile_Gesture)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2003, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/even-yet-more-questions-about-uk-tv/152336/7 "2003-02-02T22:32:38Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Mr. Blue Sky \* > **1. When the end credits roll, is there a voice over telling you what’s next? or, worse yet, does the screen squeeze to one side and the news people come on?** This is a new thing that is becoming quite common. Kids TV especially, they shrink the credits into one corner so that some idiot can appear, assure you that what you were just watching was “wicked” and shout at you about how great the next programme is. > [@](#): > > **2. Speaking of news, do UK news programs follow the same pattern as US shows (news, weather, and then sports)? Do you have local news shows for each town? are they as bad as some US local news personalities?** Maybe not so local to the degree you get in the US. (We still read papers here :)) But there is regional news. This can be boring and trivial, but I guess it’s supposed to be. > [@](#): > > **3. Is there an equivalent of a “State of the Union” address?** Nope. Nearest I can think of is Liz’s waffle each Christmas day that you’d have to pay me good money to watch, > [@](#): > > \*\*4. Do you have reruns? I know a lot of UK shows have very short runs (compared to US shows). \*\* Repeats are always with us. > [@](#): > > **5. What’s the worst UK-version of a US show and vice-versa?** There are very few UK versions of US shows made. If the show is any good the US version will have already been shown. On the other hand, history is littered with crippled US clones of UK shows. The differences between US and UK humour often means that by the time the comedy has been mainstream Americanised they’ve remove everything that made it funny in the first place. > [@](#): > > **6. How much US programming is available? is there a backlash against it?** Some of the lesser TV channels would show 24 hour a day American content if they could get away with it. There’s a plentiful supply and it’s cheaper than making your own. Fortunately in the larger channels there’s regulations about these things. There was a bit of a fuss not so long ago about the number of mediocre American children’s cartoons getting shown. (Dirt cheap, lacking in any educational qualities) The TV regulators, who handle the licensing of the channels, demanded more home-grown content using real people. The relaunch of BBC 3 (currently known as BBC Choice) was also only agreeded to if it did not use any foreign (i.e. US) content. It was feared that the channel would square up as a direct challenger to the E4 channel (same target audience). E4 depends on a number of high profile American imports (Friends, ER etc) and didn’t want to be bidding against BBC3 for the rights to programmes like this. The spin on this fed to the public concentrates on “quality British programming” rather than US pap. But the concerns were more about monopoly behaviour rather than a dislike of US TV shows. ---
**Author:** ![Francesca](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/9fc348/32.png) [@Francesca](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Francesca)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2003, 11:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/even-yet-more-questions-about-uk-tv/152336/8 "2003-02-02T23:12:12Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Loneraven \* > Was watching Last of the Summer Wine this afternoon… You poor, poor man. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2003, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/even-yet-more-questions-about-uk-tv/152336/9 "2003-02-02T23:21:11Z")
How do Brits react to such short runs of their favorite shows? Do you say to yourself, “I sure wish they’d make a couple hundred more episodes of _Red Dwarf_”? Or do you accept that the show has run its course and are happy it hasn’t been run into the ground.? Side note: What are the longest running British-produced shows? Is there a book covering British TV shows? ---
**Author:** ![Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tapioca_Dextrin)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2003, 11:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/even-yet-more-questions-about-uk-tv/152336/10 "2003-02-02T23:29:41Z")
Longest running: Dr Who was what? 21 years? Coronation Street is 30 years or so ---
**Author:** ![Francesca](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/9fc348/32.png) [@Francesca](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Francesca)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2003, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/even-yet-more-questions-about-uk-tv/152336/11 "2003-02-02T23:40:43Z")
I’m happy that most of the really good programmes (Fawlty Towers, The Office, The Book Group) have short runs. It means they’re not diluting the shows or trying to stretch them out for too long. You get concentrated humour, rather than episode after episode of the same gag. I think it’s good when shows know when to bow out in a timely fashion rather than drag things out. I can’t imagine a series of 24 episodes of Fawlty Towers, for example. By the 20th programme it would’ve been tiresome. Instead, we have 12 well-crafted and timeless programmes. I think there were something like 6 or 7 series of Red Dwarf. That’s loads. I’m a fan and I haven’t seen every episode yet. Dr Who and Coronation Street are really a different kind of thing. Corrie is a soap and soaps have a much longer shelf life than sitcoms. Same with Dr Who - new doctors every now and then meant it could be extended without becoming tired. ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2003, 11:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/even-yet-more-questions-about-uk-tv/152336/12 "2003-02-02T23:50:53Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Mr. Blue Sky \* I haven’t read anyone else’s replies coz I’m lazy so forgive me for repetition. > [@](#): > > **1. When the end credits roll, is there a voice over telling you what’s next? or, worse yet, does the screen squeeze to one side and the news people come on?** The voiceover’s been with us for many years. The screen-squeezing has just arrived in the past 2 years, particularly on ITV, but without newspeople. > [@](#): > > **2. Speaking of news, do UK news programs follow the same pattern as US shows (news, weather, and then sports)? Do you have local news shows for each town? are they as bad as some US local news personalities?** News, sports, weather. The local stuff is more separated out, and only at certain parts of the day. Here in the Republic of Ireland, we get UK TV on cable, and in that we get the Northern Irish local news, which is usually very parochial and depressing. > [@](#): > > **3. Is there an equivalent of a “State of the Union” address?** There’s the Queen’s Speech on Christmas Day, which doesn’t mean shit to anyone I know. > [@](#): > > \*\*4. Do you have reruns? I know a lot of UK shows have very short runs (compared to US shows). \*\* Yes, tons (I was reading the other day that 60% of BBC2’s output is reruns, IIRC) and though most of them are rubbish, there are enough gems to make it worthwhile. Actually, when a program is particularly good (e.g. The Office) I breathe a sigh of relief when I hear they’re not going to do another series. Keeps it pure. > [@](#): > > **5. What’s the worst UK-version of a US show and vice-versa?** Married With Children UK version with Russ Abbot wins hands down. Absolutely appalling. The other way round? Can’t think of many that have gone the other way, sitcom-wise. If the US ever remade The Office or Fawlty Towers, I’d commit sepuku. > [@](#): > > **6. How much US programming is available? is there a backlash against it?** A huge amount, but most of it is pretty good. ER, Buffy, Alias, X-Files, COPS, Animals Do the Funniest Things (tell me why they haven’t euthanised the presenter yer), Fear Factor, all those Star Trek things, etc. etc. I don’t watch many of them personally. I love Seinfeld, and my wife loves Friends, I’ve occasionally seen Drew Carey and enjoyed it a bit. There’s also a load of dross that purchasers are obliged to buy when they get the good stuff that goes out in the small hours of the night, but I never see that. > [@](#): > > \*\*Thanks! \*\* You’re welcome. ---
**Author:** ![Futile\_Gesture](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/f05b48/32.png) [@Futile\_Gesture](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Futile_Gesture)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2003, 11:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/even-yet-more-questions-about-uk-tv/152336/13 "2003-02-02T23:51:06Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Mr. Blue Sky \* > \*\*How do Brits react to such short runs of their favorite shows? > > Do you say to yourself, “I sure wish they’d make a couple hundred more episodes of _Red Dwarf_”? Or do you accept that the show has run its course and are happy it hasn’t been run into the ground.?\*\* It’s just the way it is. The thing about British comedy programmes is that because they’re written by either one, two or three writers at most their direction tends to be much more focused. There’s little tendancy to become run away monsters written by committees of gag writers who have lost sight of the show’s origins. _Red Dwarf_, btw, is a bad example. It **was** run into the ground. It went on for two series beyond its natural life. Consequently series 6 & 7 go from poor to dire. > [@](#): > > \*\*Side note: What are the longest running British-produced shows? Is there a book covering British TV shows? \*\* The longest running comedies is the afore-mentioned “Last Of The Summer Wine”. IMHO this is an awful two joke travesty, the popularity of which totally escapes me. Somehow its managed to stretch those two jokes out for something like 25 series and nearly 30 years. Please, someone, sometime must be considering a mercy killing. The other long-running programme I can think of is “Only Fools And Horses”. It had the advantage of occasionally being very funny. It keeps having “the final episode special”, then coming back a couple of years later for “one last time”. Naturally it gets less funny each time. Don’t know about a book, but a good web site is: [http://www.phill.co.uk/comedy/index.html](http://www.phill.co.uk/comedy/index.html) ---
**Author:** ![everton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ecb155/32.png) [@everton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/everton)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2003, 12:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/even-yet-more-questions-about-uk-tv/152336/14 "2003-02-03T00:02:07Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Mr. Blue Sky \* > How do Brits react to such short runs of their favorite shows? > > Do you say to yourself, “I sure wish they’d make a couple hundred more episodes of _Red Dwarf_”? Or do you accept that the show has run its course and are happy it hasn’t been run into the ground.? That obviously depends on personal opinion, so I doubt you’ll get a consensus view. I suspect most people are sorry when their favourite show isn’t made any more but understand why and accept it. > [@](#): > > Side note: What are the longest running British-produced shows? Is there a book covering British TV shows? [_The Sky At Night_](http://www.bbc.co.uk/science/space/spaceguide/skyatnight/index.shtml) – a show for amateur astronomy enthusiasts that explains what you can expect to see during the forthcoming month and gives general information for space nerds. It has been shown once per month, every month, since April 1957 and every programme has been presented by Sir Patrick Moore, which I believe is a world record (no _Guinness Book of Records_ to hand). [_Coronation Street_](http://www.coronationstreet.co.uk/) – a soap opera. It was first broadcast on 8 December 1960. Currently shows five episodes per week. ---
**Author:** ![Jabba](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/b5e925/32.png) [@Jabba](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jabba)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2003, 12:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/even-yet-more-questions-about-uk-tv/152336/15 "2003-02-03T00:17:25Z")
Since the factual questions have been clearly answered, I’ll stick to the opinion questions: 5) Actually, my views on this one have been anticipated: our versions of _Golden Girls_ and _Married With Children_ were execrable. 1. From a critical point of view, there has been the opposite of a backlash. It has become a truism to declare that the best drama series on British TV are _The Sopranos_, _Six Feet Under_ and _The West Wing_. With sitcoms, the situation is slightly different. For example, people will say that we have no British equivalent of _The Simpsons_, _Frasier_, _Friends_ ( while it was still good) or, going back a bit, _Seinfeld_ and _The Larry Sanders Show_ ( which was compared to a Jacobean drama by _The Economist_). But equally, there are no US equivalents of _The Office_, _The Royle Family_, _I’m Alan Partridge_, _Fawlty Towers_ or _Blackadder_. In comedy, the general view, which I would strongly endorse, is that there are two very strong, but very different, traditions. ---
**Author:** ![Ximenean](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/aca169/32.png) [@Ximenean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ximenean)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2003, 12:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/even-yet-more-questions-about-uk-tv/152336/16 "2003-02-03T00:26:54Z")
They did make a US _Fawlty Towers_, called _Payne_. It was - surprise - not very good. Regarding British versions of US progs, there are/were several game shows - Wheel Of Fortune, The Price Is Right, Jeopardy, and probably a few more that I’ve thankfully forgotten. ---
**Author:** ![Ximenean](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/aca169/32.png) [@Ximenean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ximenean)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2003, 12:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/even-yet-more-questions-about-uk-tv/152336/17 "2003-02-03T00:30:52Z")
Oh yeah, and as far as the worst UK version goes, _Survivor_ (which I understand was a huge hit in the States) absolutely bombed over here. From what I saw of it, it actually looked OK, but it was up against the incredibly popular _Big Brother_. ---
**Author:** ![everton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ecb155/32.png) [@everton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/everton)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2003, 12:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/even-yet-more-questions-about-uk-tv/152336/18 "2003-02-03T00:44:09Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by jjimm \* > …Can’t think of many that have gone the other way, sitcom-wise. If the US ever remade The Office or Fawlty Towers, I’d commit sepuku. Careful with that knife, **jjimm** , but CBS did make [a version of Fawlty Towers](http://www.holecity.com/rage/tvhole_f.html). Having seen it once I’d say that slitting your guts open might be marginally preferable. [Apparently some people liked it though](http://www.s-t.com/daily/03-99/03-15-99/c02ae087.htm). No accounting for taste is there? ---
**Author:** ![London\_Calling](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@London\_Calling](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/London_Calling)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2003, 12:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/even-yet-more-questions-about-uk-tv/152336/19 "2003-02-03T00:58:46Z")
Five months without a teevee… this still feels radical. For my next trick I intend going to Stockholm and shying away from blondes… ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2003, 1:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/even-yet-more-questions-about-uk-tv/152336/20 "2003-02-03T01:38:34Z")
One example of why US networks should leave Britcoms alone: “Reggie” starring Richard Mulligan in a pathetic attempt to recreate the hilarious _Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin_. After six really not good episodes, it was cancelled. I don’t think they actually watched the original, just read a brief synopsis. I was grateful there was no attempt to copy _The Good Life_ (one of my favorites). [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/even-yet-more-questions-about-uk-tv/152336.md?page=2)