Globally Speaking: International Programming Aka Non-US Shows

[SPLAIN]

Chat about tv programming, tv series or tv soap operas that were introduced to American television audiences.

One of my favorite tv shows that I enjoyed was the Australian soap opera, Prisoner Cell Block H. Very dark and edgy. It was my go-to program on Wednesday evenings. I loved this show so much, I bought the DVDs so I could enjoy it again.

 

 

[nyxy]

I'll put that on my list; thanks, Splain. I usually catch a lot of foreign TVs shows- from my public library and from Netflix. Not everything there has aired on US TV, though, but it's accessible here. 

Currently watching another Australian show on Netflix:  The Rake. About a scruffy lawyer who fights unconventionally. Funny and smart and very well done; goes into offbeat territory (eg legal questions around consensual cannibalism (!)) but without being silly).

Some of the things that did air in the US and that I love are:

The Last Detective (starring Peter Davison, one of the Dr. Whos, and also a main character in All Creatures Great and Small).

Vera (I think of her as a female Inspector Morse & a very worthy successor to Prime Suspect - love this to pieces)

Endeavour  (about Inspector Morse in his youth- only one season out but it is fantastic).

Spiral (a French police procedural- really really good)

The Returned (also French, and currently on Netflix- just started watching this and am loving it so far).

Edited April 5, 2014 by nyxy

[Enigma X]

nyxy, I love Endeavour. I binge-watched on NetFlix two weeks ago and binge watched Inspector Morse two months ago.

[nyxy]

woohooo- I'm so happy to find a fellow fan of Endeavour here!

Inspector Morse, yay. What did you think? It took me a long time to appreciate it, but now I love it. Morse with his Jaguar and his love of Mahler used to put me off- then I saw how much more to him there was. I am hoarding some Inspector Morse episodes and the last episode of Endeavour to watch when there's nothing else left. All of Inspector Morse is on youtube, which is so great.

Do you like Inspector Lewis, with Morse's sidekick now in the lead? I really got into it too. Many seasons are available on Netflix. I'm not sure but I think it's still ongoing on BBC.

I think binge watching has a lot going for it. It's pretty much how I watched all my favorite shows, and the foreign ones stand up to it well. I watched Absolutely Fabulous & Monarch of the Glen that way and both are on my absolutely all time favorite list.

[Enigma X]

I liked Inspector Morse, the show, but it took a season for me to understand the Inspector Morse character's complexity. I sort of thought he was a womanizer, to a degree--a very unlikely one. I caught an episode of Inspector Morse and a very young and hot Sean Bean on public television the other day.

I caught the first season of Lewis. It seems off to me. I don't like that they killed Lewis's family but do like his sidekick (Billie Piper's husband).

I think Shaun Evans embodies a lot of John Thaw's mannerisms as a young Endeavour Morse. 

[nyxy]

re Shaun Evans: I couldn't agree more! It's a subtle and clever - and I can imagine Morse being that way as a rookie cop.

Inspector Morse did seem like a womanizer at first- & was one reason I couldn't take to him. Didn't realize he was always unsuccessful and nursing a broken heart most of the time. I have to say I really dislike this obsession they have on Brit TV of pairing up older, even seedy looking men with women who are much much younger & better put together. If the logic is "age is just a number," then it should happen in reverse too- older women, younger guys- but hardly ever does!

Btw I didn't know they'd killed off Lewis's family! I've only watched a few episodes here and there and not in order.  I suppose they had to free him up for romantic pairings in future - either that, or he had to have a dark past so that he could transition from the ordinary man being sidekick to the lead? Too manipulative & predictable either way.

[Enigma X]

Oops, nyxy. I did not mean to spoil you. It was mentioned in a passing comment in the first or second episode that I actually missed it, until I looked up that particular episode on Wikipedia. It was not a revelation that happened on screen.

I think all TV unevenly pairs women and men. That is a huge gripe with me. I am not unhappy that opposites are paired; I am unhappy that on some shows an issue is made over the woman who is a mess or less acttractive, but in the same show the mess of a man or unattactive man gets the perfect woman. That did happen in a few episodes of Morse.

[Portia]

Fun topic! My husband and I have been binge-watching a lot of non-American drama series recently; favorites have included Top of the Lake, The Bletchley Circle, and Scott & Bailey. (He's cool with badass ladies, as you might have guessed.) Just this afternoon we finished the first season of The Hour; it's not at all what I expected, but I thoroughly enjoyed it and look forward to the second season.

[nyxy]

Just discovered that John Thaw (who played Inspector Morse) was the lead also in Kavanagh QC, a well-made 6 series show.  Most episodes & series are uploaded to youtube. It's very good legal drama, and Thaw himself delivers his usual unbelievably fine performance. I'm really enjoying it so far.

 

And in this one he isn't hooked up with a lot of young hotties, which is a relief. 

 

ETA: Portia, I really liked *The Bletchley Circle* too, and am waiting for series 2! And *Top of the Lake* is up there on my must-watch list as well.

 

 *The Hour* couldn't be related to the film & the book base on Virginia Woolf's life, could it?

Edited April 26, 2014 by nyxy

[Portia]

I think you're thinking of The Hours, nyxy. I really enjoyed The Hour--kind of a Mad Men meets The Newsroom (but not all Wienery and Sorkiny). I wish there'd been more than two seasons of it to love, but the upside to that is that the Brits have the good sense to end shows before they go bad.

I'm so happy to have The Bletchley Circle back!

[atomationage]

My favorite Australian shows:

Upper Middle Bogan

Winners and Losers

A Place to Call Home

Wonderland

House Husbands

 

UK shows that most people haven't seen:

Fleming:  The Man Who Would Be Bond

Made in Chelsea

 

Canadian

Corner Gas

Dan for Mayor

[nyxy]

Gosh, thank you for that  list of Aussie &relatively unknown Brit shows- I will check each one of them out. I love *Rake* which I've been watching on Netflix here in the USA

 

Dalziel and Pascoe (Brit police procedural based on books by Reginald Hill) is on YouTube. Tons of series, though only 3-5 episodes per series.  It's fabulous.

 

Portia, thanks for answering my question about *The Hour*. It does sound good! Oh and when you say *The Bletchley Circle* is back, do you mean Season 2 is out somewhere and accessible?  wooohooo, if so.

Edited May 4, 2014 by nyxy

[atomationage]

 

Gosh, thank you for that  list of Aussie &relatively unknown Brit shows

You're welcome.  Fleming is an absolute favorite, with Dominic Cooper and Lara Pulver.  I almost missed watching it, because it was supposed to be a documentary about Ian Fleming's work during WWII.  It's a lot more than that.  The UK has a lot of game shows which are very different from US ones, in that nobody actually wins anything, but I like QI and A League of Their Own.    I skipped mentioning the shows that end up on BBCA or PBS, like Last Tango in Halifax, or Musketeers, which are both top notch.

[Portia]

Portia, thanks for answering my question about *The Hour*. It does sound good! Oh and when you say *The Bletchley Circle* is back, do you mean Season 2 is out somewhere and accessible?  wooohooo, if so.

You're welcome! Yes, TBC Season 2 has been airing on PBS, and the first three eps are up on Amazon. Enjoy!

[galax-arena]

There was one New Zealand show that I absolutely loved a few years ago, This Is Not My Life. I think some American studio purchased the rights to it and intended to make an American remake, but I haven't heard anything since then, so I've lost hope. Of course, I'd rather America just import the original and air it here in the states, but I'd settle for the remake. 

[magdalene]

I wish they would air the German mystery series about Commissario Brunetti from the books by Donna Leon on American TV. You can only rent or buy some episodes through Amazon and it's expensive.

[dalek]

Magdalene, do you have an MHz networks station in your area?  They sometimes show the Comissario Brunetti mysteries.  

[Portia]

The Returned (also French, and currently on Netflix- just started watching this and am loving it so far).

Oh. My. God. Watched the first two episodes of The Returned on Netflix last night, and it absolutely blew my mind. I'm all aquiver to find out what happens next, and I'm terrified that a creepy little boy with huge eyes is going to sidle up to me and smile weirdly. 

[magdalene]

dalek, I don't know, I have never heard of that station - I will have to inquire. Thanks for the tip.

[Portia]

I finished the first season of The Returned this afternoon, and I can't recommend this French series highly enough. I'm not exaggerating when I say it's one of my favorite TV shows ever. It's wonderfully creepy and mysterious, but it also has characters that I care about deeply.  (My absolute favorite is Julie and her little founding Victor. I want to adopt them both.) I would have been annoyed at how open-ended the season finale was if I hadn't read on Wikipedia that a 2nd season is in production. Woohoo!

[Robespierre]

Agree on the love for Spiral and Top of the Lake, but I gotta get in a plug for the brutally dark but fascinating Canadian show Durham County.

 

(Incidentally, this is my first post on Previously.tv. Yet another TWoP refugee here.)

[atomationage]

The second season of A Place to Call Home is airing in Australia.

 

In the UK, there's Happy Valley and From There to Here. I also like to watch Gogglebox, which is a show where you watch people watching the television shows.  It's pretty entertaining with the reactions and comments.   A League of Their Own is starting up again, but I haven't seen it yet.  I might not watch too much of it if they don't have Jack Whitehall this year. 

 

TwoP has disappeared after posting there for many years under 5 or 6 IDs.  I never had much respect for the newer moderators after the original group left.

[nyxy]

 

Oh. My. God. Watched the first two episodes of The Returned on Netflix last night, and it absolutely blew my mind. I'm all aquiver to find out what happens next, and I'm terrified that a creepy little boy with huge eyes is going to sidle up to me and smile weirdly.

 

Told ya! I'm SO glad you liked the first season, Portia. I was feeling guilty about not warning you that S1 ends without answering many if not all of our burning questions...but I read your second post on the show and am relieved to see you weren't too put off by the last episode. I think some viewers were at having to wait months for the story to pick up.

 

Among other pluses, the show just has the best sense of timing. I love how it paces its reveals. I got curious at just the right moment about characters and events I was noting in the corner of my eye. Love how everything that is peripheral at one point becomes center stage at another. I feel I can sit back and trust this kind of storytelling. Very clever structuring of information.

 

Hope we get to chat about Season Two soon.

 

Also, thanks, everyone, for the recos- it's so great to have them!

 

atomation, I feel as you do about twop moderating... and am really relieved & appreciative for the tone on this site.

Edited June 3, 2014 by nyxy

[Portia]

. . . I gotta get in a plug for the brutally dark but fascinating Canadian show Durham County.

 

Thanks for the recommendation! I watched the first season of Durham County this week (just six episodes long) and found it not brilliant but a cut above the usual crime drama dreck. Some of the acting was subpar--honestly, I think the lead, Hugh Dillon, is the weakest link--but I'm obsessed with young Laurence Lebouef and with her character, Mike's teen daughter, Sadie. I think I'll give S2 a go once I'm done binge-watching OITNB this weekend.

 

After hearing Terry Gross plug Chris O'Dowd's Irish comedy series, Moone Boy, I gave it a try and found it just as charming, weird, and funny as I had expected. The episodes are very short, so I'm parceling it out one episode at a time when I'm sleepy, pressed for time, or in the mood for something light.

[BuddhaBelly]

Anyone watch Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries? It's my favorite show out of Australia. I know the first season is on Netflix. I don't know if they've added the second season yet.

[Ceindreadh]

Anyone watch Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries? It's my favorite show out of Australia. I know the first season is on Netflix. I don't know if they've added the second season yet.

 

Oh I love this show!  Came across it last year when both seasons aired, but it wasn't until a few months back that I realised that the eps - 57 mins long - had been cut to fit in an hour long slot.  So I've since been working my way through the uncut DVDs.

[SVNBob]

I'll throw in plugs for a lot of South Korean "variety" (read: "reality") shows.  Almost all of them are available on DramaFever, which is a sub-Hulu dedicated to Korean programs and movies, with some shows from other parts of Asia and some Spanish-language programs.  And everything is subtitled; some of the Korean dramas have Spanish subtitles in addition to English.  They've even got a list of dramas they recommend for people just getting into Korean programs.

 

The longest running show I watch is the Infinite Challenge.  It's difficult to describe, because the show is constantly changing.  And I do mean constantly.  The show has a regular cast of 6 celebrities (musicians, actors, comedians), and the production staff gives them various challenges to do.  For example, right now the cast is in Brazil because they're the official cheerleading squad for the Korean World Cup team.  They've done episodes where they practiced to be racing drivers, wrote songs for a concert they were performing, attempted to become models for Fashion Week in Milan, and had some of the cast perform at the annual Bob Marley Reggae Festival in Jamaica, just to name a recent few.  The show has been going on for over 9 years, on the strength of the cast and the constant change in what they're doing.

 

The second longest running one is 1 Night 2 Days.  This one's only been on for 7 years.  It's a little like Survivor, but not really.  The basic concept is, every other weekend the cast of 6 male celebrities get together for a camping trip somewhere in Korea.  Along the way, they have various challenges for comfort.  One challenge will be for lunch, the next for dinner, the next to determine sleeping arrangements, etc.  The cast does become a band of brothers, so most of the fun is watching the in-fighting amongst them because of these challenges, or watching them come together to fight against the production staff.  Another great part of the show is the travelogue aspect; highlighting the beauty of the locations they go, and the kindness of the people they meet.

 

My personal favorite of the variety shows is Running Man.  This one's mostly like The Amazing Race; but again, not quite.  Each episode, the 7-celebrity cast plus guests (or not) start in one location and race to another; sometimes in teams, sometimes not.  Between the start and endpoints, there are various games/challenges they do, which usually lead to advantages for the final game to winners, and often disadvantages to the losers.  At the final location is the big game, with a big prize going to the person or team that wins.  The iconic thing about Running Man is that each participant has their name on a large name-tag velcroed to their back.  Typically, there will be one game per episode that involves removing the name-tag from everyone not on your team.  This game is often the highlight of episode, even if it isn't the final game.  This show is so popular throughout Asia that a Chinese version is in production, and the Korean production team is co-producing it.

 

The newest variety show, and seemingly the one most popular with non-Koreans, is Roommate.  Think The Surreal Life, but with A-list stars.  The concept here is that they gathered in one house 11 celebrities that have never lived with a roommate.  Some have always lived alone, some still live with their parents (which doesn't carry a stigma in Korea like it does in the US), and some are idols that live and work with the members of their group.  So the whole roommate situation is new to all of them.  The fascinating thing is watching these 11 strangers bonding and becoming like family.

 

Now a couple of other shows I like that aren't available on DramaFever, but are available because of a fansubber.  And they're a bit more cerebral than others.  The first is The Genius Game.  The closest comparison would be The Mole, except there's no inside saboteur.  Each episode is divided into two games.  The first involves the entire all-star cast, and is a complex mental challenge, and not necessarily what it seems.  The winner(s) of the game get immunity, and the person deemed to be in last place is declared up for elimination.  They get to choose their opponent from everyone without immunity for the Death Match game.  The winner of the Death Match continues on in the game and receives the loser's garnets.  Oh, the garnets.  I almost forgot.  At the start of the season, each player is given 1 token, called a garnet, basically as entry stake into the game.  And the regular games have garnets as prizes for the winners.  Which is nice, because each garnet is worth $10,000.  And in the end, winner takes all.  However, some games require the players to spend their garnets, usually for a potential advantage (if the player can figure out how to use it correctly).  So the end prize isn't necessarily a fixed amount.  There's been 2 seasons of this show, with hopes of a third to come.

 

The one currently running is Crime Scene.  In essence, it's like one of those murder-mystery parties, or a game of Clue.  But because it's a TV show with a budget, the episodes take place on a set mocked up to be the crime scene, with rooms divided out as needed, and clues and red herrings scattered throughout in appropriate places.  The cast of 6 each take a role as one of the suspects in a murder.  One of those roles is the culprit, and it is up to the other 5 to figure out who it is.  Over the course of two episodes per case, all 6 give their alibis, investigate the scene, present their findings, cross-examine each other, then vote on who they think the culprit is.  Whoever gets the majority of the votes is "arrested" and those that voted for him/her pick up a bag of gold coins.  Then the culprit is revealed.  If they arrested the murderer, the people with the coins get to keep them.  If they were wrong, the murderer gets away and takes the coins for him/herself.

[magdalene]

Is anybody here familiar with the Canadian TV series INTELLIGENCE?  A really compelling drama that was cancelled way too soon.

[Anela]

The Returned.

 

I also still have three episodes of Wonderland to watch (from Australia).

 

I'm English, and have lived over here for years... I stopped watching the shows on PBS, some years back. I don't know why. I need to catch up with some on Netflix - and I love that they have All Creatures Great and Small, Midsomer Murders, and so on.

[atomationage]

The third season of House Husbands has started in Australia. 

[Robespierre]

Thanks for the recommendation! I watched the first season of Durham County this week (just six episodes long) and found it not brilliant but a cut above the usual crime drama dreck. Some of the acting was subpar--honestly, I think the lead, Hugh Dillon, is the weakest link--but I'm obsessed with young Laurence Lebouef and with her character, Mike's teen daughter, Sadie. I think I'll give S2 a go once I'm done binge-watching OITNB this weekend.

Agree with you about Hugh Dillon. If it's any consolation, he gets better as the show goes on -- and the supporting cast around him (Louis Ferreira, Michelle Forbes, Michael Nardone) are pretty strong. The third season is my favourite.

 

And yes, we're all in love with Laurence Leboeuf.

[Portia]

Agree with you about Hugh Dillon. If it's any consolation, he gets better as the show goes on -- and the supporting cast around him (Louis Ferreira, Michelle Forbes, Michael Nardone) are pretty strong. The third season is my favourite.

Oooh, I'm excited!

[futurememory]

Thanks so much SVNBob for that round-up of those Korean variety shows! I've watched episodes of Running Man before, and it's absolutely hilarious. I really need to catch up on some of the other ones. I've watched a season of The Romantic and Idol before, which is a Korean dating series that throws a bunch of A-list celebrities together for an island vacation filled with romance. It's almost hilarious how shy and awkward they are around each other and the opposite sex!

 

Is anyone into telenovelas? They're so hard to find with English subtitles, and I can't understand a word of Spanish. I watched a little bit of La Reina del Sur when it was on mun2 with English subtitles, and Telemundo has most of the rest up, but I haven't had the chance to watch. The entire plot was pretty ridiculous.

[SVNBob]

I've watched a season of The Romantic and Idol before,

I've seen bits and pieces of the first couple seasons of this show.  For those that haven't, think of shows like the Bachelor/ette, but there's an equal number of males and females, and a much smaller pool to start.  They pair up and all go to a vacation spot and do couple-y things, sometimes changing partners to find a better match.  How they do the ending though...that's a bit of a trip.

Agreed on the hilarity because of the interactions.  I've come to the conclusion that all Korean celebrities are gigantic dorks. Some can hide it for longer stretches of time than others, but variety shows bring out the adorkable in all of them. 

 

In the murder mystery show I talked about, Crime Scene, they recently aired the first episode of their 3rd case (episode 5).  With it came an unexpected but very cool change.  In addition to the 6 members of the cast taking on the suspect roles, they added an NPC for at least this case.  They brought in a real Korean police detective with 20 years on the force.  He's not a suspect, but otherwise he's playing by the same rules as the regular cast.

[atomationage]

I disliked what I originally saw of Backchat With Jack Whitehall and His Dad, but I liked the World Cup special they did recently.  Maybe the show improved after the first episodes that I saw. 

[Portia]

I finished the 2nd season of Durham County and found it entertaining if not quite as creepy as Season 1. Looking forward to season 3, which @Robespierre considered the best. I have a few concerns about the quality of Canadian prisons, but maybe that's a discussion for another thread...?   ;-)

[BuddhaBelly]

 

The newest variety show, and seemingly the one most popular with non-Koreans, is Roommate.  Think The Surreal Life, but with A-list stars.  The concept here is that they gathered in one house 11 celebrities that have never lived with a roommate.  Some have always lived alone, some still live with their parents (which doesn't carry a stigma in Korea like it does in the US), and some are idols that live and work with the members of their group.  So the whole roommate situation is new to all of them.  The fascinating thing is watching these 11 strangers bonding and becoming like family.

 

I love Roommate, even though it seems like a lot of people in Korean don't. It's freaking hilarious to see how they interact.

[Robespierre]

I finished the 2nd season of Durham County and found it entertaining if not quite as creepy as Season 1. Looking forward to season 3, which @Robespierre considered the best. I have a few concerns about the quality of Canadian prisons, but maybe that's a discussion for another thread...?   ;-)

 

Spoiler tags because I'm going in depth about season 2, for any future readers of this thread. Portia, everything in this post is safe for you.

 

Ray wasn't in "prison" per se, but a criminal psychiatric hospital. Those should also probably have better security than the show's, of course, but I considered it only a minor stretch that a doctor could move through one with nothing but a passcard and a uniform.

 

I love the water theme in S2 (if each season has a leitmotif, season 1's is dolls, season 2's is water, and season 3's is blood). I also loved how the psych ward was lit like a church, with Ray and Pen's final position evoking the Jesus and Mary paintings. In the season's first episode, Elodie Belknapp's crucifixion-esque pose is immediately mirrored in a quick cut to Maddie floating in the hotel pool, arms out, with the black line below her forming the T.

 

And wow, that discussion between Pen and Ray. "Better a monster than an ordinary man." I think when Ray finally took her life, both murderer and victim thought of it as a mercy kill.

 

If you ask me, it's Michelle Forbes's performance of a lifetime -- and one that got so deeply under her skin that she took her role on True Blood just to decompress from it and do something "lighthearted" as a murderous maenad.

 

Trivia: The scene where Bonnie crab-walks out of the empty pool involved no CG, merely a young Russian contortionist. It was originally written as straight-up horror, but Forbes and the girl had such chemistry that the director decided to take it in a more creepily tender direction.

 

And it may be slightly cheesy, but the Christopher Marlowe bit at the end never fails to give me chills.

 

Incidentally, to save you some confusion, season 3 takes place 6 years after season 2 (7 years after season 1). The precise timeframe is in a throwaway line of dialogue in episode 2 or 3, and is easy to miss.

[Portia]

Love your notes! And thanks for the explanation of the hospital vs. prison setting.

[magdalene]

I want to third the recommendation for Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries. I am watching the first season now and I am loving it. The heroine is awesome and there are some really likable supporting characters. And the costumes are divine. Unfortunately only the first season is available on netflix.

[SeriousPurrs]

@magdalene I assume you were able to find out about MHz.

In my area Brunetti episodes haven't been shown in more than a year. It used to be on every week and hopefully will again.

I loved his mom; so direct, so honest, so smart, so funny--if her honesty wasn't directed at you. And of course, his Sgt./assistant/colleague, a wonderful character.

I was pleased they didn't replace the actress and there were reminders of her now and then after her passing.

One thing I was always amazed at; the palaces people lived in--huge rooms that went on and on. I know it was convenient for filming but wow. Enough of my babbling. I do enjoy this series, but haven't read the books yet.

Edited June 25, 2014 by SeriousPurrs

[magdalene]

@magdalene I assume you were able to find out about MHz.

In my area Brunetti episodes haven't been shown in more than a year. It used to be on every week and hopefully will again.

I loved his mom; so direct, so honest, so smart, so funny--if her honesty wasn't directed at you. And of course, his Sgt./assistant/colleague, a wonderful character.

I was pleased they didn't replace the actress and there were reminders of her now and then after her passing.

One thing I was always amazed at; the palaces people lived in--huge rooms that went on and on. I know it was convenient for filming but wow. Enough of my babbling. I do enjoy this series, but haven't read the books yet.

Yes, I called my cable company and found out that unfortunately they do not offer the MHZ in my area at this time. So I can only read the books right now.

[ganesh]

I watch a lot of UK tv because they do a lot of 6-8 hour one off series, whereas most USA shows expect you to invest over 5 years of your life. I hope the Breaking Bad model catches on here.

 

Anyway, Utopia. Though it's coming back for a second series, it's only 6 episodes and it is fucking *weird* good. And shit goes down that would never be written and aired on USA tv ever. If you like graphic novels, it's that kind of show.

[Enigma X]

I am sorry if this has been posted before, but Endeavour's second season started airing on PBS in the States last week. I absolutely love this show! For those of you not familiar with it, it is basically the prequel to the British whodunit Inspector Morse series.

[Portia]

Can anyone give me any feedback on Ripper Street? I watched one episode but am still uncertain whether I want to invest in it.

[ganesh]

Yes Ripper Street.

[Tabbyclaw]

Canadian

Corner Gas

Dan for Mayor

 

Were you aware that there's a Corner Gas movie currently in production? Slated for limited theatrical release in Canada later this year, followed by a holiday broadcast. No word yet that I've found on US distribution.

 

I enjoyed Dan For Mayor, but for sitcoms by Corner Gas alums I prefer Hiccups, which stars Nancy Robertson (Wanda) as a deranged children's book author and Brent Butt as her hapless life coach. Shamelessly goofy, but sweet at the same time.

[Wax Lion]

One of my favorite shows ever was Suburban Shootout which aired on the UK's Five (which I understand went downhill afterward) and was picked up by Oxygen (when it was still associated with Oprah). There was a second season, but by the time it came together Oxygen had become the Bad Girls Club channel and I don't think it ever aired here.

 

It was a woman who moves to the countryside with her policeman husband, only to learn that there are two rival gangs battling for control of town, both run by woman who seem like ordinary housewives to everyone else. The humor is largely about the contrast between that tranquil bucolic setting and the gang violence (along with the gang rivalry).

 

HBO made a pilot for a US version but didn't pick it up. I'm always a little disappointed in that, even if it didn't work it would have left the original easier to find here.

 

BTW, does anyone know why every time I watch That Mitchell and Webb Look, there are more sketches missing? I rewatched it on Netflix a couple years ago and the Good Samaritan sketch was gone (I wondered it they didn't want to offend religious sensibilities), I just rewatched it on Hulu and the Moneypenny sketch was definitely missing, I think there were more missing. It can't be that they need to cut time for more ads, Hulu can run a show as long as it wants with ads.

Edited July 16, 2014 by Wax Lion

[mjc570]

Another vote here for Spiral, a French law and order type show. I also want to mention Murdoch's Mysteries, a Canadian series set at the turn of the century. It's extremely well-written, the actors wre uniformly excellent and the humor is understated. A nice, light show that somehow manages to address serious, timely issues. I'm watching it through Acorn TV.

[RubyWoo72]

Not sure if this goes here, but Deadly Women on Discovery ID. Pretty sure it's Australian, but the stories are often about American cases, and there's a little bit of disconnect sometimes if the actors' native accents slip through.