BBC America: "BAFTA Awards"

For those of you lucky enough to get this on cable:

3-4PM
BBC America, TV-14

Season Premiere
Gordon Ramsay's F Word
B+

"It takes chef Ramsay just three minutes of his food show's new run to suggest someone go forth and multiply. But the Brit's love for good eats shines through his foulmouthed shtick. He even goes diving for delicious king crabs in frozen Norway (''My balls feel like two big f---ing ice cubes!'')."

 

8-10PM
BBC America, TV-PG

FOUR-PART SERIES
The American Future: A History by Simon Schama

"The British historian looks at current military conflict and waning optimism. Might he have titled this You Suck, Americans?"

Schama has written some excellent books, most notably "Citizens" and "An Embarassment of Riches"

 

BBCA is my favorite channel... if only I could get the real BBC. *Sigh*

I love Gordon Ramsey, the man is mean but he knows what he is talking about (and it is kinda funny). Look at how many Michelin stars the man has!

I hadn't heard about The American Future. It sounds really interesting, I'll have to DVR it.

 

I don't get it, but here's hoping.

 

8-9PM
BBC America, TV-PG

Season Premiere
Last Restaurant Standing

"Like Top Chef but without Padma and Tom Colicchio...oh, who cares, then?"

 

What I've gotten to watch of The American Future was really interesting, though I haven't had the time to watch much.

I'm excited that a new season of Last Restaurant Standing is starting, I really liked it last season.
I didn't even know it was coming back until I saw this so thanks Zaz!

 

They both sound very interesting....Sigh.

Wish I had the channel.

 

1-8PM
BBC America, TV-PG

Top Gear

"Double-decker buses, Mark Wahlberg on a test track, and seven marathon hours of those crazy Brit boys and stuff that moves."

 

I love this show, but I'm apparently a season ahead of BBC America. This season is great.

 

8-9:30PM
BBC America, TV-PG

Series Debut
Any Dream Will Do

"Graham Norton hosts a contest whose winner lands the lead in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. I love me a good musical about attempted fratricide and slavery!"

 

10-11PM
BBC America, TV-MA

The Graham Norton Show

"Has Zac Efron ever watched this double-entendre-fest? I'm guessing not, given that the HSM star will be on."

 

NOON-1PM
BBC America, TV-PG

Antiques Roadshow U.K.

"The show's Brit version also features clueless locals with dusty antiques and money-sign thought bubbles hovering over their heads. This edition is prettier, though, set against the backdrop of historical sites (tonight: Bolton Abbey's remains). Just bring your conversion calculator. B ?Kate Ward"

I've seen three versions; the American, the Canadian, and the Brit. The Brit is best, mainly because some of the items are stellar and the settings often historical.

 

Yeah... when a building in America is 150 years old, that's pretty old. In Europe, a 150-year-old building is practically still smelling of fresh paint.

 

Each show has its strength...on the American, it's the American experts in American furniture and pop culture.

In the Canadian, it's the First Nations artifacts and Canadian folk art.

In the British, it's the often wonderful documents and paintings.

 

We get that here, and Channel 9 convententily converts the money to Australian dollars when the price is given at the bottom of the screen.

Great things I have seen:

*The DJ's music box, I want one!
*A drinking man's walking stick
*Illustrated letters from Beatrix Potter
*A posset pot, posset is some sort of drink

I also love at the beginning of the show how they show the historic houses with some of the treasures in them.

 

On the Brit show, I think my fave is this dreadlocked guy who comes in with his mother and sister, and produces, from a sack, the most incredible collection of heirloom silver, collected by his father. The expert is practically hyperventilating while each enormously rare item is produced from the sack. I remember a James I winetaster ("Only three in existence!" huffs the expert. "Four now," says the dreadlocked guy, calmly.) Also a Commonwealth (1649-60) tankard. Great TV.

On the American show, I guess the John and Thomas Seymour table--complete with extant label--was the best. The twin experts--I forget their names--nearly went berserk, which is always amusing. They valued it at over $350,000.00, and it was later sold at auction for over $600,000 I think.

 

The Card Table

 

I recall seeing a couple off that top 10 list...the Charles Schulz art and the sword.

 

Sometimes the toys are very interesting.

 

9-10PM
BBC America, TV-PG

Primeval

"A deadly creature that can camouflage itself is hanging out in a potentially haunted house. Here's what I say: Who needs to investigate? Staying home is also nice."

 

I hated, hated, hated this show. iTunes had the pilot up for a free download, and I barely got through it. Poor acting, poor CGI, nonsensical story. Ugh.

 

9-10PM
BBC America, TV-14
being_human_150

Series Debut
Being Human
B

"In a new twist on the roommate drama, Mitchell (Aidan Turner), George (Russell Tovey), and Annie (Lenora Crichlow) are a vampire, werewolf, and ghost living together in Bristol. Turner and Tovey get the best material, while Crichlow mopes a lot. Then again, she's a ghost, so let's cut her some slack."

 

Being Human is a very good series. I'd certainly recommend it.