Comfort and inspiration for a nation

[altariel]

So rewatching that Mitch Benn video (AS I HAVE BEEN RIGHTLY DOING ALL AFTERNOON), I think there are only a handful of the TV shows mentioned that I have never watched: Charlie and Lola, Fireman Sam, and Horrible Histories (don't have kids around the house - tho' even then I've seen Teletubbies and In the Night Garden!). I'd heard of them though. Everything else I've seen at least one episode, or tuned in at some point (Last Night of the Proms, Glastonbury), or I've used the service (iPlayer, website, World Service). I don't listen to the radio much, but I recognized all the broadcasters, and I think I've seen them all do something on the tellybox, and I think I've heard all the radio shows mentioned. I can't quite make out all the things mentioned at the end, and I haven't actually watched everything on BBC Four (yet). Anyway I'd be really interested to know what other people's recognition and viewing or listening levels were. You know, from a sociological perspective. How well did he capture a kind of universal experience of things BBC.

Comments

[inamac.livejournal.com]

I think I've seen one episode of Horrible Histories, but not the other two you mention. Generally I keep an eye on the BBC's children's drama output (and why has no one yet reviewed the new season of Sarah Jane Adventures? (Though I am as remiss in this as anyone else).

I note that, despite being 'tweeted' about their appearance in the song there was no mention in today's Mayo and Kermode show...

And I'm all in favour of making this a Christmas No.1.

[altariel.livejournal.com]

Quite a few reviews of SJA on my friends list if you scroll back a day or two.

I wonder if the BBC think they can't quite get away with actually broadcasting about it?! I wouldn't mind, but probably someone would. I'd love to see it as a Christmas no. 1.

[lil-shepherd.livejournal.com]

Mitch will almost certainly sing it on The Now Show when the next series starts.

[lil-shepherd.livejournal.com]

There is a lot of stuff Mitch mentions that I don't particularly like - like Ab Fab - but that is not the point. I think I've seen or heard most of the stuff he mentions, and BBC4 is often a joy, particularly its science documentaries, but all that he mentions, whether I like it or not, is widely watched and loved. Of course, speaking as someone who thinks the licence fee is worth it for In Our Time alone...

[altariel.livejournal.com]

I don't like Ab Fab much either - although I did watch quite a lot of it despite that. I completely agree that's not the point of the song, nor my question.

[kalypso-v.livejournal.com]

Since you have been watching it all afternoon, you are clearly in a position to supply a list of names which we can tick?

I spent the afternoon (well, a recent bit of it) making yet another icon from one of the shows mentioned.

[altariel.livejournal.com]

Alas, my hands were too busy doing other things to make such a list :-)

Nice icon.

[communicator.livejournal.com]

I am waiting for someone else to crack and make the list (and poll).

I've seen Charlie and Lola, Fireman Sam, and Horrible Histories, but there were a few I haven't ever caught.

[altariel.livejournal.com]

make the list (and poll)

GOD NO I MUSTN'T!

[communicator.livejournal.com]

I'm doing a list now, and I think I'll turn it into one of those 'bold the ones you have seen' memes.

[altariel.livejournal.com]

Oh yes, that's definitely the way to do it, that way you can underline stuff that you've heard of but never seen or listened to. I couldn't think of a way to do that in a poll.

[altariel.livejournal.com]

The t-shirt will surely help, tho' it doesn't have the ones in the chanty bit at the end.

[inamac.livejournal.com]

The full lyrics/list is on the T Shirt (http://www.mitchbenn.com/proudofthebbc/) (click on the pic to get the enlarged text.)

I haven't found anything I've not at least seen advertised - even those shows I can't stand. Which is surely the point?

[communicator.livejournal.com]

Thanks! Yes, there isn't one there I don't 'know' and there are precious few I haven't watched in the entire. Kind of dismaying really.

[altariel.livejournal.com]

I haven't found anything I've not at least seen advertised - even those shows I can't stand. Which is surely the point?

Not quite the point of my question: e.g. I've seen The Apprentice advertised a lot, but I've never watched it.

[inamac.livejournal.com]

Sadly I occasionally use the TV as wallpaper (I am doing that right now) so while I can't say I've watched everything on the list I can say I've been aware of it.

To answer the question - it's not quite as accurate a picture of BBC output as it might be - the reality-shows are missing (but it's a good miss) - and maybe Hole In The Wall didn't fit the metre? But it's a positive picture of the good stuff.

Now, how do we save the World Service?

[azalaisdep.livejournal.com]

Charlie and Lola *rock*. (Though the books are even better, and Lauren Child's slightly older girl character, Clarice Bean, is brilliant - I so identify with her Mum!

[altariel.livejournal.com]

I'm sold!

[steepholm.livejournal.com]

They have quite a few of the songs on their show's website. As well as the ones you mentioned, I have a soft spot for Spartan High School Musical!

[steepholm.livejournal.com]

Sorry, meant to include a link.

[watervole.livejournal.com]

Love it! Never seen Horrible Histories before.

[altariel.livejournal.com]

I love my country.

[altariel.livejournal.com]

I am loving working through these. Thanks so much for linking to that post - more public service blogging. I'm going to watch for it on CBeebies.

it's like you can watch it teaching children to have a proper british sense of humour

That warms my heart.

[communicator.livejournal.com]

I've typed it up if anyone wants to cut and paste

[altariel.livejournal.com]

True public service blogging.

[azalaisdep.livejournal.com]

I've seen/heard at least a snippet of everything on there. Everything on the cards, at least. And this is me you're talking to, who Doesn't Watch Telly. (Though I do live for radio.) I'd say he captured it fabulously, but then he's about our age and educational background (I just Googled to check)

Hitchhiker! Douglas Adams! John Peel!

(did I mention Doctor Who?)

Finally, a suitable use for my Ivor the Engine icon!

[altariel.livejournal.com]

Radio is my weak spot, I just can't listen to stuff as background, it really interferes with my THORT processes. I listen more now I can get In Our Time as a podcast, though. He is totally our age. I think those two little blonde girls are his kids, cute as buttons.

[watervole.livejournal.com]

If you like Postman Pat, you'll like Fireman Sam.

[altariel.livejournal.com]

Good sales pitch. mraltariel tells me that his gran loved it (one of her favourites when she was in her eighties!), which also sells it to me.

[forodwaith.livejournal.com]

"I have this little sister Lola. She is small and very funny..."

As you can tell, Nora loves the books (& the TV show as well). But Excuse Me That is My Book is the best one IMO.

[azalaisdep.livejournal.com]

You librarian, you. I'm very fond of I Will Never Not Ever Eat A Tomato, because it reminds me that my kids aren't such picky eaters as I sometimes think...

[altariel.livejournal.com]

I need to track down both books and TV, they sound brilliant. Wonder if my goddaughter already knows it? (Just coming up for 3.)

[azalaisdep.livejournal.com]

If she doesn't yet, she'll love it in a year or so. Godmother Altariel needs to get a few of the books for her - they are gorgeous. Make sure though that you get ones which Lauren Child did actually write as books, pre-TV-series; there are some more recent books which are book-versions of TV episodes produced post hoc, which simply aren't such good books (even though the TV eps were fine, if that makes sense). Basically, just make sure the book actually says "by Lauren Child" rather than "based on the TV series inspired by the work of Lauren Child" or similar.

And then when she's six or so, if she's enjoyed Charlie and Lola, definitely try her on Clarice Bean!

[altariel.livejournal.com]

Thank you! I'm going to get some for an imminent birthday.

[altariel.livejournal.com]

I picked the Charlie and Lola books up today. There is a new one out in hardback! Read through them in the bookshop, just brilliant. (Heffers has a new children's bookshop, at the back of the main shop, hurray!)

[azalaisdep.livejournal.com]

Yay! Which ones did you get? I will try and prod Resident Geek to get round to burning a DVD at the weekend...

[altariel.livejournal.com]

The one about the tomatoes, and about going to bed early, and about going to school. Those seemed to be the ones that weren't based on TV scripts.

[altariel.livejournal.com]

I picked up three Charlie and Lola books for god-daughter today. There was a new one out in hardback, but that can wait for Christmas!

[jhall1.livejournal.com]

It;s a brilliant list. Of course it doesn't include every good programme - that would be impossible - but it does an excellent job of showing the breadth pof the BBC's programming over the last 55 years or so. (I think that the earliest may be "Hancock" from the second half of the 1950s, if you exclude things like "Woman's Hour" that have been going on for ever.)

He's evident;y not a fan of soap opera, as I don't recall "The Archers" or "Eastenders" being included, and "serious" drama seems to be under-represented (no "Wednesday Play" IIRC, for instance). But those are just quibbles.

[altariel.livejournal.com]

And David Attenborough was a producer from the early 50s.

Both The Archers and EastEnders are there! (I caught a bit of an episode of EastEnders just the other night - before I saw this - and thought it was really well acted and written. I used to watch it religiously back in the 80s.) I counted Tinker Tailor as serious drama.

[jhall1.livejournal.com]

I watched EastEnders for the first five years or so, and then gave up. It was so unrelentingly miserable. At least Coronation Street had a leavening of humour (though eventually I gave up on that too).

[altariel.livejournal.com]

Oh, and Quatermass started in the early 50s.

[jhall1.livejournal.com]

OK, make it from 1940. :)

I was glad that he singled out BBC 4 for praise. It now seems to be filling much the role that BBC 2 was originally intended to fill. I probable watch more BBC 4 programmes than those of all the other BBC TV channels added together. There's rarely anything on BBC 1 that I want to watch (apart from "Merlin", and even that I'd be hard pressed to describe as anything better than "enjoyable tosh"), and BBC 2 isn't much better.

[fallingtowers.livejournal.com]

If you want a rough estimate by a non-Brit as to how many programmes she recognized, I'd say about 30% to 40% -- mostly those that were produced in the last 5 to 15 years or that are considered enough of a classic to be out on DVD, even in Germany (like Yes, Minister!).

[altariel.livejournal.com]

I was indeed wondering how many a non-Brit would recognize - really impressive, actually!

[wormwood-7.livejournal.com]

Watching the video I was surprised to find how many of the shows mentioned I have seen at least once, approx 80%, and I am not the most ardent of TV watchers. A reminder of how long I have been here...
The average quality of the programs produced by the BBC is actually pretty high, the rubbish notwithstanding, compared to most places. Every time I go back to my birth country I am starkly reminded of it.

[altariel.livejournal.com]

We're very spoiled, I think. Even when I'm complaining about things (like Single Father) I'm enjoying something else (like Autumnwatch).