OT: What have we done to deserve this?

I love it. The writing's smart and sympathetic. They fully flesh out characters while still keeping the campy, rompy fun. I think it's one of the better written shows I've seen in a long while.

It starts here this week, or maybe next week. It's on the same channel that just had the tennis, so I've seen it advertised a lot. Don't know if I'll watch it.

Rosemary in Melbourne

Never watched it, and don't intend to!!!! From another feisty GOW!

Gill

Well, I did give it ten minutes, just to be fair! Definitely not for us, Gill!!!

I`ve been watching that awful but addictive "Big Brother" (my favourite won - a beautiful and sweet "Bollywood" actress called Shilpa Shetty and my second favourite came second (Germaine - or is it with a "J" Jackson) Two lovely, kind and well mannered people, who really showed the other (mostly) morons up. I was thoroughly ashamed of most of our own home-grown girls who were in it.

Pat

Is that the show that was in all the papers because of some sort of racial incident between some of the contestants and the Bollywood actress? That doesn't sound like entertainment to me, but I don't watch it so I don't really know anything but what I've read in the newspapers.

Lucille

OK, I read Bollywood in the newspapers.............what in the world is that???

Gill

Someone must be watching it. It won a couple awards last week.

I think that's the name of the Indian movie industry, a takeoff on Hollywood.

It's great - absolutely spot on writing - and for those of you who know your Tudor history, you'll recognize the necklace that Betty wears (Think one of Henry VIII's wives).

There are lots of quick things that if you aren't paying attention you'll miss - like the Spanish/South American soap operas playing on the television in the background, or the sly references to '70s shows like Dallas or Dynasty.

Betty character is kind, smart, sympathetic. The show just won at least one award at the Golden Globes. It's certainly a lot more intelligent than most of the dreck that's on right now.

MargW

It's a conflation of Bombay and Hollywood. Bombay (now properly called Mumbai) has the world's largest film industry.

That racial controversy was in the papers here in Oz too. I refuse to watch the local version of Big Brother, though there was no getting away from that "turkey slapping" (don't ask) incident last year. How a bunch of moronic clowns sitting around bitching about each other could be considered watchable television I can't imagine.

I won't be watching Ugly Betty either.

Yes, I suppose I'm a GOM.

John

That`s the one, but the "Racial" aspect was very much exaggerated. It was unpleasant, yes, but was more one really nasty and two "Sheep" like silly girls who followed her lead in bullying another very sweet and beautiful Indian girl. I think that the "beautiful" bit had most to do with it - they were just plain jealous. It really wasn`t deliberately racist - and she won in the end, which, thankfully, demonstrated how the rest of the country felt!

Some of it`s entertaining, but I think that the main interest (to grownups at least) is seeing how people react to that particularly weird situation of living together with complete strangers in a confined space, with every move watched. The two who came out best as far as personality was concerned were the Indian girl and Jermaine Jackson, both of whom remained kind, humorous and dignified for the whole period.

Pat

The Indian film industry - just a play on Hollywood.

Pat

Jesus Christ - doesn`t say much for the rest, then! I hope our idiots don`t import any of those!

Pat

I stopped watching network shows ages ago, so I've ignored the whole thing. Then again, as the nation that exported Three Non Blondes to our shores.....

My feeling exactly. We'll keep ours if they keep theirs.

Elizabeth

There is some great stuff on BBCAmerica - and some real trash (Footballers Wives comes to mind).

I haven't found great US TV in a while. Though I do adore Mythbusters. C

I don't watch very much TV nowadays, there is usually something better to do. When I do watch TV the only way I can do so (apart from BBC1 and BBC2) is to record it then play it back so that I can zip through the frequent advertisements. And I've noticed a tendency to meld the adverts into the programmes so it's difficult to know where one ends and the other begins.

It's a wonderful, entertaining hour. Marg's comments are spot on. You may have to watch it more than once (and in sequence) to understand the entire gist of the program. The characters are very well fleshed out. Dianne

"Cheryl Isaak"

We like that one. Hated footballers` wives, too - as you say, real trash. Bad Girls is another to miss - I preferred Cell Block H to that! At least you could chuckle at those wobbly cells that wouldn`t keep a myxie rabbit from excaping! LOLOL!

Pat