American cousins! And other Americans to whom I am not related! Ever found yourself at a tea party - the British, not crazed lunatic Republican, kind - and suddenly been at a loss for words when the topic of conversation moves, inevitably, to British television comedy? Fear not. For here is a handy guide to What To Say in such a situation - or indeed, when conversing with Brits in the Huffington Post Comedy Club comments. The following 20 pointers are intended to make you blend in with British people...
First, let me declare something: I'll almost always choose an American show over a British one and actively search the US network schedules and entertainment sites for something that tickles my fancy. But the lot of being a massive American television fan in the UK like myself is a strange one. If you don't want to risk tangling with the authorities by torrent-ing shows (and obviously I don't), you either have to cross your fingers a British channel buys it, or wait until something pops up on import DVD.