Another fun fact: I'm friends with Kevin Whately's (Neville) niece. Despite being known more for his Inspector Morse role, in which he played a southerner, he really is from the North East (Hexham). 
 

Beepster
I actually did try out some Auf *mumble* Pet again after seeing sharke and a few others rave on it. It definitely had promise but fershure extremely hard to understand. I might give it another go though after some of the other suggestions made here. My ears might be a little more tuned in and able cut through the accents.
 
A lot of the times it's the expressions that are the real barrier. I've realized that some of the stuff I thought was just getting obscured by accents are actually slang, sayings and expressions I'd never heard before... which of course are dripping with the accents too confusing things further.
 
Definitely loving the word "manky" though. Hopefully that's not considered a TOS violating swear but it's a great way to describe something/someone filthy. lol

Yeah the expressions are almost like a different language in themselves. In fact many of them are, since a lot of Geordie is influenced by Norwegian. I had a Norwegian friend in Newcastle who said that he couldn't understand a word when he first moved to London, but upon moving "oop North" to Newcastle he felt more at home with the lingo. 
 
Some of it is vaguely related to its English translation though, so as long as you de-focus in the right way you'll get the gist. For instance the phrase "gan h'yem" which means "go home." And "aalowa" for "all over." 
 
Manky is definitely just everyday slang and not a swear word. I remember primary school teachers using it to describe us after we'd gotten dirty playing football during lunch break. 

sharke
 
 
 
Fun story: I was once approached in Newcastle by a girl with a tray of sausage roll samples from Greggs. As I politely declined it dawned on me that she was the actress who played Ally Frasier's girlfriend Vicky in season 2. Of course my unshakable Geordie tact compelled me to cry out: "Eeeeh! Didn't you used to be on the telly!"
 
She literally turned and ran away. Poor girl. 

She was gorgeous!
 
Ah yes, Ally Fraser - ''Nobody chins Big Baz!''

jamesg1213

sharke
 
 
 
Fun story: I was once approached in Newcastle by a girl with a tray of sausage roll samples from Greggs. As I politely declined it dawned on me that she was the actress who played Ally Frasier's girlfriend Vicky in season 2. Of course my unshakable Geordie tact compelled me to cry out: "Eeeeh! Didn't you used to be on the telly!"
 
She literally turned and ran away. Poor girl. 

She was gorgeous!
 
Ah yes, Ally Fraser - ''Nobody chins Big Baz!''

What about Nevile's wife Brenda in that swim suit....phwoar! You don't get many of those to the pound!
 
EDIT: Misspelled "phwoar"

I really should dig up that doc series about the English language. The influence of the Viking invasions and later settlement gets covered quite well. I'm up to some crazy Beepo shenanigans right now but I'll get on that. Probably not as interesting to you guys because it was likely all taught in school over there in history class but definitely fascinating for a westerner.
 
Now here's something...
 
I don't know what to really think of "Not Going Out". I got through the first season and really enjoyed the main character dude but it seemed to not be able to decide what it was. Gritty or lamo pop culture. I kind of meandered off on the second season because it seemed to be relying on catch phrases and plainly obvious slapstick but it seems like it MIGHT have found it's feet if I stuck it out.
 
I also gave a poke at the first ep of Men Behaving Badly but that again seemed like it might be a let down. Maybe it got better.
 
Red Dwarf of course was great. I watched all that a few years back and loved it.
 
Rab C is turning out excellent though. Dood's punk as frack.
 
Cheers.

Beepster
I really should dig up that doc series about the English language. The influence of the Viking invasions and later settlement gets covered quite well. I'm up to some crazy Beepo shenanigans right now but I'll get on that. Probably not as interesting to you guys because it was likely all taught in school over there in history class but definitely fascinating for a westerner.
 
Now here's something...
 
I don't know what to really think of "Not Going Out". I got through the first season and really enjoyed the main character dude but it seemed to not be able to decide what it was. Gritty or lamo pop culture. I kind of meandered off on the second season because it seemed to be relying on catch phrases and plainly obvious slapstick but it seems like it MIGHT have found it's feet if I stuck it out.
 
I also gave a poke at the first ep of Men Behaving Badly but that again seemed like it might be a let down. Maybe it got better.
 
Red Dwarf of course was great. I watched all that a few years back and loved it.
 
Rab C is turning out excellent though. Dood's punk as frack.
 
Cheers.

The first series of 'Men Behaving Badly' was pretty poor, it found it's feet when Harry Enfield bailed and Neil Morrissey took over, the pairing of him and Martin Clunes was excellent.. Good stuff from then on, but very much 'of it's time' - '90's 'lad culture'.
 
I quite liked 'Not Going Out' when Tim Vine was in it, but then I do like a good 'pun'.

 
 
You must have seen Blackadder Beep?
 
 

Men Behaving Badly with Enfield was definitely lame-o. It was much better season 2 onwards although still had the odd duff episode. One of those hit and miss shows which was worth watching for its good moments.

It's also worth pointing out that lots of shows had weaker first seasons. It takes a while for the writers and actors to find their sweet spots. The first season of Blackadder wasn't so good because Atkinson portrayed him as this simpering idiot as opposed to the philandering swine he became season 2 onwards. The first season of Father Ted was definitely slower than 2 and 3. It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia didn't really pick up until season 2 (when Danny De Vito joined the cast, basically).

For some reason I love the fact that Netflix has loaded up on the Scottish humour. It reminds me of my grand dad. He came over from Scotland at age 15 and never lost his thick accent. He worked 50 years in the Hamilton steel mills and was a real grouch who told me on more than one occasion that if I played in his rode bushes he'd give me a good kick in the fanny. At the time I had no idea what a fanny was. Neither did my father, and he picked up the habit of threatening my poor fanny for misbehaviour. Thanks to Netflix and the BBC I now know.
 
Somewhere between Victor McDade and Rab Nesbitt my grand dad was. I hope to get over there one day and explore my roots but the state of the world and the economy puts that in doubt. Until then I'll keep watching the telly and laughing my butt off. Craig Lang and Govan will have to do for now.