Zombie Sunday: 1/2

 Ahhh, beloved, boring German Sundays. Fun filled days of parking myself in front of the TV to kill a few braincells or two. On these kinds of snowy, cold, everything-closed-the-heck-up kind of days, I zone out...hard.

I have never been too big of a TV person. Don't get me wrong, if it is there, then like to have it on in the background, mostly as a distraction. Over here it is a little different though. English TV is just another way to stay connected to home, albeit through pop culture and horrible reality shows (and when I say horrible, I mean awesome).

TV makes me feel like a zombie...but not really hungry for brains

Our first season over here, we just had the basic German television channels, which luckily included CNN and MTV. It might have been ok for just me, but that totally did not cut it for the hubs. And I can't blame him, he is a TV man! So, we rigged up a way to get British Sky, and now have over 900 channels of everything you could imagine. 

If my husband had to choose between the two of us...I might be in trouble! lol

Looking back, I still don't know how we - or really, he - survived without cable that first year. And I guess I am really enjoying the Sky this year as well. You see, we live a bit in BFE Germany. Don't get me wrong, I love where we are, but it is definitely a bit in the boonies. The farm doesn't get high speed internet, so we are forced to cope with a pre-paid internet stick. And one that has a pretty small limit on internet usage, at least small for internet hogs like us. No joke, I write my emails off line, and then sign on super quick to send them. It has definitely been an adjustment, but like I said, I am glad to have our English TV, my job, and the goaties to help keep me occupied.

Thankfully, channels like ESPN America, the Movie Channel, Discovery and Diva (very similar to Bravo) bring a taste of home to our German life. Oh,and of course because I think I am still 14 years old, MTV is quite a time killer and life saver as well.

What is still confusing, though, is the selection of American TV shows that some of the channels choose to broadcast. For instance, at about any time, of any given day, "Maury" is playing somewhere in the British Sky realm. 

My first reaction was, "Eff-ing rights, I love Maury, his blue zip-up sweaters and the ridiculous guests on his show". Then of course my second reaction was "Holy crap, this is totally what the British think Americans are like". And if that is the case, I couldn't be more embarrassed. Don't get me wrong, the show is such a guilty pleasure for me, but I know that not all people in the United States are like the guests on the show. I am just hoping that the British people who watch the show realize the same thing.

How the 'bleep' do you keep a straight face on your show?!

Sorry to disappoint any Britons, but no, not all Americans need to ask themselves the question "Is this 'woman' my dad? The DNA will tell!". Nor are all teenagers wild and forced to go to military style boot camp. And they are NEVER in a situation where they know their "man" had been cheating on them because they found a tooth in their bed, and it wasn't theirs! Like WTF?! (by the way, all true subjects and stories from Maury episodes).

One channel on Sky shows "Two and a Half Men" all day everyday. Another does the same for "Scrubs". Could they not afford the royalties for any other shows?

"Walker, Texas Ranger" seems to still be a hot commodity over in England. Can't say I blame them, who is more badass than Chuck Norris!?! If this show is ever on at home, do yourself a big favor and sit down for the hour and watch it. I guarantee you will not be disappointed by the hilarity of the Ranger.

He is the sole reason I would NEVER mess with a Texas Ranger

Even though we do get about 80% of the same shows that we would get at home, we have found some British gems that I know we will miss this summer when we are back in North America. I was already a hooked on the mess that is "Toddlers and Tiaras" and "Little Miss Perfect", but Britain went and did them one up with "My Supermodel Baby". You would not believe the entertainment from the wackos that are pushing their infants to become baby super stars. It is so deliciously trashy, I cannot believe they don't have it back at home.

There's no crying in supermodeling!!

A new British show that is winning tons praise in England is called "Peep Show". Raunchy and hilarious, it follows the everyday antics of these two complete losers. The writing is really smart, and the camera work, which is shot a lot from a POV perspective, gives it a nice, different touch. I have a feeling this will be one of those shows that the US tries to recreate, and therefore ruin, with American writing and acting. Leave it be, Hollywood! It is perfect just like it is!

And wow, just as I am writing this post, a new show (well, new for here) on the E! channel is about to start. "Dallas Divas & Daughters". Great, now people in Britain will not only think that all Americans are delinquents with cheating husbands, but they will also think that everyone in Texas lives out the real "Dallas" soap everyday. Haha, what can ya do?!