UK Dopers: What's popular on TV right now?

Thanks for the heads-up, I caught this episode. I watched the first two seasons of Apprentice UK, and I know it’s an import from the US but I prefer it to the US version.

Seems to me everyone was operating under the point of view of “how can I cover my ass in the boardroom when we lose?”, rather than “if we work together we’ll have a better chance of winning, then we don’t have to worry about the boardroom.” Nobody was willing to step up and take on any responsibility. “Okay, who’s working on this part?” Silence. “Well, then who is taking care of that?” More silence and staring at shoes. I guess they figure if they don’t do anything, then nobody can pin any blame on them for failing at their task.

Anyway, as an aside, what’s that glass, bullet-shaped building that’s almost always shown whenever there’s an aerial shot of London? For example, The Apprentice has it in the opening, and X-Factor shows it every time they’re auditioning in London.

Everyone just calls it The Gherkin, but it’s really 30 St Mary Axe.

It also used to be called the Swiss Re building but I believe Swiss Re are no longer occupying it.

Re: The Apprentice.

I appreciate that the point of programs like this is that they work to a formula, but when they become as predictable and moronic as this, it should be allowed to die a quiet death. Although the point was always moot, it is quite clear that working for the Sugar man is really not what this is about. Nor is it about, in any meaningful way, achieving the tasks they are given.

It’s about putting those loud, shouting people in close proximity and watching the sparks fly. The reason that that girl got fired this week was (as I think Lawd Alan said) because she didn’t contribute enough. I think he was talking about the task. Everyone else was, I’m sure, thinking it about her character. In this program, he who shouts loudest, lasts longest.

It used to be great. It’s now reached its sell-by date.

Shrug, didn’t they do something like that when they adapted “Queer as Folk”? I understand part of the problem with the original in that one was the age of one of the main characters, who was too young for the Americans (even though he would have been “legal” in a large part of the country).

Ah, yes, Brits are so polite. A similar building in Barcelona is known locally as The Supppository.

It’s worth noting here that “Gherkin” is a shorter form of “Erotic Gherkin”. No, I’m not kidding.

Just found this show on line. So entertaining!! Loving Maggie Smith!!

Alas, Downton Abbey has been cut by a fourth for the American audience: Downton Abbey 'downsized' for American audiences

That’s a pity.

This is rather amusing though. Why Laura Linney? Does she have a legal background?

Ah, but apparently it hasn’t been cut after all: In Defense of <i>Downton Abbey</i> (Or, Don't Believe Everything You Read)

Linney’s just a fine actress. Not a lawyer as far as I know.

There’s a new version of Upstairs Downstairs been on over the Christmas period. It’s a continuation of the 1970s show. It stars Keeley Hawes swoons forever

The new BBC detective miniseries, Zen, is pretty good. It stars Rufus Sewell as Aurelio Zen, an Italian detective working in Rome. The episodes are 1.5 hours long, and IIRC, there’s only three of them (with two already been broadcast).

He was 15, not legal in the UK or US now or then - but the older man didn’t know he was so young.

I am shocked, shocked to learn that the Daily Mail published an inaccurate and prejudiced article about American TV viewers.

So it’s happened before, has it…?

The Daily Mail does indeed publish the occasional inaccurate and prejudiced article, but it probably only happens two or three times a page.

The first two seasons were on BBC America.