MetaFilter posts tagged with bbc and Television

Beeb Mac

fearfulsymmetry — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 04:43:06 -0800

"Working in art film or commercial cinema is like dancing through a mine field, and every broadcaster is now racing down market in a desperate attempt to survive. But what is happening at the BBC is the real scandal: it is bigger than all the rest combined, it is free from direct commercial pressure and its public service obligations carry cultural responsibilities. There are no excuses." Veteran producer Tony Garnett, has launched a blistering attack on the current process of drama commissioning at the BBC

Doctor Who and the Terrence Dicks Novelisation of the Earth!

Artw — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 14:34:17 -0800

On The Outside It Looked Like An Old- Fashioned Police Box - Mark Gatiss presents a Radio 4 documentary on the Target novelisations of Doctor Who stories. Free Doctor Who eBooks.

Stringer and McNulty are coming home!

goodnewsfortheinsane — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 15:15:53 -0800

Blatantly jumping on the opportunity to create yet another thread on The Wire, I'd like to remind you that starting tonight, BBC 2 will air the entire series start to finish, an episode every weekday. First episode starts in a moment, at 11:20 PM UK time. Watch! I've you've never heard of the show before, here's a good write-up by Charlie Brooker, who also made a nice TV special on the show. We've discussed the series quite a bit around here and on the Green. [SPOILERS] The final season wrapped up last year in the States, and while it never reached very large TV audiences it gained a rabidly evangelic cult following. Moreover, it seems to have been almost universally liked by the Metafilter contingent, which is definitely a rarity. In any case, this should be a brilliant opportunity for those in the British Isles and elsewhere in Europe to catch up, so good luck and have fun.

Emily loved him...

Grangousier — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 00:14:33 -0800

Oliver Postgate has died. The voice of millions of British childhoods, creator of Bagpuss, The Clangers and Noggin the Nog passed away yesterday after a long illness. I always kind of hoped that God spoke in that voice.

The Genesis of Doctor Who

Knappster — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 14:15:31 -0800

"A frail old man lost in space and time. They give him this name because they don't know who he is. He seems not to remember where he has come from; he is suspicious and capable of sudden malignance; he seems to have some undefined energy; he is searching for something as well as fleeing from something. He has a 'machine' which enables them to travel together through time, through space, and through matter." The Genesis of Doctor Who.

Not suitable for children, or those of you who may have a nervous disposition

fearfulsymmetry — Sun, 16 Nov 2008 11:30:48 -0800

The Kneale Tapes (1, 2, 3, 4) documentary about British science fiction screenwriter Nigel Kneale. Interview The Quatermass Experiment comic The Quatermass Xperiment film version (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9) Quatermass 2 film version (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9) Quatermass II - television Quatermass And The Pit film version (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10) The Stone Tape (1, 2, 3, 4 , 5, 6, 7, 8, 9) The Year Of The Sex Olympics (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15) Previously - 1984

Get Down Shep!

fearfulsymmetry — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 10:21:26 -0800

50 Years of Blue Peter. The National Institution has given children (never kids) a lesbian icon, 'evil', various scandals and god among men, John Noakes (who remains iconoclastic as ever). And an elephant. 50 things you didn't know. Blog of the anniversary episode.

Flippin' 'Eck, Tucker!

fearfulsymmetry — Thu, 18 Sep 2008 16:34:13 -0800

After 30 years, the final bell has rung and it's home time for Grange Hill... Entertaining several generations of British kids, it depicted a typical north London school with for the time a revolutionary level of gritty realism and later gaining controversy with violence, racism, teenage pregnancy, drug addiction and er nudity stories. Though oddly it was only this scene that was cut from all future broadcasts. It seems in recent years to have became a shadow of its former self and the ending a bit of a damp squib so perhaps it's better to remember those classic 'flying sausage' years... The 15 Greatest Characters Where Are They Now? Lee ' Zammo' McDonald interview

The Who we never knew

Artw — Thu, 18 Sep 2008 13:39:46 -0800

The Russell T. Davis papers – As he prepares to leave the role of Doctor Who show runner (previously) he’s releasing a book of email exchanges with Doctor Who Magazine writer Benjamin Cook about his time on the longstanding British SF series, revealing the younger face of Who he’s like to see, and plans for a Doctor Who/Harry Potter crossover which never materialized.

“I hear voices from another star.”

fearfulsymmetry — Fri, 06 Jun 2008 04:40:45 -0800

A Day In The Afterlife of Philip K Dick - An Arena documentary first broadcast by the BBC in 1994 (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6)

That's entertainment

miss lynnster — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 13:53:16 -0800

The Black and White Minstrel Show was a (very cheesy) British variety series that ran Saturday nights on the BBC for twenty years. Hard to believe that it was still on the air as late as 1978. A live show, "Memories of the Minstrels ," toured the UK to packed houses in 2004 and 2005. The show was performed white-faced and featured the stars, medley's and costumes from the original TV series. Previ ously. Older episode seen here.

Survivors reborn

fearfulsymmetry — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 04:26:09 -0800

First it was Blake's 7, now another Terry Nation cult classic sf television programme is to return. The BBC have announced they are remaking Survivors. Telling the story of the survivors of a plague that wipes out most of Britain, the original was famed for its gritty and somewhat controversial story-telling.

Script-Doctorin' the TARDIS

Artw — Tue, 20 May 2008 21:33:16 -0800

As of 2010 Steven Moffat will be replacing Russell T. Davies as lead writer and executive producer of Doctor Who. In 2005 Davies revived the series, which had been dormant (bar the odd US co-production or audiodrama) since 1989, for BBC Wales. It won awards and was successful enough to spawn the spin-offs Sarah Jane Adventures and the popular-in-America Torchwood. He is replaced by Moffat, one of the regular writers on the show, whose highly acclaimed episodes have won a number of awards and nominations. "I applied before but I got knocked back 'cos the BBC wanted someone else. Also I was seven. Anyway, I'm glad the BBC has finally seen the light and it's a huge honour to be following Russell into the best - and the toughest - job in television. I say toughest 'cos Russell's at my window right now, pointing and laughing."

Delectable damsels scattered all over the place

fearfulsymmetry — Thu, 29 Nov 2007 10:05:57 -0800

"Hello, and welcome to Mainly For Men (part 1, part 2). And, as the title implies, this is a programme, fellas, just for you." Yes, everything the BBC thought the red-blooded male back in the late 1960s would be interested in (ie women, cars and shark fishing). The result was so hideous it was never broadcast until a TV Hell themed night many years later. Possibly NSFW... some brief nudity ('artistic', naturally) and mild swearing. And rampant mind-blowing sexism.

Splendid chap, both of them

Artifice_Eternity — Mon, 22 Oct 2007 19:12:36 -0800

The Two Doctors: "David Tennant's Tenth Doctor is set to meet Peter Davison's Fifth Doctor in a special scene commissioned for BBC One's Children in Need." This brief segment, to be aired on November 16 as part of a charity special, will link last season's cliffhanger ending and this year's Christmas special.

Master of the TV Theme Tune

fearfulsymmetry — Wed, 03 Oct 2007 16:56:21 -0800

Ronnie Hazlehurst RIP. Who? Well if you've seen any of the BBC's sitcoms and light entertainment programmes from the 70s onwards, you would have probably heard his work... He wrote the theme tunes to, among others, Are You Being Served?, Last Of The Summer Wine, Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em (where the title is spelled out in Morse Code), To The Manor Born, Yes Minister, Sorry!, The Fall And Rise Of Reginald Perrin (brief blurry nudity), Three Up, Two Down, The Two Ronnies, Blankety Blank and Wogan. And he arranged the themes for Butterflies, Only Fools And Horses and Just Good Friends. He was also heavily involved with the Eurovision Song Contest, being the musical director of the event three times when it was held in the UK and conducting the UK entry for seven years (one year conducting the German entry as well)... most notably on this occasion. Oh and, ahem, he co-wrote 'Reach' for S Club 7 as well. BBC Tribute.

In The Night Garden

le morte de bea arthur — Mon, 10 Sep 2007 13:02:10 -0800

In The Night Garden [Danger - lots of Flash and YouTube] is your new favourite TV show (if you're under 4). Meet Igglepiggle, Makka Pakka, Upsy Daisy, The Pontipines, The Tombliboos, The Haahoos, The Ninky Nonk and The Pinky Ponk. Brought to you by the creators (previously) of the Teletubbies. Wikipedia link for the confused. Oh, and the great Sir Derek Jacobi narrates.

"If people do not accept our position on creationism, they do not have to watch."

goodnewsfortheinsane — Tue, 28 Aug 2007 08:42:04 -0800

Guess who's censoring references to evolution out of David Attenborough documentaries? That's right, the Dutch. See the differences; here's a detailed write-up by a Dutch biologist and documentary enthusiast comparing the two versions side-by-side (in Dutch).

Pathetic little fat man, noones bloody laughing

headless — Sat, 13 Jan 2007 15:07:45 -0800

"See his pug-nose face." David Bowie, from Extras second season, which premieres tomorrow in USA. Stephen Merchant (from today's RADAR) and Ricky Gervais have been mentioned here before, but I think the David Bowie clip is worth it.

Toob to Beeb

goodnewsfortheinsane — Sat, 18 Nov 2006 13:38:40 -0800

"I feel guilty because I have friends that are working really hard to get into television or acting and I'm just sitting here having not done anything more than enjoy playing with gadgets."

Susi Weaser (24) makes little one-minute gadget reviews and posts them on YouTube . The BBC must have liked them - because they hired her.

BBC One's new channel idents

feelinglistless — Tue, 26 Sep 2006 13:56:07 -0800

BBC One's new channel idents. Dancers are out, circles are in. Along with hippos synchronised swimming, gravity defying cyclists and surfers. Dude.

... which is to say to my mind, there is continuous repetition and propotionally they are a bit boring.

Afroblanco — Mon, 29 May 2006 16:25:56 -0800

On May 14th, 1967, the new British pop group The Pink Floyd makes one of their first ever TV appearances. Despite a stellar performance of the song Astronomy Domine, the pretentious host of the show, Hans Keller, has nothing good to say about the band. During the interview (youtube, performance comes first, interview starts about 5:50 in. transcript here.), he chastises the band for their "continuous repetition", "terribly loud" volume, and their "proportionately a bit boring" sound.

However, it seems that all Hans' show will ever be remembered for is this single interview. Pink Floyd, on the other hand.. Well, we all know what happened to them. Syd Barrett, on the other hand, was not so lucky.

A Chauncy for our times

aberrant — Sun, 14 May 2006 08:35:41 -0800

BBC interviews news editor regarding the Apple/Beatles verdict. Only one problem: the gentleman in the hotseat was the news editor's driver. Hilarity ensues. (video of the interview here - the driver's expression when he realizes he's been mistaken is priceless.)

BBC Programme Catalogue

steef — Wed, 26 Apr 2006 16:20:17 -0800

The BBC Programme Catalogue: an index of 946,614 radio and television broadcasts, dating back 75 years. (Via BB.)

BBC Open News Archive

feelinglistless — Fri, 30 Dec 2005 04:41:30 -0800

BBC Open News Archive Eighty iconic news reports available in a variety of formats. Here is the full directory. For another example of the cool things Auntie as been offering lately, see the downloadable mp3 commentary for the Christmas episode of Doctor Who.