Mr Blobby should be on TV more. That is all. 
What are you watching on TV? Page 1,653
A history of the world in eight easy parts. Twaddle, bobbins, horrible filmed inserts that look like something out of the land that time forgot. Rushing headlong through history stopping only to praise the needle and civil servants. I like Andrew Marr but he should stick to political history, this kind of sweeping ABC history looses all nuance and context. Make a series on man's origins fine, make a series on the Egyptians fine, but tell the whole of human history in eight hours, pointless and patronising.
Yes, but remember it is for BBC One, which is only watched by the C1 and C2 demographic, or to use BBC technical jargon, 'morons'. It must be difficult to pitch programmes to the right level when you have complete and utter contempt for your audience.
But why a history of mankind, with all respect to Marr he is no Bronowski and this is just to pedestrian even for BBC1. I loved Marr's History of Modern Britain and the making of Modern Britain, but this is like some 10 year old commissioning editor has decided lets do the whole of human history in eight hours, lets stick that up the chimney and see if it smokes. A wasted opportunity that will be to dumb to appeal to a history audience and to dull to appeal to the average viewer.
Lets be honest this has been created so it can be repeated endlessly on Sky's History of Hitler Channel and UK Sunday night Television from the yesteryear. I despair!
It is a shame, because as you say Marr's previous BBC2 history documentaries have been very good. But as a rule of thumb, never watch documentaries on BBC1 unless David Attenborough is fronting them.
Quote: Tursiops @ September 24 2012, 10:14 AM BSTIt is a shame, because as you say Marr's previous BBC2 history documentaries have been very good. But as a rule of thumb, never watch documentaries on BBC1 unless David Attenborough is fronting them.
Agreed 
Quote: Tursiops @ September 22 2012, 8:56 AM BSTParade's End, I stuck with it, five hours of obnoxious toffs behaving incomprehensibly while Benedict Cumberbatch pulls an expression like a man confronted with a five day old haddock.
I blame Tom Stoppard.
He seems to be the antithesis of a screenwriter, managing to convey the minimum amount of information with the maximum amount of words.
The whole thing didn't know whether it was coming or going.
I'm seriously thinking of reading the books to find out what it was meant to be about.
And Cumberbatch was just doing and Edward Fox impression throughout
Quote: Lazzard @ September 24 2012, 10:48 AM BSTI blame Tom Stoppard.
He seems to be the antithesis of a screenwriter, managing to convey the minimum amount of information with the maximum amount of words.
The whole thing didn't know whether it was coming or going.
I'm seriously thinking of reading the books to find out what it was meant to be about.And Cumberbatch was just doing and Edward Fox impression throughout
I could only watch one of them, it was just so BBC costume drama. The dialogue was overraught,almost a parady of Coward at times. I hate this type of BBC fare, its meant to scream quality it just screams lack of imagination.The BBC creed of Drama that educates and is good for you is both patronising and misguided. I'd much rather they spent the money on a new Play For Today strand where we could see some challenging contemporary drama. I blame Downton by Petula Fellows, utter Bollocks!
Since Downton has been mentioned, I stand by my view that whatever one's view of the accuracy of the portrayal of the master-servant relationship (and I am looking forward to the BBC2 debunking) the first series was nonetheless a loving crafted piece of tosh.
Series three and Fellowes is now churning the stuff out by the yard (or possibly getting his butler to do it.)
Quote: Tursiops @ September 24 2012, 11:01 AM BSTSince Downton has been mentioned, I stand by my view that whatever one's view of the accuracy of the portrayal of the master-servant relationship (and I am looking forward to the BBC2 debunking) the first series was nonetheless a loving crafted piece of tosh.
Series three and Fellowes is now churning the stuff out by the yard (or possibly getting his butler to do it.)
Churning is the word. It is everything I hate in modern drama, mind you I hated Upstairs Downstairs and The Duchess of Duke Street too. It's glossy chocolate box nonsense, hey, but if people enjoy it who am I to judge. For myself I'd rather have my innards skewed with a rotting stick full of dog sick. But that's just me.
Quote: Tursiops @ September 24 2012, 11:01 AM BSTFellowes is now churning the stuff out by the yard (or possibly getting his butler to do it.)
Personally I'm looking forward to " Downton: The Safari Park Years".
You telling me they haven't thought about it?
Quote: Pingl @ September 24 2012, 11:05 AM BSTinnards skewed with a rotting stick full of dog sick...
Channel 4, surely?
Channel 4, surely?[/quote]
yes, I think jimmy Carr's fronting it, or at least that's my dream.
Quote: Pingl @ September 24 2012, 10:55 AM BSTI hate this type of BBC fare, its meant to scream quality it just screams lack of imagination.
I was glad to see them adapting something that they had only adapted once before, and then not in my memory.
One more Bronte/Austen/Dickens adaptation and I am going to join the nutjobs campaigning for the abolition of the BBC so that Sky can rip them off with a free hand.
A new play for today strand wold be welcome, but it would also be nice to see the Beeb going back to reviving classic plays. Apart from the odd Shakespeare (and the recent MacBeth was very odd) when was the last time the Beeb filmed anything from the theatrical cannon?
Quote: Tursiops @ September 24 2012, 11:08 AM BSTI was glad to see them adapting something that they had only adapted once before, and then not in my memory.
One more Bronte/Austen/Dickens adaptation and I am going to join the nutjobs campaigning for the abolition of the BBC so that Sky can rip them off with a free hand.
A new play for today strand wold be welcome, but it would also be nice to see the Beeb going back to reviving classic plays. Apart from the odd Shakespeare (and the recent MacBeth was very odd) when was the last time the Beeb filmed anything from the theatrical cannon?
That would certainly be welcome. But where are we going to find the next Dennis Potter or David Hare if they don't introduce some form of free standing play strand. It wouldn't be that expensive, it wouldn't need the budget of Spooks, and would be a good long term investment in talent, which is what the BBC should be about as a public service channel. ITV can handle the choccy box stuff.
Watching Nigella's new Italian cooking program. I wouldn't mind eating her bolognese etc.