Our favorite European tv shows

Ok, Jubin and I have always been fans of the few European tv shows that have made it across the pond to the US, mostly via PBS and Masterpiece Theatre. For example, we are die-hard fans of Downton Abby, Inspector Lynley, Call the Midwife, Poirot, Sherlock, Luther, Wallander, and The Bletchley Circle. Since arriving in Belfast, we have been exposed to a variety of new shows we really enjoy, often thanks to Kath telling us about them.

Here are our favorites (5 out of 5 stars), in order of our viewing:
Lillyhammer - gangster comedy that takes place in Lillyhammer, Norway - subtitles
What Remains - SOOO scary! British tv drama/thriller centered around a body found in an apartment
Borgen - Danish political drama with a female lead - subtitles - for those of you with weak stomachs, you can enjoy this one!
DCI Banks - Along the lines of Inspector Lynley, a British tv detective/crime series
The Bridge - Scandinavian tv drama/crime series (collaboration b/t Danes and Swedes) - subtitles
The Killing - Danish "thriller" - murder mystery - subtitles and not for the short of attention span (20 episodes all about trying to solve the same murder for season 1! Although, I must admit that I haven't yet been able to watch season 2 - 30 episodes about 1 murder...think I OD'd on season 1!)
Pramface - British comedy about relatively normal/flawed people
Line of Duty - haven't watched this one yet, but recommended by Kath!
The Fall (shot in Belfast) - haven't watched this one yet, but recommended by Kath!

Some of these shows are available on Netflix (maybe other services as well) if you feel like checking them out. I'll keep adding to this post as the year goes on, so check back if you're wanting something new to watch!

It has been interesting to observe some of the general differences in tv here. We experience the tv here as less melodramatic in a ridiculous way (e.g., the reality shows are more interesting and less over the top), and for kids shows, we find there to be more use of light-hearted comedy. For mindless entertainment, we've enjoyed "4 in a Bed" - a British reality show about B&B owners and "Dinner Date" a British reality show about people going on blind dates where the other person has to cook for them (mind you, these are people of all genders, sexual persuasions, ages, shapes, and sizes and there isn't even any kissing usually - totally wouldn't happen in the US). Watson is enjoying Swashbuckle, a kids pirate-themed adventure show sorta like Wipeout, You've Been Framed (Brit version of Funniest Home Videos), and Just Kidding - a show of kids playing very light-hearted and sometimes very complicated pranks/jokes on unsuspecting strangers.

And, we are watching some of the Sochi Olympics on BBC - the commentators are definitely better than those in the US! Today was entertaining - Watson and I were watching the women's snowboarding slopestyle competition and there was a Brit, Jenny Jones, in 2nd place with 3 boarders left to ride. The Brits had never won a metal in snow before, and Jenny is an older, very well-liked boarder, so the commentators were really hopeful that she might stay on the podium. The 1st rider to go was the US Jamie Anderson, who got gold. Then, a woman fell (on her face - ouch) and then the last rider to go, with Jenny the Brit in line for a bronze...and, the last competitor sat down part-way through the ride. One of the commentators started screaming with excitement, and then came back and said something like "Oh dear, I probably shouldn't cheer when someone falls, should I?" and then at the end, both commentators (male and female) were crying! It was really, really unscripted and really authentic rather than the rather painful completely scripted NBC commentating.