h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I guess that either you get it, or you don't. I understand it's not very different for the Americans ... Many simply don't see the humour in Brit or Canuck comedy. Poor, lost souls.

There are some American comedies I just don't find funny, Friends was one and Ally McBeal was another, I liked M*A*S*H, Dad used to let me stay up and watch it when I was a kid, Was Northern Exposure Canadian?

I liked some of "Friends" but just never got Ally McBeal. But then, when they do shows of "America's Funniest Home Videos", 19 out of 20 are not at all funny to me.

M*A*S*H is still a classic to me, and I catch 2 episodes every afternoon directly after work. And yes, Northern Exposure was Canadian, though it was filmed in Washington.

Mum liked Northern Exposure she watches something on a channel we have called Hallmark, it's based on a show we had here called Ballykissangel, it's set on a small Canadian Island, it features a woman who runs the local bar a policeman and a protestant Vicar and a Catholic Priest but mum can't think of the name of it, she did say it only lasted one series.

My 2 favourite TV shows were filmed in Canada, Stargate and X Files

I still see Ballykissangel advertised on one of our channels, but never got into it. The one your Mom likes sounds familiar, but I can't think of a name either. Ain't it terrible when the memory goes?

The name of the Canadian version is Hope Island, I didn't watch Ballykissangel when it first came out but we watched it in the early afternoon slot on one of our Digital channels before the kids come home

That's the one. It's on 3 evenings a week, during our supper time. The missus occassionally switches to it. Not bad, in a comforting "good folks always make out okay" way.

Just like Ballykissangel, most of the plot for Ballykissangel centered around the Priest and the owner of the bar

To be honest, I've never gotten that involved in either. Not enough action, violence, gratuitous nudity or raw gore.

A bit difficult when the main character is a priest

Hey, I've seen a few flicks where the parish priest IS the demon. Or was that just the village I grew up in?

I guess the Priest does come in for a bit of Demonising thanks to hollywood

Unfortunately, the sins of the few, that have been unveiled in the past number of years, doesn't help their rep at all, eh?

That is very true and the Vatican just want to pretend it doesn't happen

By ignoring things, then trying to dismiss it, they really did little more than shoot themselves in the foot, eh?

Many years ago, when we lost one Pope, only to have his successor die within days, ... I had considered applying for the job. In theory, any lay Catholic is eligible. (Obviously never in practice though) In any case, I thought Pope Nick had quite a nice ring to it.

apperently any Cardinal can be eligable for election as Pope, but it's generally agreed that any Cardinal over 80 isn't considered

They also seem to like many, MANY years of being known in the church, a facility with languages, and a number of other things that I don't meet. Still, I liked the cool hats.

The spooky thing was I'd just finished Dan Brown's Angels and Demons not long before the Pope died (The death of a Pope and the Conclave is one of the central themes of the book) so I watched with interest, Mum and Alex were glued to all the news broadcasts after the Pope died so I got a litte swept up in the whole thing, I like John-Paul II, not to sure about Benedict XVI

Sometimes, a really coincidence can leave you shakey, eh?

I think JP2 was a pretty man, for the office and duties he was obligated to carry. I don't know enough, and haven't seen enough, of the newest "lad" to have an opinion yet.

Something about him makes me uncomfortable