I'd never watched the show before. I don't know why.
I watched the marathon. I liked it. But also thought "That girl would not be the lead in an American tv show. She's normal sized."
Then I started thinking about Jean's daughter Judy on "As time goes by". She's normal sized too.
Then I started thinking about the size and age of all of the main characters on the PBS shows I watch that are British imports.
They have what looks like a cast of Real People.
On "As time goes by" there are Jean and Lionel who are two people "of a certain age". Would there be 2 50somethings as leads on an American show? No. If there was an older man, (because they never have older women, do they???) then his love interest would be some pretty young thing. And she'd be a size 0 with D cup fake boobs.
The whole cast of "Keeping up appearances" is 'older'. The only 20 something we see are Daisy's occasional ToyBoys. (Kudos on that, BTW.)
This might be why I like the British shows I see. I don't become distracted by "My God, she looks sooooooooooooo anorexic. I bet if she fell down she'd break a few bones."
Plus they're smarter, in general.
American comedy, if you can call it that, is all slapstick. That's not funny to me. But I love a good play on words. :-)
That's probably why I like House and Raines so much. And why I liked Studio 60. You have to pay attention if you want to get all the jokes in those shows.
I wish American audiences wanted to see Real People on their shows. Or maybe we do, but the producers don't believe we'd be okay with Real People.
Not everyone has big fake boobs.
Not everyone is a size 0.
Not every older man has a 20something girlfriend.
Not everyone appreciates Three Stooges "humor".
Don't get me wrong, it has it's place, but that shouldn't be ALL we see.
Which is why I've reluctantly turned into an Anglophile. (Look it up)
I wish I could admire more things about American entertainment... :-(
I blame Ally McBeal for all the anorexic bitches in Hollywood. And Pamela Anderson for all the fake breasts.
And all the women who follow along with this trend.
Are American men going out and getting 6 packs for us??? NO. Some of them try to look like The Rock. But most of them have saggy bellies and bad hair.
Will the look of American TV ever change???
*sigh*
And while I'm complaining, why don't they show "Absolutely Fabulous" on PBS (LMAO! I can't even imagine) or Oxygen??? They used to have it on Oxygen. Or one of those chick networks... I miss AbFab.
I * love * Judi Dench. Actually, my mother would look like her if she lost some weight and got a stylish haircut! ;)
ReplyDeleteTo give you an idea what the American market seems to demand, when Men behaving badly was exported to the states the main characters were given job promotions, more regular features, better hair, smarter clothes, more glamourous girlfriends, more up-market houses and lifestyles and santized langauge, bathrooms and kitchens!
ReplyDeleteIt's because English humour relies much more on embarasement than American humour does. We prefer the Anti-hero where as it seems the American public prefer boobs.