This thread is a celebration of and discussion of great British TV series (inspired by off topic chat between BrianL and me over here.

We started with Life on Mars - which I loved because I am roughly the same age as the character played by John Sim and I am from the North West, a little south of where the series is set and it all looked very familiar to me.

So which shows and series do you/did you love?

Maybe someone remember the adventures of "Sapphire & Steel", a surrealistic serie about time traveling. I still wonder who really are they? Humans? Aliens? Angels? I only know that I was so scared when I was a child!

Funny you should mention Sapphire and Steel.... (shameless self promotion). They never did explain who or what they are, there were lots of almost hints but no actual answers. If you really liked them, they are continued and expanded on the Big Finish audio series. I can definitely recommend these.

I'd like to listen to them. Unfortunately, my english listening capabilities are not so skilled!

What's happened to Alan Bleasdale? Those were two great series: "Boys From the Blackstuff", and "GBH". But I can't recall ever seeing anything else by him. I'll google...
Oh yeah, he did other stuff, but not as memorable as those two.

Good point, he seemed to peter out after the miner's strike. Though it seems that he wrote the adaptation of Oliver Twist in 1999 - not something I'd associate with him really.

Have a listen to the previews on the site, the diction is excellent and should aid your listening.

Are the BBC reading this? They've just shown a trailer for the new, coming soon, series of "Ashes to Ashes".

I stopped watching it really early on, it just didn't feel right, Alex is no Sam Tyler.

On the other hand, the American remake has Harvey Keitel in the Gene Hunt role. Finally, the septics are remaking the shows properly.

These "cross-compilation" jobs seldom work out OK. Whichever way it goes: UK ==> US, or US ==> UK. Two examples. The American version of "Till Death Us Do Part" was a disaster, and our "Law & Order:UK" just doesn't look or sound right.

Do Monty Python and Benny Hill count ?

Yes, certainly. I think we can include anything: comedy, situation comedy, plays, series of any kind.
I got a bit bored with Benny Hill, OK for two or three shows but not enough variety for any number of series. I preferred Morecambe and Wise. And for sit-coms, three of my favourites: Dad's Army, Only Fools and Horses, One Foot In The Grave.

That's funny. I just came to this site to start a thread about "the office." someone recommended that i watch it from the beginning. i watched a few episodes and i think it is the most depressing show i've ever seen. does anyone like it?

love it

"The Holy Grail" by Monty Python is a must see for anyone who has studied literature; ie, "Excalibur". Benny Hill was often played on air during my puberty years, were the ladies were a welcomed sight. This was before Internet and today's cable standards.

As a fan of Sci-Fi, I've got to mention, also, "Doctor Who". Which began running on PBS (now NPR) in the late 1980's. And, the current edition is excellent. The Time Lords are a fantastic way of instilling Humankind's beliefs in super natural forces, against aliens and what not...