BBC K

I have a disease. It’s called anglophilia.

Sure, some of you have celiac’s disease or glaucoma or tropical spastic paraparesis, and I guess those things are pretty inconvenient as well. But do you have to spend hours scouring the internet for old BBC footage? I do.

I recently started watching Top Gear. I don’t even like cars. I built up my knowledge to borderline proficient as I was trying to choose between cars to buy, but I promptly burned away those brain cells (I can do that) after I bought Yoshi. I think Ferraris and BMWs look pretty neat, but I’ve never really had a desire to learn about them, let alone purchase one. So why watch Top Gear? Because it’s three funny British guys. Or rather, 2 and a punching bag. There is no logical reason why I should spend any amount of time watching a British show about European sports cars that I don’t really care about. I recently bought myself a racing video game, just so there was some practical (and I use the term loosely) reason for me to be watching a tv show about cars. On a separate note, Burnout Paradise is awesome.

I’ve also started watching An Idiot Abroad. I’ve been pumping myself up about my upcoming trip to Thailand, so started watching this travel show. It’s unlike any other travel show, in that the traveler, or traveller to be more British, doesn’t like traveling. His “friends,” one of which is Ricky Gervais of The Office fame, are forcing him to visit the 7 wonders of the world. Whereas I have no reason to watch Top Gear, at least I have a purpose for watching AIA. But regardless, or irregardless to be less British, it is a very funny show. And I should probably give it to my traveling companions so they can better prepare themselves for my good-natured complaining.

But perhaps the show which I can most highly endorse, and which you’ll have a hard time finding, is Q.I. This stands for Quite Interesting, and it’s a British quiz show. The Brits’ fondness for trivia is one of their many superior characteristics to folk on this side of the pond. They seem to have dozens of these shows. But this is my favorite, partly because it’s hosted by Stephen Fry, who by my estimation is one of the most likable people in the world. Also because it’s called Q.I., not Quite Correct. Contestants are primarily comedians, and they not only getting points for giving correct answers, but points for interesting answers. They don’t lose points for being wrong, only for being wrong when their answer is a popularly held incorrect belief. This show is amazing. It’s nerdy, funny, clever, and perhaps most of all, British.

Anglophilia. We don’t have a walk or race or ribbon. We just have unnaturally good taste.