ITV has done some wonderful things in the past - but far, far in the past, so there really is no other option than BBC in this one.
Having said that, I do wonder if ol' Blenky's going a bit in his later years (
) - the BBC's bias in some regards is astounding, and I say this as someone who would actually tend to agree with quite a bit of the opinion it is accused of puting across.
The BBC but well it's easier when you have a billion pound budget you don't really need to earn.
As much as I love the Beeb, their drama has left a lot to be desired in recent years.
Quote: sootyj @ February 19 2011, 11:14 PM GMTThe BBC but well it's easier when you have a billion pound budget you don't really need to earn.
Yeah, poor ITV.
Quote: Matthew Stott @ February 19 2011, 11:21 PM GMTYeah, poor ITV.
Well, the two channels don't play on a level playing field.
Quote: chipolata @ February 19 2011, 11:27 PM GMTWell, the two channels don't play on a level playing field.
Quote: Matthew Stott @ February 19 2011, 11:28 PM GMT
Take that soppy look off your face, Stott.
I think some of the Conservative big cheque book stuff the BBC stuff does can annoy.
(Chip's dream to be a regular team member on Win, Lose Or Draw with Bob Mills, was snatched away when they cancelled it due to complete lack of audience interest. He was crushed, do you hear me? Crushed.)
BBC!
I hope the question was that simple.
Notwithstanding the comedy, they have Attenborough
Quote: Tim Walker @ February 19 2011, 11:35 PM GMT(Chip's dream to be a regular team member on Win, Lose Or Draw with Bob Mills, was snatched away when they cancelled it due to complete lack of audience interest. He was crushed, do you hear me? Crushed.)
I was a fan of that meta-chat show he did on C4. I have fond memories of them arguing about the merits of them doing a Peter-Sutcliff-stabbed-in-the-eyes-by-the-Woolworths-killer joke.
Quote: Aaron @ February 19 2011, 11:10 PM GMTITV has done some wonderful things in the past - but far, far in the past, so there really is no other option than BBC in this one.
Having said that, I do wonder if ol' Blenky's going a bit in his later years (
I agree with that Aaron, certainly in days gone by ITV shows like Minder & Rumpole were fantastic.
As regards the bias thing, I think generally when you compare last years election coverage with Sky's (didn't waste my time watching ITV's as I don't want my political journalism mixed with cheap and nasty competition phone-ins) and if you exclude Nick Robinson's diabolically right wing biased reporting, then you had a fairly unbiased coverage on the Beeb. I felt that Nick Robinson has a job waiting for him to co-host a show with Kay Burley at Sky any time he fancies it.
Quote: chipolata @ February 19 2011, 11:40 PM GMT
You're in denial, Chip! That was Bob Martin*! On I..T..V..!. Oh will this wound never heal? 
(*I think.)
Quote: Tim Walker @ February 19 2011, 11:43 PM GMTYou're in denial, Chip! That was Bob Martin
No it wasn't. Bob Mills did a weird chatshow on C4 called something like The Show in which they intercut backstage footage with an actual chatshow. Tis was good.
Hmm, if I can, I may put a word in for ITV. I'm not an avid watcher of ITV1, but...
The concept and history and aura of the BBC is obviously resolute and unsurpassable, however, ITV has always had to steer its own very different course because of this. Do you think it couldn't do any better than it generally does if it wasn't so conscious of its BBC rivalry? Of course it could, it gets virtually the same calibre graduates through its doors, and has gained many high quality BBC converts, mainly due to its famously better pay.
I do question if it was right to forge such a low brow course, when really, back then, it could have taken the middle ground, being the Beeb's only competitor. But it did, and, maybe this is why it continued rigidly along that path - it was successful!! It often pulled in better peaktime viewing figures than BBC. Some of its progs were easily the equal of any BBC progs in its 70s heyday, just look at them now on the excellent ITV4.
You've been negative about ITV, okay, I'll now be negative about BBC - It is in awe of its own reputation, it is sometimes confused about its role, the old high brow organ for the upper classes has clashed horribly with the ultra liberal surge that's taken its place in more recent years. And you say BBC doesn't cater for chavs, where have you been when the accusations of primetime dumbing down came flooding in from the 90s onwards!
It was almost as though it saw itself threatened by ITV's primetime success and had to steal its formula. Now do you get what I mean about ITV being capable of better stuff if it wanted to be? It's run by commercially inclined marketeers for a reason - it is a commercial station! It has produced fantastically watchable progs, just tune into ITV4 for examples. And I'd rather put up with its low brow arc than the BBC's insufferable halo of superiority. Myself.
And I haven't even mentioned BBC's increasing campness or its disgustingly nepotistic and toadying practices.