BBC Television Series (mini or otherwise): My favorite kind of escapism

There are so many ways to pull yourself out of the present, to get away from reality for a while. Some people pull themselves up, others prefer to go down. I'm not sure which direction my wanderings take me, but perhaps its a little bit of both. And I'm a pretty big fan of balance, so I'll take it.

When I get home at night, I'm greeted by a dark living room that I occasionally trip into, a very vocal cat and a pile of dishes that is beginning to seem infinite. On the nights that I'd prefer a good cuddle session with the cat over dish-pan hands (and let's face it, that's most nights), I tend to turn to the same vices. My poisons of choice? Well, I start by heating up a can of Progresso soup (if I'm too lazy to do the dishes, I'm certainly too lazy to do any REAL cooking). I then set about picking out a blanket and some fuzzy socks. Next, I wander over to our wine rack and find something appropriate for my mood and the weather. Finally, I settle in for a few hours with my dear friend, the BBC.

The past few years have brought many new stories and actors into my life. Alright boys and girls, if you're looking for suggestions, get out your pens and paper. Here is a list of my top favorite (favourite!) BBC productions:

• Pride and Prejudice (my first and favorite experience with the BBC - and I don't care what anyone says... Colin Firth is the only proper Darcy in existence)
• Doctor Who (many thanks to my Who guru, Kurt.)
• Casanova
• Blackpool
• Top Gear
• Blackadder
• Any of Gordon Ramsey's insane shows (thank God they brought him state-side)
• The Catherine Tate Show
• French and Saunders
• Monte Python
• Planet Earth
• The Vicar of Dibley
• Big Train

It's nice to know that after having seen so many series, I've only just barely cracked the surface. But don't be fooled, I would have seen way more than this list by now if I had a TiVo and cable. But without BBC America to rely on, all I've got is PBS (and thankfully they play The Vicar of Dibley and Blackadder from time to time). I've got plenty more shows on my list that I need to work on acquiring, including "Spaces," "Absolutely Fabulous," "Life on Mars," "Little Britain" and all of the episodes from the original Doctor Who series. So I've got lots to look forward to.