29 June 2006
I DON'T WANT MY ITV
Oh, for goodness' sake, what are they doing at ITV? It seems that everyone is so concerned about the financial side that they've just plain forgotten that they're supposed to be running a television channel - if the current schedules are anything to go by.
The recent announcement on cuts to entertainment programmes (not sure how much will be saved by a 10% cut on comedy, 10% of nothing is nothing) follows on from the news that they're also stopping producing children's programmes, closing down a factual department, slashing the sports budget and scaling down one-off dramas. And what will go in its place? Well, this weekend on ITV1 there are three episodes of Quincy. That's really going to get those missing ABC1s flooding back, isn't it? Similarly, fair enough if they want to get rid of kids' shows to make way for higher-rating series, but next week Children's ITV ends at 4pm to make way for The Darling Buds of May and The Unforgettable Les Dawson. This is just cutting stuff for the sake of it.
In the past, ITV1's programming may have been crass and irritating, but at least there was a swagger about it, and you knew bucketloads of cash had been spent on it. These days the schedules are a joke and ratings are plummeting, and only on ITV would the answer to this be to spend next to no money on programming.
The recent announcement on cuts to entertainment programmes (not sure how much will be saved by a 10% cut on comedy, 10% of nothing is nothing) follows on from the news that they're also stopping producing children's programmes, closing down a factual department, slashing the sports budget and scaling down one-off dramas. And what will go in its place? Well, this weekend on ITV1 there are three episodes of Quincy. That's really going to get those missing ABC1s flooding back, isn't it? Similarly, fair enough if they want to get rid of kids' shows to make way for higher-rating series, but next week Children's ITV ends at 4pm to make way for The Darling Buds of May and The Unforgettable Les Dawson. This is just cutting stuff for the sake of it.
In the past, ITV1's programming may have been crass and irritating, but at least there was a swagger about it, and you knew bucketloads of cash had been spent on it. These days the schedules are a joke and ratings are plummeting, and only on ITV would the answer to this be to spend next to no money on programming.
22 June 2006
CALM, CALM
Alan Bleasdale showed up on Radio 4's Front Row the other night to plug the DVD release of his trio of Channel 4 dramas, GBH, Jake's Progress and Melissa. Fortunately the man was in the mood for being reasonably talkative. Unfortunately the man asking him the questions was Mark Lawson, who as usual conspired to avoid asking anything of consequence and instead sought to use the time to unearth desperately uninteresting and hopelessly tangential "themes" and "ideas".
The most interesting moment in the interview came when Bleasdale was discussing Running Scared, the never-filmed epic he'd penned for the BBC and pencilled in for transmission in 2001. Clearly still bitter about the way this project was killed in such an arbitrary fashion, the man revealed he'd conceived and written the piece as the third in a series of turn-of-the-decade "state of the nation" pieces, completing the sequence begun with Boys From the Blackstuff and continued with GBH.
Heaven knows what forces combined to deem Running Scared not worth making, but the decision must rank as one of the most misguided of recent BBC history. You can only wonder what was considered a more worthwhile investment at the time - Tinsel Town? Operation Good Guys?
Anyway, at least GBH is finally out on DVD, giving an excuse (were one necessary) to watch the series all over again, and to state once more how it is indisputably the best drama Channel 4 has ever screened.
The most interesting moment in the interview came when Bleasdale was discussing Running Scared, the never-filmed epic he'd penned for the BBC and pencilled in for transmission in 2001. Clearly still bitter about the way this project was killed in such an arbitrary fashion, the man revealed he'd conceived and written the piece as the third in a series of turn-of-the-decade "state of the nation" pieces, completing the sequence begun with Boys From the Blackstuff and continued with GBH.
Heaven knows what forces combined to deem Running Scared not worth making, but the decision must rank as one of the most misguided of recent BBC history. You can only wonder what was considered a more worthwhile investment at the time - Tinsel Town? Operation Good Guys?
Anyway, at least GBH is finally out on DVD, giving an excuse (were one necessary) to watch the series all over again, and to state once more how it is indisputably the best drama Channel 4 has ever screened.
21 June 2006
LAST WEEK'S NUMBER ONE
Just to add to Chris' comments below regards the ending of Top of the Pops. In a way, it's a bit like how obituaries are compiled ages in advance waiting for the person to die - this is a story that has been half-expected for about 15 years now.
Everyone goes on about it being moved from Thursday, and it's true that it spent years in the worst possible slot - but any other day would have done. Now it's finally in a better slot, where it can announce the chart, but on the wrong channel. On BBC2 it just seems out of place, an anachronism dumped there due to a lack of better ideas - it needed to be as part of the general run of entertainment programmes where absolutely anyone could stumble upon it. That was always part of its appeal.
For what it's worth, the programme is probably as good now as it's been in recent years - or at least, no worse. There are no features anymore - bar the archive clippage - and just lots of music, which is all that's needed. In a way, you could compare the role of Pops with that of Match of the Day - you can watch lots of live football, but it's good to have everything put together so you get a full review of what's going on. So despite all the "24 hour music channels" and "downloads" that the Beeb are citing, I still like the idea of somewhere that rounds up the current state of pop.
On a personal note, I haven't missed an episode of Pops since September 1997 (when I put the tape on only for it to be moved to BBC2 at the last minute to make way for Diana's coffin being moved), and I wonder if there'll ever be another programme I'll watch with such regularity for such a long time.
Everyone goes on about it being moved from Thursday, and it's true that it spent years in the worst possible slot - but any other day would have done. Now it's finally in a better slot, where it can announce the chart, but on the wrong channel. On BBC2 it just seems out of place, an anachronism dumped there due to a lack of better ideas - it needed to be as part of the general run of entertainment programmes where absolutely anyone could stumble upon it. That was always part of its appeal.
For what it's worth, the programme is probably as good now as it's been in recent years - or at least, no worse. There are no features anymore - bar the archive clippage - and just lots of music, which is all that's needed. In a way, you could compare the role of Pops with that of Match of the Day - you can watch lots of live football, but it's good to have everything put together so you get a full review of what's going on. So despite all the "24 hour music channels" and "downloads" that the Beeb are citing, I still like the idea of somewhere that rounds up the current state of pop.
On a personal note, I haven't missed an episode of Pops since September 1997 (when I put the tape on only for it to be moved to BBC2 at the last minute to make way for Diana's coffin being moved), and I wonder if there'll ever be another programme I'll watch with such regularity for such a long time.
20 June 2006
TOP OF THE POPS POPS OFF
It has just been announced on the radio that Top of the Pops has finally been axed by the BBC. It can't come as much of surprise to anybody really, given that it has been living on borrowed time for the past five or six years (if not longer). The move to Sunday evenings was surely the last roll of the dice for the programme, and given that it never worked it seems quite a pathetic end for what once was a mighty staple of prime time BBC broadcasting. Andi Peters was brought in a few years ago to try and revive the ailing show, but his new ideas did nothing to help and he has since cleared off to present a cookery programme on Sunday mornings on ITV1.
So, a sad, ignominious end, but quite inevitable given the recent state of the programme. Expect to see all kinds of tribute features on the news over the coming days. Hopefully Sir Jimmy will be brought back to present the final edition at the end of July.
So, a sad, ignominious end, but quite inevitable given the recent state of the programme. Expect to see all kinds of tribute features on the news over the coming days. Hopefully Sir Jimmy will be brought back to present the final edition at the end of July.
15 June 2006
STUFFING! APRICOT! PINE NUTS!
So the preview disc of episode one of The F Word's second series has arrived.
Previews are often funny things to watch, with longeurs of nothing much happening, other than a caption stating "TITLES HERE". Even more baffling can be the sound of a bored production team member laying in the commentary in lieu of the show's star. This becomes quite comedic when said commentary is in the first person, and very much so for Dominic Littlewood's Don't Get Done, Get Dom, wherein the gruff haggler's monologue drifted between what sounded like an adolescent lad and a chirpy housewife. Likewise, when a production team spod fills in for Gordon Ramsay's terribly butch monosyllabic recipe recitation.
But, The F Word. And things are much improved at the hot plate. This time around the show is far more focussed on Ramsay cajoling a brigade of amateurs into turning out acceptable food in his kitchen (mucho comments about "balls"). Giles Coren is no longer welcome on the premises (hooray!), although there's still too much stuff about Gordon, his family, and what's going on in the back garden. Dunno about you, but I prefer to see Ramsay as some kind of culinary automaton. Anything about his personal life just distracts from that.
As before, elements of the show plugged in the pre-publicity seem to have come adrift. Where's Janet Street Porter and her regular reports on food? Like Jane Moore before her, at this stage it looks like she's ended up in the scraps bin - bar one passing comment from Ramsay.
But that's fine. The show's now moving to a post watershed slot, so it doesn't need all that. It's got excellent swearing instead - plus the trailer for episode two looks really promising, Ramsay railing at an amateur cook to, "Call me Gordon! I'm not your 'mate'!".
The show's on Channel 4 from June 21. "Fucking delicious".
Previews are often funny things to watch, with longeurs of nothing much happening, other than a caption stating "TITLES HERE". Even more baffling can be the sound of a bored production team member laying in the commentary in lieu of the show's star. This becomes quite comedic when said commentary is in the first person, and very much so for Dominic Littlewood's Don't Get Done, Get Dom, wherein the gruff haggler's monologue drifted between what sounded like an adolescent lad and a chirpy housewife. Likewise, when a production team spod fills in for Gordon Ramsay's terribly butch monosyllabic recipe recitation.
But, The F Word. And things are much improved at the hot plate. This time around the show is far more focussed on Ramsay cajoling a brigade of amateurs into turning out acceptable food in his kitchen (mucho comments about "balls"). Giles Coren is no longer welcome on the premises (hooray!), although there's still too much stuff about Gordon, his family, and what's going on in the back garden. Dunno about you, but I prefer to see Ramsay as some kind of culinary automaton. Anything about his personal life just distracts from that.
As before, elements of the show plugged in the pre-publicity seem to have come adrift. Where's Janet Street Porter and her regular reports on food? Like Jane Moore before her, at this stage it looks like she's ended up in the scraps bin - bar one passing comment from Ramsay.
But that's fine. The show's now moving to a post watershed slot, so it doesn't need all that. It's got excellent swearing instead - plus the trailer for episode two looks really promising, Ramsay railing at an amateur cook to, "Call me Gordon! I'm not your 'mate'!".
The show's on Channel 4 from June 21. "Fucking delicious".
14 June 2006
RETURN TO TARANSAY
How interesting. The Guardian's reporting the Beeb are speaking to Lion Television about producing another series of Castaway.
It's a series that has zero profile today, despite the fact it's only six years old (hence, The Guardian's piece takes some pains to explain just what the thing was, and its relevance). In fact, most people have probably forgotten we've got Castaway to blame for Ben Fogle. That's probably because the show - which boasted a fantastic central conceit - was appallingly mishandled by the BBC, who didn't seem to know if they wanted to produce a Living in the Past or a Big Brother (which came along halfway through its run, panicking the Corporation into installing live webcams on the island).
In the end, through all this fudging they ended up with something so bland, Julia Bradbury's arrival on Taransay became inevitable.
Looking back on it now, it feels like a rather naive show; in the main desperate to underplay conflict, big-up the community and portray its participants as jolly salt-of-the-Earth types, happy to record their own (bloody awful) version of Abba's SOS for Children in Need's benefit. Despite all that, I'm still hugely fond of it, and hope that if Castaway 2007 does become a reality, this time the Corporation stick to their guns and only broadcast the results once the experiment is over.
Now, can someone let Jack Holden know?
It's a series that has zero profile today, despite the fact it's only six years old (hence, The Guardian's piece takes some pains to explain just what the thing was, and its relevance). In fact, most people have probably forgotten we've got Castaway to blame for Ben Fogle. That's probably because the show - which boasted a fantastic central conceit - was appallingly mishandled by the BBC, who didn't seem to know if they wanted to produce a Living in the Past or a Big Brother (which came along halfway through its run, panicking the Corporation into installing live webcams on the island).
In the end, through all this fudging they ended up with something so bland, Julia Bradbury's arrival on Taransay became inevitable.
Looking back on it now, it feels like a rather naive show; in the main desperate to underplay conflict, big-up the community and portray its participants as jolly salt-of-the-Earth types, happy to record their own (bloody awful) version of Abba's SOS for Children in Need's benefit. Despite all that, I'm still hugely fond of it, and hope that if Castaway 2007 does become a reality, this time the Corporation stick to their guns and only broadcast the results once the experiment is over.
Now, can someone let Jack Holden know?
08 June 2006
PUNDIT WARS
The World Cup is upon us once again and there are bags of matches lined up for the dedicated fan to watch. But which side, BBC or ITV, is going to win the battle of the pundits?
On paper it appears the BBC has assembled the best team. Joining the regulars Hansen, Shearer, Dixon and Wright are two former World Cup winners, Brazil's Leonardo and Marcel Desailly of France who should add a bit of variety to the staid punditry techniques of Hansen and Shearer. Celtic manager Gordon Strachan, who is usually one of the better of the team is back too, while the ever-insightful Garth "just how long can I make this question" Crooks will no doubt be on hand to provide his usual probing interviews in the tunnel.
ITV, on the other hand, has a right old mixed bag. Dutchmen Ruud Gullit and Jimmy Floyd Hasslebank are new to British punditry, as is Bolton's Nigerian star Jay Jay Okocha. Boring old Andy Townsend (wonder if he will be driving his Tactics Truck over to Germany?), Robbie Earle and Ally McCoist are included, having made it back to the football big time after a season presenting highlights show for ITV's coverage of the English lower divisions. Potentially more interesting is the inclusion of Big Sam Allardyce and Stuart Pearce.
On the commentary front, Motty, armed with his amazing statistical knowledge is of course back for his 48th World Cup finals for the BBC alongside the noisy Jonathan Pearce. Clive Tyldesley will be the main man in charge of the mike for ITV, probably accompanied by the ponderous, yet quite insightful David Pleat or the new Boro boss Gareth Southgate.
Presenter-wise it is two dyed-in-the-wool BBC types heading up the programmes for both channels. Gary Lineker will be hosting most regularly for the BBC (complete with his witticisms and unfunny quips, no doubt), while defector Steve Rider takes charge over on the other side having joined the channel to front their Formula 1 coverage. Adrian Chiles is better than both of them combined, but unfortunately he is confined to the BBC late-night highlight show.
On paper it appears the BBC has assembled the best team. Joining the regulars Hansen, Shearer, Dixon and Wright are two former World Cup winners, Brazil's Leonardo and Marcel Desailly of France who should add a bit of variety to the staid punditry techniques of Hansen and Shearer. Celtic manager Gordon Strachan, who is usually one of the better of the team is back too, while the ever-insightful Garth "just how long can I make this question" Crooks will no doubt be on hand to provide his usual probing interviews in the tunnel.
ITV, on the other hand, has a right old mixed bag. Dutchmen Ruud Gullit and Jimmy Floyd Hasslebank are new to British punditry, as is Bolton's Nigerian star Jay Jay Okocha. Boring old Andy Townsend (wonder if he will be driving his Tactics Truck over to Germany?), Robbie Earle and Ally McCoist are included, having made it back to the football big time after a season presenting highlights show for ITV's coverage of the English lower divisions. Potentially more interesting is the inclusion of Big Sam Allardyce and Stuart Pearce.
On the commentary front, Motty, armed with his amazing statistical knowledge is of course back for his 48th World Cup finals for the BBC alongside the noisy Jonathan Pearce. Clive Tyldesley will be the main man in charge of the mike for ITV, probably accompanied by the ponderous, yet quite insightful David Pleat or the new Boro boss Gareth Southgate.
Presenter-wise it is two dyed-in-the-wool BBC types heading up the programmes for both channels. Gary Lineker will be hosting most regularly for the BBC (complete with his witticisms and unfunny quips, no doubt), while defector Steve Rider takes charge over on the other side having joined the channel to front their Formula 1 coverage. Adrian Chiles is better than both of them combined, but unfortunately he is confined to the BBC late-night highlight show.
... AND BOIL FOR ANOTHER FOUR YEARS
On Tuesday May 30, Gordon Ramsay held court over breakfast at The Connaught Hotel. Betwixt the world's tiniest muffins and the lukewarm tea, he answered questions from the press regarding his TV future. As ITV were perched to woo him into an exclusive contract, he said ...
"I'm very lucky to have the situation as it currently is. ITV did put an offer in a month ago. BBC1 as well. That's all going to be resolved, I think, by the end of this week/beginning of next week."
And indeed it has, as yesterday C4 put out a press release declaring the chef's now signed up with them for another four years. This is good news, as Ramsay on ITV1 would be a horrible combo. Well, okay, Hell's Kitchen series one was fantastic, but, let's face it, the channel would've splashed him all over the place, wouldn't they? Perhaps in a pairing with Andi Peters?
Anyway, back at the Connaught, Ramsay spoke a little about how he views his TV career ...
"So, am I ambitious for television? I suppose I'm ambitious to do well, really. I'm not just saying it, but when you go into a situation like Kitchen Nightmares or The F Word, is it really about the television? It's about the quality first.
"I am ambitious, there's no two ways about it. I want to do well. We will do well. And there's something really exciting for next year in the pot. A really amazing idea."
"I'm very lucky to have the situation as it currently is. ITV did put an offer in a month ago. BBC1 as well. That's all going to be resolved, I think, by the end of this week/beginning of next week."
And indeed it has, as yesterday C4 put out a press release declaring the chef's now signed up with them for another four years. This is good news, as Ramsay on ITV1 would be a horrible combo. Well, okay, Hell's Kitchen series one was fantastic, but, let's face it, the channel would've splashed him all over the place, wouldn't they? Perhaps in a pairing with Andi Peters?
Anyway, back at the Connaught, Ramsay spoke a little about how he views his TV career ...
"So, am I ambitious for television? I suppose I'm ambitious to do well, really. I'm not just saying it, but when you go into a situation like Kitchen Nightmares or The F Word, is it really about the television? It's about the quality first.
"I am ambitious, there's no two ways about it. I want to do well. We will do well. And there's something really exciting for next year in the pot. A really amazing idea."
07 June 2006
A BIG "HOW'RE YOU DOING"
There's a comment on OTT's Growing Up With The Telly feature about Peter Purves' departure from Blue Peter being, "as though your parents were suddenly getting divorced". It's a perceptive point, because editor Biddy Baxter always said that BP should be "a rock" in its viewers' lives, always there no matter what was going on elsewhere. That's why the departure of Matt Baker is so notable.
Matt was in tears making this announcement on the programme, which illustrates how much being a BP host means to him. It was a genuinely touching moment that emphasises his charm. If he's not the best presenter this show's ever had, he's certainly in the top five, such is his warmth, likeability and respect for the audience - the sort of qualities the programme itself, at its best, also thrives upon.
It's this absolute respect for the audience that sets Blue Peter apart from 99% of adult TV, let alone children's TV. Everyone sniggers at the departure of Richard Bacon, and Lorraine Heggessey's on-screen announcement, but people forget that the following show saw the team address the issue on air and give him a proper send-off, and since then he's been shown in clips as any other former presenter would. Compare this to something like The Big Breakfast or SM:TV Live, where departing presenters would just get chucked out of the back door and never referred to again, no matter how ridiculous it looked.
So maybe it's been pompous and safe at times, but that fact remains that there are few shows as adept as Blue Peter at knowing and caring about its audience. And few hosts were as adept at it as Matt Baker. Still, there's a vacancy on Saturday mornings, isn't there?
Matt was in tears making this announcement on the programme, which illustrates how much being a BP host means to him. It was a genuinely touching moment that emphasises his charm. If he's not the best presenter this show's ever had, he's certainly in the top five, such is his warmth, likeability and respect for the audience - the sort of qualities the programme itself, at its best, also thrives upon.
It's this absolute respect for the audience that sets Blue Peter apart from 99% of adult TV, let alone children's TV. Everyone sniggers at the departure of Richard Bacon, and Lorraine Heggessey's on-screen announcement, but people forget that the following show saw the team address the issue on air and give him a proper send-off, and since then he's been shown in clips as any other former presenter would. Compare this to something like The Big Breakfast or SM:TV Live, where departing presenters would just get chucked out of the back door and never referred to again, no matter how ridiculous it looked.
So maybe it's been pompous and safe at times, but that fact remains that there are few shows as adept as Blue Peter at knowing and caring about its audience. And few hosts were as adept at it as Matt Baker. Still, there's a vacancy on Saturday mornings, isn't there?
06 June 2006
WOT NO OTT?
There have been a couple of emails about the non-appearance of a new edition of OTT for June (the first time that's happened during the site's nigh on seven-year run). My favourite is from Ricky Young who says:
"Have you all died? Has nostalgia finally become more deadly than it used to be, or has Ian Levine used the awesome communicative power of two phones to have you all bumped off? Come on, people, start reviewing again, from beyond the grave, if need be. Except Ian Jones, he's rubbish, he can stay dead."
Well, Ricky (and anyone else), the reason why there's been nothing happening on the site since mid May is due to a serious problem with my computer. That problem being, I no longer have it - my home was burgled. So, until I get a replacement sorted out, I can't actually do anything to OTT at all, other than post up onto this blog. And I only do that by abusing the resources at my place of work.
Rest assured, though, I do have a stockpile of reviews ready to go online once I'm back in business. One of them, Ricky, by Ian Jones.
If you want to ensure you receive an email letting you know when things are ticking over once more, you can pop your email address into the little box at the bottom of this page. Until then, brush up on your home security, everyone!
"Have you all died? Has nostalgia finally become more deadly than it used to be, or has Ian Levine used the awesome communicative power of two phones to have you all bumped off? Come on, people, start reviewing again, from beyond the grave, if need be. Except Ian Jones, he's rubbish, he can stay dead."
Well, Ricky (and anyone else), the reason why there's been nothing happening on the site since mid May is due to a serious problem with my computer. That problem being, I no longer have it - my home was burgled. So, until I get a replacement sorted out, I can't actually do anything to OTT at all, other than post up onto this blog. And I only do that by abusing the resources at my place of work.
Rest assured, though, I do have a stockpile of reviews ready to go online once I'm back in business. One of them, Ricky, by Ian Jones.
If you want to ensure you receive an email letting you know when things are ticking over once more, you can pop your email address into the little box at the bottom of this page. Until then, brush up on your home security, everyone!