BBC movie series recommendations please :) (SPOILERS for TSTAMD)

[sistermagpie]

> Potioncat:
> > And I agree with Alla's question, Where do all those wonderful actors come from? I would have asked sooner, but there's a sterotype that we Americans automatically think an actor with a British accent is a better actor. I've been watching more British productions over the past couple of years, and British actors seem to play a wider variety of roles than American actors. There seems to be no conceit about how they look. Imelda Stanton and Judi Dench have looked pretty horrible in movies, then looked great in following ones.
> <SNIP>
> 
> 
> Alla:
> 
> This is the first time I hear that such stereotype exists, but if you say so, I am sure it is :)
> 
> However, I just do not care if it is a stereotype or not, you know?
> 
> Never in my life I would judge the actor better because actor has cute british accent (and I sure love the accents). I watch a lot of TV, or should I say used to watch lots of TV? Now I watch lots of rented movies mainly. And I form my opinion of the american TV actors versus british TV actors based on A LOT of the shows that I watched.
> 
> I have to say that for the most part I find british actors (and screen writers) to be much more capable bunch based on the results that I see on screen.

Magpie:
I think it's a combination of things. One of which, regarding looks, is that the aesthetic of British TV is definitely kind of character actors where as US TV and movies often really do go for looks first. I mean, it's not like there aren't mediocre or basically bad British actors--I remember one time reading about a UK actress who made it big in the US and she basically came here because she would have more of a chance because she was a knockout, which didn't really fit the aesthetic of UK productions at the time. She wasn't a good actress, either. 

Maybe also there's a lot more productions in the US? So a group of good actors would be mixed into a larger pool? I have read that people assume that training in England=more skilled. But the same is also true for NYC. An acting coach once mentioned that to me, that New York is the US's "talent town"--plenty of good actors getting solid theater training. I remember when I was a kid there were actually a lot of good people on soaps who did the show during the day and then did theater at night. Now soaps have become more focused on young, beautiful people.

I think the "star" thing is probably also a big thing. A movie star is different from a great actor, though they can crossover and be both. But stardom also encourages people to play to their types rather than be chameleons who play different types of roles. Unless somebody's stardom is based on really being a great actor and crossing that line. But again you've got the actors known for being skilled mixed into a wider pool maybe.

-m