Give us some decent programming!!!!

Reading Greybird's TV review reminded me that I was gonna put something in here about that very subject. I caught the "Queer Eye" program the other day - totally by accident as I was lying on the floor channel-hopping. It was painful. I guess it's good that they're more open about showing gays on TV nowadays but I couldn't help feeling this was just another stereotypical portrayal...the gay guys have the good taste in interior design, cooking, fashion while the straight guy is totally helpless....does he really need five other people to tell him his hair needs cutting or his place is a pigsty????? Whole thing made me cringe...or was that that back pain? And the girlfriend that turned up in the end. Wow. Wanted to hit her. Well, I've seen it now. Don't think I'll be tuning in again.

The whole TV thing is annoying me. Are they incapable of making good programs? Look at what's on....we've had Joe Millionaire, which struck me only as proof that American woman need their head examining (not all of them I'll admit, just a good proportion). And then, ABC runs a program which appears to have exactly the same plot. Errr.......what's all that about??? We've had that "Married by America". Hello. Are you really stupid enough to think that you'll find eternal happiness with someone who you, and your nearest and dearest, have never seen before? Even arranged marriages have something more solid behind them! Would you stand on a street corner and ask the first guy that wanders past to marry you? I think not!!!! Now we have "Paradise Hotel", which I've sort of been watching, only cos I can't believe that noone has got rid of the bitch Toni yet. She'd be my first target if I was on there....of course, I won't be....not just cos I've not applied but because they only allow 20-something skinny brainless women at the hotel. The premise is you get to stay at the hotel if you hook up with someone. There's no skill involved, no clever challenges....all you have to do is flash your boobs at someone and smile sweetly and convince your "victim" to share a room with you. I'm sure there's a word for that!!!! And then last night, which I didn't watch, they had a program on the things that people have had removed from their bodies. Come on...do you think the American public is so stupid that they can't cope with a decent drama or murder/mystery? No, don't respond. I know the answer.

All I can say is...thank god for BBC America...the only reason I have digital cable...in fact any cable at all. If it wasn't for Manchild, Coupling (so good that the US is gonna run its own version...with American actors basically using the same script as the UK version), Red Cap, Cracker and Jonathan Creek there would be no point me having a TV...oh, and I should add Eastenders (my bit of crap for the week!). Maybe it's me (bound to be) but I like to have my mind slightly challenged by what I watch. I like trying to work out whodunnit rather more than sitting here trying to work out which of the contestants needs a good slapping....or how I can take out the whole hotel.

But before I totally destroy American TV, I will applaud Frasier. One of the joys of not working is that I get two chances a day to see it....which can be confusing as they run old and new series on the same day! I saw "Flour Child" the other day, one of the few episodes that I don't think I'd seen before. I was literally rolling on the floor in hysterics. Niles was carrying a bag of flour round trying to find out what it would be like to be a parent. The poor bag got skewered as he was overly enthusiastic with his conducting, ended up in the pool when his Tai Chi was a little too vigorous and then got burnt as he left it by the fire to dry out "well a real child would have cried before he burst into flames". The humour in that program is clever and I love it. That's what we need more of.....not pretty people without a thought in their head other than have they can stab someone in the back so that they can win money/wifes/husbands.......

I'll continue this rant later....got a birthday present to make!!!!