Over the past couple of years, my wife and I have watched a number of detective/mystery series that originate outside the U.S. She started a trend years ago, spending time enjoying British “who done it” shows, and last year I decided to give it a whirl with her. I’m glad I did.
There’s something about seeing sights from other countries, hearing a new accent, seeing scenes from directors/writers/producers from a non-U.S.-centric perspective that is incredibly refreshing. After a point, you realize you’ve burned out on the slam, bam, shoot-em-up, fighting, action scene, car chasing, gun shooting programs prevalent in the U.S. The U.S. shows are quick cut, quick cut, hammer you with violence, trying to keep you engaged through mass image changes, rather than an involved and thoughtful plot.
It took awhile for this to come to me. When we first explored these shows from other countries together, the first came from Australia. What quickly stood out was that it was a multi-episode show that resolved at the end. It was an ongoing plot to continue from episode to episode. That forced you to mentally stay with the characters throughout as they developed as the show evolved over the weeks.
You dug into the nuance of character development, picking up bits of Aussie culture and lingo, scenery and character interactions. There was much more “mental” action than there was “physical” action. As a viewer, you were forced to engage intensely to follow the plot and figure out what might come next. That’s the fun part.
We moved on from that to a New Zealand cop series in a small town, “Brokenwood.” It didn’t take long to become endeared with several of the characters, the dry wit, silly and obscure behaviors and a humorous take on small town life different than you experience in the U.S. We became addicted and watched all eight seasons. Like any show you watch a lot, it did lose some spunk at the end, but hey, that’s okay.
We explored north from there, heading towards Norway, Scotland and Iceland to razor in on the action there. “Hinterland,” “Loch Ness,” and a couple of other shows kept us tightly focused for months as we grew to connect with various characters, landscapes and plot lines.
The more we got more engrossed with these shows, the less appealing U.S. dramas became. The change was subtle, but strong. Guns are rarely used as the resolution in the non-U.S. shows. When I would watch a U.S. drama after we started this exploration, I couldn’t believe how much I was overwhelmed by gun action, police charging in houses with weapons prominently drawn, trying to increase the intensity and drama through bullets flying, people falling, blood splattering.
Also quite evident was the lack of car chase scenes in the foreign shows. You realize how much car chase scenes are used as filler to divert you from the lack of a plot.
And, the more you watched non-U.S. shows, the more you realized how quick cuts are repeatedly used in U.S. dramas to simulate something happening. The foreign shows fully developed the characters and plot, showing through action, long panning shots and the quiet build-up of suspense to keep you on edge. They gave you a sense of place, as well.
The last series we finished had a couple of scenes with the camera behind the detective, where you kept thinking someone would jump him, start a fight, choke him, whatever. It never happened. Instead, you got nervous, like waiting for someone to jump out of the closet, and the suspense built, and the plot got resolved through other means. It was way more intense than a gun, fist or knife fight.
Finishing up the last show, we’re now deciding on our next series to help us explore another country. Can’t wait.
There’s something about seeing sights from other countries, hearing a new accent, seeing scenes from directors/writers/producers from a non-U.S.-centric perspective that is incredibly refreshing. After a point, you realize you’ve burned out on the slam, bam, shoot-em-up, fighting, action scene, car chasing, gun shooting programs prevalent in the U.S. The U.S. shows are quick cut, quick cut, hammer you with violence, trying to keep you engaged through mass image changes, rather than an involved and thoughtful plot.
It took awhile for this to come to me. When we first explored these shows from other countries together, the first came from Australia. What quickly stood out was that it was a multi-episode show that resolved at the end. It was an ongoing plot to continue from episode to episode. That forced you to mentally stay with the characters throughout as they developed as the show evolved over the weeks.
You dug into the nuance of character development, picking up bits of Aussie culture and lingo, scenery and character interactions. There was much more “mental” action than there was “physical” action. As a viewer, you were forced to engage intensely to follow the plot and figure out what might come next. That’s the fun part.
We moved on from that to a New Zealand cop series in a small town, “Brokenwood.” It didn’t take long to become endeared with several of the characters, the dry wit, silly and obscure behaviors and a humorous take on small town life different than you experience in the U.S. We became addicted and watched all eight seasons. Like any show you watch a lot, it did lose some spunk at the end, but hey, that’s okay.
We explored north from there, heading towards Norway, Scotland and Iceland to razor in on the action there. “Hinterland,” “Loch Ness,” and a couple of other shows kept us tightly focused for months as we grew to connect with various characters, landscapes and plot lines.
The more we got more engrossed with these shows, the less appealing U.S. dramas became. The change was subtle, but strong. Guns are rarely used as the resolution in the non-U.S. shows. When I would watch a U.S. drama after we started this exploration, I couldn’t believe how much I was overwhelmed by gun action, police charging in houses with weapons prominently drawn, trying to increase the intensity and drama through bullets flying, people falling, blood splattering.
Also quite evident was the lack of car chase scenes in the foreign shows. You realize how much car chase scenes are used as filler to divert you from the lack of a plot.
And, the more you watched non-U.S. shows, the more you realized how quick cuts are repeatedly used in U.S. dramas to simulate something happening. The foreign shows fully developed the characters and plot, showing through action, long panning shots and the quiet build-up of suspense to keep you on edge. They gave you a sense of place, as well.
The last series we finished had a couple of scenes with the camera behind the detective, where you kept thinking someone would jump him, start a fight, choke him, whatever. It never happened. Instead, you got nervous, like waiting for someone to jump out of the closet, and the suspense built, and the plot got resolved through other means. It was way more intense than a gun, fist or knife fight.
Finishing up the last show, we’re now deciding on our next series to help us explore another country. Can’t wait.