british tv

though low in visual quality, british tv makes up for it by being incredibly creative and witty. the first thing i'm always struck by when watching something for the bbc is the graininess of the picture and the horribleness of the lighting. i never really understood the greatness of hd and such until recently. a show on u.s. cable is a thing of beauty. it's vivid and bright, almost lifelike. possibly more vivid. even soap operas, which are notorious for being on the lower production level than primetime, are a feast for the eyes. then you watch the bbc. it's dull, and grainy as mentioned before. the production level is almost as bad as things filmed for the local independent channel. even pbs films their stuff at a higher level. it's pretty ridiculous.
i was set onto this realization by watching the show 'coupling' on netflix. the show is hilarious. sort of a cross between mtv's 'undressed' and 'friends'. both of which i have enjoyed, at different periods of my life. the show is racy; it speaks very openly about sex and the situations that can arise from it. it is also about a group of friends thrown together and the relationships that grow out of friendship. as witty as all british comedies apparently and a bit tasteless at times this show is a true representation of men's and women's views of relationships. but as great as the characters, story line, and dialogue are, the production value of this show was next to nil. the bad lighting, sets, and wardrobe are a very good representation of what, i think, most americans don't like about british tv. it's a bit painful on the eyes. it lacks the smooth visual quality that abounds in american tv.