The World at War
Saturday, December 28, 2002 by Ian Jones · Comments Off
For a multitude of reasons, not always the most selfless, everyone from classroom teacher to high-ranking politician regularly asserts the importance of remembering pivotal moments in world history. Read more
Only Fools and Horses
Wednesday, December 25, 2002 by Graham Kibble-White · Comments Off
Just before Christmas, BBC1 screened a welcome tribute to Only Fools and Horses. Alongside the well-deserved praised heaped upon the show, John Sullivan made an interesting admission; that last year’s OFAH Christmas Special “If They Could See Us Now” hadn’t been well received critically. Read more
Treasure Hunt
Friday, December 20, 2002 by Ian Jones · Comments Off
A short-lived pre-Christmas treat graced the schedules this week. The five-night revival of Treasure Hunt, dumped rather disingenuously in the 6pm slot ordinarily the preserve of The Simpsons, sneaked onto screens almost unnoticed – but has ended up a candidate for one of the best entertainment programmes of the year. Read more
RI:SE
Friday, December 20, 2002 by Simon Tyers · Comments Off
Generally in TV, if you’ve got a clunker of a show, the whole nation knows about it and are ready to mock accordingly. Even Fame Academy, while having seemingly everyone admitting by the final that it was their secret love, only managed figures for the final that equalled those of the much-mocked first series of Survivor. Read more
On the Record
Sunday, December 15, 2002 by Ian Jones · Comments Off
14 years after first venturing forth onto Sunday lunchtime screens, On the Record bowed out with the kind of finesse and insight it had so sorely lacked for most of its existence. A relaxed John Humphrys cued in a dozen themed clips packages, neatly presented to represent each of the 12 segments of the On the Record Big Ben “clock”. Read more
Celebrity Big Brother
Friday, November 29, 2002 by Ian Jones · Comments Off
In the end it wasn’t anything particularly remarkable or extraordinary that lifted Celebrity Big Brother out of the humdrum; it was a handful of unexpectedly human and subdued scenes that slipped through and caught you unawares. Read more
Celebrity Big Brother
Friday, November 22, 2002 by Ian Jones · Comments Off
It’s unfortunate that the return of Celebrity Big Brother has coincided with the peak of this year’s obsession with unmasking personalities as “real people”. Read more
Jamie’s Kitchen
Tuesday, November 19, 2002 by Jane Redfern · Comments Off
Now in episode three of a five part series, Jamie’s Kitchen is turning out to be a very different animal than first expected. Read more
I’m Alan Partridge
Monday, November 11, 2002 by Jack Kibble-White · Comments Off
Timing, as Alan will tell you, is everything in show business. In what is being hailed as a “golden year” for situation comedy, the long awaited second series of I’m Alan Partridge forms the final part of a quartet of highly praised sitcoms that have graced our screens in the last few months. Read more
Have I Got News for You
Friday, November 8, 2002 by Stuart Ian Burns · Comments Off
The high profile sacking of Angus Deayton from his role as host on Have I Got News For You has left the BBC with something of a problem. As with many shows, the topical news quiz worked because of a specific chemistry that had built up over many years between the presenters. Read more
Countdown
Friday, November 1, 2002 by Ian Jones · Comments Off
On the occasion of Channel 4′s 20th birthday, but with a moratorium on anything remotely resembling joviality apparently in place across the network, it was a relief that Richard Whiteley for one was able to wriggle free of the company hairshirt. Read more
Sahara with Michael Palin
Sunday, October 27, 2002 by Ian Jones · Comments Off
Across a searing, unending plain of sand, an isolated camel train picks its way towards the shelter of a scrawny tree. The image of the procession, utterly alone and vulnerable, is immensely powerful. Read more
The Art Show
Saturday, October 26, 2002 by Ian Jones · Comments Off
Poetry is one of the most difficult things to take seriously on TV. Whatever gimmicks or contexts or celebrities are wheeled out for effect, the recital of verse just doesn’t lend itself at all well to the small screen. Read more
Fame Academy
Friday, October 25, 2002 by Steve Williams · Comments Off
There are some things you can always depend on in life. Night will follow day, Coronation Street will run forever, and every time BBCi asks users to send in their opinions on reality TV shows, dozens of people will immediately go “They are cheap and boring television, who cares about them?” Read more
Look Around You
Thursday, October 17, 2002 by Graham Kibble-White · Comments Off
The thing about parody is, you’ve got to get the details exactly right in order to pull off the conceit. If it rings untrue in any aspect, then it feels as though the reality is being twisted simply to serve the comedy. And that’s just cheating. Read more
Richard and Judy
Tuesday, October 1, 2002 by Ian Jones · Comments Off
The status of “TV institution”only really registers its full impact when the subject takes unflinching pride in being mocked. Hence the reason why Parkinson, rather than revelling in his critics and thereby becoming a more curious and compelling character, has merely ended up a miserable old grouch. Read more
The Office
Monday, September 30, 2002 by Chris Diamond · Comments Off
It would be particularly interesting at this point in time, I think, to be able to flick through some back copies of Radio Times from 1979 and have a gander at what sort of comment the second series of Fawlty Towers was creating around itself. Read more
The League of Gentlemen
Thursday, September 26, 2002 by Cameron Borland · Comments Off
Personally, I blame my father and mother. Sins of the parents and all that. Read more
River City
Tuesday, September 24, 2002 by Jack Kibble-White · Comments Off
“Worse than Eldorado” was the proclamation in the office. Inevitably, the first episode of BBC Scotland’s new soap opera River City has been poorly received by the soap watching public (at least where I work). Read more
Live With… Chris Moyles
Monday, September 23, 2002 by Ian Jones · Comments Off
It was somewhat discourteous, not to mention downright inaccurate, for Chris Moyles to welcome us to his new show with the announcement “It’s seven o’clock”, when it was already at least five minutes past. Read more