Everybody's talking at me

Earlier this week, I did something which some people might call a bit silly. I immigrated from the UK to the US, leaving just one week shy of the Doctor Who series finale. That irked me to no end, especially when you consider that if it hadn't been delayed by the bloody Eurovision Song Contest I would've seen the bloody finale three days before I flew out. Heigh ho.

I've not watched a lot of American television, but as I type this my Dad and Stepmom (who have very kindly put me up for the time being) are watching a television show called So You Think you Can Dance. It's largely a copy of American Idol, but with dancing instead of singing. There's the Obligatory British Judge, who bucks tradition by being the Friendly One. it's also hosted by Cat Deeley. What she's doing on American television I will never know, but then again she did used to co-present SMTV Live, so she's probably used to presenting shows aimed at people of that intellectual level.

it's at this point I realise that I've indirectly insulted my Dad and Stepmom. I should probably start looking for somewhere else to live.

I've been to America before, and I've watched some television. The biggest difference between American and British television is that American TV is broken up with more advertisements on a more regular basis. I wouldn't mind if the ads were vaguely intelligent, if they so much as alluded to some creative intuition on the part of the company hired to put the things together.

Imagine you're walking down a street. Now imagine that as you walk people are taking in turns to walk beside you and shout things at you. You find it difficult to focus on what they're actually trying to say, because they're so loud and the words they're saying don't necessarily make sense when placed in the order they're being used in. It's like they're trying to have a conversation with you, but without asking for any interaction whatsoever.

There don't appear to be any intelligent ads either, ads that make you laugh because they're clever, or make you smile because they're making you think. Ads over here are remarkably patronising, and are rather pointless. Despite this, you can now buy them on DVD at Best Buy. The mind boggles.