31 January 2008
WATCHING US, WATCHING YOU
Terribly sad news about the death of Jeremy Beadle. Read the TV Cream tribute here.
25 January 2008
FARM TITLES
Does anybody know the reason why the production team have introduced episode titles for Emmerdale? Is there any point in doing this for a soap, given that they are by their very nature, ephemeral? It is difficult to imagine even the most dedicated soap fan referring to individual episodes by a title. You just don't remember individual episodes of soaps, you remember the big storylines, or the famous characters. I believe that Neighbours also does something similar these days.
20 January 2008
CALENDAR COUNTDOWN (SLIGHT RETURN - AGAIN)
It's time once more to update OTT's chart of the most watched programmes of the decade so far.
12 months ago, when I found there were just a paltry two shows to add from 2006, I wondered if 2007 would produce anything at all that would make the top 50. "Barring unforeseen deaths of national figures, or something like Prince William getting married, I reckon the final chart for the whole of this decade will look virtually identical to the one above."
Well, I was wrong. No fewer than five programmes from 2007 got enough viewers to enter the top 50. They're marked in bold below:
1) Only Fools and Horses (25 December 2001) - 21.4m
2) Euro 2004: Portugal v England (BBC1, 24 June 2004) - 20.7m
3) EastEnders (5 April 2001) - 20.1m
4) Coronation Street (24 February 2003) - 19.4m
5) Coronation Street (3 January 2000) - 19.0m
6) Euro 2004: France v England (ITV1, 21 June 2004) - 17.8m
7) EastEnders (29 September 2003) - 16.7m
8) EastEnders (5 March 2001) - 16.6m
9) Only Fools and Horses (25 December 2002) - 16.3m
9) EastEnders (2 January 2001) - 16.3m
9) Coronation Street (16 February 2004) - 16.3m
12) Coronation Street (1 January 2001) - 16.2m
13) Coronation Street (3 January 2001) - 16.1m
13) Who Wants to be a Millionaire?: Tonight Special (21 April 2003) - 16.1m
15) EastEnders (25 December 2002) - 16m
16) Who Wants to be a Millionaire? (19 January 2000) - 15.8m
17) Coronation Street (13 January 2003) - 15.6m
18) Only Fools and Horses (25 December 2003) - 15.5m
18) Coronation Street (11 March 2001) - 15.5m
20) Michael Jackson Tonight Special (3 February 2003) - 15.3m
21) Heartbeat (6 February 2000) - 15.2m
21) EastEnders (28 December 2000) - 15.2m
23) I'm a Celebrity ... Get Me Out of Here! (9 February 2004) - 15m
24) Euro 2000 Portugal v England (ITV1, 12 June 2000) - 14.9m
25) Coronation Street (5 January 2001) - 14.8m
25) EastEnders (5 January 2004) - 14.8m
27) A Touch of Frost (14 January 2001) - 14.7m
28) Euro 2000 England v Romania (BBC1, 20 June 2000) - 14.6m
29) World Cup 2006: Sweden v England (ITV1, 20 June 2006) - 14.4m
30) Coronation Street (21 February 2005) - 14.4m
30) EastEnders (25 December 2007) - 14.4m
32) EastEnders (18 February 2005) - 14.3m
33) World Cup Match of the Day Live (BBC1, 25 June 2006) - 14.25m
34) Who Wants to be a Millionaire? (1 May 2000) - 13.9m
35) Heartbeat (21 January 2001) - 13.8m
36) Inspector Morse (15 November 2000) - 13.6m
37) Emmerdale (22 March 2000) - 13.3m
38) Pop Idol (9 February 2002) - 13.3m
38) Doctor Who (25 December 2007) - 13.3m
40) Rugby World Cup Final (20 October 2007, ITV1) - 13.1m
40) Coronation Street (15 January 2007) - 13.1m
40) The Vicar of Dibley (1 January 2007) - 13.1m
43) A Touch of Frost (22 February 2004) - 13m
44) One Foot in the Grave (20 November 2000) - 12.8m
44) Heartbeat (12 January 2003) - 12.8m
46) I'm a Celebrity ... Get Me Out of Here! (12 May 2003) - 12.7m
46) Billy Elliot (BBC1, 1 January 2003) - 12.7m
48) The Vicar of Dibley (25 December 2004) - 12.6m
49) Jubilee 2002: Party at the Palace (BBC1, 3 June 2002) - 12.5m
49) World Cup 2002: England v Brazil (BBC1, 21 June 2002) - 12.5m
First of all, who'd have banked on an episode of Doctor Who ever getting quite so many viewers, let alone end up in a chart of the top 50 most-watched shows of the entire decade? The identity of other four newcomers - two soaps, a sport tournament final and a sitcom institution - isn't so surprising, yet their respective scores suggest that multi-million audiences of British television are still there to be won.
The new top 50 means both 2000 and 2001 now hold joint first place for the most number of programmes (10 apiece), followed by 2003 (9), 2004 (7), 2002 (5 - the same as 2007), and then 2005 and 2006 with two each.
For the record, the five that got knocked off the chart were episodes of Casualty, A Touch Of Frost and Auf Wiedersehen Pet, plus the 2003 Rugby World Cup Final and the England v Denmark game from the 2002 World Cup.
What, then, is likely to happen this year? Given there are no home nations in Euro 2008, I doubt there'll be any sport events that make the grade. The soaps might scrape in, but Doctor Who certainly won't (that 13.3m figure being thanks to Kylie Minogue). A one-off sitcom "event" might do the trick, though. Yet another "last-ever" Only Fools and Horses?
Finally, here's the full top 10 for 2007. Diana (#7) and Brucie (#8): who'd have thought?
1) EastEnders (25 December 2007) - 14.38m
2) Doctor Who (25 December 2007) - 13.31m
3) Rugby World Cup Final (20 October 2007) - 13.13m
4) Coronation Street (15 January 2007) - 13.08m
5) The Vicar Of Dibley (1 January 2007) - 13.08m
6) The X Factor Results (15 December 2007) - 12.23m
7) Concert For Diana (1 July 2007) - 12.22m
8) Strictly Come Dancing (22 December 2007) - 12.09m
9) Britain's Got Talent (17 June 2007) - 11.58m
10) Match Of The Day Live: England v Croatia (21 November 2007) - 11.19m
12 months ago, when I found there were just a paltry two shows to add from 2006, I wondered if 2007 would produce anything at all that would make the top 50. "Barring unforeseen deaths of national figures, or something like Prince William getting married, I reckon the final chart for the whole of this decade will look virtually identical to the one above."
Well, I was wrong. No fewer than five programmes from 2007 got enough viewers to enter the top 50. They're marked in bold below:
1) Only Fools and Horses (25 December 2001) - 21.4m
2) Euro 2004: Portugal v England (BBC1, 24 June 2004) - 20.7m
3) EastEnders (5 April 2001) - 20.1m
4) Coronation Street (24 February 2003) - 19.4m
5) Coronation Street (3 January 2000) - 19.0m
6) Euro 2004: France v England (ITV1, 21 June 2004) - 17.8m
7) EastEnders (29 September 2003) - 16.7m
8) EastEnders (5 March 2001) - 16.6m
9) Only Fools and Horses (25 December 2002) - 16.3m
9) EastEnders (2 January 2001) - 16.3m
9) Coronation Street (16 February 2004) - 16.3m
12) Coronation Street (1 January 2001) - 16.2m
13) Coronation Street (3 January 2001) - 16.1m
13) Who Wants to be a Millionaire?: Tonight Special (21 April 2003) - 16.1m
15) EastEnders (25 December 2002) - 16m
16) Who Wants to be a Millionaire? (19 January 2000) - 15.8m
17) Coronation Street (13 January 2003) - 15.6m
18) Only Fools and Horses (25 December 2003) - 15.5m
18) Coronation Street (11 March 2001) - 15.5m
20) Michael Jackson Tonight Special (3 February 2003) - 15.3m
21) Heartbeat (6 February 2000) - 15.2m
21) EastEnders (28 December 2000) - 15.2m
23) I'm a Celebrity ... Get Me Out of Here! (9 February 2004) - 15m
24) Euro 2000 Portugal v England (ITV1, 12 June 2000) - 14.9m
25) Coronation Street (5 January 2001) - 14.8m
25) EastEnders (5 January 2004) - 14.8m
27) A Touch of Frost (14 January 2001) - 14.7m
28) Euro 2000 England v Romania (BBC1, 20 June 2000) - 14.6m
29) World Cup 2006: Sweden v England (ITV1, 20 June 2006) - 14.4m
30) Coronation Street (21 February 2005) - 14.4m
30) EastEnders (25 December 2007) - 14.4m
32) EastEnders (18 February 2005) - 14.3m
33) World Cup Match of the Day Live (BBC1, 25 June 2006) - 14.25m
34) Who Wants to be a Millionaire? (1 May 2000) - 13.9m
35) Heartbeat (21 January 2001) - 13.8m
36) Inspector Morse (15 November 2000) - 13.6m
37) Emmerdale (22 March 2000) - 13.3m
38) Pop Idol (9 February 2002) - 13.3m
38) Doctor Who (25 December 2007) - 13.3m
40) Rugby World Cup Final (20 October 2007, ITV1) - 13.1m
40) Coronation Street (15 January 2007) - 13.1m
40) The Vicar of Dibley (1 January 2007) - 13.1m
43) A Touch of Frost (22 February 2004) - 13m
44) One Foot in the Grave (20 November 2000) - 12.8m
44) Heartbeat (12 January 2003) - 12.8m
46) I'm a Celebrity ... Get Me Out of Here! (12 May 2003) - 12.7m
46) Billy Elliot (BBC1, 1 January 2003) - 12.7m
48) The Vicar of Dibley (25 December 2004) - 12.6m
49) Jubilee 2002: Party at the Palace (BBC1, 3 June 2002) - 12.5m
49) World Cup 2002: England v Brazil (BBC1, 21 June 2002) - 12.5m
First of all, who'd have banked on an episode of Doctor Who ever getting quite so many viewers, let alone end up in a chart of the top 50 most-watched shows of the entire decade? The identity of other four newcomers - two soaps, a sport tournament final and a sitcom institution - isn't so surprising, yet their respective scores suggest that multi-million audiences of British television are still there to be won.
The new top 50 means both 2000 and 2001 now hold joint first place for the most number of programmes (10 apiece), followed by 2003 (9), 2004 (7), 2002 (5 - the same as 2007), and then 2005 and 2006 with two each.
For the record, the five that got knocked off the chart were episodes of Casualty, A Touch Of Frost and Auf Wiedersehen Pet, plus the 2003 Rugby World Cup Final and the England v Denmark game from the 2002 World Cup.
What, then, is likely to happen this year? Given there are no home nations in Euro 2008, I doubt there'll be any sport events that make the grade. The soaps might scrape in, but Doctor Who certainly won't (that 13.3m figure being thanks to Kylie Minogue). A one-off sitcom "event" might do the trick, though. Yet another "last-ever" Only Fools and Horses?
Finally, here's the full top 10 for 2007. Diana (#7) and Brucie (#8): who'd have thought?
1) EastEnders (25 December 2007) - 14.38m
2) Doctor Who (25 December 2007) - 13.31m
3) Rugby World Cup Final (20 October 2007) - 13.13m
4) Coronation Street (15 January 2007) - 13.08m
5) The Vicar Of Dibley (1 January 2007) - 13.08m
6) The X Factor Results (15 December 2007) - 12.23m
7) Concert For Diana (1 July 2007) - 12.22m
8) Strictly Come Dancing (22 December 2007) - 12.09m
9) Britain's Got Talent (17 June 2007) - 11.58m
10) Match Of The Day Live: England v Croatia (21 November 2007) - 11.19m
16 January 2008
BETTER THAN LIFE ON MARS ...
... that's my assessment of Ashes to Ashes after last night's press launch. I'm fearful of embargos and the like though, so will say no more. I'm happy, I hope you're happy too ...
09 January 2008
QUINTESSENTIAL INHABITANTS
I like QI. I've watched every episode many times over. I frequent the official forums. I have had correspondence from John Lloyd. And I even got the play-at-home game on DVD at Christmas 2006, though I've only looked at it once.
So, here goes with hopefully a mildly controversial and provocative thread on the best possible QI quartet, from all who have appeared. It's based on their knowledge, ability to spark debate and facility to amuse.
1 - David Mitchell
2 - John Sessions
3 - Bill Bailey
4 - Jeremy Clarkson
Mitchell is the funniest man on British television right now, and his appearances in the just-ended "E" series were all-compassing and superb. Sessions has used QI as a vehicle to become likeable again, and that's no mean feat. He's also superb when being anecdotal. Bailey's got this improvisational branch to his performance on the programme; he gives off many signals that the panellists have no notion of what is ahead of them. Clarkson provides an element of tension due to his sometimes offbeat views, but he maintains a sense of humour and furnishes the panel with great stories.
Leaving out Sean Lock and Dara O'Briain was very hard. Leaving out Alan Davies was a lot easier - I don't dislike him, but his shtick at being the supposed thickie and Fry's "victim" is now a tad tedious. Rich Hall and Phill Jupitus are likeable enough but the former says too little and the latter always finds himself surrounded by funnier folk.
I like QI. I'm glad Dave thinks it is laddish enough for them, when in fact it isn't actually that laddish at all.
So, here goes with hopefully a mildly controversial and provocative thread on the best possible QI quartet, from all who have appeared. It's based on their knowledge, ability to spark debate and facility to amuse.
1 - David Mitchell
2 - John Sessions
3 - Bill Bailey
4 - Jeremy Clarkson
Mitchell is the funniest man on British television right now, and his appearances in the just-ended "E" series were all-compassing and superb. Sessions has used QI as a vehicle to become likeable again, and that's no mean feat. He's also superb when being anecdotal. Bailey's got this improvisational branch to his performance on the programme; he gives off many signals that the panellists have no notion of what is ahead of them. Clarkson provides an element of tension due to his sometimes offbeat views, but he maintains a sense of humour and furnishes the panel with great stories.
Leaving out Sean Lock and Dara O'Briain was very hard. Leaving out Alan Davies was a lot easier - I don't dislike him, but his shtick at being the supposed thickie and Fry's "victim" is now a tad tedious. Rich Hall and Phill Jupitus are likeable enough but the former says too little and the latter always finds himself surrounded by funnier folk.
I like QI. I'm glad Dave thinks it is laddish enough for them, when in fact it isn't actually that laddish at all.
03 January 2008
SCHEDULE REEL
ITV1 are revamping their weekend line-ups, then. With Coronation Street and Emmerdale returned to weekdays (two eps of the former on Friday nights, an hour-long edition of the latter on Tuesdays), how do the first new-look Saturday and Sunday evenings stack-up? Well ...
Saturday 12 January
3.05pm Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone
5.45pm ITV News and weather
6pm All New You've Been Framed
6.30pm Harry Hill's TV Burp
7pm Primeval
8pm Who Wants to be a Millionaire? Celebrity
9.05pm Thank God You're Here
10.05pm Shaun of the Dead
Note, Thank God You're Here, Paul Merton's new improvisational comedy show based on an Australian series, is OTT's tip to be axed after three weeks.
Sunday 13 January
3.30pm Lewis (repeat)
5.30pm Local news and weather
5.45pm ITV News and weather
6pm Dancing on Ice
8pm Heartbeat
9pm Dancing on Ice: The Skate Off
9.30pm Kingdom
So there you have it. Sunday looks particularly strong. I wonder what they'll squeeze in once DOI drops down to hour-long episodes. Wild at Heart?
Saturday 12 January
3.05pm Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone
5.45pm ITV News and weather
6pm All New You've Been Framed
6.30pm Harry Hill's TV Burp
7pm Primeval
8pm Who Wants to be a Millionaire? Celebrity
9.05pm Thank God You're Here
10.05pm Shaun of the Dead
Note, Thank God You're Here, Paul Merton's new improvisational comedy show based on an Australian series, is OTT's tip to be axed after three weeks.
Sunday 13 January
3.30pm Lewis (repeat)
5.30pm Local news and weather
5.45pm ITV News and weather
6pm Dancing on Ice
8pm Heartbeat
9pm Dancing on Ice: The Skate Off
9.30pm Kingdom
So there you have it. Sunday looks particularly strong. I wonder what they'll squeeze in once DOI drops down to hour-long episodes. Wild at Heart?