TV/Movies Megathread

[Barrister]

This thread's made me realise how much of an Atlantic gap there is on sitcoms - at least until the 90s maybe.

A lot of those mentioned here I've never heard of, some I think I've only heard of because of gags in Family Guy or the Simpsons (like Three's Company, I think) and some I'm aware of. But I think Mork and Mindy, Married with Children and Roseanne are the only ones I've ever actually seen/made it to UK TV.

Linear TV childhood - different world

Interesting.

I mean as part of being Canadian you either could get US tv signals, or since cable came into widespread availability by the mid-80s you'd get direct US channels from major markets, so we're completely awash in US pop culture.  We do have a side of Canadian content though that Americans are completely unaware of - in case a Canadian ever drops a Littlest Hobo reference on you.

I know there's this whole world of British TV where either the best, or the weirdest, will get picked up by someone in north america, but probably a whole ton of just average shows that I have no idea about.

Curious - what are some of the shows referenced you have no idea about?

[Sheilbh]

Only via The Simpsons, Family Guy etc:
All in the Family
Three's Company
Beverly Hillbillies
(Weirdly also Littlest Hobo too I think )

Not heard of:
Green Acres
Honeymooners
Bosom Buddies
Perfect Strangers
Laverne & Shirley

[HVC]

Honeymooners is from the 50s. If you've seen the Flintstones you've seen the honeymooners

[HVC]

On the flip side we don't get much brit shows (some are redone though) however,  I used to love Are You Being Served as a kid. Didn't get half the jokes, but I loved the gay guy and the old lady.

[Sheilbh]

Yeah that is the other odd thing - I'm always surprised with North Americans having knowledge of shows from 1970s British TV that I've never seen (normally because not politically correct, so not really broadcast here now). Like Are You Being Served or Benny Hill

As I say it's the weirdness of pre-streaming and what shows made it where. Like that English language sketch that Germans watch at New Year.

[HVC]

It was on TVO I think. Public broadcast. Probably really cheap

*edit* And you should watch it

[garbon]

Yeah my husband had never heard of Are You Being Served whereas I was like it was on PBS so one of the main things I knew about British television growing up.

[Barrister]

Only via The Simpsons, Family Guy etc:
All in the Family
Three's Company
Beverly Hillbillies
(Weirdly also Littlest Hobo too I think )

Not heard of:
Green Acres
Honeymooners
Bosom Buddies
Perfect Strangers
Laverne & Shirley

OK now I'm really curious - the Littlest Hobo crossed the pond?  That show was SO CHEAP, and so obvious CanCon fodder.  It was about a dog that had various adventures of the week.

Just to check - this show?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0p8oeiVDcx4


Otherwise on the list - the Honeymooners is an absolute classic starring Jackie Gleason, but it goes way back to the 50s I think.  As mentioned it was an obvious inspiration for the Flintstones.  I remember a pretty explicit reference to it in the second episode of Futurama.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0P84NiVGJsw

Green Acres was famous for starring Eva Gabor (sister to Zsa Zsa Gabor).  I don't think I've ever seen an episode, though the formula was pretty simple as I understand it - a wealthy NYC couple move to the country to start farming.

Laverne and Shirley was famous in it's time (It was actually a spin off from Happy Days).  Bosom Buddies and Perfect Strangers you aren't missing anything.

[Tonitrus]

Yeah, Perfect Strangers and Bosom Buddies (despite having Tom Hanks...before hitting it big) were pretty B-grade, even in their time.

Some shows are just one-season blips, or middling in ratings.  And only watch-too-much-tv nerd kids like myself remember.

I mean, who remembers Small Wonder, Mr. Belvedere, or that there was actually a Rambo saturday morning cartoon. 

[Tonitrus]

But speaking of British (kinda) TV shows...

I've heard good things about Slow Horses...but is it worth getting AppleTV for?

[frunk]

Yeah, Perfect Strangers and Bosom Buddies (despite having Tom Hanks...before hitting it big) were pretty B-grade, even in their time.

Some shows are just one-season blips, or middling in ratings.  And only watch-too-much-tv nerd kids like myself remember.

I mean, who remembers Small Wonder, Mr. Belvedere, or that there was actually a Rambo saturday morning cartoon. 

Then there are the shows that were cancelled way too quickly.

[crazy canuck]

Yeah that is the other odd thing - I'm always surprised with North Americans having knowledge of shows from 1970s British TV that I've never seen (normally because not politically correct, so not really broadcast here now). Like Are You Being Served or Benny Hill

As I say it's the weirdness of pre-streaming and what shows made it where. Like that English language sketch that Germans watch at New Year.

We got a lot of those shows on US PBS. My parents were convinced that it was all educational programming. But that is how I saw Benny Hill.

[Tonitrus]

I mostly learned Red Dwarf and Yes, Minister from our PBS. 

[Syt]

We got some of the 60s/70s shows in the late 80s/early 90s, ironically. When commercial stations in Germany really took off with 24/7 programming, but didn't the budget yet for loads of self-produced or current content, they put on old shows. MASH, Three's Company, Dragnet, CHiPs, I Dream of Jeannie, Mr Ed, Bewitched, and plenty more.

[Barrister]

I mostly learned Red Dwarf and Yes, Minister from our PBS. 

And I watched both of those shows via PBS via Canadian cable.

And I love them both.