Finally, something good on tv.

[patchoulli]

I had the cable company cut off my television three weeks ago and I couldn't be happier because I've found two fantastic tv series on Netflix. Downton Abbey is great, the clothes are gorgeous as well as the scenery, and the storyline keeps me coming back.
But I have absolutely fallen in love with "Doc Martin", a story about a quirky gp and the equally quirky townfolk he treats. The story is set in Portwenn, England. I believe it is actually Port Isaac in real life, is that correct Peltigera, Joethree?
I want to live there! I am madly in love with the scenery, the cobblestone streets, the window boxes and of course all the residents. The doc himself is just too funny.
Anyone else seen these two excellent PBS shows?
I never knew what I was missing when I was depending on cable tv. We just recently got PBS as a station in our basic package and although I used to watch PBS a lot before we moved to this burg, I hadn't had the chance to in a long time. I only watch about an hour of tv a day and usually none on the weekends so when I do watch I want something good.
These two shows fit the bill perfectly.

[joethree56]

It is indeed Port Isaac (my son spent his honeymoon there 25 years ago). This area is Peltigera's home stomping ground. I am not a fan of either program but they are/were popular. Welcome to Brit. TV even if you do get it when it is approaching its 'fresh before' date. Our radio on the other hand is available live as is the huge BBC website and its resources give 'em a browse.

[patchoulli]

I've been checking out the BBC website on a just-about-daily basis since you or Peltigera suggested it. It's a good place to go when I want a reality check against US news. Been listening to segments on BBC radio since in my twenties (a LONG time ago!).

[Peltigera]

Indeed, Port Isaac is close to where I was brought up. Doc Martin was fairly funny when it first started - but the idea soon wore thin. And the accents make me cringe - generic "Westcountry" accents rather than Cornish. Imagine, if you will, Joe, a programme set in the Derbyshire Dales with the "Northern" accents being taken from Manchester and Newcastle.

[firefly]

I'm in Southeastern US, and the cable tv doesn't carry any of those wonderful British comedies I used to love so much. It's all cartoons.

The worst thing is that, in the last two cities I lived in for fifteen years, the
BBC radio, which is usually carried on the Public Broadcasting Service, has a couple of very, very powerful privately owned religious stations and they've apparently got higher wattage, or whatever it's called, and those religious stations completely drown out the BBC.

When I lived in New Orleans, I used to go to sleep listening to the BBC. I had several wonderful, one of a kind, entertainments by way of the BBC. One was the ability to actually listen to a large group of Zulus sing. I had read in National Geo that Zulus sang a lot and beautifully. I never thought there would be a way a person as limited as myself could ever have the experience of actually experiencing that kind of performance. I had looked for African music in the record stores, but no luck. One night, about two o'clock in the morning, I was listening to some program on BBC and they said they were going to play some Zulus singing. I got to hear it, and I am thankful that I had the opportunity. Who would think of Zulus as "singers" when their ferocity as warriors has always been the way they are known.

Are all of the old British comedy things, the Monty Python era type of thing, gone from the broadcasting on British tv? I never missed Fawlty Towers, Are You Being Served, Waiting for God, and Keeping Up Appearances.

But the southeastern section of the country can't seem to understand the Brit accent on those comedy show, and the religious have a political ax to grind against anything European. Particularly if they have some very wealthy religious communities that can blast the airwaves with Bible readings and singing the praises 24/365/

I wish I could afford whatever kind of radio it is that you can hear stations all over the world.

Sorry for inserting this whine in if it is off topic, but I really feel deprived being denied British Comedy and the BBC.

ff

[patchoulli]

You aren't whining, firefly - you have a legitimate complaint. I know exactly what you mean about the religious stations. We have around six here and one other was replaced, finally, by PBS.
When I ditched cable tv, I signed up for Netflix and am still in my one free month. To watch some movies (you can pay more and have access to even more movies and newer ones) and some tv shows (without commercials!!) it will be only $7.99 a month after the free month. That's where I found Downton Abbey and Doc Martin. I watch on my laptop.
Why don't you try that Firefly? Even if you just want the free month you could watch all the Downton Abbeys and Doc Martins up to this season. They're excellent.
My mom says she is once again watching old re-runs (really old) of "Keeping Up Appearances". She loved "Last Of The Summer Wine", too.
I also got hooked on "The Big Bang Theory" and watch it on CBS or through Hulu. Also on my laptop. That's the best American tv I've seen in years.

[joethree56]

I am delighted that you like our Comedy TV programs but it is frustrating that you seem to only be able to access comedy as there is some very other good stuff put out too. However radio is yours for the taking via the internet www.bbc.co.uk/ and away you go. If you like light classical music then classic FM is not too bad as a commercial stations go (the ads are inane).
My dream is of a world where all of us can access the media output of all countries (I know I am a dreamer). Only in such circumstance would we we begin to understand our neighbours in the world village.

[wheelspinner]

I couldn't agree with you more Joe. I really enjoy reading about US culture and politics through the various portals available, such as NPR. It would be great if all countries could open up such portals to all comers - it can only benefit us all.

[patchoulli]

NPR is all I listen to on my car radio, two hours a day, since everything else is mostly commercials by the score. I get all my news from the internet and NPR (which doesn't seem nearly as "left" as it used to be nor as in-depth as it should be) and have for several years. Al Jazeera (via the internet) is now available in the US which imo is the best in news reporting.
For me, television is pure entertainment (or it was when I had it) and not to be counted on for anything too "deep". American tv sucks. Commercials take up bigger and bigger chunks of programming every year and the shows are just horrendous. Cable channels such as The History Channel, The Learning Channel, PBS, The Discovery Channel do a good job of showing intelligent, informational programs. But again, the commercials destroy any continuity and my attention span won't let me sit there for fifteen minutes waiting to get back to the program. Cable tv, when it first started in the US, was a joy because it was almost commercial-free. That was one of its selling points. Unfortunately that isn't the case today.

[Brian]

Some of the BBC comedies are quite funny. I've watched some of them on my local PBS station.

[joethree56]

After I last posted here I did a bit of browsing and discovered that Brit TV is available in the USA and other places via a dedicated internet server using VPN protocals. The fees seem quite modest for what seems to be on offer. Has anyone here had any experience of any knowledge of this at all?

[patchoulli]

Here's sort of a reverse television thing. You watching us instead of the other way around. It's the BBC showing video of the tornadoes that roared through Indiana and other Ohio Valley states this past Friday. The storms were pretty vicious, killed 13 in Indiana. About 100 miles south of where I live. Sad. Especially now that everything got coated with snow last night and it's cold.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-17243173

[MacBeth]

These storms are so very terrifying. And they get worse every year - and now the tornado season seems to be almost all year long.