It's no surprise that BBC America is responsible for some of the most inspired network television in the US. A handful of cable channels have elevated the quality of domestic TV tremendously in the past score or so. HBO was the standard bearer back when it's roster included "Six Feet Under" and "The Wire," two of the most engrossing American TV series of the past 20 years.
In response to the gauntlet-throwing of HBO, Showtime promptly upped its game from diverting shows like "Weeds" to outstanding ones like "The Big C." Network has likewise shown some improvement with spirited comedies such as "30 Rock" and "Arrested Development." Happily, US viewers also have access to a gradually expanding roster of British TV, both in the Masterpiece programming on PBS and BBC America.
Inevitably, the making of TV in the UK is a different animal from its US counterpart, not least because their shows tend to more closely resemble plays that films, particularly in their emphasis on character detail and solid acting over the polish and technical sophistication of US network TV which is closer to Hollywood in its focus on visuals first, substance second.
To that end, we have the gritty police miniseries "Luther"starring recent Emmy nominee Idris Elba, who received nods for his work on "The Big C" as well as "Luther". Elba is a compelling presence, a scrupulously gifted actor with nary a false note in his repertoire. He is a natural as the lead in this psychologically charged miniseries about a conflicted Detective Chief Inspector with a great mind for crime solving and a non-traditional approach to his work that in lesser hands could come off as rote.
What "Luther" and US cable shows share is a pared down aesthetic that resembles indie cinema in its frequently underlit interior shots, complex characters, and first rate acting. Given that the average jobbing Brit actor is stage trained, and that many of the US cable stars are as well (Michael C. Hall and Laura Linney for starters) it makes sense that together British exports and cable offer some of the most inspired viewing on the American television.
The Brits have long excelled at the mystery, in the novels by le Carre, films by Hitchcock, and series like "Prime Suspect." Like playwriting, it is a genre that comes naturally to the British writer. Given the mystery's innate tendency to focus on atmosphere over clarity, it is a natural for the screen, whether it be the period setting of the masterful "Gosford Park" or the contemporary urban setting of "Luther." The edict seems to be that it is the actor's job to carry the emotional heft of the story without the safety net of slick editing and overall glossy visuals more often found in US crime dramas.
While there is plenty of crowd pleasing fluff on network, it does seem like the majors have taken note of the growing success of their cable competitors and either imitated shows like the frank, femmecentric "Sex and the City" ("Two Broke Girls") or the layered comedy of Fox's "Arrested Development." The built in demand for mass viewers for the major networks is a seemingly unavoidable obstacle to creating outstanding programming. Happily, viewers have a choice where 25 years ago there was little competition for the big three. I for one am looking forward to more new BBC America shows.
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