Since I don't keep up with any shows, I never thought of myself as a TV person. We had a really lame TV in MD and basic cable. Since coming to Germany, I have realized......I guess I really am one. Here is the TV scenerio here.
The military provides Americans with english Channals through the AFN (American Forces Network) satellite and receiver. While in the hotel, we had a chance to view some of the channals . I wasn't impressed. Most of the shows were reruns, the movies are lame and the only kids channal was cartoon network (not my favorite). I made the decision to get German TV. We bought the receiver and tried it out........and got every channal in Eastern Europe and the middle east, in addition to a huge amount of porn. After blocking out about 400 weird channals, we narrowed it down to 2 german, 2 english and 2 spanish. Yipppy........Come to find out we share a satelite with our neighbor and it is turned toward the AFN sattalite not the German one. lame.....
Also, I had expected to be able to watch TV shows on the internet through the network websites, but did you know they you can't watch overseas? Copyright issues! Also, Netflix takes too long to turn around.
So what do we do here?
1. Rent movies from the convenient store in the hospital
2. Borrow movies from the library
3. Exchange movies and TV series with friends
4. Download movies and Shows from iTunes...(that is a new one for us)
5. Expand personal DVD library with purchases from Amazon.
We are also getting less picky when it comes to quality. My favorite German shows include
1. Bauer sucht Frau (Farmer seeks wife)
A reality show where farmers are looking for the loves of their lives.
2. Raus aus den Schulden (out of debt)
Another reality show where a financial planner helps germans who are on the brink of bankruptcy.
3. Mitten im Leben
A show about regular germans whose lives suck and we get to watch it all.
4. Teenagers Ausser Kontrolle
A show about wild teenagers and their parents who can't control them and they send them to a bootcamp to straighten them out. I have never actually seen this one, but the advertisements look pretty good.
5. Deutschland sucht den Superstar, yes American Idol German style
The talent isn't as good as in the states, but if you can ignore the German accents (they all sing in english), it isn't so bad.
It seems like most of the shows are patterned after TV in the states. You have make over shows, similar quiz shows, weightloss shows, babystory etc.
Of course, there are your american shows that made it over here that are dubbed, but they are ususally a year behind and the 2 channals we have are pretty limited. There are some American movies on the weekends now and then too.
Sounds entertaining doesn't it?
3 days ago
9 comments:
Wow, you're missing out - since the writers' strike ended, there are finally some decent TV shows on this year!
Thwt would've been an interesting discovery, the plethora of porn available on your TV. Oops.
That's hilarious about all the random German reality shows. Reality TV truly is addicting.
If you'd like to borrow (it'd be a LONG long-term borrow) the first 2 seasons of LOST, let us know. That's definitely my favorite (behind the first 2 seasons of Grey's Anatomy, but truth be told I wouldn't ship those to you--I'm not THAT nice).
The farmer one sounds fun!!:) It would be hard for me to do with out the Food Network (and honestly lots of other channels)! So I am sorry for your TV woes!
Oh bummer. We just got rid of our Dish Network cause we weren't using it enough. We are now really into DVD's which I am really glad about cause we can control a little better what our kids watch. Do they have Netflix out there??
well you aren't missing much on Idol here ... the contestants are choosing horrible songs that they can't sing any better than someone singing at a karaoke bar
your post on Taylor the left-over man cracks me up. K is the same way. But I do wonder one thing: what is it with Europeans and Nutella?
We were pretty dissappointed that we couldn't watch the shows online. There are ways around it, they just aren't exactly legal:)
oh dear! Imagine if you WERE a TV person! I wouldn't like that much at all. And my kids! Oh the rebellion! Good thing Germany was not on our list
Wow. That is a serious TV problem. You seem to be coping. I seriously would have some issues. I have no qualms about admitting I am a TV person.
i think those shows might have migrated east to west. i'm pretty sure american idol and some of the reality shows were european first. you'll have to let us know whether the americanized versions are an improvement or not. :)
i guess it's time for more reading, eh? how's your book group?
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