BBC2 stagnation?
This week's BBC2 top 30 features just 13 programmes. 5 years ago in the corresponding week it was 17. It is now clear that the strip and standard format of scheduling has been applied to BBC2. The main problem is that the channel that could offer a wide variety of programming from current affairs, culture programming, history documentaries etc has now been turned into a de facto lifestyle channel as evidenced by the likes of Great British Menu, Antiques Road Trip et al taking pride and place thus robbing the channel of it's distinctive edge and that is a great loss to the viewer.
Monday, 7 November 2016
Sunday, 6 November 2016
Paxman on Donald vs Hilary
Jeremy Paxman developed a reputation for no nonsense interviewing during his 20+ years on Newsnight, racking up a series of interviews that took no pity on it's subject with the most famous being Michael Howard in his then role as Home Sectary. Since his retirement from Newsnight has made an number of programmes with the most recent being on the upcoming US Presidential Election. However to get the full blown Paxman you have to look to look at 2 guest appearances, one on Channel 4 satire show The Last Leg and the another on famed Irish chat show The Late Late Show. The Last Leg takes in news of one Clinton's aides Husband had been caught texting an under age girl photos of his private part but both have Paxman declaring both candidates as the worst ever. In Paxman words "Trump is a monster" and "Clinton cannot articulate her vision". On the basis of this can we expect more unrestrained Paxman soon?
Jeremy Paxman developed a reputation for no nonsense interviewing during his 20+ years on Newsnight, racking up a series of interviews that took no pity on it's subject with the most famous being Michael Howard in his then role as Home Sectary. Since his retirement from Newsnight has made an number of programmes with the most recent being on the upcoming US Presidential Election. However to get the full blown Paxman you have to look to look at 2 guest appearances, one on Channel 4 satire show The Last Leg and the another on famed Irish chat show The Late Late Show. The Last Leg takes in news of one Clinton's aides Husband had been caught texting an under age girl photos of his private part but both have Paxman declaring both candidates as the worst ever. In Paxman words "Trump is a monster" and "Clinton cannot articulate her vision". On the basis of this can we expect more unrestrained Paxman soon?
Saturday, 5 November 2016
Awards furore
At last nights MOBO awards there was a bit of mix up concerning who won the prize of Best Song. WSTRN were announced as winners and gave an acceptance speech before it was announced MC Abra Cadabra was the actual winner. This is not the first time that an awards event got mired in contervestry. Here are a couple of other examples.
1999 Brit awards
When the award for Best British Newcomer was announced to say that when Belle & Sebastian emerged as winners caused a bit of a shock is to put it mildly. Pete Waterman producer of hot favourites Steps demanded a recount, it turned out that the B&S used a clever internet campaign among it's large student to drum up support for the public vote.
2005 British Comedy awards
Ant and Dec won the People's Choice Award. But the Geordie pair found themselves having to give back the award. So what happened well it turns out the fault lies with the man who presented the award, Williams said he would appear at the awards as long he would give an award to his Geordie mates. However it turned out that the actual winner of the public vote was Tate. An investigation by a law firm could not find any evidence that suggested that the mix up was a result to guarantee Williams involvement.
At last nights MOBO awards there was a bit of mix up concerning who won the prize of Best Song. WSTRN were announced as winners and gave an acceptance speech before it was announced MC Abra Cadabra was the actual winner. This is not the first time that an awards event got mired in contervestry. Here are a couple of other examples.
1999 Brit awards
When the award for Best British Newcomer was announced to say that when Belle & Sebastian emerged as winners caused a bit of a shock is to put it mildly. Pete Waterman producer of hot favourites Steps demanded a recount, it turned out that the B&S used a clever internet campaign among it's large student to drum up support for the public vote.
2005 British Comedy awards
Ant and Dec won the People's Choice Award. But the Geordie pair found themselves having to give back the award. So what happened well it turns out the fault lies with the man who presented the award, Williams said he would appear at the awards as long he would give an award to his Geordie mates. However it turned out that the actual winner of the public vote was Tate. An investigation by a law firm could not find any evidence that suggested that the mix up was a result to guarantee Williams involvement.
Friday, 4 November 2016
Terry Christensen: EU Warrior
On this morning's The Wright Stuff hosted Richard Madely one of the topics discussed was of course the decision by the High Court that Parliament should vote on whether Article 50 should be triggered to exit the European Union. One of the panelists on the show was Terry Christensen who admitted to being a remain voter. First he had a verbal set too with fellow panelist Lowri Turner (a leave voter) over a newspaper article by left wing journalist Polly Toynbee in which she urged MPs to ignore their constituents and vote against the motion and then he told a succession of angry leave voting phone callers that this was what they had voted for, in the form of a soverigen Parliament. And to think that this is the man who in the 1990's presented The Word called by some one of the programmes in the history of UK TV, having stunts involving bodily fluids, inviting Oliver Reed onto the show knowing full well he would get drunk and the female lead singer of a band revealing her private parts during a performance. As said bit of a turn around for Terry.
On this morning's The Wright Stuff hosted Richard Madely one of the topics discussed was of course the decision by the High Court that Parliament should vote on whether Article 50 should be triggered to exit the European Union. One of the panelists on the show was Terry Christensen who admitted to being a remain voter. First he had a verbal set too with fellow panelist Lowri Turner (a leave voter) over a newspaper article by left wing journalist Polly Toynbee in which she urged MPs to ignore their constituents and vote against the motion and then he told a succession of angry leave voting phone callers that this was what they had voted for, in the form of a soverigen Parliament. And to think that this is the man who in the 1990's presented The Word called by some one of the programmes in the history of UK TV, having stunts involving bodily fluids, inviting Oliver Reed onto the show knowing full well he would get drunk and the female lead singer of a band revealing her private parts during a performance. As said bit of a turn around for Terry.
Thursday, 3 November 2016
US TV hits that never took off in the UK
There has been a history of American TV hits (Dallas. CSI, 24, NCIS etc) replicating their success on British shores but there are some examples those only gaining a small and modest cult following in this country. Here are some examples.
Criminal Minds
This rather formulaic crime show which follows a FBI unit tracking serial killers has been a long running ratings hit in the US but when Channel 5 showed the first season but nobody watched. The show goes out barely noticed on Sky Living.
Grey's Anatomy
In the US this is a show occupies a lot of news print. However when C5 tried to pair this with House they found that the fans of Hugh Laurie's cynical character switched over rather than stick with the much more soapy drama that followed. The show suffered the same fate as Criminal Minds
The Practice
A long running legal drama that in it's run twice won the Best Drama Series Emmy. However numerous UK stations ran the show without much success.
There has been a history of American TV hits (Dallas. CSI, 24, NCIS etc) replicating their success on British shores but there are some examples those only gaining a small and modest cult following in this country. Here are some examples.
Criminal Minds
This rather formulaic crime show which follows a FBI unit tracking serial killers has been a long running ratings hit in the US but when Channel 5 showed the first season but nobody watched. The show goes out barely noticed on Sky Living.
Grey's Anatomy
In the US this is a show occupies a lot of news print. However when C5 tried to pair this with House they found that the fans of Hugh Laurie's cynical character switched over rather than stick with the much more soapy drama that followed. The show suffered the same fate as Criminal Minds
The Practice
A long running legal drama that in it's run twice won the Best Drama Series Emmy. However numerous UK stations ran the show without much success.
Wednesday, 2 November 2016
DVD commentaries to listen to: part 1
John Cleese on Fawlty Towers - Multi episodes
Cleese is a mine of information when he watches his and then wife's Connie Booth classic sit-com. The name of Stubbs the good builder in The Builders episode comes from Una Stubbs Father who himself was a builder and gave them information for the episode. Prunella Scales was somewhat apperhesive when ever she had a scene where Sybil ever hit some one and some what pulled her punches. Clesse is full of praise for the various guest stars the show had, one example being Bernard Cribbens in The Hotel Inspector as Cleese salutes his comic timing. A commentary on the one of the great sit-com that is worthy of the programme it accompanies.
John Cleese on Fawlty Towers - Multi episodes
Cleese is a mine of information when he watches his and then wife's Connie Booth classic sit-com. The name of Stubbs the good builder in The Builders episode comes from Una Stubbs Father who himself was a builder and gave them information for the episode. Prunella Scales was somewhat apperhesive when ever she had a scene where Sybil ever hit some one and some what pulled her punches. Clesse is full of praise for the various guest stars the show had, one example being Bernard Cribbens in The Hotel Inspector as Cleese salutes his comic timing. A commentary on the one of the great sit-com that is worthy of the programme it accompanies.
Tuesday, 1 November 2016
Colour clash
A bit of trouble has erupted over next week's World Cup qualifier between England and Scotland. FIFA has told the SFA that the Scottish team to play in the change strip of Pink. The reason for this is that the regular Scotland kit is mainly Dark Blue with White sleeves. FIFA have decided just on the basis of the sleeves alone there would be too much of a clash with the regular England kit of all White hence the change. Expect some gnashing of teeth in the Scottish press.
A bit of trouble has erupted over next week's World Cup qualifier between England and Scotland. FIFA has told the SFA that the Scottish team to play in the change strip of Pink. The reason for this is that the regular Scotland kit is mainly Dark Blue with White sleeves. FIFA have decided just on the basis of the sleeves alone there would be too much of a clash with the regular England kit of all White hence the change. Expect some gnashing of teeth in the Scottish press.
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