TV Anorak: An American Intro To British TV-The F's

anorak
1. British: A person obsessively interested in a thing or topic that doesn't seem to warrant such attention.

This series of Challenge posts is an introduction to British TV shows for my fellow Americans. For instructions on how to play different region-coded DVD's, please go either here or here to read my previous blog posts that should clear up any confusion. Next up:

a-to-z-letters-f

Still keeping myself in the doghouse for my long "D" post, "F" will also be short.

The Fades
This is another one of the brilliant British shows strongly steeped in the supernatural. The Fades is about a teenage boy tormented by apocalyptic dreams of the future which start becoming reality as he begins seeing "The Fades" or the dead who are basically in limbo after being rejected from "above". The Fades are pretty pissed off about being rejected, and keep coming up with different ways to either become human again, or to just seek more and more violent ways to torment the humans that can see them. Unfortunately this show ended on a cliffhanger and was subsequently cancelled. Go into it knowing that, and hopefully you will still enjoy it, like it did!

The Fixer
This one started strong, waned in the middle, but ended just as strong (but unfortunately, another victim of cancellation and left hanging off that darned cliff!). Andrew Buchan stars as an imprisoned murderer released from jail early on the condition that he agrees to work for the "state" in basically a mercenary capacity. The more the series goes on, the more he wants out of his deal, but it doesn't mean going back to prison, but being killed himself. The character progresses from a hardened killer to a very sympathetic and misunderstood guy. This show has a two series arch and part of me has always wondered if Andrew beginning Garrow's Law wasn't the cause.

Fun At The Funeral Parlour
This is humor at pretty much the darkest it can get! It's a Welsh comedy (although sometimes you wonder about the comedy bit) about a family of undertakers. There is the guy, the "drum up business by any means necessary" guy, and one guy who is terrified at the sight of blood (but won't tell anybody). Each episode results in mayhem and whether or not the body makes it to it's final resting place is anyone's guess. This show is definitely not for everyone. I even had moments where I thought things were going a bit too far, but I kept watching anyway because I couldn't take my eyes off it. It's the South Park syndrome...you know you shouldn't be enjoying it, but you do!

"F" wasn't a very strong category, but "G" ups the stakes quite a bit! If you have any new "F" ideas for me, I'm definitely all ears.

Comments

I LOVE British shows. They just seem to be edgier, grittier and more realistic than their American cousins.

Thanks for these, I will see if I can find them on download.

Nick Wilford said…
Great theme! I'm British, but I've only heard of one of these shows (The Fixer) and not seen any of them. I'll be back for more tips. An undertaker drumming up business by any means necessary sounds rather macabre!
kate n said…
Have I not recommended Friday Night Dinner to you yet Keebs? I have failed if I havent...you have to watch this its so silly and realistic and funny. I would love your opinion.
Keebles said…
Katy, it's in my wishlist now!