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Why Does The UK Love America's Flops?
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Alchemistmerlin
06/10/09

In reply to Why Does The UK Love America's Flops?
Maybe it's because the British have awful taste?

Have you HAD British food?
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KhaiJB
06/10/09

@Alchemistmerlin: have you had american beer?
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Cheap Shot
06/10/09

In reply to Why Does The UK Love America's Flops?
I saw Matrix Revolutions in Kennsington, London and boy do they have superior thaters there. You have a choice of sweet or salty popcorn, the seats are big and comfy and people actually pay attention and never talk!
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CoffinDodger (If the typos crap. Blame my keyboard)
06/10/09

In reply to Why Does The UK Love America's Flops?
The tuth be told. America is at its most cynical when it comes to entertainment. We knew it was coming, we just didnt realise how fast. How many shows are getting side-lined because of costs and income, Friggin loads by the sounds of it. We over in the UK have a higher tolerance for shody Sci-Fi, we think it lovley and fuzzy.

Whereas Firefly slumps a few episodes or Terminator slumps a few, the excecs of America are calling for the producers heads, their children and everything they bleedin own. Americans dont get the luxury of enjoying full seasons, you see half-assed wrap ups and tend to catch a special wrap up episode online. We here in the UK get full seasons. Proper rounded endings (life on mars). We like this over here. You guys have become so down on your entertainment output, of course your going to be cynical when another sequel comes out, or an Origins film. We embrace it like it was our own. We dont care about the flaws, we dont have time too. We got Primeval and Doctor Who to get back to. You get back and wonder what other cool show has been axed. Its a damn shame!!

Its not about taste, its how we in the UK have been fed our shows. Whilst you guys in the US have been screwed time and time again by Fox and other studios.
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lukeoneil47
06/10/09

@CoffinDodger:

honest, maybe dumb question: are you saying shows don't get canceled in the UK?

American shows, domestic shows?

Do they only show the successful American ones there, therefor they don't get canceled?
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Evil Tortie's Mom: R.O.A.C.H.
06/10/09

@CoffinDodger: Where a full season is 6 episodes.
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KhaiJB
06/10/09

In reply to Why Does The UK Love America's Flops?
or the simplest reasons.

the UK has a smaller population than the US. A movie comes out, a lot of that population will go and see it since thats the movie thats out. (remember - multiplex's will be pimpin' that movie and shift movies out fast to make room). that shifts the percentages right off.

add in the fact often after 6pm for going out there's movies or the pub. that's ya choices. (see the smaller towns for details)

and finally the movie does not have to be good at all for it to well in the UK. music and movie companies have gotten the art of manipulating the public down to a fine art as well as the reasons above. PPl get... influenced... into seeing what they should see.

(what other country in the world are the radio stations controlled by the music cartels? you'll normally hear the 'top hit' - the one the music execs are pumping - at least 5 times an hour on all the stations they can get.. which is about all the music ones.)

I write this as an Ex-Brit who escaped to Canada. the Radio stations here.. they any play music...!
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ManchuCandidate
06/10/09

In reply to Why Does The UK Love America's Flops?
Maybe they're cheering for Skynet?
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crashedpc - Haifisch
06/10/09

@ManchuCandidate: Maybe that's the real reason why T5 is rumored to be set in London! They're Skynet sympathizers!
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KhaiJB
06/10/09

@ManchuCandidate: we Brits already have Skynet ;)

Our Military Satellite system
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TemporalSword
06/10/09

In reply to Why Does The UK Love America's Flops?
I have NEVER said to myself: "Self, I'd really like to go see this cool-looking action/sci-fi/drama movie, but it reminds me of things that are happening in the real world, so I'm gonna go ahead and skip it."
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Zuli5
06/10/09

@TemporalSword: Actually, there is a theory that in hard economic times, people look to escape through their entertainment. It then makes sense when we are living in times like these that people would prefer escapist, more optimistic fare rather than movies that put us back down in the dumps where we started. Ruby Payne (Pain?? can't remember the spelling) wrote about how people in poverty who can barely afford to live still manage to have satellite dishes on the sides of their double wides...why? Because they need to escape their terrible situations.

I also gleaned this information from the Star Wars documentary Empire of Dreams, which alluded to the theory that Star Wars was in part so successful because it was released around the end of the Vietnam War, when we needed some more optimistic, escapist entertainment. That, and I just love Star Wars.
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Lassus
06/10/09

@TemporalSword: Really? I've been saying that about "District 9" for months.

I mean, perhaps inaccurately, but it looks just too damn depressing to go to.
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TrollSlayer
06/10/09

@Lassus: I've always tried to find a story or person worse off than me to make me feel better. A trip to any local grocery store usually does the trick. There are some ugly, sorry ass people out there. Cheer up :)
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TrueCrime
06/10/09

@Zuli5: An odd counterpoint to that, though, is after Sept. 11, "The Siege" was flying off of rental shelves.
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geekgrrl
06/10/09

@TrollSlayer: i felt so better about myself after a trip to Alabama, i didn't want to come back home. i wish i were kidding.
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Dragon_Wire
11/05/08

In reply to British Libertarian Party Fights Surveillance with George Orwell
It's strange, just a few weeks ago everyone was talking about surveillance and how it can ruin everyone's lives, and now from what it seems from the comments we've made a complete 180 on that issue. This isn't because of Barrack Obama being president is it?
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RAHfanboy
11/05/08

@JustChill: Of course it is. Anything is OK if it's done by Democrats. Nobody complained about torture when Clinton started the "Rendition" program. That didn't become evil until Bush was elected.
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reverendskinner
11/05/08

In reply to British Libertarian Party Fights Surveillance with George Orwell
I doubt that the people who push for constant surveillance and curtailing free speech really care that people get angry over it.

These are the kind of people who read 1984 and thought it had some really good ideas on how to run a government. They are the kind of people who read dystopian books because they like the worlds they are presented with.

Some people just like the control.

Sadly, those are the same people who are often drawn to politics.
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RAHfanboy
11/05/08

@reverendskinner: And get elected.
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RAHfanboy
11/05/08

In reply to British Libertarian Party Fights Surveillance with George Orwell
Judging by the book's cover, Big Brother outlawed sleeves.
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Annalee Newitz
11/05/08

@RAHfanboy: Sounds like a liberal dystopia to me. Sleevelessness is practically like being naked when you think about it.
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crashedpc - Haifisch
11/05/08

@Annalee Newitz: "SHOW US YOUR ELBOWS!" *throws beads*
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RAHfanboy
11/05/08

@Annalee Newitz: Next they'll be selling "Sleeveless Porn" in gas stations! Where will it end? I have Dobson on my speed dial, I'll ask him and let you know.
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beelzebuddha
11/05/08

@RAHfanboy for one, welcomes his Marxist overlords.: Sleeveless porn... well, kind of...

[www.printfection.com]
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RAHfanboy
11/05/08

@beelzebuddha: I guess that qualifies...technically.
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Mount_Prion
11/05/08

In reply to British Libertarian Party Fights Surveillance with George Orwell
They would be better off sending copies of Brazil or We.

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