The British are coming, the British are coming!

My ever fascination with all things British

The Union Jack

If you've read any of my post you know I love British things. That fascination came at an early age. I would watch TV with my parents it would be on PBS at night we would watch several sitcoms, some I have mentioned before. Why? I have no clue. To be perfectly honest I think they didn't like the american sitcom as much. I would  like to make a short list and explanation of the different things that influenced me.

As I have stated in my post Who knows who, Maybe you... I have enjoyed this show from the first time I watched it. I have seen every Nuwho episode, and quite a few of the Classics. My Favorite by far is #4 Tom Baker. I do like them all but when you grow up watching them you tend to favor one over another. I have watched BBC Americas The Doctors Revisited with my son ,he is 11, to indoctrinate him into a Whovian. He loves #7 Sylvester McCoy. Who could blame him they showed Remembrance of the Daleks as his episode. I could go on for hours, just ask my wife, so I will leave this one here.

This show was hilarious. It was a Sci-fi comedy about the last living human on a mining ship Red Dwarf. There really wasn't much to it just Dave Lister the survivor of a radiation leak, and  his crew. how can he have a crew and be the last human? This is where it gets going...The ships computer was named Holly, who keeps Lister in suspended animation for 3 million years. He had a pregnant cat that somehow evolved into a new humanoid species, simply called Cat. So Lister wouldn't go insane from loneliness, Holly makes a Hologram of his former bunkmate Arnold Rimmer. Last but not least is Kryten an android that for some reason was pick up by the ship. He had served the people on his ship that was dead for millions of years, he prepared food, dressed the Skeletons and did their laundry. The whole point was for Lister to go back to Earth. I didn't get to see a lot of episodes but what I did was great.

I absolutely love Douglas Adams. I knew of him from Doctor Who, and when I saw the TV series I immediately went to buy the books. The wit that is on display in all of his books is second to none. With that being said the TV series reflected it. I enjoyed the movie, but it wasn't the same. He has a way of making fun of technology that reflects our humanity. In The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy he puts human emotions on robots and doors. We get Marvin the Paranoid Android although he really is just super stoic and depressed. The doors would open and thank you for using them and validating their existence. In his book Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency he had and Electric Monk that was made to practice the religion of the owner vicariously, so the owner didn't have to.

I love J.R.R. Tolkien! I watched The Hobbit cartoon as a kid and fell in love. This was my favorite song. Yes I like the Goblins, and their musical interludes. When I was older I read the book, then I had to borrow the LOTR from my sister. I also had to borrow The complete Tolkien Companion to understand some of the words. I love that he created this complete mythos Languages and all. He was so very dedicated to his craft .Only if I was just half, or a quarter to mine. I like the movies, and so far the Hobbit, but you can never recreate what was born in my imagination as a child and now a adult.

I could go on and on with examples of why I love British things but I will save that for another day!

Did you know all the things on the list? What would you add? 

John Cleese & Doctor Who(Tom Baker)-City of Death Outtake