England Expects
Monday, April 5, 2004 by Chris Orton · Comments Off
It seems more than a coincidence that this two-hour drama suddenly appeared on our screens just as a new round of immigration and asylum issues are currently making the news. Read more
Britian’s Best Sitcom
Saturday, March 27, 2004 by John Phillips · Comments Off
A very, very long time ago, Britain’s Best Sitcom arrived on BBC2, and people all around this great nation of ours thought: “Oh, that might be a vaguely interesting way to kill an hour or two.” Sadly, it was not to be so simple. Read more
The Terry and Gaby Show
Friday, March 26, 2004 by Ian Jones · Comments Off
Shorn of all reason to maintain the pretence of being an ongoing concern, the last ever Terry and Gaby Show resembled one long noisy and petulant unravelling of decorum and dignity. Read more
Feather Boy
Tuesday, March 23, 2004 by Cameron Borland · Comments Off
After a wave of negative experiences with regards to poor writing of late, it is only fair that I doff my cap in the direction of this wonderful piece of drama that, once again, underlines the BBC’s strength of commitment to, and complete respect for, children’s television. Read more
Hustle
Tuesday, March 16, 2004 by Cameron Borland · Comments Off
The accusation that it is all style and no substance is a charge that Hustle is inherently guilty of. Not that this is a bad thing, you understand. Read more
Murder in Suburbia
Saturday, March 13, 2004 by Cameron Borland · Comments Off
“What’s our single most important rule about men, Scribbs?”/”No bad boys.”/”Because?”/”They’re bad.”/”And?”/”They’re boys.” Read more
Cheers
Monday, March 8, 2004 by Cameron Borland · Comments Off
Occasionally, just occasionally, you manage to catch a little slice of history on your screen and it fills your heart with joy that you witnessed something special. Read more
Hustle
Tuesday, February 24, 2004 by Chris Orton · Comments Off
After seeing the first episode of Hustle, it would come as no surprise to see some enterprising crook super-glued to a cash dispenser at his or her local bank, desperate to escape before the police arrive on the scene. Read more
24 Hour Quiz
Friday, February 20, 2004 by Graham Kibble-White · Comments Off
Sometimes ITV will fling out something that’s just so ITV you have to start wondering if there aren’t channel executives standing around, guffawing up their sleeves. Are we witnessing here a cleverly executed joke that’s been meticulously set-up just to make merry with popular conceptions about the third channel? Read more
About a Bar Mitzvah Boy
Tuesday, February 10, 2004 by Cameron Borland · Comments Off
Continuing to build upon its impressive reputation, BBC Scotland’s EX-S documentary team produced another lovely little gem in this, the tale of Sean Winston, a Glaswegian Bar Mitzvah boy. Read more
Friends
Friday, February 6, 2004 by Cameron Borland · Comments Off
At first glance, it would appear that Friends and Gimme, Gimme, Gimme make for uncomfortable bedfellows. However, no two sitcoms of recent times have received quite the same level of vitriolic abuse and bitter, undiluted contempt from critics (both amateur and professional) than these mismatched partners. Read more
Sea of Souls
Tuesday, February 3, 2004 by Chris Orton · Comments Off
Lazily, and perhaps rather predictably labelled in certain quarters as Britain’s answer to The X Files, Sea of Souls seems in fact much more like one of those spooky old anthology series that Britain used to do so well in days gone by. Read more
Goodbye Pebble Mill
Sunday, February 1, 2004 by Graham Kibble-White · Comments Off
When I think back now, it was the centre-point of a family visit to Birmingham (and is that the drabbest conceit ever with which to open a review?) Read more
Still Game
Saturday, January 24, 2004 by John Phillips · Comments Off
It seems a little odd for BBC2 to follow Britain’s Greatest Sitcom with two brand new series of that same genre, suggesting perhaps that these new shows will be deemed worthy of joining such illustrious company in years to come. Read more
Didn’t They Do Well?
Thursday, January 15, 2004 by Ian Jones · Comments Off
It’s 7pm on a weeknight, you want to wind down in front of the TV, but you find that once again you’re faced with a familiarly nondescript choice of viewing. Read more
Revolver
Tuesday, January 13, 2004 by Chris Orton · Comments Off
Upon hearing of the premise behind this BBC Scotland-produced comedy show it did seem as though somebody in the programme-planning department might have been having a joke with a colleague. Read more
Ministry of Mayhem
Saturday, January 10, 2004 by Steve Williams · Comments Off
Even those who weren’t alive at the time know about the battle between Swap Shop and Tiswas on Saturday mornings past. Read more
Serious Desert
Thursday, January 1, 2004 by Ian Jones · Comments Off
Children’s BBC have kicked off 2004 with just as much flair as they did 2003, courtesy of a much welcome and suitably good-natured post-Christmas treat. Read more