Across the Pond..

For those not in the know, I love my TV. Not the nonsense they have on most nights like Dancing with the Stars or Who is Smarter than a 5 year old but shows that show some creativity, some intelligence or you know, shows that blow shit up in really cool ways. In terms of network shows, the only two I really follow are Lost ‘cause well, time travelling islands with smoke monsters and hot chicks with freckles is right down my alley and American Idol ‘cause my wife wont give me the nookie otherwise. I swear that’s the only reason. Really. Anyways, lately, I've gotten the British bug and have started to watch more and more British produced shows because usually, they tend to be slightly more competent than the stuff we tend to produce and also because you get to watch shows that they'd never ever make here. Prime example is Top Gear. There are hundreds of Car shows on American TV but nothing quite like Top Gear. It’s a gross understatement to even call Top Gear a car show. It has a budget of a small summer blockbuster and the roads and countries they drive in are orgasms for the eyes. Most of you have probably heard of Top Gear and if you haven't, go to your local Torrent site and check it out. You won't be sorry. Today however, I want to mention 3 shows that get next to no pub on this side of the continent.

First one is Dead Set, easily the goriest thing I've ever seen on tv or any other medium for that matter. This show is not for the squeamish or the weak hearted because there will be a point in every episode where you go "I can't believe they are showing this on network tv." The basic premise is that there has been a Zombie breakout and the only survivors are trapped inside a Big Brother set. Sounds ludicrous but I swear, it's one of the top 5 shows that I've seen in the last few years. I wish they made a Zombie movie like this because it has everything you would want. A surreal amount of blood and gore, characters you are interested in, and camera work that makes you feel like you are right there. Again, probably not going to find it at your local blockbuster but if you are net savvy, there are enough torrent sites for you to find it on. There are only 5 episodes (again something I love about British shows) so there isn't a lot of waste produced. They get right into the story.

Second show is State of Play, a drama series which focuses on a scandal in the British parliament and 3 or 4 stories are cleverly interlinked together by some talented writers. Very different from Dead Set in the sense that this show is all about the acting and the dialogue, and less about what you actually see on the screen. It's a bit slow to start but has a whole slew of strong British actors and some meaty writing that keeps the audience hooked through the series. It has 2 seasons but download, er rent the first season to see if you like it. I've been able to get my wife hooked on this show and to me, that’s usually the barometer between a good show and a great show, American Idol being the exception of course :)

The third show is No Heroics, a half hour comedy about super heroes living in London and what they do in their day to day lives. If you download expecting it to be like Xmen, you'll be sorely disappointed. Imagine combining the bar atmosphere of Cheers with the raunchy, low brow humor of Benny Hills and you come close to what No Heroics is. There is a lot of adult sex humor, lots of nerd inside jokes for those that play video games, collect comics and satirical realization that being a super hero isn’t all that glamorous. If you are a fan of the Devils lettuce, this is a show to watch for you....after a toke or two.

Like I said, you won't have to look very hard to download these shows but I assure you, they are worth it.