American Reacts to "Television: UK vs. USA"

[@petereastwood1]

Watching a drama or documentary on the BBC is a bit like going to see a movie at the cinema. No interruptions or adverts.

[@highbloodsugar9]

Jay Forman is a hero!! He's pretty bang on with everything he says.

[@davidjones332]

He's pig-ignorant if he thinks panel shows started in the 1980s. They've been going almost as long as there's been TV, many being derived from radio panel shows that went back to the '30s. Even I can remember Juke Box Jury in the 1950s!

[@annedunne4526]

The English guy makes some good points but he's too young to know how far back panel shows go.

[@cmlemmus494]

@@davidjones332 He's not outright wrong, just conflating two things. Panel shows have been around since the 40s, but the modern quiz/points-style panel show is indeed traceable to HIGNFY and other shows in the 90s. And since that's what 90% of modern panel shows are, he's not wrong to say that panel shows -- as they are understood in Britain today -- got their start in the 90s.

[@saddamhussein8489]

@@davidjones332 two oldies clearly up their own arses about panel shows of all things. Why does old age make people so sensitive about the smallest things? Is it because they have nothing better to do than go online and pine over their youth?

[@iclaudius2534]

@@davidjones332 First fly-on-the-wall tv reality show was 'the family' 1970's, he forgot to look it up, there were others after that but the one I remember we had from America later on was 'The Osbornes' these preceded Big Brother, although, its format was different.

[@leanne7243]

That was incredibly interesting to watch, yes do part 2! This lads analysis is spot on IMO

[@smd1uk]

The best show in the UK is ‘The Repair Shop’ where a group of expert craftspeople fix broken items that the public bring in. Sounds a bit dull but it’s brilliant.

[@2eleven48]

...Especially when it featured French and Saunders, and Judi Dench for Red Nose Day.

[@gabbymcclymont4167]

I love The Repair Shop, they fix all sorts of things. They fixed a pocket watch owned by a family from Amsterdam, the watch had been hidden in a concentration camp, it was a wonderful story. They have fixed bicycle, radios, chairs, jewellery etc. they normally fix 3 things a show and have all sorts of specialists. Such a simple but cleaver things.

[@OrganMusicYT]

Being Scottish, I can confirm that the word "cunt" can be used as a term of endearment, though there are situations where you still wouldn't say it, and it's usually only said amongst friends and family (though not your granny, never swear in front of your granny).

[@delskioffskinov]

He's describing british tv perfectly! and I loved the UK Office it's so awkward to watch at times but thats what makes great tv for us brits!

[@simonsaunders8147]

Written by a great comedian but that series grated on me. I don't 'get' it so the humour falls down for me.

[@michael_177]

The original Office deffo one of my favourite UK comedies

[@simonsaunders8147]

@@michael_177 I worked in an office that had people with diverse social (and otherwise) personality traits. I found their behaviour annoying and didn't associate with them. I guess the comedy was taking the mickey out of these sorts of things but I don't want to see what I despise on a "comedy" show. The other one that Mr Gervais did was more tolerable but I can't remember the name of it!

[@frankripley6401]

@@simonsaunders8147 Extras?

[@KathleenMc73]

The UK office shows the British nature of taking the mickey out of oneself and lauding the underdog. American sitcoms have to applaud the hardworking overachiever. If you haven't already watched the British version, I'd highly recommend you do.

[@GaryHayward]

In the UK, for shows that require audience reaction sounds, such as laughter, a miked-up audience watches either the live or pre-recorded performance. Canned laughter is rarely, if ever, used.

[@nigelwalker2668]

I was really surprised to see a rerun of the US series MASH recently, as it had a canned laughter track. When I watched it years ago it didn’t. I looked this up, and they made a canned laughter free version for export to Britain (which was much better IMHO).

[@smudger671]

@@nigelwalker2668 Agree 100% - the laughter track free MASH was so much better. I hate the laughter track!

[@pnonnymouse4840]

With covid they are using laugh tracks and for some it is obvious.

[@john-sallyshared2577]

@@nigelwalker2668 I used to love watching MASH as a teenager. Many years later I watched again and it had a laughter track. It completely changed the feel of the programme. It turned it into a show that seemed to compromise of 'one liner' gags. It completely ruined it for me.

[@christinepreston8642]

When Big Brother started it was very simple and the contestants reactions to tasks and unscripted conversations were very natural. As the years went by, it became more contrived by the production prompting scenarios and the contestants were more aware of the media exposure of it all. I much preferred the earlier seasons. I like the BBC, it isn't without fault, but some of the shows are brilliant. Ad free is bliss when you're watching a tense drama!!

[@Charlieb82]

I remember being at uni when season 3 of Big Brother was on and I was glued to it - the people were so down to earth and weren't playing up to the cameras at all. Some of the conversations they were having were really interesting and the people were "normal".

[@Neil_TheShiningMile]

Jay is spot on with his analysis. The UK is currently going though a golden age of original dramas. Over the past few years, there’s been some brilliant dramas - some of which you may know - such as The Bodyguard, Broadchurch, Happy Valley, Behind Her Eyes, The Virtues and recently The Pact. Not to mention of course Black Mirror (be it, that’s an anthology).

[@john_smith1471]

That is an old clip with Jay Foreman, the television licence is now nearly £160, you are meant to have this licence even if you dont watch any of the state broadcaster bbc programmes on top of other subscriptions, also threat of a prison sentence and fine if you don’t have a licence, Americans would never tolerate this, we read that one million people have cancelled their tv licences in the last two years.

[@alvingeurts4520]

Mock The Week from the UK, brilliant show.

[@ZosiaDabrowski]

Favourite of all time, I'm in Australia and it's where I get all my UK politics and pop culture references

[@Paul-hl8yg]

Apart from the show being politically biased & 'mocking' anything not leftist! Going against the majority vote, against Brexit. Just more leftist propaganda! 🇬🇧

[@bermudagirl50]

And QI!

[@pik-ull-deg5970]

Definitely 😊

[@sophisticat7673]

The best thing that there has ever been on the telly is, by a country mile' "Yes Minister"

[@jamesmason3348]

My favourite programme at the moment is Inside Number 9, it's a dark comedic anthology series by Steve Pemberton and Reece Sheersmith.

[@lemming9984]

never heard of it - I'll give it a go. What channel?

[@pik-ull-deg5970]

@@lemming9984 should be some on bbc i player, its pretty good, some are a bit odd !

[@lemming9984]

@@pik-ull-deg5970 Thanks, just found it on iplayer. Seems as though it'll be good.

[@pik-ull-deg5970]

@@lemming9984 🙂

[@MrMusickey]

Oh it’s so dark. I binge watch this every autumn

[@louiswillard407]

Do check out Jay Foreman too. His unfinished London series is good and more recently map men series. Just pick whatever takes your interest. Thanks again for your reaction

[@louiswillard407]

@@aldomir oh really, which one?

[@coaster_dad]

Depending where you live the BBC may not be popular. In Scotland it’s often referred to as the Biased Broadcasting Corporation. And whilst it sounds like good value, if you own a TV you HAVE TO PAY IT! Even if you don’t ever watch their content. So it’s not all great. Don’t get me wrong ads suck so that part is definitely a bonus.

[@showmoke]

The British guy on here seems to know his stuff and is pretty switched on.

[@rocketrabble6737]

You got him in one. He knows his subject and he has a very dry British wit as well.

[@clairec1267]

Horrible histories is a good children's show for you to react to

[@peterjf7723]

Indeed, I recommended Horrible Histories before on another one of his videos. In spite of being a comedy it's very historically accurate.

[@sharonlock6452]

Trouble is most of them will be blocked . It's a BBC programme.

[@clairec1267]

@@sharonlock6452 there's a you tube video about how accurate it is compared to the history channel with some clips - that may be a way to do it rather than a full episode

[@digby3618]

Children's show, yes, except every adult low-key loves it too

[@margaretnicol3423]

See if you can find a whole program of QI. There are lots of clips but they don't give the right feel for it. Still, they're better than nothing.

[@simonsaunders8147]

Ones with Stephen Fry are better than ones with the newer host of Sandi Toksvig.

[@margaretnicol3423]

@@simonsaunders8147 I love Stephen but given how difficult it was to find a replacement I don't think Sandi's a bad choice.

[@frglee]

@@margaretnicol3423 After 18 years it's hard for a panel show format not to seem samey, even if the actual content is very varied. I thought Sandi made for a nice change, and whilst she is not quite as 'encyclopaedic' as Fry, she is very warm and funny with the guests and even a bit quirky. QI is still 'quite interesting' and still very watchable.

[@simonsaunders8147]

@@margaretnicol3423 Not too bad a choice and she was an often visiting competitor.

[@KathleenMc73]

Big Brother wasn't the first reality TV here in the UK. We had a show called Castaway 2000, which began filming on Jan 1st 2000. 36 people, men, women and children, were stranded on an island and were left to fend for themselves off the land. Big Brother came about later the same year. Castaway was a true social experiment with no prize on offer, unlike BB.

[@julianbarber4708]

Castaway is why I moved to the Outer Hebrides. Ben Fogle was guest of honour at our games day, in Stornoway.

[@marcuswardle3180]

It's the BBC News that people have such strong views on and forget about all the other programmes, radio and other things. They would rather pull down the whole edifice than suggest how about reforming the bit they most griping about! (Disclaimer: My father worked for the BBC as a sound engineer. He was involved in the first broadcasts from the US to the UK).

[@antonyfox6720]

As a Scottish person here, I can confirm that the word C**t is a word used regularly. Personally it’s one of my favourite words but I am aware that it is offensive to a lot of people so I’m conscious when using it

[@bermudagirl50]

I'm afraid I'm Scottish and most definitely find it offensive.

[@Lily_The_Pink972]

​@@bermudagirl50 It's a disgusting word. Hate to hear it.

[@rocketrabble6737]

I am a massive fan of the BBC. Even if I watch very little TV these days I love radio and listen to many hours of intelligent talk, current affairs, international coverage, history, science, humour, drama, sport, etc, from the BBC. The two most popular Radio channels are Radio 1 and Radio 2 (both music and some talk) but there are loads of BBC local radio stations as well. I particularly listen to BBC Radio 4, Radio 4-Extra, Radio 5 Live Sports extra, and Radio 3. Where problems arise is some people argue that "I don't want to pay for the BBC broadcasting licence because I don't watch any BBC output" (which would be rare if it is true) but without the license you cannot watch any other live 'mainstream' television legally. The most important aspect of a broadcaster being ad-free is that it is not constrained by the aims of the corporations who are buying the advertising time and most people seem to have lost sight of that aspect.

[@davetoday2]

Jay is bang on, as they say! I'm old school and love "Have I got news for you"

[@showmoke]

Just thought I'd say that at the 11:37 mark on this video on the extreme centre left of the map shown is a place called 'Heswall' which is where my 99 year old Dad lives. We moved there in September 1957. Just thought that I'd put that out there. My Dad deserves a place on the map :)

[@dhar6015]

The BBC is worth every penny, long live the BBC 🇬🇧🇬🇧🇬🇧

[@Glund117]

I know your obviously going to disagree with me her but the problem with the BBC for me is that it has become completely out of touch with most of society, its so London-centric that it doesnt represent the rest of the UK and is often extremely political and being London-centric these political views largely represent the views of Londoners only. Recently the BBC have put its political messages as their top priority which can quickly be seen in shows such as doctor who, even though this has caused its ratings to lower, but because the BBC is publicly funded the lower viewership doesnt mean much as they will get the same budgets either way, so they can largely ignore viewers, caring only about getting across its messages. It should be pretty clear that I'm not a fan of the BBC as i am not from London and not left wing so i wouldnt be suprised if those who do vote labour and/or live in London completely disagree with me here, but thats not surprising as their views are being reinforced, but recently even one of my left wing friends even admitted that its getting hard to ignore the increasingly political nature of the BBC and thought that although he agreed with the messages, too much focus was going on it and it was ruining his shows as the plots and acting became secondary, and could understand my dislike for it. I wouldnt want the BBC gone but reformed as it was good in the past so can be good again. Thankfully the BBC have responded (finally) and had a bit of a reshuffle and plans to move key studios outside London, although i remain skeptical

[@RedS0n]

@@Glund117 here's the thing... I genuinely see as many people on the left say that the Beeb has a right wing bias as I see people on the right say it has a left wing bias. To my mind, if your making people on both sides think that you're biased against them, you're probably doing something right.

[@Glund117]

@@RedS0n I hear this a lot from people defending the BBC but in reality there is no one complaining that the BBC is too right wing [anymore], true it was said in the past (mostly in the 80s and 90s) but not anymore, honesty try and find any right wing bias, it doesnt exist were as its painfully easy to show the opposite. I see this comment often that people also complain that its too right wing but the person saying it is never the one suggesting that and never comes with any evidence, its just become something people say to shut down the possibility of the political bias.

[@RedS0n]

@@Glund117 there are literally people in this comment section who are saying that the Beeb is biased against the left. There was a lot of people on the left complaining about how the BBC don't hold BoJo and his government accountable especially over the botch handling of the covid pandemic, how they don't report on certain left run protests, the way they treated Corbin during his tenure as Leader of the opposition, compared to the easy ride they gave the Tory leaders, as well as their current pandering to transphobic pressure groups. I could go on... and I'm not saying that all their complaints are justified, all I'm saying is that people on both side genuinly think that the BBC is biased against them, which to my mind shows that they are pretty much balanced. I think one of the problems is, that when the BBC shows something that a person disagrees with the make a note of it, whereas when the Beeb says something that they agree with they forget about it.

[@Glund117]

@@RedS0n BBC news has many inconsistencies where they dont report protests and go easy on some politicians when they deserve to be grilled and grill some politicians when it is entirely unimportant so overall i can understand how people on both sides can see biases, but the news wasnt my point it was the BBC overall, as it is a lot more than just the news. The BBC has bled its politics inside of its general TV where it is entirely out of place and come as a sacrifice to the overall product, as i have pointed out Doctor Who is a major example of this as it is undeniable that it contains a momentous amount of left wing political messages, that are not subtle at all, i mention Doctor who above all else as it is a show that i used to enjoy and tried to get into the newer seasons, but its not really even a show, just a propaganda piece now. Doctor who has always had political messages but it was implemented well and didnt sidetrack from the show its self and was always messages that most of the public would agree with. I assume i dont need to go into the obvious biases of the programme as they are well documented but can if needed.

[@jimclark1374]

Calling it a licence is correct as it's illegal to have a television receiver without one. You can be fined or imprisoned if you refuse to pay the fine. But that doesn't usually happen.

[@PolarBear4]

I love watching documentaries on the BBC. Can't beat some David Attenborough and the absolutely stunning photography. Brian Cox used to do some great ones too. I just love them in general though. Then maybe some panel shows.

[@nickyverra2175]

We have a system now called Freeview. It has been going since about the 2000s. Basically any device like a TV you buy post 2000s has it. It means you get the BBC channels and the other channels and radio stations. You just pay the annual tv licence and you get around 80-85 TV channels plus a number of radio stations. They are all digital channels and some are High Definition (HD).

[@elemar5]

You don't need a licence for freeview no matter what they say.

[@Thechampissammy]

Do a part 2 please great reaction buddy

[@markleslie6091]

Mock the Week is always a good one to go to. Each week is essentially (as the name suggests) mocking that weeks news! + some extra comedy bits and bobs thrown in too!

[@adelia988]

I follow Evan, he’s so informed and nice. He’s a great photographer too. I love the dramas on the BBC and the radio

[@YeOldeDemon]

I don't pay the TV licence myself as I only watch streaming platforms or game but if you watch TV and don't pay and your found out you can get a fine up to £1000

[@KissMyFatAxe]

Just hide the TV box 😆

[@karenpenny3973]

Would I Lie To You? Excellent show, especially when Bob Mortimer or Greg Davies are on.

[@ericg5791]

JT is familiar and has reacted to that show especially with Bob or Lee.Check those out

[@scottirvine121]

There is a huge divide on the BBC resulting in many now refusing to lay for the license. Despite no ads remember unlike the US we are not overrun with ads and can deal with it that doesn’t interrupt the viewing experience. Strict laws govern the number of ads. The BBC is not impartial always though, especially politically and tends to preach much like a newspaper depending on their political position. That’s why many refuse to pay now, I’d be happy for the BBC to go private funded and deal with ads because as I said there’s not too many anyway

[@dawnfishwick861]

I've never had a TV licence in my life,why should I pay for the BBC when I don't watch it

[@austinb3257]

Please watch 'taskmaster', I think you will love it. Session 3 even has Al Murray. 5 comedians have to do tasks set by the taskmaster to win points. It's hilarious. And to tie into this video, the US tried 1 series but it failed. 😲 Love your channel 💗

[@driftwood1906]

Good suggestion. Taskmaster would make him laugh.

[@Aloyus_Knight]

I've watched every episode of that so far but I do think that with some of the newer series of it they shorten it by doing fewer tasks. In the first ones it was like they did 5 tasks per episode but now it seems like they only do 3 tasks but they really lengthen them to fill up the time slot for the show. People in the US should watch Qi as well because thats usually funny & its one of the few things I watch on tv anymore.

[@robertmcross1]

No adds whatsoever on any BBC TV or Radio channels. UK commercial channels are limited to a maximum of 12 minutes per hour. Would love you to review part 2.

[@W0rdsandMus1c]

Only tons of self advertising on the BBC, which is just as annoying

[@robertmcross1]

Yes I agree that they do tend to do that as other channels also do too, but it’s not every 15 minutes, which is roughly the frequency of ads, it happens more at the top of the hour, if there is a programme changeover.

[@allenwilliams1306]

@@robertmcross1 Quite. The thing is that not all programmes broadcast on the BBC are made by them, and may be tailored to accommodate advertisements, or otherwise fall short of a convenient slot length. The Beeb has to provide some sort of padding or you would find programmes starting at (for example) five minutes to nine, rather than 9 o'clock. Also, you may have noticed that a programme may be scheduled for 9 o'clock and it does not actually start until a few minutes past, for the same reason.

[@cenedra2143]

The very first big brother was iconic, they had no idea If anyone at all was watching them so were totally natural x

[@danielhenry5514]

My two favourite panel shows are 'Would I Lie To You?' and 'A Question of Sport'. I also enjoy watching Room 101.

[@nevrogers8198]

Jay is indeed right. I'm a big fan - he's a local guy too. Check out his Map Men channel. I was talking to my friend (who is an actor) over drinks the other night and apparently he knows Jay quite well personally.

[@eroldinch9405]

I found US TV almost unwatchable due to all the adverts. When the program resumes, you are forced to watch the last 5 minutes of the program that you've already seen.

[@GaryHayward]

As a child, back in the day, I used to enjoy watching "Blue Peter", a popular BBC live children's TV show. A part of the show was one of the presenters handcrafting some toy (eg a doll's house) or other out of everyday household materials (washing-up liquid bottles; cardboard toilet roll tubes or egg boxes; etc). It amused me that they had assiduously obliterated all branding from those materials as if some watching parent would rush out and buy a particular brand of, say, washing powder because it had been incidentally shown-and thus "endorsed"-by the corporation. Then again, I maybe underestimated the pester power of children and a certain naivety in it: "But Mummy, it *has* to be a Fairy Liquid washing-up bottle!"-even though many washing-up liquid bottles, across brands, were all the same in terms of material, size and shape.

[@Walthur13]

I have always loved BBC and have never resented paying the annual licence fee. I rarely watch commercial TV channels and never listen to commercial radio.

[@Ryan--G]

He's definitely right about Scotland. Usually when we're talking to mates/acquaintances, we use c**t just as any other normal part of the dictionary. We use it as a greeting, when referring to someone who isn't there, etc, etc. It's not something I would say to my mum though, we're not totally crazy :D

[@SavageIntent]

Aye, I would be proud to be described as a sound c*nt here in Scotland.

[@nickthefox72]

Mock the Week “scenes we’d like to see” 😂😂

[@t.a.k.palfrey3882]

If one enjoys quality drams, edgy thrillers, a wide gamut of music, more in-depth news coverage, incisive interviews, and intelligent comedy, the BBC leads the pack. If your emphasis is on reality tv, partisan political coverage, soaps, light entertainment, sports, etc, then look elsewhere.

[@nigelwalker2668]

This Life was one of the best dramas the Beeb ever made.

[@vaudevillian7]

Exactly, that removal of reliance on commercial revenue allows them to do ‘risky’ and interesting things

[@dopeheaddude9651]

There news is a joke and just government properganda. Stopped watching and paying after the Iraq War and that reporting

[@elemar5]

@@dopeheaddude9651 WTF is properganda? Not fake ganda?

[@kevinfletcher1999]

An American friend of mine saw The Royle Family and could not fathom it.

[@DrDaveW]

The best panel show in the UK is the BBC’s QI, with Would I Lie to You a close second. React to that!

[@warmhorizon]

I was going to say QI! It's amazing.

[@Will-nn6ux]

I'd say Would I Lie To You is the best one.

[@beeurd]

I think people's main gripe with the TV licence is that it's practically forced on you. I don't watch TV at the moment so I don't have a TV licence, but the TV Licencing Agency will send you letters that can be quite threateningly worded, and if you ignore those they will even send people around to check you aren't watching TV without a license. Although we say it's a BBC subscription fee it is actually required to watch ANY live broadcast, whether it's on the BBC or any other channel, including live broadcasts on streaming channels (if the stream is also live on a TV channel). (Edit: apparently I've accidentally added this comment as a reply instead of its own comment. What a noob)

[@warmhorizon]

@@beeurd Yep. I don't watch any live TV, just Netflix abd KZbin, so I don't pay a license. I'm lucky that all I get are 'helpful reminders' by email that I might want a TV licence if I don't want my legs broken.

[@magnolia7277]

One of the perks of no ads on the bbc is that the programmes are longer, ad breaks are usually about 4-5 minutes, so 3 in a one hour programme means it's actually only 45 minutes, makes me wonder how long a bbc one hour episode of Downton Abbey is on U S tv.

[@LeoG666_]

I think the UK Office and The Trailer Park Boys really did the mockumentary thing extremely well. Unfortunately other so called comedy shows have copied the style unsuccessfully. I’m originally from Scotland and the C word is absolutely used as they described it. The BBC is great in general but they do sell the shows which are repeated on Dave etc.

[@scottirvine121]

Castaway was actually the first...went away to film and big brother stole its limelight

[@john_smith1471]

That was a tortoise not a turtle in One Foot in The Grave episode.

[@nigelwalker2668]

I don’t believe it!

[@denisemackay1411]

Love the BBC - no adverts!!!! Licence is now over £170 but still great value for money.

[@matthewwalker5430]

When Jay says "The Office" was a "new and interesting way of doing comedy" he's not entirely accurate, although it was certainly interesting. The Office UK version is in a format that had been done several times previously, notably "This is Spinal Tap" which, although based on a British band, was actually an American made film. Spinal Tap wasn't made for TV though, so it differs in that regard. A couple of the best "Mockumentaries" that was made for TV and preceded the Office were "Operation Good Guys" and "People Like Us". Both are equally brilliant but never received quite the fanfare which "The Office" managed. As for no laughter tracks, that had been common in British satire for years - perhaps the most obvious example being "The Day Today" and "Brasseye" (You HAVE to react to both of those shows if you enjoy satire which doesn't just walk a little close to the edge but takes a running jump off of it!). There was also "Spaced" (again, an amazing show which deserves a reaction, launching the careers of Simon Pegg, Nick Frost and Edgar Wright) and I'm sure there are many other examples, they're just the ones which immediately spring to mind that preceded The Office (in some cases by quite a few years), so I don't think you can necessarily say the format of The Office was "new" in 2001. EDIT: Having written this response and thought about it some more, I feel it is my God-given duty to ask you to react to these shows, they're hilarious and as they're quite old now many clips can be found on KZbin. You should react to "The Day Today: WAR!" and "People Like Us -How Bank Lending Works" for starters, both are on KZbin and are under 5minutes and absolutely brilliantly crafted British satire

[@helenagreenwood2305]

I love Line of Duty , Hustle, and Happy Valley - the first 2 or 3 years of Big Brother UK were the best they just let things happen organically rather than influencing things from the outside - also Gimme Gimme Gimme was the funniest thing ever - the TV licence fee may be good value but what gets people's backs up is that its compulsory to pay it if you own a tv

[@BlackHeartGames]

Graham Norton, Mock The Week, and QI are my favourites. Would I Lie To You is very good too.

[@GaryHayward]

Don't forget that if and when someone buys any of the products or services advertised on a TV channel, they're paying a little bit towards that TV channel whether they watch it or not.

[@stevearmstrong9213]

Almost every time you buy something, a bit of it goes towards the almost £80,000 a day Ant and Dec get paid.

[@mpkio]

I'll just answer this quickly; What Jay is saying is 100% true. My favourite show is the UK Big Brother. That was an amazing reality TV show.

[@elemar5]

You obviously don't get out much.

[@improvesheffield4824]

The idea of the BBC is to be commended and it’s main selling point is that all its services are advert free. Increasingly however, the BBC has departed from its remit somewhat. As it’s funded by everyone (with some exceptions) it was devised to represent everyone - to provide a wide variety of services so that all thoughts and interests are included, including in the field of politics. Increasingly, certain political ideas have been sidelined with a particular narrative being pushed based on the whims of the senior management running the institution as opposed to strictly adhering to its constitution. As such, fewer people watch the BBC as the internet becomes more dominant in people’s lives with many refusing to pay the licence fee, seriously affecting its funding stream. It seems highly likely that the BBC will become a subscription only channel at some point in the future.

[@paulmurrell1301]

Nelson Mandela was being interviewed by the BBC one time. At the end of the interview he started talking about the BBC. He said how much we should value the BBC, because when he was imprisoned on Robin Island they would sometimes get to listen to the BBC World Service. And he said when you heard it on the BBC you would know it was true. There wasn't any state spin or news that was being suppressed if it came from the BBC it was an objective truth. Now when Nelson Mandela says that you better know we should hold onto the BBC for dear life.

[@margaretnicol3423]

One silly little thing ... television programme / computer program. Different spelling in the UK.

[@jules.8443]

I pay my t.v. license through a scheme every month. It's over £153 per year if the customer wants to pay it in one go. They try to say we can be imprisoned if we don't pay it. That used to be the rules years ago, but it got scrapped. Now it's just a fine. But people still get letters threatening them with prison if they don't pay it,

[@thedogsdiddies8421]

It's £159 per year as of April 2021. My 96yo aunt has had her free licence taken off her and tried to pay by monthly direct debit, but instead of paying equal instalments each month they expect her to pay double for 6 months!! So that she is always paying in advance!! As she said on the phone, that's a nice scam you are playing, when I die, the BBC will always have one full year worth of payments in advance! It's an absolute disgrace, she joined the WAF during the war to help her country, paid into the system all of her life and then gets money stolen from her in her old age. #DefundTheBBC

[@RosLanta]

@@thedogsdiddies8421 Just to note, when my dad died they refunded the money he had paid in advance for the TV licence.

[@thedogsdiddies8421]

@@RosLanta Thanks, I will pass that on to my Aunt! She will feel much better knowing that someone else might get refunded her £150 instead of paying for food or heat she needs now!

[@DrDaveW]

The first reality show in the UK was Castaway 2000 ( guess what year) I put a group of people from all works of life on a deserted Scottish island. It lasted a whole year and has never been beaten. The first big brother would come second.

[@MrCalland]

That's what I was thinking when he said big brother I was like nah wasn't there a one on a Scottish island. Didn't Ben Fogle start his career from that show as a contestant?

[@DrDaveW]

@@MrCalland Yes he did. And for good reason. He was practical, a fantastic mediator, and simply kind. That’s why certain people hated him!

[@ajes3987]

definitely check out unfinished London or politics explained by jay foreman and yes he's completely accurate

[@elemar5]

My favourite thing about UK tv is the input selector. I switch it to HDMI1 to get feed from my pc and it stays there.

[@atlantia]

Reason why there are mixed feelings about the BBC is due to the TV licence been mandatory, even if you don't own a TV, you would have to prove you don't have a radio/computer/laptop/smart phone

[@elemar5]

Or just ignore them. No way to prove what you watch on tv unless you admit it.

[@showmoke]

My favourite UK panel show is 'Would I Lie To You' - Bob Mortimer is my favourite guest - brilliant.

[@micheledunn4391]

Regarding the BBC, speaking for myself, I stopped paying the licence fee earlier this year. I had two reasons for deciding not to continue paying the licence fee; first, I have not had a TV on in my home for more than two years and, during that period, had only very occasionally streamed/live streamed shows via BBC iPlayer or the News on my laptop. So, I didn't really feel like I was getting my money's worth. But, secondly, and to my great disappointment, in the run up to the UK's 2019 General Election it became apparent that the BBC was no longer the bastion of unbiased news and views I had always believed it to be. Which, in hindsight, was not all that surprising given the calibre and political leanings of the people who have found their way into the BBC's upper echelons in recent years. I would have been happy to continue paying the licence fee in order to support the BBC providing balanced, informative and factual news in a world that had apparently taken leave of its senses - even if I, personally, wasn't getting value for money. However, it was bad enough that the BBC had, imho, become a vehicle for the dissemination of our uber right-wing government's propaganda, but I would be a fool indeed if I were to pay for the privilege of being presented with it.

[@rocketrabble6737]

I'm not having a go but I have to say that when it comes to election coverage broadcasters can't really win. I have (mainly) left-wing friends who think the BBC is now a tool of the Right whilst those I know from the Right are convinced it is irredeemably of the Left!

[@micheledunn4391]

@@rocketrabble6737 you are, of course, entitled to your point of view. However, despite voting for Labour for most of my adult life, I could not (and still can't) abide Jeremy Corbyn. I only voted labour in the 2019 GE after a great deal of soul searching in the hope he *might* prove to be a marginally less abysmal PM than Johnson. But, although I despised Corbyn myself, even I could not overlook the blatantly pro tory coverage in the run up to the election by the BBC. There were PUH-lenty of issues that could have been covered relating to the character and political failings of BOTH party leaders but the BBC only ever covered/delved into Corbyn's faux-pas while giving Johnson a pass. While I agree that a not insignificant proportion of the BBC's programming could be described as left leaning, e.g. HIGNFY (which has always taken swings at those in power, regardless of whether they were left or right wing), its news coverage used to be scrupulously unbiased. After the 2019 GE, sadly, I genuinely no longer believe that to be true. And, its going to get worse before it gets better.

[@rocketrabble6737]

@@micheledunn4391 I gave no opinion of my own. I merely reported what I observed amongst friends and acquaintances.

[@micheledunn4391]

@@rocketrabble6737 so sorry to hear that your friends and acquaintances lack the capacity to speak for themselves. They must be very grateful that you are so willing to step up and do it for them.

[@elemar5]

@@micheledunn4391 My goodness. Did things not go your way sweetie? I feel sorry for the country when the BBC has to report what we think because we lack the capacity to speak for ourselves. Down with all sources of information. rhubarb rhubarb.

[@kalinaphillips9779]

My favourite panel shows are QI presented by in the past Stephen Fried and now by Sandi Toksvig. The only other continuous member of the panel is Alan Davis, the other 3 are different comedians. The whole program is about very unique items, aspects, etc. Very funny.

[@TurtleDuckish]

My favourite show to binge.. Taskmaster (NEVER watch the US version though! You're welcome) Also the issue with the bbc is they try to force the bill on you even if youre not interested in those channels, and often use bully tactics and scare students and old folk into buying tv licenses.

[@theprodigal]

The main issue with BBC is that you don't get a choice its mandatory to pay if you own a TV and can get fined if you don't

[@elemar5]

Bull. You don't need a licence to own any equipment that can receive tv broadcasts. You should maybe look at the BBC licence website. If you required a licence you wouldn't be able to buy a tv without one.

[@michael-pn9po]

The BBC is a national institution - people should value it more.

[@demonic_myst4503]

Being a national institution doesnt make it good

[@Neil_TheShiningMile]

One thing that some people have issue with regarding the BBC is that it’s compulsory to pay for a licence, unless you can prove you don’t use any of the services. So if you simply don’t pay your monthly or quarterly BBC licence fee, you receive letters threatening court action. As such, it’s very different to a free-choice subscription service like Netflix. The reality is, most people do use the BBC service, be that watching BBC 1 or BBC 2, iPlayer, or their radio stations. I, for one, think it’s a good value service.

[@amysutt]

yes react to the ads also he does a bunch of videos on his channel that explain British stuff in a really funny way

[@elemar5]

bunch bunch bunch. Several, a few, many, lots.

[@RedversCross]

Another fun fact, after the US the UK is the largest exporter of TV programmes in the world and also has Britbox available across the Anglosphere, parts of Africa and NW Europe.

[@joshsheff7189]

Have I Got News For You, is great I think. The best episode was when the then host, Angus Deyton, hot csught snorting Columbian Marching Powder with prostitutes... And the panel spent the entire episode just laying into him. In Angus' credit, he took it like a champ, but it was the end of his career! kzbin.info/www/bejne/bX2bmp1mZ6mZaNk

[@lynnhamps7052]

He still pops up occasionally, but his antics didn't help... :)

[@stevearmstrong9213]

He's actually never been out of work since in one way or another. It's only the BBC side of his career which was affected.

[@Daniel-di4tk]

The only time they mentioned the film crew in Parks & Rec was in season 1. Ron said to the camera crew "Did you get a grant for this?". Other than that the camera crew and filming were never spoken about, even though they still interacted with the cameras. I don't remember whether the original The Office talked about the filming. The US Office definitely does on rare occasions. There's actually a scene where you see one of the crew holding a camera but I think it was an accident.

[@tomroberts7311]

Watch “This is England”. You won’t regret it😂 someone back me up here👊🏻😂

[@Jay92925]

No

[@Tom-uv7ry]

Too right one of the best British shows ever made but people need to watch the Film first

[@Tom-uv7ry]

@Josh Spencer that's your opinion I don't agree with it lol . The film is in the BFI top 100 list for a reason it's quality and you can't watch the series without watching the film that would be stupid. I don't think it's poor it's just different it moves on in more than one way in the series with the new character stories and a new.decade and changing culture's so I wanna see more of that but the film is perfect and perfectly casted its not poor at all you just get more from the series because there's more story lines I have to admit I like the series more for them reasons but I could never call the Film poor it's a masterpiece and always will be

[@Tom-uv7ry]

@Josh Spencer lol

[@hellojasonsuresh]

Even on the commercial channels in the UK, the advertising is heavily regulated and limited. Only a limited number of minutes per hour can be given to advertising. Often you'll watch US shows on UK TV like The Simpsons and see the cut where the ad break was supposed to be but it's been removed in the UK. Typically there are ads every quarter-hour for approx 3 minutes, so a half-hour (or 21 min) show like The Simpsons will only be interrupted by one ad break.

[@craigireland5629]

I got rid of my licence a while ago as there's very little on tv that could be classed as 'essential viewing'. It's mostly lowest common denominator, mind-numbing crap. I can get information and entertainment online if /when required.

[@sandraaston1167]

Exactly

[@craigireland5629]

@@sandraaston1167 thanks for this. I was expecting to be shouted down but nothing as yet 😁

[@thedogsdiddies8421]

Hear! Hear! Just wish Capita/TV Licensing would stop sending "inspectors" knocking the door and threatening letters EVERY month!

[@craigireland5629]

@@thedogsdiddies8421 Thankfully I have avoided any of this...... so far 😊

[@thedogsdiddies8421]

@@craigireland5629 Are you registered as No Licence Needed?

[@hot5and77]

The other benefit to having no ads on the BBC is that the program gets to use that time. A 30 minute sitcom is 30 uninterrupted minutes long and not 2 lots of 12 minutes. That way the story is aloud to develop without the need to cram in loads of jokes unnecessarily.

[@elemar5]

*allowed. I recently tried to watch tv for the first time in years. The ads were 5 minutes long. Long enough for me to lose interest in watching The Fifth Element.

[@wrorchestra1]

You should watch "The Thick of It". They take swearing to a Shakespearean height! You do get a lot of content from the BBC but you don't get a choice of paying. If you have a TV or device capable of receiving BBC material, you have to pay. You can only get out of not paying by proving to them without a doubt that you don't watch it. While they produce maybe 1 or 2 shows a year that I'd watch, I'd rather have the choice of not paying and be unable to watch their channels.

[@tomlynch8114]

Same in the North East of England. C**t is used liberally. You can say to a friend ‘how are you, you c**t?’ Or if your friend who does something silly ‘you daft c**t!’. (You can also call some a ‘daft c**t’ in an offensive way too). It can be used towards a random person ‘some c**t’. You can even use it sympathetically ‘oh, the poor c**t!’

[@williebauld1007]

Yep he’s absolutely correct, in Scotland getting called a cnut is more necessarily an insult

[@richardhunter7363]

Love Jay Foreman's videos. His Mapmen series are instructional and very funny. I think you can get the BBC radio stations on line now anywhere in the world for free.

[@michael6401]

Personally I love the BBC, we can watch uninterrupted programs which is great for sporting events such as football, golf, Grand Prix etc which means you watch the whole event without ad breaks and you never miss a thing 😊

[@brucewebster4846]

A good example of how the British public use the BBC is on Sports events and national events, which would be spoilt by Ads. Proof of this is the Euro football final which atttaracted 30.85 million viewers . 24million watched on BBC without adverts and 6 million watched on ITV, The only commercial company allowed to show it. By the way jps, I dont know how much research you do but you are miles better than all the other Americans trying to react to the British. Your considered judgement is much appreciated. I wish well with your attempts to get to Britain. Do remember that most of the shots of the uk are when its sunny. Having lived by the coast, the effect of sea mist drifting in and plunging the temprature on a hot summers day has to be experienced to be understood. The RNLI is a British organisation of 5,000 unpaid volunteers who risk their lives to save people in the sea around our cold and dangerous coasts Best wishes please keep posting

[@stevearmstrong9213]

I have a feeling that a lot of the people who complain about the BBC and the licence fee would be among the first to complain at the changes abolishing the licence would force and would be all over social media lamenting the loss of the good old fashioned BEEB. It's a classic case of be careful what you wish for.

[@michael6401]

@@brucewebster4846 the BBC also has some great dramas, Peaky blinders, Line of Duty etc and there is nothing worse when watching something like this as ads coming on just as the suspense grabs you ! Also we have masterpieces such as Planet Earth, overall I say value for money

[@patriciaburke6639]

Other American KZbin creators have managed to successfully review the Inbetweeners, showing the whole episodes for all 3 series. As well as other Channel 4 and BBC shows. I have no idea how they have overcome, copywrite or whatever blocking mechanisms that are designed to hinder the process, but, obviously, as they saying goes: “where there’s a will, there’s a way.” Perhaps you could reach out to some of them, to see how they do it. On a positive note, your KZbin output is really good and getting better all the time.

[@matthewmaude]

The BBC is a great idea but they cause a lot of controversy for being political. They are supposed to be completely neutral and represent the values of GB but they often go against their own charter. It would be a shame to lose it because of this but there is a big push for it to become a subscription service at the moment.

[@stevearmstrong9213]

My feeling on the BBC bias argument is not that they are biassed (I watch BBC news snd many of their current affairs and political programmes). The problem is that everybody watches it through the prism of their own biases and prejudices so they automatically pick up on every little thing and take it in the way they expect to take it. Very few people view what they are watching from a neutral position to begin with and that colours their perceptions of it.

[@matthewmaude]

@@stevearmstrong9213 I tend to find that more left leaning people don't see much of a bias but more right leaning people see a huge bias. I see a left leaning bias personally but I'm far from right wing, I'm very liberal so some of the left leaning bias I see are things I agree with but I do see the bias in them.

[@stevearmstrong9213]

Well, I'll own up to being firmly on the left but I don't personally see any great bias. I've seen as many people accuse the BBC of being too far right as I have the other way around.

[@ghughesarch]

@@matthewmaude Laura Kuennsberg is so far up Boris's bum. The BBC's news reporting for the last five years has been totally right-wing. But there you go, it proves Steve's point.

[@cottoncandy4486]

This Brits love quiz and panel shows. One of the very first sadly I can remember, only two channels when I was a kid and it was never on all day. One of the first quiz show was called "Open the Box." HUGE IN ITS DAY. Ok not many of your viewer's wouldn't remember this. Guarantee.

[@julianbarber4708]

It was called Take Your Pick, compered by the awful Michael Miles. My father-in-law was on it, and won a Hoover!

[@RWNI]

Jay Foreman is accurate in most of what he says. In terms of the BBC, it is by far the best broadcaster in the UK. It has such a broad range compared to the other broadcasters. The only issue I'd have with some of it recently is the 'wokeness' of its news site and erring towards populist views without keeping its traditional neutral stance and balancing different view points (e.g. climate, Brexit, race relations etc), but I suppose it has to be eclectic. BBC radio is very good.

[@stirlingmoss4621]

Joel, the BBC is the National Broadcaster and to watch live TV on the BBC and Commercial channels requires each household to buy the BBC TV license (£150 /annum). UK Radio used to require a separate license, which was scrapped back in the 1980s. The long-wave radio channel also broadcasts Worldwide, The World Service, and stems mostly from the 2nd world war when propaganda was vital for the morale of occupied european nations. I was able to listen to this Service, broadcast at night, in New Zealand.

[@JD.Knight]

Do something from MAP MEN, maybe British place names. Jay from this video does map men too)

[@bigthecat100]

He already has! kzbin.info/www/bejne/jGmylampm7iJjNU

[@JD.Knight]

@@bigthecat100 nice! Thanks

[@AndyK.1]

@@bigthecat100 I don’t think JPS was feeling the love in that video 😂

[@davidwebley6186]

Definitely look at the advertisements which are quite different between the US & UK. In most cases UK adverts are promoting the brand and try to encourage an emotional connection with the brand. Whereas the US ones I have seen for the most part are more in-your-face, and dumbed down trying to get you to buy a specific product.

[@Codex7777]

"C**t" isn't so much a regional thing, as a class thing. For instance, the term would be much less likely to be used amongst the upper and upper middle classes, no matter which part of Britain you were in. There are some broad regional differences though. It is generally used more often and more casually, in the larger cities. Particularly London and Glasgow. :)

[@cherylq709]

I think the use of the C word is personal choice. I'm not middle class in way shape or form, and it's one cuss word I dislike intensely. I can swear like a sailor, but the C word is one I refuse to utter.

[@Codex7777]

@@cherylq709 - That's why I used terms like 'generally' and 'less likely'. What I said is generally true. I thought it was obvious, that it went without saying, that there are exceptions to the general rule... ;) :)

[@elemar5]

I use it quite often. That wheel was c*nt to remove. Apparently f*ck has at least 13 different meanings.

[@tomwilson9070]

Having worked for the BBC they are still the most respected and trustworthy channel in the world!

[@kdog4587]

I love the BBC, many good shows, daytime tv is dire but good dramas no adverts ughh love it. Also i can confirm, the c word, most definitely is used by the scottish as a term of endearment.

[@DavidWilliams-yo4kb]

My favourite panel show here in the UK is 8 out of 10 cats does countdown. You'll find tons of clips to review on KZbin.

[@andyt8216]

Yes the BBC produces some good stuff. But the license fee is a relic from another era and I would disagree that the fee is cheap. As an eternal singleton, I have to pay that alone every year, when as each year that passes I watch less on the BBC and more stuff elsewhere. It's also a point of contention to know "our" money is going to pay rather high salaries for presenters and staff there.

[@michael_177]

Jay foreman is very reliable, he's bang on about pretty much all his facts. does some of the BEST content, and his Map Men, Unfinished London, and Politics explained series are fantastic. From what i know Evan Edinger is an american who now lives in the UK with British citizenship. He seems like a cool guy from what I can tell. And yeah, deffo do the advertising one next 👍

[@andrewjones4568]

Don’t react to Have I Got News For You. It is a great panel show but it is more of a satire of current political events at the time it was aired. You won’t know the names of any of the politicians they take the piss out of. There are lots of other funny British panel shows that would be better to react to that are less political.

[@kaiatherton]

I watched Big brother USA after i moved here and honestly it is nothing like the UK version. In the UK the house mate have ZERO access to the outside world, talk to no one other then their house mates and where filmed and broadcasted 24 hours a day, yes the did do highlight shows where they condensed what happened but nothing at all was scripted and while the house mates could go to the dairy room to discuss what they are going through it was never to a person face to face. just a voice. The camera crew where inside the walls so house mates never saw them, When i moved to the USA and saw house mates basically being interviewed while they where supposed to be in the house still, blew my mind. it was nothing like the UK version. not even close.... Eviction Night was a huge deal in the UK. everyone had eviction night parties....it was awesome.

[@julianbarber4708]

'The dairy room', lol!