Doctor Who Ratings Rise in the US, Fall in the UK

[Jaime_Wolf]

Spoiler

Seriously? You're complaining that they used the word "gasoline" while they were in America? You people will complain about anything.

Yeah, like the Yanks would come here and call it petrol.

It's a perfectly valid gripe, it's a UK concept, filmed as a UK show, using public UK funds.
Too right we don't want your grubby fingerprints all over it.

...yes, a number of them probably would.

It's incredibly common for people to adopt the local alternant of characteristic word alternations like gasoline~petrol when they travel.

And you're right about the fact that it's a UK concept, filmed as a UK show, using public UK funds. You just seem to forget that the current episodes are being set in the US. They're having the characters behave as realistic travellers to the US.

If you're going to live there, yes, you'd alter your language whether you wanted to or not.

If you're there on a trip and talking between yourselves, hell no. If you did you'd make it obvious, saying gasoline followed by something like "oop, see what I did there? American, aren't I?" Especially a character like Rory. What you wouldn't do is just have it as a natural part of the sentence.

Plus, anyone with a sense of humour enjoys the moments where cultures clash. An Englishman going to a petrol station in America would ask for petrol. The attendant would helpfully go, "huh, oh, you mean gas." The Englishman would respond with something akin to, "Good lord no man. My car doesn't run on gas. I need petrol. It's a liquid, you can set it on fire and it smells. Surely you know the stuff?" That's fun, intentionally being dimwitted is a great British comedic tradition. And you don't give up opportunities like that.

For example, I want to go to America one day. Whilst there if the opportunity presents itself I want to ask a girl, in my best cockney accent, "can I come in your house?"

Spoiler

"house" in a cockney accent sounds remarkably similar to the American "ass"

Actually, hell yes, people often do.

Perhaps the people around you make some special attempt not to fit in when they travel, but many people tend to make an effort to use the local alternant to sound less like an outsider. But more importantly, people pick up the alternant and start using it relatively naturally extremely fast - it's not at all irregular for things like that to happen within a few days of visiting somewhere.

As for the humour - there's writing a character as particularly daft and unaware of other cultures and then there's bad writing. What you've written here does not read as intentionally dimwitted at all, it rather suggests to me that either the Englishman is a complete idiot or is trying to explain to the stupid American that calling it gas is somehow
"wrong" (in which case the Englishman is a complete idiot and you've alienated your American audience).

Oh yeah I know, people do. It's just not a playful Englishman's way of doing things though, and that is precisely what the Doctor Who characters are.

As for your questioning the humour, it's a bit of both. You can be daft but you have to have a reason, otherwise you are just being an idiot.

Calling a liquid Gas is funny. Even on its own. I know it's short for Gasoline but gas is already a word. The definition of which rules out the possibility that Gasoline as a loadable car fuel be a gas. I have no problem with Americans calling it Gas but you can't deny there's a level of cognitive dissonance going on when you refer to a liquid as Gas. To have it picked up on by someone pretending to be slow just makes it funnier.

Yes; he's taking the piss but he's also purporting himself as an idiot, so you can take the piss out of him too. Everyone has fun.

"Calling a financial institution a Bank is funny. Even on its own. Bank is already a word, the definition of which rules out the possibility that Bank as a financial institution be a river bank. I have no problem with people calling it a Bank, but you can't deny there's a level of cognitive dissonance going on when you refer to a financial institution as a Bank."

Words with difference senses and the same phonological form are common in English. I'd bet that there are more such words (discounting simple derivational forms) with contradictory senses than not. And I hightly, highly doubt that any of them cause any "cognitive dissonance" (I do not think this phrase means what you think it means).

 

[SpaceSpork]

Doctor WHO?

 

[A Pious Cultist]

It was an incredibly dull episode anyway. More pseudo-fantasy "corner of your eye" bullshit for the aliens. That whole "magic plot detector device" reminded me of the Red Dwarf Back-to-Earth special where they call themselves out for having the plot-convenient "Psi-Scan".

If doctor who had more long-winded analogies it might just become the fantasy version of Star Trek. Though I suppose as tenous as star trek plot conclusions are they atleast have consistent logic within the universe:

"We can't bring him back, time can't be rewritten!"

"Yes we can save him, time CAN be rewritten!"

"No, you don't understand, this one is DIFFERENT, we can't intervene!"

"Intervene? Who cares let's do it!"

 

[JDKJ]

Spoiler

Seriously? You're complaining that they used the word "gasoline" while they were in America? You people will complain about anything.

Yeah, like the Yanks would come here and call it petrol.

It's a perfectly valid gripe, it's a UK concept, filmed as a UK show, using public UK funds.
Too right we don't want your grubby fingerprints all over it.

...yes, a number of them probably would.

It's incredibly common for people to adopt the local alternant of characteristic word alternations like gasoline~petrol when they travel.

And you're right about the fact that it's a UK concept, filmed as a UK show, using public UK funds. You just seem to forget that the current episodes are being set in the US. They're having the characters behave as realistic travellers to the US.

If you're going to live there, yes, you'd alter your language whether you wanted to or not.

If you're there on a trip and talking between yourselves, hell no. If you did you'd make it obvious, saying gasoline followed by something like "oop, see what I did there? American, aren't I?" Especially a character like Rory. What you wouldn't do is just have it as a natural part of the sentence.

Plus, anyone with a sense of humour enjoys the moments where cultures clash. An Englishman going to a petrol station in America would ask for petrol. The attendant would helpfully go, "huh, oh, you mean gas." The Englishman would respond with something akin to, "Good lord no man. My car doesn't run on gas. I need petrol. It's a liquid, you can set it on fire and it smells. Surely you know the stuff?" That's fun, intentionally being dimwitted is a great British comedic tradition. And you don't give up opportunities like that.

For example, I want to go to America one day. Whilst there if the opportunity presents itself I want to ask a girl, in my best cockney accent, "can I come in your house?"

Spoiler

"house" in a cockney accent sounds remarkably similar to the American "ass"

Actually, hell yes, people often do.

Perhaps the people around you make some special attempt not to fit in when they travel, but many people tend to make an effort to use the local alternant to sound less like an outsider. But more importantly, people pick up the alternant and start using it relatively naturally extremely fast - it's not at all irregular for things like that to happen within a few days of visiting somewhere.

As for the humour - there's writing a character as particularly daft and unaware of other cultures and then there's bad writing. What you've written here does not read as intentionally dimwitted at all, it rather suggests to me that either the Englishman is a complete idiot or is trying to explain to the stupid American that calling it gas is somehow
"wrong" (in which case the Englishman is a complete idiot and you've alienated your American audience).

Oh yeah I know, people do. It's just not a playful Englishman's way of doing things though, and that is precisely what the Doctor Who characters are.

As for your questioning the humour, it's a bit of both. You can be daft but you have to have a reason, otherwise you are just being an idiot.

Calling a liquid Gas is funny. Even on its own. I know it's short for Gasoline but gas is already a word. The definition of which rules out the possibility that Gasoline as a loadable car fuel be a gas. I have no problem with Americans calling it Gas but you can't deny there's a level of cognitive dissonance going on when you refer to a liquid as Gas. To have it picked up on by someone pretending to be slow just makes it funnier.

Yes; he's taking the piss but he's also purporting himself as an idiot, so you can take the piss out of him too. Everyone has fun.

"Calling a financial institution a Bank is funny. Even on its own. Bank is already a word, the definition of which rules out the possibility that Bank as a financial institution be a river bank. I have no problem with people calling it a Bank, but you can't deny there's a level of cognitive dissonance going on when you refer to a financial institution as a Bank."

Words with difference senses and the same phonological form are common in English. I'd bet that there are more such words (discounting simple derivational forms) with contradictory senses than not. And I hightly, highly doubt that any of them cause any "cognitive dissonance" (I do not think this phrase means what you think it means).

But not all financial institutions are banks. Financial institutions, as the term is commonly used, include mutual societies, investment funds, insurance companies, credit and co-operative unions, mortgage underwriters and a host of other institutions that don't near qualify as banks as that term is commonly used. And even among banks, that term as commonly used doesn't have the same meaning. The Federal Reserve Bank isn't in function or purpose any where near akin to the Bank of New York. They are both properly referred to as "banks" but they don't at all resemble each other.

 

[kurupt87]

Spoiler

Spoiler

Seriously? You're complaining that they used the word "gasoline" while they were in America? You people will complain about anything.

Yeah, like the Yanks would come here and call it petrol.

It's a perfectly valid gripe, it's a UK concept, filmed as a UK show, using public UK funds.
Too right we don't want your grubby fingerprints all over it.

...yes, a number of them probably would.

It's incredibly common for people to adopt the local alternant of characteristic word alternations like gasoline~petrol when they travel.

And you're right about the fact that it's a UK concept, filmed as a UK show, using public UK funds. You just seem to forget that the current episodes are being set in the US. They're having the characters behave as realistic travellers to the US.

If you're going to live there, yes, you'd alter your language whether you wanted to or not.

If you're there on a trip and talking between yourselves, hell no. If you did you'd make it obvious, saying gasoline followed by something like "oop, see what I did there? American, aren't I?" Especially a character like Rory. What you wouldn't do is just have it as a natural part of the sentence.

Plus, anyone with a sense of humour enjoys the moments where cultures clash. An Englishman going to a petrol station in America would ask for petrol. The attendant would helpfully go, "huh, oh, you mean gas." The Englishman would respond with something akin to, "Good lord no man. My car doesn't run on gas. I need petrol. It's a liquid, you can set it on fire and it smells. Surely you know the stuff?" That's fun, intentionally being dimwitted is a great British comedic tradition. And you don't give up opportunities like that.

For example, I want to go to America one day. Whilst there if the opportunity presents itself I want to ask a girl, in my best cockney accent, "can I come in your house?"

Spoiler

"house" in a cockney accent sounds remarkably similar to the American "ass"

Actually, hell yes, people often do.

Perhaps the people around you make some special attempt not to fit in when they travel, but many people tend to make an effort to use the local alternant to sound less like an outsider. But more importantly, people pick up the alternant and start using it relatively naturally extremely fast - it's not at all irregular for things like that to happen within a few days of visiting somewhere.

As for the humour - there's writing a character as particularly daft and unaware of other cultures and then there's bad writing. What you've written here does not read as intentionally dimwitted at all, it rather suggests to me that either the Englishman is a complete idiot or is trying to explain to the stupid American that calling it gas is somehow
"wrong" (in which case the Englishman is a complete idiot and you've alienated your American audience).

Oh yeah I know, people do. It's just not a playful Englishman's way of doing things though, and that is precisely what the Doctor Who characters are.

As for your questioning the humour, it's a bit of both. You can be daft but you have to have a reason, otherwise you are just being an idiot.

Calling a liquid Gas is funny. Even on its own. I know it's short for Gasoline but gas is already a word. The definition of which rules out the possibility that Gasoline as a loadable car fuel be a gas. I have no problem with Americans calling it Gas but you can't deny there's a level of cognitive dissonance going on when you refer to a liquid as Gas. To have it picked up on by someone pretending to be slow just makes it funnier.

Yes; he's taking the piss but he's also purporting himself as an idiot, so you can take the piss out of him too. Everyone has fun.

"Calling a financial institution a Bank is funny. Even on its own. Bank is already a word, the definition of which rules out the possibility that Bank as a financial institution be a river bank. I have no problem with people calling it a Bank, but you can't deny there's a level of cognitive dissonance going on when you refer to a financial institution as a Bank."

Words with difference senses and the same phonological form are common in English. I'd bet that there are more such words (discounting simple derivational forms) with contradictory senses than not. And I hightly, highly doubt that any of them cause any "cognitive dissonance" (I do not think this phrase means what you think it means).

Bad example. Bank is also a verb, to bank something means to tuck it safely away; it's only logical a place where you do just that would be named as such (or the other way round, whichever came first). Whilst the bank of a river is just a shortening of riverbank. The bank of a river could also be suggested to relate to the verb bank; the riverbank is where we find stuff that was in the river.

But whatever, apparently you don't find this funny.

I'd suggest that perhaps you are immature and have, through choice or otherwise, not developed an ability to be able to laugh at oneself through an inferiority complex but, I don't really care.

Buh bye now.

 

[Double A]

All my friends love Matt Smith. Bow ties are cool.

I guess it's because I'm an American? Whatever. David Tennant was great as well. All in all, this is still a great TV show. I've seen about a dozen of the old ones on VHS, and I can honestly say both old and new episodes are amazing.

 

[JDKJ]

Spoiler

Spoiler

Seriously? You're complaining that they used the word "gasoline" while they were in America? You people will complain about anything.

Yeah, like the Yanks would come here and call it petrol.

It's a perfectly valid gripe, it's a UK concept, filmed as a UK show, using public UK funds.
Too right we don't want your grubby fingerprints all over it.

...yes, a number of them probably would.

It's incredibly common for people to adopt the local alternant of characteristic word alternations like gasoline~petrol when they travel.

And you're right about the fact that it's a UK concept, filmed as a UK show, using public UK funds. You just seem to forget that the current episodes are being set in the US. They're having the characters behave as realistic travellers to the US.

If you're going to live there, yes, you'd alter your language whether you wanted to or not.

If you're there on a trip and talking between yourselves, hell no. If you did you'd make it obvious, saying gasoline followed by something like "oop, see what I did there? American, aren't I?" Especially a character like Rory. What you wouldn't do is just have it as a natural part of the sentence.

Plus, anyone with a sense of humour enjoys the moments where cultures clash. An Englishman going to a petrol station in America would ask for petrol. The attendant would helpfully go, "huh, oh, you mean gas." The Englishman would respond with something akin to, "Good lord no man. My car doesn't run on gas. I need petrol. It's a liquid, you can set it on fire and it smells. Surely you know the stuff?" That's fun, intentionally being dimwitted is a great British comedic tradition. And you don't give up opportunities like that.

For example, I want to go to America one day. Whilst there if the opportunity presents itself I want to ask a girl, in my best cockney accent, "can I come in your house?"

Spoiler

"house" in a cockney accent sounds remarkably similar to the American "ass"

Actually, hell yes, people often do.

Perhaps the people around you make some special attempt not to fit in when they travel, but many people tend to make an effort to use the local alternant to sound less like an outsider. But more importantly, people pick up the alternant and start using it relatively naturally extremely fast - it's not at all irregular for things like that to happen within a few days of visiting somewhere.

As for the humour - there's writing a character as particularly daft and unaware of other cultures and then there's bad writing. What you've written here does not read as intentionally dimwitted at all, it rather suggests to me that either the Englishman is a complete idiot or is trying to explain to the stupid American that calling it gas is somehow
"wrong" (in which case the Englishman is a complete idiot and you've alienated your American audience).

Oh yeah I know, people do. It's just not a playful Englishman's way of doing things though, and that is precisely what the Doctor Who characters are.

As for your questioning the humour, it's a bit of both. You can be daft but you have to have a reason, otherwise you are just being an idiot.

Calling a liquid Gas is funny. Even on its own. I know it's short for Gasoline but gas is already a word. The definition of which rules out the possibility that Gasoline as a loadable car fuel be a gas. I have no problem with Americans calling it Gas but you can't deny there's a level of cognitive dissonance going on when you refer to a liquid as Gas. To have it picked up on by someone pretending to be slow just makes it funnier.

Yes; he's taking the piss but he's also purporting himself as an idiot, so you can take the piss out of him too. Everyone has fun.

"Calling a financial institution a Bank is funny. Even on its own. Bank is already a word, the definition of which rules out the possibility that Bank as a financial institution be a river bank. I have no problem with people calling it a Bank, but you can't deny there's a level of cognitive dissonance going on when you refer to a financial institution as a Bank."

Words with difference senses and the same phonological form are common in English. I'd bet that there are more such words (discounting simple derivational forms) with contradictory senses than not. And I hightly, highly doubt that any of them cause any "cognitive dissonance" (I do not think this phrase means what you think it means).

Bad example. Bank is also a verb, to bank something means to tuck it safely away; it's only logical a place where you do just that would be named as such (or the other way round, whichever came first). Whilst the bank of a river is just a shortening of riverbank. The bank of a river could also be suggested to relate to the verb bank; the riverbank is where we find stuff that was in the river.

But whatever, apparently you don't find this funny.

I'd suggest that perhaps you are immature and have, through choice or otherwise, not developed an ability to be able to laugh at oneself through an inferiority complex but, I don't really care.

Buh bye now.

Bank as a verb also has many synonyms. To "bank" an aircraft after take-off. To "bank" the eight-ball into the corner pocket (derived from the rails of a pool table which are often referred to as "banks"). Many synonyms. You can bank on that!

 

[KeyMaster45]

£500 says the reason it was rated so high in the US was because it was based in the US. Yanks take nationa... erm... "patriotism" to new extremes =p

No, if anything it would be because unlike previous seasons BBC America aired it the same day as it premiered in the UK instead of waiting 3 or 4 weeks to play it in the states. Unlike the other seasons I actually sat down to watch it commercials and all from my couch instead of getting it off the internet.

And oh ffs people they let slip the world "gasoline", it's not like they weren't in an area of the world where the vernacular was different. It's a really petty reason to get upset and decry that the show is going to shit.

They say the US is really bad about being snobbish about our culture but damn it seems to me like citizens of other countries can be just as snobbish if not more about their culture and their idea that it's somehow superior to someone else'. Fricking grow up people.

 

[ninjapenguin981]

snip

Russell T Davies hasn't worked on Dr. Who for a series now.

 

[Jaime_Wolf]

Spoiler

Spoiler

Seriously? You're complaining that they used the word "gasoline" while they were in America? You people will complain about anything.

Yeah, like the Yanks would come here and call it petrol.

It's a perfectly valid gripe, it's a UK concept, filmed as a UK show, using public UK funds.
Too right we don't want your grubby fingerprints all over it.

...yes, a number of them probably would.

It's incredibly common for people to adopt the local alternant of characteristic word alternations like gasoline~petrol when they travel.

And you're right about the fact that it's a UK concept, filmed as a UK show, using public UK funds. You just seem to forget that the current episodes are being set in the US. They're having the characters behave as realistic travellers to the US.

If you're going to live there, yes, you'd alter your language whether you wanted to or not.

If you're there on a trip and talking between yourselves, hell no. If you did you'd make it obvious, saying gasoline followed by something like "oop, see what I did there? American, aren't I?" Especially a character like Rory. What you wouldn't do is just have it as a natural part of the sentence.

Plus, anyone with a sense of humour enjoys the moments where cultures clash. An Englishman going to a petrol station in America would ask for petrol. The attendant would helpfully go, "huh, oh, you mean gas." The Englishman would respond with something akin to, "Good lord no man. My car doesn't run on gas. I need petrol. It's a liquid, you can set it on fire and it smells. Surely you know the stuff?" That's fun, intentionally being dimwitted is a great British comedic tradition. And you don't give up opportunities like that.

For example, I want to go to America one day. Whilst there if the opportunity presents itself I want to ask a girl, in my best cockney accent, "can I come in your house?"

Spoiler

"house" in a cockney accent sounds remarkably similar to the American "ass"

Actually, hell yes, people often do.

Perhaps the people around you make some special attempt not to fit in when they travel, but many people tend to make an effort to use the local alternant to sound less like an outsider. But more importantly, people pick up the alternant and start using it relatively naturally extremely fast - it's not at all irregular for things like that to happen within a few days of visiting somewhere.

As for the humour - there's writing a character as particularly daft and unaware of other cultures and then there's bad writing. What you've written here does not read as intentionally dimwitted at all, it rather suggests to me that either the Englishman is a complete idiot or is trying to explain to the stupid American that calling it gas is somehow
"wrong" (in which case the Englishman is a complete idiot and you've alienated your American audience).

Oh yeah I know, people do. It's just not a playful Englishman's way of doing things though, and that is precisely what the Doctor Who characters are.

As for your questioning the humour, it's a bit of both. You can be daft but you have to have a reason, otherwise you are just being an idiot.

Calling a liquid Gas is funny. Even on its own. I know it's short for Gasoline but gas is already a word. The definition of which rules out the possibility that Gasoline as a loadable car fuel be a gas. I have no problem with Americans calling it Gas but you can't deny there's a level of cognitive dissonance going on when you refer to a liquid as Gas. To have it picked up on by someone pretending to be slow just makes it funnier.

Yes; he's taking the piss but he's also purporting himself as an idiot, so you can take the piss out of him too. Everyone has fun.

"Calling a financial institution a Bank is funny. Even on its own. Bank is already a word, the definition of which rules out the possibility that Bank as a financial institution be a river bank. I have no problem with people calling it a Bank, but you can't deny there's a level of cognitive dissonance going on when you refer to a financial institution as a Bank."

Words with difference senses and the same phonological form are common in English. I'd bet that there are more such words (discounting simple derivational forms) with contradictory senses than not. And I hightly, highly doubt that any of them cause any "cognitive dissonance" (I do not think this phrase means what you think it means).

Bad example. Bank is also a verb, to bank something means to tuck it safely away; it's only logical a place where you do just that would be named as such (or the other way round, whichever came first). Whilst the bank of a river is just a shortening of riverbank. The bank of a river could also be suggested to relate to the verb bank; the riverbank is where we find stuff that was in the river.

But whatever, apparently you don't find this funny.

I'd suggest that perhaps you are immature and have, through choice or otherwise, not developed an ability to be able to laugh at oneself through an inferiority complex but, I don't really care.

Buh bye now.

Irony.

 

[Yankeedoodles]

Spoiler: Previous Conversation

Well I don't know about the two of you but I've thoroughly enjoyed this 'fiasco'. With the witty barbs and all it was a bit like reading a script for 'House'. BDKJ seems to be making the very simple point that racism and xenophobia are just as prevalent in British politics as they are in American politics and has offered certain facts which seem to back up the fact that nationalist parties have gained support among at least a minority of Britons. I don't really see how that can be argued given the evidence presented. Now what I find most interesting is the fact that a previous thread had led me to believe (correct me if I'm wrong BDKJ) that BDKJ was a British expat living in the States. Knowing that, Abandon, would you still have argued so vehemently (or argued at all) against the mere assertion that American and British politics have a similar level of racism and xenophobia? Did the flag in his profile make all the difference?

If nothing else this thread has completely disabused me of the notion that Britons are any less nationalistic than American and for that I'm glad I read it. Personally I think there will come a day when we as a global interconnected society decide that nationalism as a concept should be viewed in much the same way as elitism.

Dunno about those guys, but I lived in America and the UK (and Australia as well) and I'd easily say that on a ground, personal level, the Brits are by far the least nationalistic... that is, until foreigners try and move in on their territory (ironic much?)

Most Brits don't own a flag, nor would dream of ever waving one outside of a football match, and close to none know the national anthem. Considering in America that's basic knowledge, and they even brainwa... I mean, require children to salute a flag every morning in school, while reeling off some diatribe about how good it is to live in a slightly different location to everyone else, the Brits aren't nationalist at all. They prove you can be a small minded bigot, racist and xenophobe, while still being self depreciating about your own country. Quite a feat.

I'm not nationalist, and I think that the concept is ridiculous. However, you can't accuse the vast majority of Brits of being nationalist when we aren't, especially compared to America. You guys even made up your own sports, because you didn't want to play with the rest of the world

Well I and I would wager to bet most Americans have no idea what the middle of the Star Spangled Banner is. We just sort of mumble it when it's played at sporting events. But looking at the sum total of this thread, can you honestly say that this does not reek of British nationalism?

Speaking to American nationalism specifically, I can understand why it may be annoying to a number of people in other countries. It annoys me on occasion. But, sadly, there are a number of social issues still very present in this country which nationalism is quite effective at overcoming. Hopefully we'll push past those some day but until then I'm afraid the international community will simply have to try to tolerate it.

No, I wouldn't say this thread reeks of British nationalism. I think it reeks of slight xenophobia, but more than that, it reeks of boyish competition.

The thing is, (and this is what America is going to need to put up with), the US has entered the homes of every western country, in its media, its products and its way of life. It's like America has infiltrated us all. It's like we all know you personally, and don't realise that you are a very different nation, and are as foreign as any other country can be, especially in your personal attitudes. And all of this feeling of familiarity goes double for us English speaking countries - we don't even get a dubbed version of your stuff, it's not necessary. You speak to us on a daily basis in your own voices, in our very homes, in our cinema, in what we eat or drink, and in how we now live our lives. And so that makes us brothers. Unfortunately, you're the brother who got all the breaks in life. WE are the runty one who can never get the girl. So every time we get a success, yeah we rub it in your faces. Like this thread. I think we're entitled to. We are mass consumers of what you export, so it's nice to be appreciated too. Add to that general British competitiveness, and the fact that most Brits are kinda rude as a way of life, and you get threads like this. It isn't a nationalist thing, it's more of a society kinda thing. We aren't like this because we love Britain, we're like this because, frankly, Britain doesn't have much worth loving any more, and so we take full advantage of our successes. We'll still be drinking Coca Cola tomorrow, and watching awful remakes of good foreign language films, but allow us Dr Who today

EDIT: Ask any Brit in person the second line of the anthem, and look at their confused faces... it's not sung in schools, nor taught. Most schools won't own a British flag at all. What's the point? It's a difficult comparison, being very different countries, but you can't compare English nationalism, as it doesn't exist. The BNP and EDL and that a just fronts for racist parties. They don't give a shit about "nationalism" or patriotism.

Hmm... those are some very interesting points. Up until I took a trip to Europe a few years ago I didn't realize how omnipresent America is in much the rest of the world. I went to see Canterbury cathedral and there was a beautiful entrance arch for it and on either side of it were a McDonalds and a Starbucks. While I was in Germany about to go to sleep I watched nearly the entire movie of Herbie the Love Bug. I guess I had just assumed that everything would be so different over there. And I guess I was surprised and a little disappointed. If you don't watch the news here it is very easy to forget that the rest of the world exists.

Still, it honestly sounds like you're describing nationalism to me. If Dr. Who is something that you're proud of simply because it was made in Britain, by Brits, using British funds then what you're feeling is nationalist pride. Nationalism doesn't need to manifest in relation to overt national symbols like the flag or what have you.

Edit: And contrary to what I said before that's not necessarily a bad thing. I've really enjoyed the Dr. Who that I've seen and I think it's an excellent diplomat representing British culture the world over.

I still wouldn't call it patriotic... it's hard to explain. We don't love it because it's British, we love it for being good. We are chuffed that it's held in high regard in other countries that normally do it better, but we'd still enjoy it were it not British (although I don't think any other country could do it the same way).

As for the Americanisation of Europe... that's capitalism for you. Although, I'd rather have contemporary American produce and arts than the cheap replicas of ancient European arts that seem to adorn every building in Georgia (where I used to live)...

Hmm... well, alright.

I can certainly agree about replicating ancient architecture. Greco-Roman Revival has never been my favorite and it is everywhere in the South. The place where I live has a lot of Art Deco buildings that I really like. They almost look like they're right out of Bioshock. Granted, Art Deco is technically French but I think the US has done a good job of 'owning' it.

Just look to one of the most magnificent buildings in the world (Empire State) to see how good American architecture can be. People should stop trying to replicate, and start trying to innovate...

I like how the conversation changed from Dr Who, to popular architecture, via politics.

The Empire State Building (and, in my opinion, the much more impressive Chrysler Building) are both in the Art Deco style -- which isn't American. It's actually French. But, as Yankeedoo points out, the Americans have "owned" the style. And created a capital city in homage to it: South Miami Beach.

Yes. I really do have to get down to Miami at some point (and not just for the architecture). Although I've heard that there are cities in New Zealand rocking the Art Deco which rival Miami.

It's a "weird" kinda Art Deco on SoBe. Nothing at all like NYC's. All the buildings are painted in pastels. Which is kinda cool and "beachy." And you can definitely see the Art Deco influence. It's just not what you'd think of as Art Deco if you grew up on NYC's Art Deco.

That's the impression I get from all of the shows based down there. One of the other impressions I get from those shows is confirmed by polls which frequently finds Miami taking the top spot in the category of 'City with the Most Attractive People'.

 

[kurupt87]

Spoiler

Spoiler

Spoiler

Seriously? You're complaining that they used the word "gasoline" while they were in America? You people will complain about anything.

Yeah, like the Yanks would come here and call it petrol.

It's a perfectly valid gripe, it's a UK concept, filmed as a UK show, using public UK funds.
Too right we don't want your grubby fingerprints all over it.

...yes, a number of them probably would.

It's incredibly common for people to adopt the local alternant of characteristic word alternations like gasoline~petrol when they travel.

And you're right about the fact that it's a UK concept, filmed as a UK show, using public UK funds. You just seem to forget that the current episodes are being set in the US. They're having the characters behave as realistic travellers to the US.

If you're going to live there, yes, you'd alter your language whether you wanted to or not.

If you're there on a trip and talking between yourselves, hell no. If you did you'd make it obvious, saying gasoline followed by something like "oop, see what I did there? American, aren't I?" Especially a character like Rory. What you wouldn't do is just have it as a natural part of the sentence.

Plus, anyone with a sense of humour enjoys the moments where cultures clash. An Englishman going to a petrol station in America would ask for petrol. The attendant would helpfully go, "huh, oh, you mean gas." The Englishman would respond with something akin to, "Good lord no man. My car doesn't run on gas. I need petrol. It's a liquid, you can set it on fire and it smells. Surely you know the stuff?" That's fun, intentionally being dimwitted is a great British comedic tradition. And you don't give up opportunities like that.

For example, I want to go to America one day. Whilst there if the opportunity presents itself I want to ask a girl, in my best cockney accent, "can I come in your house?"

Spoiler

"house" in a cockney accent sounds remarkably similar to the American "ass"

Actually, hell yes, people often do.

Perhaps the people around you make some special attempt not to fit in when they travel, but many people tend to make an effort to use the local alternant to sound less like an outsider. But more importantly, people pick up the alternant and start using it relatively naturally extremely fast - it's not at all irregular for things like that to happen within a few days of visiting somewhere.

As for the humour - there's writing a character as particularly daft and unaware of other cultures and then there's bad writing. What you've written here does not read as intentionally dimwitted at all, it rather suggests to me that either the Englishman is a complete idiot or is trying to explain to the stupid American that calling it gas is somehow
"wrong" (in which case the Englishman is a complete idiot and you've alienated your American audience).

Oh yeah I know, people do. It's just not a playful Englishman's way of doing things though, and that is precisely what the Doctor Who characters are.

As for your questioning the humour, it's a bit of both. You can be daft but you have to have a reason, otherwise you are just being an idiot.

Calling a liquid Gas is funny. Even on its own. I know it's short for Gasoline but gas is already a word. The definition of which rules out the possibility that Gasoline as a loadable car fuel be a gas. I have no problem with Americans calling it Gas but you can't deny there's a level of cognitive dissonance going on when you refer to a liquid as Gas. To have it picked up on by someone pretending to be slow just makes it funnier.

Yes; he's taking the piss but he's also purporting himself as an idiot, so you can take the piss out of him too. Everyone has fun.

"Calling a financial institution a Bank is funny. Even on its own. Bank is already a word, the definition of which rules out the possibility that Bank as a financial institution be a river bank. I have no problem with people calling it a Bank, but you can't deny there's a level of cognitive dissonance going on when you refer to a financial institution as a Bank."

Words with difference senses and the same phonological form are common in English. I'd bet that there are more such words (discounting simple derivational forms) with contradictory senses than not. And I hightly, highly doubt that any of them cause any "cognitive dissonance" (I do not think this phrase means what you think it means).

Bad example. Bank is also a verb, to bank something means to tuck it safely away; it's only logical a place where you do just that would be named as such (or the other way round, whichever came first). Whilst the bank of a river is just a shortening of riverbank. The bank of a river could also be suggested to relate to the verb bank; the riverbank is where we find stuff that was in the river.

But whatever, apparently you don't find this funny.

I'd suggest that perhaps you are immature and have, through choice or otherwise, not developed an ability to be able to laugh at oneself through an inferiority complex but, I don't really care.

Buh bye now.

Bank as a verb also has many synonyms. To "bank" an aircraft after take-off. To "bank" the eight-ball into the corner pocket. Many synonyms. You can bank on that!

Well played sir, well played indeed.

Verbage meanings are more up for grabs though, I think. Gah, flummoxed. It'd be interesting to know where that came from though. You pull the stick toward you when you bank, eh eh?

You can appreciate calling a liquid Gas could be construed as funny though, right?

 

[JDKJ]

Spoiler

Spoiler

Seriously? You're complaining that they used the word "gasoline" while they were in America? You people will complain about anything.

Yeah, like the Yanks would come here and call it petrol.

It's a perfectly valid gripe, it's a UK concept, filmed as a UK show, using public UK funds.
Too right we don't want your grubby fingerprints all over it.

...yes, a number of them probably would.

It's incredibly common for people to adopt the local alternant of characteristic word alternations like gasoline~petrol when they travel.

And you're right about the fact that it's a UK concept, filmed as a UK show, using public UK funds. You just seem to forget that the current episodes are being set in the US. They're having the characters behave as realistic travellers to the US.

If you're going to live there, yes, you'd alter your language whether you wanted to or not.

If you're there on a trip and talking between yourselves, hell no. If you did you'd make it obvious, saying gasoline followed by something like "oop, see what I did there? American, aren't I?" Especially a character like Rory. What you wouldn't do is just have it as a natural part of the sentence.

Plus, anyone with a sense of humour enjoys the moments where cultures clash. An Englishman going to a petrol station in America would ask for petrol. The attendant would helpfully go, "huh, oh, you mean gas." The Englishman would respond with something akin to, "Good lord no man. My car doesn't run on gas. I need petrol. It's a liquid, you can set it on fire and it smells. Surely you know the stuff?" That's fun, intentionally being dimwitted is a great British comedic tradition. And you don't give up opportunities like that.

For example, I want to go to America one day. Whilst there if the opportunity presents itself I want to ask a girl, in my best cockney accent, "can I come in your house?"

Spoiler

"house" in a cockney accent sounds remarkably similar to the American "ass"

Actually, hell yes, people often do.

Perhaps the people around you make some special attempt not to fit in when they travel, but many people tend to make an effort to use the local alternant to sound less like an outsider. But more importantly, people pick up the alternant and start using it relatively naturally extremely fast - it's not at all irregular for things like that to happen within a few days of visiting somewhere.

As for the humour - there's writing a character as particularly daft and unaware of other cultures and then there's bad writing. What you've written here does not read as intentionally dimwitted at all, it rather suggests to me that either the Englishman is a complete idiot or is trying to explain to the stupid American that calling it gas is somehow
"wrong" (in which case the Englishman is a complete idiot and you've alienated your American audience).

Oh yeah I know, people do. It's just not a playful Englishman's way of doing things though, and that is precisely what the Doctor Who characters are.

As for your questioning the humour, it's a bit of both. You can be daft but you have to have a reason, otherwise you are just being an idiot.

Calling a liquid Gas is funny. Even on its own. I know it's short for Gasoline but gas is already a word. The definition of which rules out the possibility that Gasoline as a loadable car fuel be a gas. I have no problem with Americans calling it Gas but you can't deny there's a level of cognitive dissonance going on when you refer to a liquid as Gas. To have it picked up on by someone pretending to be slow just makes it funnier.

Yes; he's taking the piss but he's also purporting himself as an idiot, so you can take the piss out of him too. Everyone has fun.

"Calling a financial institution a Bank is funny. Even on its own. Bank is already a word, the definition of which rules out the possibility that Bank as a financial institution be a river bank. I have no problem with people calling it a Bank, but you can't deny there's a level of cognitive dissonance going on when you refer to a financial institution as a Bank."

Words with difference senses and the same phonological form are common in English. I'd bet that there are more such words (discounting simple derivational forms) with contradictory senses than not. And I hightly, highly doubt that any of them cause any "cognitive dissonance" (I do not think this phrase means what you think it means).

Bad example. Bank is also a verb, to bank something means to tuck it safely away; it's only logical a place where you do just that would be named as such (or the other way round, whichever came first). Whilst the bank of a river is just a shortening of riverbank. The bank of a river could also be suggested to relate to the verb bank; the riverbank is where we find stuff that was in the river.

But whatever, apparently you don't find this funny.

I'd suggest that perhaps you are immature and have, through choice or otherwise, not developed an ability to be able to laugh at oneself through an inferiority complex but, I don't really care.

Buh bye now.

Irony.

i·ron·y /ˈaɪərni/ adj. consisting of, containing, or resembling iron.

Is that what you meant by your use of the word "irony?" I have a suspicion you didn't. But you could well have. It'd be a proper use.

 

[kurupt87]

Spoiler

Spoiler

Spoiler

Seriously? You're complaining that they used the word "gasoline" while they were in America? You people will complain about anything.

Yeah, like the Yanks would come here and call it petrol.

It's a perfectly valid gripe, it's a UK concept, filmed as a UK show, using public UK funds.
Too right we don't want your grubby fingerprints all over it.

...yes, a number of them probably would.

It's incredibly common for people to adopt the local alternant of characteristic word alternations like gasoline~petrol when they travel.

And you're right about the fact that it's a UK concept, filmed as a UK show, using public UK funds. You just seem to forget that the current episodes are being set in the US. They're having the characters behave as realistic travellers to the US.

If you're going to live there, yes, you'd alter your language whether you wanted to or not.

If you're there on a trip and talking between yourselves, hell no. If you did you'd make it obvious, saying gasoline followed by something like "oop, see what I did there? American, aren't I?" Especially a character like Rory. What you wouldn't do is just have it as a natural part of the sentence.

Plus, anyone with a sense of humour enjoys the moments where cultures clash. An Englishman going to a petrol station in America would ask for petrol. The attendant would helpfully go, "huh, oh, you mean gas." The Englishman would respond with something akin to, "Good lord no man. My car doesn't run on gas. I need petrol. It's a liquid, you can set it on fire and it smells. Surely you know the stuff?" That's fun, intentionally being dimwitted is a great British comedic tradition. And you don't give up opportunities like that.

For example, I want to go to America one day. Whilst there if the opportunity presents itself I want to ask a girl, in my best cockney accent, "can I come in your house?"

Spoiler

"house" in a cockney accent sounds remarkably similar to the American "ass"

Actually, hell yes, people often do.

Perhaps the people around you make some special attempt not to fit in when they travel, but many people tend to make an effort to use the local alternant to sound less like an outsider. But more importantly, people pick up the alternant and start using it relatively naturally extremely fast - it's not at all irregular for things like that to happen within a few days of visiting somewhere.

As for the humour - there's writing a character as particularly daft and unaware of other cultures and then there's bad writing. What you've written here does not read as intentionally dimwitted at all, it rather suggests to me that either the Englishman is a complete idiot or is trying to explain to the stupid American that calling it gas is somehow
"wrong" (in which case the Englishman is a complete idiot and you've alienated your American audience).

Oh yeah I know, people do. It's just not a playful Englishman's way of doing things though, and that is precisely what the Doctor Who characters are.

As for your questioning the humour, it's a bit of both. You can be daft but you have to have a reason, otherwise you are just being an idiot.

Calling a liquid Gas is funny. Even on its own. I know it's short for Gasoline but gas is already a word. The definition of which rules out the possibility that Gasoline as a loadable car fuel be a gas. I have no problem with Americans calling it Gas but you can't deny there's a level of cognitive dissonance going on when you refer to a liquid as Gas. To have it picked up on by someone pretending to be slow just makes it funnier.

Yes; he's taking the piss but he's also purporting himself as an idiot, so you can take the piss out of him too. Everyone has fun.

"Calling a financial institution a Bank is funny. Even on its own. Bank is already a word, the definition of which rules out the possibility that Bank as a financial institution be a river bank. I have no problem with people calling it a Bank, but you can't deny there's a level of cognitive dissonance going on when you refer to a financial institution as a Bank."

Words with difference senses and the same phonological form are common in English. I'd bet that there are more such words (discounting simple derivational forms) with contradictory senses than not. And I hightly, highly doubt that any of them cause any "cognitive dissonance" (I do not think this phrase means what you think it means).

Bad example. Bank is also a verb, to bank something means to tuck it safely away; it's only logical a place where you do just that would be named as such (or the other way round, whichever came first). Whilst the bank of a river is just a shortening of riverbank. The bank of a river could also be suggested to relate to the verb bank; the riverbank is where we find stuff that was in the river.

But whatever, apparently you don't find this funny.

I'd suggest that perhaps you are immature and have, through choice or otherwise, not developed an ability to be able to laugh at oneself through an inferiority complex but, I don't really care.

Buh bye now.

Irony.

Heh, if you just meta'd/trolled me; good job.

 

[JDKJ]

Spoiler

Spoiler

Spoiler

Seriously? You're complaining that they used the word "gasoline" while they were in America? You people will complain about anything.

Yeah, like the Yanks would come here and call it petrol.

It's a perfectly valid gripe, it's a UK concept, filmed as a UK show, using public UK funds.
Too right we don't want your grubby fingerprints all over it.

...yes, a number of them probably would.

It's incredibly common for people to adopt the local alternant of characteristic word alternations like gasoline~petrol when they travel.

And you're right about the fact that it's a UK concept, filmed as a UK show, using public UK funds. You just seem to forget that the current episodes are being set in the US. They're having the characters behave as realistic travellers to the US.

If you're going to live there, yes, you'd alter your language whether you wanted to or not.

If you're there on a trip and talking between yourselves, hell no. If you did you'd make it obvious, saying gasoline followed by something like "oop, see what I did there? American, aren't I?" Especially a character like Rory. What you wouldn't do is just have it as a natural part of the sentence.

Plus, anyone with a sense of humour enjoys the moments where cultures clash. An Englishman going to a petrol station in America would ask for petrol. The attendant would helpfully go, "huh, oh, you mean gas." The Englishman would respond with something akin to, "Good lord no man. My car doesn't run on gas. I need petrol. It's a liquid, you can set it on fire and it smells. Surely you know the stuff?" That's fun, intentionally being dimwitted is a great British comedic tradition. And you don't give up opportunities like that.

For example, I want to go to America one day. Whilst there if the opportunity presents itself I want to ask a girl, in my best cockney accent, "can I come in your house?"

Spoiler

"house" in a cockney accent sounds remarkably similar to the American "ass"

Actually, hell yes, people often do.

Perhaps the people around you make some special attempt not to fit in when they travel, but many people tend to make an effort to use the local alternant to sound less like an outsider. But more importantly, people pick up the alternant and start using it relatively naturally extremely fast - it's not at all irregular for things like that to happen within a few days of visiting somewhere.

As for the humour - there's writing a character as particularly daft and unaware of other cultures and then there's bad writing. What you've written here does not read as intentionally dimwitted at all, it rather suggests to me that either the Englishman is a complete idiot or is trying to explain to the stupid American that calling it gas is somehow
"wrong" (in which case the Englishman is a complete idiot and you've alienated your American audience).

Oh yeah I know, people do. It's just not a playful Englishman's way of doing things though, and that is precisely what the Doctor Who characters are.

As for your questioning the humour, it's a bit of both. You can be daft but you have to have a reason, otherwise you are just being an idiot.

Calling a liquid Gas is funny. Even on its own. I know it's short for Gasoline but gas is already a word. The definition of which rules out the possibility that Gasoline as a loadable car fuel be a gas. I have no problem with Americans calling it Gas but you can't deny there's a level of cognitive dissonance going on when you refer to a liquid as Gas. To have it picked up on by someone pretending to be slow just makes it funnier.

Yes; he's taking the piss but he's also purporting himself as an idiot, so you can take the piss out of him too. Everyone has fun.

"Calling a financial institution a Bank is funny. Even on its own. Bank is already a word, the definition of which rules out the possibility that Bank as a financial institution be a river bank. I have no problem with people calling it a Bank, but you can't deny there's a level of cognitive dissonance going on when you refer to a financial institution as a Bank."

Words with difference senses and the same phonological form are common in English. I'd bet that there are more such words (discounting simple derivational forms) with contradictory senses than not. And I hightly, highly doubt that any of them cause any "cognitive dissonance" (I do not think this phrase means what you think it means).

Bad example. Bank is also a verb, to bank something means to tuck it safely away; it's only logical a place where you do just that would be named as such (or the other way round, whichever came first). Whilst the bank of a river is just a shortening of riverbank. The bank of a river could also be suggested to relate to the verb bank; the riverbank is where we find stuff that was in the river.

But whatever, apparently you don't find this funny.

I'd suggest that perhaps you are immature and have, through choice or otherwise, not developed an ability to be able to laugh at oneself through an inferiority complex but, I don't really care.

Buh bye now.

Bank as a verb also has many synonyms. To "bank" an aircraft after take-off. To "bank" the eight-ball into the corner pocket. Many synonyms. You can bank on that!

Well played sir, well played indeed.

Verbage meanings are more up for grabs though, I think. Gah, flummoxed. It'd be interesting to know where that came from though. You pull the stick toward you when you bank, eh eh?

You can appreciate calling a liquid Gas could be construed as funny though, right?

Probably derived from the noun "bank" (i.e., a steep natural incline (as in the "banks" of a NASCAR race track's corners)). That's kinda what you do when you bank a plane: you incline it sideways steeply. The verb "bank" as in "bank the eight ball in the corner" is also derived from a noun "bank" (i.e., the cushioned rails around the inner perimeter of a pool table).

 

[JDKJ]

Spoiler: Previous Conversation

Well I don't know about the two of you but I've thoroughly enjoyed this 'fiasco'. With the witty barbs and all it was a bit like reading a script for 'House'. BDKJ seems to be making the very simple point that racism and xenophobia are just as prevalent in British politics as they are in American politics and has offered certain facts which seem to back up the fact that nationalist parties have gained support among at least a minority of Britons. I don't really see how that can be argued given the evidence presented. Now what I find most interesting is the fact that a previous thread had led me to believe (correct me if I'm wrong BDKJ) that BDKJ was a British expat living in the States. Knowing that, Abandon, would you still have argued so vehemently (or argued at all) against the mere assertion that American and British politics have a similar level of racism and xenophobia? Did the flag in his profile make all the difference?

If nothing else this thread has completely disabused me of the notion that Britons are any less nationalistic than American and for that I'm glad I read it. Personally I think there will come a day when we as a global interconnected society decide that nationalism as a concept should be viewed in much the same way as elitism.

Dunno about those guys, but I lived in America and the UK (and Australia as well) and I'd easily say that on a ground, personal level, the Brits are by far the least nationalistic... that is, until foreigners try and move in on their territory (ironic much?)

Most Brits don't own a flag, nor would dream of ever waving one outside of a football match, and close to none know the national anthem. Considering in America that's basic knowledge, and they even brainwa... I mean, require children to salute a flag every morning in school, while reeling off some diatribe about how good it is to live in a slightly different location to everyone else, the Brits aren't nationalist at all. They prove you can be a small minded bigot, racist and xenophobe, while still being self depreciating about your own country. Quite a feat.

I'm not nationalist, and I think that the concept is ridiculous. However, you can't accuse the vast majority of Brits of being nationalist when we aren't, especially compared to America. You guys even made up your own sports, because you didn't want to play with the rest of the world

Well I and I would wager to bet most Americans have no idea what the middle of the Star Spangled Banner is. We just sort of mumble it when it's played at sporting events. But looking at the sum total of this thread, can you honestly say that this does not reek of British nationalism?

Speaking to American nationalism specifically, I can understand why it may be annoying to a number of people in other countries. It annoys me on occasion. But, sadly, there are a number of social issues still very present in this country which nationalism is quite effective at overcoming. Hopefully we'll push past those some day but until then I'm afraid the international community will simply have to try to tolerate it.

No, I wouldn't say this thread reeks of British nationalism. I think it reeks of slight xenophobia, but more than that, it reeks of boyish competition.

The thing is, (and this is what America is going to need to put up with), the US has entered the homes of every western country, in its media, its products and its way of life. It's like America has infiltrated us all. It's like we all know you personally, and don't realise that you are a very different nation, and are as foreign as any other country can be, especially in your personal attitudes. And all of this feeling of familiarity goes double for us English speaking countries - we don't even get a dubbed version of your stuff, it's not necessary. You speak to us on a daily basis in your own voices, in our very homes, in our cinema, in what we eat or drink, and in how we now live our lives. And so that makes us brothers. Unfortunately, you're the brother who got all the breaks in life. WE are the runty one who can never get the girl. So every time we get a success, yeah we rub it in your faces. Like this thread. I think we're entitled to. We are mass consumers of what you export, so it's nice to be appreciated too. Add to that general British competitiveness, and the fact that most Brits are kinda rude as a way of life, and you get threads like this. It isn't a nationalist thing, it's more of a society kinda thing. We aren't like this because we love Britain, we're like this because, frankly, Britain doesn't have much worth loving any more, and so we take full advantage of our successes. We'll still be drinking Coca Cola tomorrow, and watching awful remakes of good foreign language films, but allow us Dr Who today

EDIT: Ask any Brit in person the second line of the anthem, and look at their confused faces... it's not sung in schools, nor taught. Most schools won't own a British flag at all. What's the point? It's a difficult comparison, being very different countries, but you can't compare English nationalism, as it doesn't exist. The BNP and EDL and that a just fronts for racist parties. They don't give a shit about "nationalism" or patriotism.

Hmm... those are some very interesting points. Up until I took a trip to Europe a few years ago I didn't realize how omnipresent America is in much the rest of the world. I went to see Canterbury cathedral and there was a beautiful entrance arch for it and on either side of it were a McDonalds and a Starbucks. While I was in Germany about to go to sleep I watched nearly the entire movie of Herbie the Love Bug. I guess I had just assumed that everything would be so different over there. And I guess I was surprised and a little disappointed. If you don't watch the news here it is very easy to forget that the rest of the world exists.

Still, it honestly sounds like you're describing nationalism to me. If Dr. Who is something that you're proud of simply because it was made in Britain, by Brits, using British funds then what you're feeling is nationalist pride. Nationalism doesn't need to manifest in relation to overt national symbols like the flag or what have you.

Edit: And contrary to what I said before that's not necessarily a bad thing. I've really enjoyed the Dr. Who that I've seen and I think it's an excellent diplomat representing British culture the world over.

I still wouldn't call it patriotic... it's hard to explain. We don't love it because it's British, we love it for being good. We are chuffed that it's held in high regard in other countries that normally do it better, but we'd still enjoy it were it not British (although I don't think any other country could do it the same way).

As for the Americanisation of Europe... that's capitalism for you. Although, I'd rather have contemporary American produce and arts than the cheap replicas of ancient European arts that seem to adorn every building in Georgia (where I used to live)...

Hmm... well, alright.

I can certainly agree about replicating ancient architecture. Greco-Roman Revival has never been my favorite and it is everywhere in the South. The place where I live has a lot of Art Deco buildings that I really like. They almost look like they're right out of Bioshock. Granted, Art Deco is technically French but I think the US has done a good job of 'owning' it.

Just look to one of the most magnificent buildings in the world (Empire State) to see how good American architecture can be. People should stop trying to replicate, and start trying to innovate...

I like how the conversation changed from Dr Who, to popular architecture, via politics.

The Empire State Building (and, in my opinion, the much more impressive Chrysler Building) are both in the Art Deco style -- which isn't American. It's actually French. But, as Yankeedoo points out, the Americans have "owned" the style. And created a capital city in homage to it: South Miami Beach.

Yes. I really do have to get down to Miami at some point (and not just for the architecture). Although I've heard that there are cities in New Zealand rocking the Art Deco which rival Miami.

It's a "weird" kinda Art Deco on SoBe. Nothing at all like NYC's. All the buildings are painted in pastels. Which is kinda cool and "beachy." And you can definitely see the Art Deco influence. It's just not what you'd think of as Art Deco if you grew up on NYC's Art Deco.

That's the impression I get from all of the shows based down there. One of the other impressions I get from those shows is confirmed by polls which frequently finds Miami taking the top spot in the category of 'City with the Most Attractive People'.

If you find beefy guys with too much steroids in them and skinny girls with not enough food in them "attractive" then, yes, SoBe is full of attractive people.

But I'm no doubt being cynical. I knew SoBe before it fell victim to real estate developers and nightclub impresarios and way before anyone thought they could charge $15 for a Corona in a bottle. I liked it much better back then.

 

[Yeager942]

I saw nothing different from this episode of Doctor Who compared to any other. The beginning was a bit rushed and awkward, but it felt like good ol' Doctor was back. I guess I'm in the minority.

 

[Ih8pkmn]

well it was a sunny day, so most people really would have just gone outside instead, especially with how much episodes are repeated and all that,everyone i know who watched it, used i-player

You lucky bastard... I don't get BBC America, and I can't get iPlayer either. Damn my American Living!

I really want to see Doctor Who before it comes out on DVD... *groan*. Any way I could do that?

 

[duchaked]

meanwhile in the US...North Carolina (Escapist HQ!) gets hit by a monsoon sprouting a gazillion mini-tornados

 

[JDKJ]

meanwhile in the US...North Carolina (Escapist HQ!) gets hit by a monsoon sprouting a gazillion mini-tornados

Citing "external forces," Escapist website goes down like four flat tires with no sign that it will be back up in the near future. No word yet on possibility that credit card information was compromised.