09 December 2005
"MY SPECIAL LISTENING DEVICE"
So in five minutes time it'll be the third edition of Space Cadets, and really what has happened over the preceding 120 minutes? The answer, of course is not much. Indeed on last night's programme it took the contestants thirty minutes screen time to get off a plane and onto a bus. Whilst the scale of the prank is proving to be as impressive as Channel 4 intimated it doesn't make it an interesting programme. Indeed quite a lot of airtime last night was given over to the fictitious chat between two of the "guards". I might be wrong here, but when Beadle dressed up as an Estate Agent to prank someone on Beadle's About I don't recall that we had to put up with scenes of him and some fictitious colleague chatted idly about fictious rising house prices.
In many ways Space Cadets reminds me of Channel Five's ill-fated Jailbreak. Like that programme, it is too in love with its own fictitious world and seems determined to show us what a great job its done and fashioning authentic looking Russian plug sockets, at the expense of showing us anything entertaining.
In many ways Space Cadets reminds me of Channel Five's ill-fated Jailbreak. Like that programme, it is too in love with its own fictitious world and seems determined to show us what a great job its done and fashioning authentic looking Russian plug sockets, at the expense of showing us anything entertaining.
I DUNNO WHAT A FOLLY IS
Intriguing news in this week's Broadcast that BBC1 are to bring back Nationwide - or, at least, an hour-long magazine show between 6.30 and 7.30 containing national and local news and fronted by, it says here, "a Natasha Kaplinsky-style presenter". Of course the main reasoning behind it is to stop the nation turning over en masse to Emmerdale at seven.
Nice though this would be, I wonder if 90 minutes of news is really going to be that appealing every teatime - it worked in the past because both the news and Nationwide had distinct jobs, but now you tend to get on the Six the sort of lengthy reports and features that would have been 'wide territory. Also, it will surely limit the sort of stuff that can be shown early in the evening, and it seems a bit daft to meddle with the regional news programmes when they're thrashing ITV.
But it is true that the 7pm slot has always been a weak spot for BBC1, you never know what's going to be on there and often it can get the evening off to a thoroughly flat note. Rather this than another docusoap, but it's hard to see it becoming quite the hit it was three decades ago. Would the Consumer Unit drag viewers away from The Woolpack now?
Nice though this would be, I wonder if 90 minutes of news is really going to be that appealing every teatime - it worked in the past because both the news and Nationwide had distinct jobs, but now you tend to get on the Six the sort of lengthy reports and features that would have been 'wide territory. Also, it will surely limit the sort of stuff that can be shown early in the evening, and it seems a bit daft to meddle with the regional news programmes when they're thrashing ITV.
But it is true that the 7pm slot has always been a weak spot for BBC1, you never know what's going to be on there and often it can get the evening off to a thoroughly flat note. Rather this than another docusoap, but it's hard to see it becoming quite the hit it was three decades ago. Would the Consumer Unit drag viewers away from The Woolpack now?
07 December 2005
"I SEE ... WELL, I SEE SOMETHING"
Last night was perhaps the best line-up of programmes we've ever had on BBC4 (stuff about old telly notwithstanding). Not only was there an excellent documentary on prime numbers (slightly marred by the way Marcus du Sautoy seems determined to play the rabbit to the autocue's headlights) and a welcome repeat for that old BBC documentary on Fermat's Last Theorem, but best of all, there was a re-screening of the excellent Breaking the Code. Not only that, but it was the full version too, complete with Turing's spiel on the Entscheidungsproblem that usually seems to get cut whenever this gripping drama is repeated. Jacobi is on top form throughout as Turing, but the supporting cast are all fantastic too, particularly Richard Johnson who turns in a pleasingly eccentric (but not stupid) performance as Turing's wartime boss and quasi-mentor, Dillwyn Knox.
"BENDING OVER ... IT'S NOT THE END OF THE WORLD"
Re: Dragon's Den. I thought last night's edition was, the thrill of nobody getting any cash aside, the weakest of the series so far (albeit still one with some entertaining moments). I also felt last night's showed up a bit of a weakness in the format, in that it's impossible to have any sort of spark between Dragons and Den-ee without the pitch ending in failure.
I couldn't really blame the imaginative-but-hopeless "ambient advertising" man having a pop back at Theo for the "pins in eyes" comment, but what was funny was the way Rachel Elnaugh dismissed him and his ilk as "that's what they're like", when she's by far the most rude and charmless of the Dragons. I hope we're not on the way to contestants having to grovel and having Peter Jones check if they've cleaned their shoes that morning.
It's still just great though, I loved Doug dismissing the pointlessly elaborate dogshit (don't you hate the word pooper?) scoop as a "Ghostbusters device". And the sight of someone climbing the stairs, bearing some intriguing contraption, is a brilliantly iconic TV device.
I couldn't really blame the imaginative-but-hopeless "ambient advertising" man having a pop back at Theo for the "pins in eyes" comment, but what was funny was the way Rachel Elnaugh dismissed him and his ilk as "that's what they're like", when she's by far the most rude and charmless of the Dragons. I hope we're not on the way to contestants having to grovel and having Peter Jones check if they've cleaned their shoes that morning.
It's still just great though, I loved Doug dismissing the pointlessly elaborate dogshit (don't you hate the word pooper?) scoop as a "Ghostbusters device". And the sight of someone climbing the stairs, bearing some intriguing contraption, is a brilliantly iconic TV device.
PLEASE, PLEASE DON'T MAKE THIS A RED NUMBER
Deal or no Deal has indeed been recommissioned, but for what sounds like an entire year's worth of episodes.
The Media Guardian puts its usual lazy spin on things - "anyone hoping that Noel Edmonds' return to TV presenting would be short-lived, think again" - while simultanteously conceding how ratings are continuing to climb.
A further 12 months of the show is both tantalising and troubling. Tantalising because it'll keep Noel on telly (and piss off the Media Guardian) and guarantee that sometime soon someone will win the quarter of a million; troubling as it sounds a bit too close to overkill. Back to back episodes all year round could turn a daily treat into a reluctant commitment, besides encouraging the programme-makers to tinker with the format. Is it wrong, though, to feel so precious about the show? No way! It's the best new quiz on TV since Bob's Full House.
The Media Guardian puts its usual lazy spin on things - "anyone hoping that Noel Edmonds' return to TV presenting would be short-lived, think again" - while simultanteously conceding how ratings are continuing to climb.
A further 12 months of the show is both tantalising and troubling. Tantalising because it'll keep Noel on telly (and piss off the Media Guardian) and guarantee that sometime soon someone will win the quarter of a million; troubling as it sounds a bit too close to overkill. Back to back episodes all year round could turn a daily treat into a reluctant commitment, besides encouraging the programme-makers to tinker with the format. Is it wrong, though, to feel so precious about the show? No way! It's the best new quiz on TV since Bob's Full House.
"IT WOULD LOOK GOOD WITH ACTION-MAN IN THE MIDDLE"
The element of surprise returned to Dragon's Den last night, as the final pitcher didn't actually clinch the deal.
It's been something of an irritant that in an effort to "tidy up" the show for its second series, the programme-makers have slightly reformatted it so - up until last night - the final proposal in each episode was always the one that elicited the cash. It meant that for the viewer, the play-along aspect of trying to second guess the Dragons' reaction was out of the window ... we now knew it was only the entrepreneur who showed up at 8.45pm who was going to get the money.
In light of last night's rubbish second showing for the Baby Dream Machine sweats, here's hoping next week sees the first bloke out of the trap enjoying success.
Aside from this grumble, the show is still the TV highlight of the week. Theo reeks of shyster-dom, and is a great replacement for the dandy Simon Woodroffe, while Peter's huge aversion to shit seems to be making itself known in different ways every week. Doug has a brilliant capacity for being hugely offended at poorly thought through pitches, Rachel is constantly faced with the spectre of Red Letter Days whenever she gets into competition with any of the others and Duncan proves to be wonderfully brusque when he's had enough of someone: "Thank you! Goodbye!"
All that, plus the "keep cooking" stuff from last night was class.
It's been something of an irritant that in an effort to "tidy up" the show for its second series, the programme-makers have slightly reformatted it so - up until last night - the final proposal in each episode was always the one that elicited the cash. It meant that for the viewer, the play-along aspect of trying to second guess the Dragons' reaction was out of the window ... we now knew it was only the entrepreneur who showed up at 8.45pm who was going to get the money.
In light of last night's rubbish second showing for the Baby Dream Machine sweats, here's hoping next week sees the first bloke out of the trap enjoying success.
Aside from this grumble, the show is still the TV highlight of the week. Theo reeks of shyster-dom, and is a great replacement for the dandy Simon Woodroffe, while Peter's huge aversion to shit seems to be making itself known in different ways every week. Doug has a brilliant capacity for being hugely offended at poorly thought through pitches, Rachel is constantly faced with the spectre of Red Letter Days whenever she gets into competition with any of the others and Duncan proves to be wonderfully brusque when he's had enough of someone: "Thank you! Goodbye!"
All that, plus the "keep cooking" stuff from last night was class.
"GOOD EVENING, FRIENDS, AND THANKS FOR TUNING IN ..."
That's the best bit about OFI Sunday, and only because it's nicked from Danny Baker. For some reason I'm still watching it, and this week we got something of a revamp. The most obvious change is that there's now two guests rather than one (they did manage to book some people, then), so there's more chat - despite Evans saying he didn't want it to be a chat show - and less of the fripperies like the Big Boobies and Glad Or Sad. It's not very interesting chat, obviously.
I thought that Evans' "assistant" Hiten had been sacked, but in fact, despite not sitting on stage throughout and joining in with the banter, he still appears to spin the wheel and dance about for the quiz. Submarine Tom's still there, and still quaking with fear throughout his boring bit.
It's great how the show is seemingly replicating the entire history of TFI Friday in a matter of weeks, with all the features junked and a load of dull interviews taking their place. Someone on the NOTBBC forum said that Evans should have returned to telly with a quiz show, or at least something that isn't simply The Chris Evans Show. Noel's return with Deal or No Deal is, of course, the perfect example.
Anyway, who had "episode four" in the "When's Sharleen Spiteri Going To Be On" sweep?
I thought that Evans' "assistant" Hiten had been sacked, but in fact, despite not sitting on stage throughout and joining in with the banter, he still appears to spin the wheel and dance about for the quiz. Submarine Tom's still there, and still quaking with fear throughout his boring bit.
It's great how the show is seemingly replicating the entire history of TFI Friday in a matter of weeks, with all the features junked and a load of dull interviews taking their place. Someone on the NOTBBC forum said that Evans should have returned to telly with a quiz show, or at least something that isn't simply The Chris Evans Show. Noel's return with Deal or No Deal is, of course, the perfect example.
Anyway, who had "episode four" in the "When's Sharleen Spiteri Going To Be On" sweep?
06 December 2005
HUW AND CRY
BBC1's live coverage of the result of the Tory leadership contest earlier today was helmed by Huw Edwards in his usual sublime fashion, seated behind a customised pod flanked by "special guests" William Hague and a woman from the Daily Telegraph.
Huw was on form, chiding Tory Central Office for being a few minutes late with the declaration, hailing footage of old people sitting in a pub in David Cameron's constituency ("I wish I was there - I could with a drink!"), and generally making the whole event as entertaining as possible.
Of course there was a time when David Dimbleby would've been doing this kind of gig, but that was a fair few years ago. It's surely not long before Huw becomes the default anchor for any and every political roustabout, including the grand prize, General Election night. Or is it? It could very well come down to timing. If there isn't another General Election for five years - the maximum period possible - it's pretty obvious the job is Huw's. If it's any sooner, chances are Dave will want one last shot, especially if he's held onto Question Time in the interim. And with Peter Snow and Andrew Marr already both out of the psephological picture, Dave's presence could be vital for ensuring a bit of continuity.
Speaking of which, who's going to replace Pete? One name springs to mind: "And now, buzzing with excitement over at his Battleground, it's Bill Turnball!"
Failing that, David Butler's still alive.
Huw was on form, chiding Tory Central Office for being a few minutes late with the declaration, hailing footage of old people sitting in a pub in David Cameron's constituency ("I wish I was there - I could with a drink!"), and generally making the whole event as entertaining as possible.
Of course there was a time when David Dimbleby would've been doing this kind of gig, but that was a fair few years ago. It's surely not long before Huw becomes the default anchor for any and every political roustabout, including the grand prize, General Election night. Or is it? It could very well come down to timing. If there isn't another General Election for five years - the maximum period possible - it's pretty obvious the job is Huw's. If it's any sooner, chances are Dave will want one last shot, especially if he's held onto Question Time in the interim. And with Peter Snow and Andrew Marr already both out of the psephological picture, Dave's presence could be vital for ensuring a bit of continuity.
Speaking of which, who's going to replace Pete? One name springs to mind: "And now, buzzing with excitement over at his Battleground, it's Bill Turnball!"
Failing that, David Butler's still alive.
IT'S A GOD-AWFUL SMALL AFFAIR ...
Chris' mention of Life on Mars prompts me to brag about the fact I've seen episode one, and on the basis of that, it looks great. Okay, I never find John Simm believable in anything other than a voiceover (he looks about 12!) but that aside, the show rarely hits a dud note.
It's fantastically imaginative, and quite happy to weave a fairly complicated, esoteric storyline in the knowledge the audience will work alongside it to keep up. Of course, not having Carol Hersee on test card duty points to a future plot point (in that the thing will start to communicate to Simm), but now I'm showing off. It's great, and it's not too gratuitiously '70s at that.
It's fantastically imaginative, and quite happy to weave a fairly complicated, esoteric storyline in the knowledge the audience will work alongside it to keep up. Of course, not having Carol Hersee on test card duty points to a future plot point (in that the thing will start to communicate to Simm), but now I'm showing off. It's great, and it's not too gratuitiously '70s at that.
THE NEW SEASON ... ON BBC1!
So, BBC1 have announced their winter and spring offerings for 2006, and while it's a mixed affair, what sounds good sounds very good. I'm really looking forward to Life On Mars, which sounds great, and given that it's from Kudos (Spooks and Hustle) it has a pretty decent pedigree (I say that never having actually seen an episode of Hustle).
There's a Jimmy McGovern drama, The Street, starring Jim Broadbent, Jane Horrocks, Sue Johnstone and Timothy Spall. While there's no doubting the pedigree of the cast and the writer, you can imagine exactly what this going to be like, can't you? Expect the word "searing" to be used in broadsheet newspaper previews.
I'm quite looking forward to Richard Hammond in Search of The Holy Grail too. He's in serious, serious danger of over-exposure at the moment, thanks to the prevailing 'Richard Hammond craze', but I do think he's a brilliant presenter. So long as he presents this from a clapped-out 1970s Ferrari, with smoke continually coming out of the bonnet. If only the Beeb had booked Clarkson and Hammond to do the new Generation Game.
And there's Davina McCall's new chat show, which the Media Guardian reckons is going to be on Wednesday nights at eight (and which the Media Guardian reckons is a weird time for a chat show - did Des O'Connor keep feeding all those lines to Joe Pasquale et al all those years in vain?), which is not the most appetising prospect, I've got to say. Davina gets on primetime BBC1, being all shouty and attention-seeking, while Claudia Winkleman is still in exile on teatime BBC2 being all light and charming. Truly, we are living in unjust times.
Oh, and Just the Two of Us, which is really just Strictly Come Singing, although the regional voting format (the losers have to go to the region that liked them least and drum up votes) sounds intriguing. They don't seem to have named a host for that, yet, however ...
There's a Jimmy McGovern drama, The Street, starring Jim Broadbent, Jane Horrocks, Sue Johnstone and Timothy Spall. While there's no doubting the pedigree of the cast and the writer, you can imagine exactly what this going to be like, can't you? Expect the word "searing" to be used in broadsheet newspaper previews.
I'm quite looking forward to Richard Hammond in Search of The Holy Grail too. He's in serious, serious danger of over-exposure at the moment, thanks to the prevailing 'Richard Hammond craze', but I do think he's a brilliant presenter. So long as he presents this from a clapped-out 1970s Ferrari, with smoke continually coming out of the bonnet. If only the Beeb had booked Clarkson and Hammond to do the new Generation Game.
And there's Davina McCall's new chat show, which the Media Guardian reckons is going to be on Wednesday nights at eight (and which the Media Guardian reckons is a weird time for a chat show - did Des O'Connor keep feeding all those lines to Joe Pasquale et al all those years in vain?), which is not the most appetising prospect, I've got to say. Davina gets on primetime BBC1, being all shouty and attention-seeking, while Claudia Winkleman is still in exile on teatime BBC2 being all light and charming. Truly, we are living in unjust times.
Oh, and Just the Two of Us, which is really just Strictly Come Singing, although the regional voting format (the losers have to go to the region that liked them least and drum up votes) sounds intriguing. They don't seem to have named a host for that, yet, however ...
REFRESHING TV
Nobody else would have seen it, because nobody ever had, but BBC3 News ended on Friday with a demented final instalment. After a cursory run-through the day's news, the final twenty minutes were nothing but shameless reminiscence, Paddy and Sevi joined by regular contributors - including Eddie Mair and Tazeen Ahmad - to jabber about the show. It's not often you hear the links in a news programme - "The news was invented because the government told the BBC to do it! Now it's ending because the government said it was a waste of money!" - being greeted with gales of laughter.
The clip packages were entertaining, with daft stunts high up in the mix - including Paddy doing a report in the nude, and various capers when the new weather map came in ("Tomorrow's weather - khaki!") - as well as illustrating what amusing and likeable hosts Paddy O'Connell and Eddie Mair were. Then the final five minutes were nothing less than a post-mortem, Tazeen saying it was partly the fault of the Beeb it had no viewers as it was in a crap slot ("I don't think you can say that, can you?" "Who cares!") and Eddie, in jest, suggesting "If you had been a bit more serious, you might not be getting axed!". There were also vox pops asking members of the public their opinions on the programme, every single one saying they'd never heard of it.
Of course, the fact I only really bothered to watch the programme when it was being axed emphasises the failings - it was a perfectly good programme, but it was the news, and it was the first thing on BBC3 so you had to specifically hunt it out. I wish I'd watched it more but, well, I couldn't be bothered. And nor could anyone else. It was one of those shows you were glad was there but never watched.
Meanwhile BBC3 News bowed out with the promise of "nearly new current affairs" in that slot, and suggesting other things you could watch at seven o'clock ("There's Emmerdale with melodramatic delivery of improbable stories - so not that much different"). This really should be the format for the Six O'Clock News.
The clip packages were entertaining, with daft stunts high up in the mix - including Paddy doing a report in the nude, and various capers when the new weather map came in ("Tomorrow's weather - khaki!") - as well as illustrating what amusing and likeable hosts Paddy O'Connell and Eddie Mair were. Then the final five minutes were nothing less than a post-mortem, Tazeen saying it was partly the fault of the Beeb it had no viewers as it was in a crap slot ("I don't think you can say that, can you?" "Who cares!") and Eddie, in jest, suggesting "If you had been a bit more serious, you might not be getting axed!". There were also vox pops asking members of the public their opinions on the programme, every single one saying they'd never heard of it.
Of course, the fact I only really bothered to watch the programme when it was being axed emphasises the failings - it was a perfectly good programme, but it was the news, and it was the first thing on BBC3 so you had to specifically hunt it out. I wish I'd watched it more but, well, I couldn't be bothered. And nor could anyone else. It was one of those shows you were glad was there but never watched.
Meanwhile BBC3 News bowed out with the promise of "nearly new current affairs" in that slot, and suggesting other things you could watch at seven o'clock ("There's Emmerdale with melodramatic delivery of improbable stories - so not that much different"). This really should be the format for the Six O'Clock News.
05 December 2005
"I KNOW I'M A SINNER ..."
I've got to put on record how dull Millionaire Manor was on Saturday. It's one of those shows where the prize is more important than the quiz itself, so they bigged-up what you could do in the Manor between every round, while those rounds are simply "who's richer?", "which is the most expensive?" and then quickfire questions (albeit all about rich people, a la Strike it Lucky). It's such a boring affair, and it's a shame a sturdy format like Winning Lines has been sacrificied for it. Also, the setting itself is botched, it's all very well setting it in the titular Manor but, a la Fame Academy, it's too poky for telly and when the contestants walk off everyone has to irritatingly budge up. Also, Mark Durden-Smith is hugely uncharismatic.
Mind you, I do like the rising and falling portcullis Mark has to walk through to get to the Lottery draws. I'd also like to point out my fave bits of the recent midweek draws, when Eammonn hasn't been arsed coming in, so they film him going "Time now for Lotto Extra!" and really blatantly bung them in live.
Mind you, I do like the rising and falling portcullis Mark has to walk through to get to the Lottery draws. I'd also like to point out my fave bits of the recent midweek draws, when Eammonn hasn't been arsed coming in, so they film him going "Time now for Lotto Extra!" and really blatantly bung them in live.
WHO BETTER, WHO EVER BETTER?
I knew Bill Turnbull was becoming a star when my mum (her again) said, during the edition of Strictly Come Dancing where he'd knackered his ankle and was looking ill, "oh, time to go home to your bees, Bill".
So where now for the likeable freewheeling Breakfast anchor? Surely he's in line for some kind of "promotion", after all, it was Strictly Come Dancing that really launched Natasha Kaplinsky (and proved that nobody really likes Fiona Phillips). Man cannot live by being second banana to Dermot Murnaghan alone, so what do we see in store?
First off I'm seeing Bungalow Bill, a property restoration show where Bill helps a punter do up a one-storey house. Plenty of scope for his trademark wry asides and knowing references ("hmm, plenty of room for a beehive here!").
How about some more ideas, as sensible or as blatantly improbable as possible?
So where now for the likeable freewheeling Breakfast anchor? Surely he's in line for some kind of "promotion", after all, it was Strictly Come Dancing that really launched Natasha Kaplinsky (and proved that nobody really likes Fiona Phillips). Man cannot live by being second banana to Dermot Murnaghan alone, so what do we see in store?
First off I'm seeing Bungalow Bill, a property restoration show where Bill helps a punter do up a one-storey house. Plenty of scope for his trademark wry asides and knowing references ("hmm, plenty of room for a beehive here!").
How about some more ideas, as sensible or as blatantly improbable as possible?
IS IT GENIUS? IS IT SUFFOLK?
Surely the biggest problem with Space Cadets is not the fact that it is a hoax, but rather that it will be Johnny Vaughan's smug chops revealing the truth to the bogus astronauts (should any of them remain untwigged)? The choice of him as presenter has sent out a clear signal that, regardless of what Channel 4 are proclaiming, Space Cadets is going to be a smug and nasty bit of television. Just imagine how the programme would sound if, say, Dermot O'Leary was presenting? It's a totally different prospect, isn't it? Unfortunately Vaughan conjures up an image of a production team made up of an army of jeans-hanging-of-the-arse, directional haircuts pissing themselves at how damn funny they are. Let's hope one of the contestants is sufficiently irate to punch Vaughan in the face.
WHO THE HELL IS TIMOTHY BUSFIELD?
Interesting postscript on international DOND mania here. Richard Branson? Hmm, apart from the one-time media ubiquity, hugely overpowering obsession with air transport and the beard, I can't see it ...
Also, the host of Australian Deal or no Deal simultaneously fronts ... Australian Dragon's Den! Imagine that! That's living the OTT dream, and no mistake. Talk about "life-changing sums of money".
Also, the host of Australian Deal or no Deal simultaneously fronts ... Australian Dragon's Den! Imagine that! That's living the OTT dream, and no mistake. Talk about "life-changing sums of money".
04 December 2005
"THE AMAZING SUCCESS OF THIS PROGRAMME ..."
Deal or no Deal again. It opened on Saturday with a pre-titles bit featuring Noel breast-beating about its "amazing success" in changing people's lives (he seems big on that), particularly regarding the bloke on Friday who'd packed in his job to go on the show and won £10. The Saturday contestant, John (think I've seen him on something else - gantry crew?) had been on for five weeks, which Noel went on about, how John had made an impact on him, and he'd been looking forward to seeing him in the chair.
What I also liked was John, at one point, asking some of his trusted confidantes for advice on what to do. I like the way it's almost become a little community. Is it too bold (or too crap) to describe DOND as the first quiz-soap? There was also lots of speculation about whether having a large sum in your box makes it more or less likely that you will have one today, and that opening the boxes with pace (usually) yields better results. I love all this. Why isn't there a DOND play-along Flash game on the C4 website yet?
My mum, a television touchstone a la Old Ma Dyke, loves it, and regularly tells me on the phone what's been happening, brilliantly in the argot of the show ("he got rid of most of the blue numbers, then the banker phoned up, and Noel ...")
I think that bit about "amazing success" - 3m on Friday, according to DigitalSpy, winning its slot, makes a lengthy recommission inevitable. I hope they don't start trying primetime specials or anything like that, yet.
What I also liked was John, at one point, asking some of his trusted confidantes for advice on what to do. I like the way it's almost become a little community. Is it too bold (or too crap) to describe DOND as the first quiz-soap? There was also lots of speculation about whether having a large sum in your box makes it more or less likely that you will have one today, and that opening the boxes with pace (usually) yields better results. I love all this. Why isn't there a DOND play-along Flash game on the C4 website yet?
My mum, a television touchstone a la Old Ma Dyke, loves it, and regularly tells me on the phone what's been happening, brilliantly in the argot of the show ("he got rid of most of the blue numbers, then the banker phoned up, and Noel ...")
I think that bit about "amazing success" - 3m on Friday, according to DigitalSpy, winning its slot, makes a lengthy recommission inevitable. I hope they don't start trying primetime specials or anything like that, yet.
RATINGS REVISITED
Here are the 10 most watched programmes on Christmas Day 20 years ago:
1) The Two Ronnies (18.48m viewers)
2) The Queen (BBC) (17.35m)
3) Only Fools and Horses (16.92m)
4) All Creatures Great and Small (15.36m)
5) Top of the Pops Christmas Party (14.74m)
6) Coronation Street (14.32m)
7) Hi-De-Hi! (14.01m)
8) Moonraker (13.98m)
9) Minder on the Orient Express (12.51m)
10) Wogan (12.24m)
Any nominations for what'll end up on top this year, and by how many? Doctor Who will be in there somewhere, of course, but where? At the moment, and this is without having yet seen the Xmas RT, 12m sounds a good bet.
1) The Two Ronnies (18.48m viewers)
2) The Queen (BBC) (17.35m)
3) Only Fools and Horses (16.92m)
4) All Creatures Great and Small (15.36m)
5) Top of the Pops Christmas Party (14.74m)
6) Coronation Street (14.32m)
7) Hi-De-Hi! (14.01m)
8) Moonraker (13.98m)
9) Minder on the Orient Express (12.51m)
10) Wogan (12.24m)
Any nominations for what'll end up on top this year, and by how many? Doctor Who will be in there somewhere, of course, but where? At the moment, and this is without having yet seen the Xmas RT, 12m sounds a good bet.