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Hi.

Keno27 obviously did see The Beiderbecke Connection - but, equally obviously, didn't understand it (having seen some of his other reviews I'm sure that this is the explanation). All three of Alan Plater's Beiderbecke series are very British, actually very English - and maybe very Yorkshire (or at least North-East English).

Most US humour is very different from UK humour. Brits often think there is a lack of subtlety in US humour and Americans often think the same of UK humour. But the truth is that they're just different.

Most of Plater's work is definitely not transatlantic, it is accurately aimed at British society and uses (and often spoofs) British humour and ideals. By the same token a lot of US humor and ideology is equally non-transatlantic. I personally remember most of my peers being totally confused by the likes of George Jessel - and as for a Brit reading Jon Dos Passos......!

The Beiderbecke Connection continues the adventures of Jill and Trevor through parenthood, housing a refugee, police surveillance, equipment shortages at school, a leaky roof and several other oddities.

Jill calls First-born Karl after Karl Marx - who wasn't a Soviet-style communist but an intellectual. Trevor calls him Edward after Duke Ellington - who wasn't a US-style capitalist but a musician. Big Al. calls people Brother - but in the UK trade-unionists call each other Brother (and on the railway it was Bruvver, as in Joe Brown and the Bruvvers {a skiffle band}).

None of this is preaching communism, it is poking fun at people who take these things seriously. Neither communism nor capitalism are as important as life, that is the message. Freedom (and children) are vastly more important than politics.

As all this is in a very British style it will probably be misunderstood by those of another culture - as Keno misunderstood it.

Take care, Phil.

"Time wounds all heels."