Is British TV really bad?

I was nodding at most of what you wrote. The same favourite so called comedians and presenters seem to appear on everything.
I do like 'Ghosts' though as mentioned upthread.

But don't even get me started on Mrs Brown's Boys.

We really noticed the lack of Christmas Day comedy specials. I wasn't a massive 'Gavin and Stacey' fan, but even I missed that!

I noticed on prime time evening TV BBC are repeating old sitcoms like 'My Family' and 'The Vicar of Dibley'. I would have thought this should be reserved for 'Gold/Dave' whatever it's called now.

Even before the pandemic there was very little fresh comedy on the BBC, just Michael MacKintyre. Those awful popular comedians mentioned upthread seem to get every gig. Channel 4 does have 'Stath Lets Flats' though, thank goodness. We tried thr Stephen Mervhant comedy, but it just wasn't Ricky Gervais standard.

In the early noughties you had original comedy like 'The Mighty Boosh' 'Darkplace' and 'Nighty Night' on TV. Later there was 'Camping/Campers?' another brilliant Julia Davies comedy.

Re drama, I am finding 'The Tourist' entertaining and 'A Very British Scandal' was OK. Can't quite gear up to 'Four Lives' as I know it will be heavy going and I need to be mentally ready. I thought 'Years and Years' on C4 was superb, albeit heartbreaking.

We watch a lot on Netflix or Sky now as we love the big hitters like 'GoT' 'Outlander' 'This is Us'. I enjoy comedy drama on those too from Australia, France, US etc.

I love TV and film from all countries, but when British TV like 'This is England' or 'Alan Partridge' is on form, it's up there with the best.

I agree about ubiquitous zlebs
Yes, awful but somebody must be watching them as the progs are on prime time.
I think its due to BBC having to become self funding or at least rely less on tv licence. So more quizzes and cheap shows.

I have Sky so thankfully can fast forward through the ads.

Can highly recommend Alma's not normal and Starstruck which I think are both still on BBC iPlayer

It says a lot that some of these shows being recommended are seriously OLD. Victoria Wood??? Much as I love her.

I agree about ubiquitous zlebs - and infact started a thread on the very subject yesterday!

I haven't been able to find anything interesting to watch for months - I hate wasting my time on repeats.

I was going to say that I wouldn't see Victoria Wood as a great example of contemporary TV comedy...

There have been some spectacular documentaries recently if you're into that kind of thing. It's true I listen to the radio far more, partly because my eyesight is increasingly dreadful, but BBC radio is a treasure box imo.

It probably depends what you're watching. There is a lot of guff. Also a lot of excellent drama. The Tourist is great.

I like the uk archeology digging programmes.
Only Connect is a slightly different quiz show. University challenge.
Imv nearly all series end up disappointing after the first hit series - let alone when you get to series 5 etc...
HIGNFY
Martin Clunes was really good in Manhunt (ITV)
Unforgotten
Time
Mandy was funny imv
The Cockfields - mild comedy

Line of Duty, Shakespeare and Hathaway, Mock the Week, Death in Paradise - love these!

I've lived in England, France and Australia and it's been the same everwhere, you see the same old lovies doing everything - and then they become 'living legends' just because they've been the only ones shoved in your face for years!

I think there is less quality British tv on free to view channels. Sky, Netflix and other paid services have upped their game and investment especially in drama.

The BBC has form for flogging shows long past their sell by date, and has done for years. Think how many series of My Family there were, how many of Death in Paradise, and that they continue with the best argument to abolish the licence fee, Mrs Brown's Boys.

This week we have had Anne, The Tourist, Four Lives, Mandy, and a Taskmaster special. In recent years we have had Its a Sin, Line of Duty, Broadchurch and many more top dramas, so although there is a lot of dross, there is also a lot of top class stuff too.

@IntermittentParps

I’m sure there will be but I’m just having a mind blank.

Oh also, recommend Wolf Hall, Season 3 of which is coming this year. And all the many Shakespearean dramas. The Hollow Crown etc
Oh yes, The Hollow Crown was just brilliant.

I also thought of things like Sue Perkins' Japan travel show, which was charming, and that thing with Hugh Fearnley-W and Anita Rani about recycling.

YABU to think it’s only a recent thing. I can’t think of any good British tv shows.

Live abroad and think the Christmas scheduling was woeful, even the repeats were poorly chosen. When will the BBC cull Mrs Brown’s Bilge? However some good tv now like Anne, the Sheridan Smith drama, 24 hours in police custody.

Why terrestrial Uk channels refuse to allow us to buy a licence for each channel is beyond me, forces us to resort to dubious methods in order to view decent tv.

Great word, did you invent it?

I have realised I don't watch many cookery, travel or comedy shows.

Oh also, recommend Wolf Hall, Season 3 of which is coming this year. And all the many Shakespearean dramas. The Hollow Crown etc.

I forgot about A Very British Scandal, Happy Valley, Line of Duty, Gentleman Jack and Killing Eve! (although I think KE has sadly gone off the boil in the last two seasons).

That reminds me –Fleabag, and I May Destroy You.

I don't know, I think while there is a lot of self-congratulatory and cliquey stuff (like Sara Pascoe, Romesh Ranganathan etc), British telly is overall excellent.

I love the Sewing Bee (yes, I know Sara Pascoe is lined up as presenter!) and the Bake Off, as well as Strictly and the Pottery Throwdown.

I agree Joanna Lumley is a good travel presenter.
David Attenborough is as good as it gets.
David Olusoga is an excellent presenter and A House Through Time is terrific.
We have likeable types like Monty Don (who has a new 'ambling round gardens' series starting this week) and Nadiya Hussain. I don't love cooking shows but I watch hers as she's just fantastic. Same for Nigella Lawson.
Lucy Worsley and Bettany Hughes are top-notch on history/society shows. I also loved A Stitch in Time, although sadly I don't know if it's coming back.
Imagine with Alan Yentob is reliably good, as is anythign in the Storyville strand.

Dramas, I admit, I don't tend to like so much; a lot are a bit stodgy (the period ones) or the thriller ones start quite well and then end up with an 'is that it?' feeling (The Girl Before, the one with Julie Hesmondhalgh, in Wales, about a murder...)
But McMafia was good and that's coming back soon. Also, although I don't really watch these, I think things like All Creatures... and Call the Midwife do what they do very well.

Every time I've been subjected to TV elsewhere in the world, I have come back SO grateful for British telly!

I thin TV is far better than film right now, and has less Botoxed women. Shows I have enjoyed
(1) A Very British Scandal
(2) Clarkson's Farm ( tho normally abhor JC)
(3) The Crown
(4) Happy Valley
(5) Unforgotten
(6) Broadchurch
(7) The Landscapers
(8) Line of Duty
(9) Derry Girls
(10) Killing Eve
(11) Good Omens
(12) Gentleman Jack

I could go on....

Did you know the UK doesn't just have BBC TV? BBC is only the tip of the iceberg. Independent companies in UK also produce and broadcast dramas, films, documentaries , current events etc. It's not all crap.

I'd recommend any of Joanna Lumleys travel programs.
Comedy; Victoria Wood.
Drama; anything with parts played by Toby Jones, Mackenzie Crook,
Sean Bean, Olivia Colman, Ruth Wilson. ( all our best actors)
Food; anything with Mary Berry.
Wildlife; anything from David Attenborough
All the films of Jane Austen books.