Across the pond

I watch a lot of British television. I honestly don't know how it happened this way--it's not like I dislike American TV, it's just that...well, sometimes it feels like there's something different about British TV. Like, it's goofier. Sillier. Less determined to take itself seriously.

I'm going to blame this one mostly on my dad. An early childhood of the Marx Brothers and Monty Python left me with a desire for the ridiculous that American TV (which, incidentally, I wasn't allowed to watch) couldn't fulfill.

My current obsession with British TV I can pretty much blame on my high school friends. I've been lucky enough to have friends who have a good appreciation for the fantastic. It's resulted in a sort of downward spiral of involvement. An EXCELLENT downward spiral of involvement.

So, because I am avoiding the hundreds of pages of reading that I have to do, I'm going to list a few BBC shows that I love. HURRAH.

1.) "Blackadder": It was only a natural progression from Monty Python to "Blackadder". When I think about this now, it's a bit odd that a man would introduce his ten-year-old daughter to a show that was crass while not exactly offering the best moral guidelines for a young girl. The main character, played by Rowan Atkinson (for whom I will always have a soft spot), lied, cheated, swindled, and murdered his way to hilarious fame and fortune. It was fantastic. And it helped that he had 80's-Stephen Fry and 80's-Hugh Laurie to bumble around him like idiots.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SgbF2kChUMc

2.) "Doctor Who": I'm going to come right out and say that I have never seen any of the hundreds of original episodes of this show. My involvement with it starts with Christopher Eccleston and extends to Matt Smith, the current Doctor.

But even though my understanding of the series is so limited, it's apparent to me that if you are going to reboot a franchise, this is how you do it. You get the fantastic writer with the vision--Russell T. Davies--and add an intense actor (Christopher Eccleston) who, while he might not be in it for the long haul, brings enough energy and drive to the legendary character that he gives the show the momentum it needs to take off. Then you bring on-board the looker, the high-strung, frenetic handsome guy (David Tennant) to take the reins, and turn it into the long-standing tradition that it once was. And perhaps most importantly, you revamp the title sequence so that it kicks some serious ass. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bVUhp1t6ZHE)

"Doctor Who" is so notable for me because it's a series that you can do literally anything with. The Doctor can be played by anyone, which means it can go on forever. They can go to any planet, any time period, so there's no end of potential settings.

3.) "Torchwood": I'm going to go out on a limb and compare this to a very-much-tamer version of "True Blood." There are no vampires or werewolves--just aliens--but the show was about as fearless about sexuality and violence as could be gotten in the non-cable, post-watershed timeslot that it was allotted.

Also, in the same way that "Doctor Who" was the ideal reboot, I think that "Torchwood" is a good example of an ideal spinoff. The main character, Jack Harkness (John Barrowman), was big and brassy enough to make the leap from his original "Doctor Who" to a television show of his very own. It helped as well that Barrowman pretty much was Jack Harkness in real life.

"Torchwood" also was one of the BBC shows that I first encountered who succeeded in ruling its audience through fear. The show got through its entire first season without any major casualties, but then--KABOOM. Season 2 finale rolls around, and two of the five main characters drop like flies. Then, the final special fells another main character, leaving only two characters standing. Again, shows like "True Blood" or "Lost" are comparable here. They're also rare in that respect--most American shows are petrified of killing their main characters.

4.) "Robin Hood": Fuck "Robin Hood," man.

Okay, so there's killing off main characters in a show like "Torchwood," and then there's fucking KILLING OFF MAID MARIAN.

DON'T DO THAT.

I mean, I loved the show BEFORE they did that, anachronisms and all. But seriously dudes? Do not mess with Maid Marian.

5.) "Merlin": Yes, I have saved one of the best for last.

What's not to love about "Merlin"? I mean, yes, occasionally the show dips into the ridiculously goofy end of the spectrum (troll-two-parter, anyone?). And yes, Arthur's obtuseness is getting hilarious. And yes, I sometimes legitimately fear that Colin Morgan's ears are going to catch the wind and he is going to be blown away.

But.

IT IS SO GOOD.

As I said before, I often think that what American television lacks is joy. You get it occasionally on shows like "How I Met Your Mother"--shows that aren't afraid to go silly. But most of the time, TV over here is all about the technical. The acting, the writing, the cinematography, the directing, it's all controlled and patrolled, down to the last word.

With "Merlin," we've already got a ridiculous premise. Magic is real, legendary characters are in their late teens and early 20s, being ruled by hormones as well as enchantments. This is a show that answers the question of "What was the bromance of the ages?" with a resounding "MERLIN AND ARTHUR, OF COURSE!"

There's also a talking dragon.

I wouldn't have it any other way.