NFR Television - How Poor

[Peabody]

How poor has British television become? We have the really rubbish Goblins trash (thank goodness it's only on for two weeks), do you think they are in a real jungle? Just how many times can you Escape to the Country? Despite the fact that it mentioned three times in the title, how much longer can Location, Location Location go on for?, as long as The Weakest Link? To be honest, there are one or two good programmes on but they are due to end soon.

[LBNo11]

...I don't watch gameshows, soaps, reality (?) TV etc., so there is not much else left. Mastermind, University Challenge, Coast, Documentaries and the History channel are my staple diet (no I'm not anaemic). My only indulgence outside of that is the well crafted NCIS.

Apart from that I read, listen to music and help try to moderate a web-site, which is in itself like inflicting flagellation to an equine quadruped terminally devoid of it's faculties...

:dead horse:

[The Doctor]

It's not all bad.  There's Attenborough's First Life on at the moment.  Spooks has just finished (one of the better programmes to watch without having to engage your brain), and has been replaced with Accused, the first of which I thought was good.  Channel 4 has The Pillars of The Earth (great spot, Eq) and Film 4 is usually pretty good.  Plus there are some good one-offs (last night's Horizon for example)

None of which helps if you're stuck watching daytime trash, but get on the iplayer and fill yer boots.  Problem solved

[White Noise]

Can anyone confirm to me that the new-ish Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon comedy series is as crap as I think it is. I have watched 3 episodes patiently and with an open mind but it just looks like self indulgent horse poo. I am sick of turning to the missus and shrugging. Have I missed a comedy gem?

[Lighthouse]

Not much on nowadays. Days of turning on at six and turning off at bedtime are long gone. I watch DVD box sets from the States. Dexter,The Shiedl, Lost and Battlestar Gallactica are worth repeat showings as I never saw them in TV. I don't have Sky or Digital or C5. I know you can watch stuff via the Net and sometimes do.

But tonight there is The Edwardian Farm and Ancient Worlds that I may watch or record. But can see nothing else tonight.

Enjoyed Spooks as usual and The Pillars Of The Earth (last feature length episode this week). I have fallen out of love with music. I had a huge collection and a cross section of music but just realised I had no interest in keeping them. I read News Magazines and books.So not sure how much time there is left to watch Catch Up TV and the rest but will watch the odd thing on the net and rent DVDs.

As for Coogan and Brydon WN, I smile at that more than the appalling Whites or whatever it was called with Alan Davies. Now that raised not one smirk from me.

[Chopper]

It's all about the red button. I reckon there's some good stuff on and the iPlayer helps me watch it when I want to.

The Trip is a slow burner, still not completely sure it's worth the effort but it does make me chuckle.

I really liked Whites though. Nice mix of characters I thought and a bit different from the normal 1/2 hour sitcom.

[FatFreddysCat]

It's not all bad.  There's Attenborough's First Life on at the moment.  Spooks has just finished (one of the better programmes to watch without having to engage your brain), and has been replaced with Accused, the first of which I thought was good.  Channel 4 has The Pillars of The Earth (great spot, Eq) and Film 4 is usually pretty good.  Plus there are some good one-offs (last night's Horizon for example)

None of which helps if you're stuck watching daytime trash, but get on the iplayer and fill yer boots.  Problem solved

Yep i watched the first Accused and thought it was very good. Luckily for you that missed the first one it's not a series  but i think six differant stories, so watch it next week. I'm 99% sure it's on normal telly.

[sipwell]

If you are already complaining about the quality of British TV (we can only see BBC 1 + 2 though), then you may be glad you don't live in the Kingdom of the World (Belgium). Our television programs tend to go from extreme shite to light shite.


@ LB: I admire your ability to use smileys nobody ever saw. :jealous face:

[LBNo11]

...sipwell, I design them all myself..

[sipwell]

@ LB: no wonder you have no time to watch television then :P

[LBNo11]

[The Equalizer]

A new one to watch: The Walking Dead. It's not for the faint-hearted, but it's a really great series.

If there are any other films buffs out there, you will recognise the name Frank Darabont. He directed The Shawshank Redemption and The Green Mile, and more recently a brilliant horror adaptation of a Stephen King book called 'The Mist'.

Well, he's now adapted a popular comic series about zombies on to a mainstream television serial and it is absolutely amazing. Some of the best visual effects I've seen on TV and it's damned spooky!

[AlFayedsChequebook]

Anyone who thinks that TV in the UK is bad needs to go spend 6 months in any other country in the world.

British TV remains the best in the world, and the BBC is an excellent flagship broadcaster. Channel 4 can be very good as well.

[cebu]

Anyone who thinks that TV in the UK is bad needs to go spend 6 months in any other country in the world.

British TV remains the best in the world, and the BBC is an excellent flagship broadcaster. Channel 4 can be very good as well.

I've lived most of my adult life abroad and I couldn't agree with you more.

[Peabody]

I would agree about the BBC, my problem and criticism is ITV, who seem to think that all we want to watch is rubbish like Get me out of here and the X Factor, which is the main reason I do not watch ITV. I do enjoy Spooks, Hustle etc and am enjoying Pillars of the Earth.

[The Doctor]

Oh, I'm in complete agreement with you there Mr Peabody.  ITV is an unmitigated torrent of televisual tripe.  To be honest, I don't know who's worst: the people who make such tosh; the people who watch it; or the utter fools who participate.

"Reality" TV...is it bs!

[CorkedHat]

Is Mock the Week still going over there? I think that MTW is the funniest program I have seen for ages unlike Michael McIntryre's Comedy Roadshow where if he didn't tell me they were comedians I don't think I would have guessed. (Okay one or two can make me smile but they are in the minority and McIntyre himself is woeful).
Loved The Choir - Boys Can't Sing. This is what reality television should really be. Top stuff.