Worldwide list of series

pickarooney

I'm trying to make a list of some of the best drama/comedy series from around the world, mostly for my own benefit but also for a bit of a fun. There are loads of countries I've never seen a good show from, some surprising like Spain an Holland, so maybe others can help fill in the blanks. Some choices are kind of arbitrary such as Forbrydelsen over Borgen and I'm drawing a bit of a blank on Canada. There are too many US an UK shows to even attempt to pick a definitive favourite.

Europe
Ireland: Love/Hate
Wales: Y Gwyll (Hinterland)
Belgium: Matrioshki
Germany: Deutschland 83
Italy: Gomorra(h)
Iceland: Trapped
Norway: Dag
Sweden: Äkta Människor
Denmark: Forbrydelsen
France: Engrenages

America
Canada: Orphan Black
Colombia: Narcos
Argentina: Epitafios
Mexico: Club de Cuervos

Oceania
Australia: Underbelly
New Zealand: Top of the Lake

brian_t

Japan: Monkey

DubTony

brian_t wrote: »

Japan: Monkey

:D:D

I can't stop laughing at this answer. It's been 5 minutes now.
Thanks Brian.

:D:D:D

brian_t

pickarooney wrote: »

I'm trying to make a list of some of the best drama/comedy series from around the world, mostly for my own benefit but also for a bit of a fun.

It has just clicked with me that you referring to shows that are currently on TV.

Edward Hopper

Line of Duty is BBC Northern Ireland
Shetland or Wallander (UK version) is BBC Scotland
Murdoch Mysteries is Canadian. Not high brow by any means but on for a lot of years now and entertaining, easy viewing.

Edit: Orphan Black is Canadian too isn't it? Maybe a more worthy choice.

Agent Coulson

I'd put Wentworth ahead of Underbelly right now for Australia.

But both well worth the watch.

batistuta9

narcos would be united states, no?

canada - trailer park boys, corner gas.
spain - vis a via (aka locked up. now on all4,)

you should check out walter presents, it's taking the best shows from different countries & showing them on all4 (4 on demand). not the scandinavian stuff either

pickarooney

batistuta9 wrote: »

narcos would be united states, no?

canada - trailer park boys, corner gas.
spain - vis a via (aka locked up. now on all4,)

you should check out walter presents, it's taking the best shows from different countries & showing them on all4 (4 on demand). not the scandinavian stuff either

I wasn't sure where to put narcos but it's set in Colombia and in Spanish so good enough for me. It was that or Betty La Fea
Can't believe I forgot TPB.

Just looking at Walter presents on Wikipedia. Great stuff, thanks.

quickbeam

Spain - Gran Hotel was great, though I only got to see the first series.

Mr.Nice Guy

If you're hunting something from the Netherlands, More4 could be a good option: they're showing a Dutch drama called 'The Neighbours' this July. Here is how The Guardian described it:

A Dutch import based on a bestselling novel, this is a drama about a couple who move to the suburbs and befriend a pair of swingers – with disastrous consequences. The series quickly became a sensation in its native country, partly because the four main characters are couples in real life, but presumably mainly because it looks like supercharged sexy trash of the best kind.

ahlookit

A couple I've enjoyed:

Belgium - Salamander
Norway - Occupied and The Saboteurs
France - Les Revenants

currently watching thanks to Walter Presents:

Sweden - Blue Eyes
Argentina - Pure Evil

Yggr of Asgard

here some foreign ones I enjoyed:

Belgium - Cordon

Germany - Im Angesicht des Vebrechens (“In the Face of Crime”)

Australia - City Homicide

RebelButtMunch

France. Spiral

goose2005

Germany - Heimat
Canada - La Femme Nikita

pickarooney

I've been watching Vis a Vis/Locked up and am very confused. They seem to have turned 11 episodes into 16 for a protracted first series on Channel 4. Has anyone watched it and do you know if the episodes were longer in Spain or if this is some sort of Extended cut for British TV?

brian_t

pickarooney wrote: »

I've been watching Vis a Vis/Locked up and am very confused. They seem to have turned 11 episodes into 16 for a protracted first series on Channel 4. Has anyone watched it and do you know if the episodes were longer in Spain or if this is some sort of Extended cut for British TV?

I'm not watching it but there seems to be some descussion of that issue on the IMDb message boards

Vis a vis (2015) : Anyone else watching?

pickarooney

brian_t wrote: »

I'm not watching it but there seems to be some descussion of that issue on the IMDb message boards

Vis a vis (2015) : Anyone else watching?

Ah, that makes sense. And some of the stuff in the UK version that doesn't make any sense makes some kind of sense knowing that.

having a mobile phone in solitary confinement is not even the daftest thing in that show!

batistuta9

What's it's like, worth a watch?

Another one of those Walter presents shows premiered on channel 4 recently, a polish show called the border

pickarooney

Vis a vis is very worth a watch. Absolutely ridiculous at times but the pace is relentless and most of the acting very good.

I'm watching the Swiss show 10 at the moment but it's not brilliant.

pickarooney

Just finished Wataha (Polish series about human trafficking) and I have no idea what happened at the end an can't find any useful discussion of it online in English.

Apart from that it was a pretty good show. I didn't realise HBO Europe existed before this.

brian_t

pickarooney wrote: »

Just finished Wataha.

Channel 4 showed the first episode last month but I didn't watch it as they were not going to show the rest of the series. (Walter presents has it)

4) A second series has literally just been announced
The first season of The Border consists of six episodes, originally aired in October 2014, and was thought to be a one-off mini-series.
However, HBO Poland have just announced that a second season is in production. The drama has proved a success across the world, and new episodes will be arriving in Poland later this year.

The Border, Channel 4: five things you need to know about the political thriller series

pickarooney

All the synopses of the show mention misogyny and xenophobia but these weren't really visible elements in the story IMO. I can't figure out if the ending was deliberately open and ambiguous in case they got a season two or if I just didn't catch the denouement.

pickarooney

Blå Ögon (Sweden) is a cracker if anyone's thinking of giving it a go.

dball

pickarooney wrote: »

Blå Ögon (Sweden) is a cracker if anyone's thinking of giving it a go.

where is this showing - bbc4?

ahlookit

dball wrote: »

where is this showing - bbc4?

It was on More 4 a few months back - probably all available online on All 4.

There were a couple of outstanding episodes. Interesting and thought provoking series.

brian_t

ahlookit wrote: »

It was on More 4 a few months back - probably all available online on All 4.

There were a couple of outstanding episodes. Interesting and thought provoking series.

I watched 'Blue Eyes' when it was on More4 and enjoyed it.

As mentioned in the Irish Premiere Dates thread the Belgium black comedy / crime thriller 'The Out-Laws' starts on More4 this evening.

pickarooney

Is that 'Clan'? I was thinking of watching it without subtitles but if it's coming on More 4 I'll wait.

ETA: Yep, it's Clan and the first episode is out with English subs. Woohoo!

pickarooney

Got sidetracked by Brazil's Magnification 70. It's all kinds of strange but after one episode I don't think it's an exaggeration to say it's the best thing that's ever happened.

Mr. Guappa

Israel: Hostages