MetaFilter posts tagged with uk and TV

You'd never guess you're an actor, Brian.

permafrost — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 12:39:59 -0800

Brian Blessed presents Have I Got News For You. In other Blessed news, Brian will apparently be appearing in Kenneth Brannagh's upcoming adaptation of Marvel's Thor. Loki? All valkyries! DIIIIIIIIIIVE! Bonus Blessed: Brian commentates the snooker.

Watch from behind the sofa

Artw — Fri, 15 May 2009 13:30:53 -0800

Is Doctor Who too scary for kids? Parents surveyed by TheBabyWebsite seem to think so. But is being scared a good thing? (via io9)

The worst face of intellectualism: the bluestocking

MuffinMan — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 05:44:39 -0800

On British TV last night, Gail Trimble, a Classics scholar at Corpus Christi College, Oxford, singlehandedly trounced the opposing team in University Challenge. To some a smug, bluestocking know-it-all, to others a role model. Cue the fightback and lots of questions about whether we, as a society, actually like really clever people and specifically, clever women?.

Vision Off

MrMustard — Sun, 18 Jan 2009 04:36:33 -0800

Tony Hart (wiki) has died. Clip.

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

Ram, gang, ram!

Artw — Sun, 09 Nov 2008 19:23:10 -0800

Zombies don't run, says Simon Pegg. Well ours do, says Charlie Brooker, director of Deadset. (also some stuff about the election and skeletor and stuff)

Get Your Earplugs Ready

chuckdarwin — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 09:07:32 -0800

Two of the hosts of The Gadget Show, Suzi Perry and Jason Bradbury, took on their most embarrassing challenge to date: they each had to record a song which would be broadcast on the show and judged by industry insiders. Using the latest in home studio (Jason) and pro studio (Suzi) technology, they attempted to perfect their amateur vocal skills and impress the experts. The Results: 'I Can Be Your Robot' and 'Running'.

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.

Product Placement Banned in U.K.

jeremy b — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 10:26:32 -0800

Product Placement Banned in U.K. Minister says it 'contaminates programs'.

Presented In Supermarionation!

fearfulsymmetry — Fri, 09 May 2008 10:30:18 -0800

From The Adventures of Twizzle to the reboot of Captain Scarlet - for nearly fifty years - Gerry Anderson made television shows, but is still best remembered for the classic 'Supermarionation' period were, as this documentary shows (1, 2, 3, 4) he really was making the 21st century. The main programs from that period were: Stingray (intro theme tune, outro theme tune 'Aqua Marina', Troy Tempest in action) Thunderbirds (intro theme tune, Thunderbirds in action, reshown often, the program was loved to many generations - an early 90s repeat led to a toy Tracy Island selling out. The show Blue Peter had a feature on how to make your own, the Fact Sheet (PDF) for which subsequently ran out as well. Try to forget the recent film version or, even worse, the Busted song... think of the Rezillos instead) Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons (intro, theme, The death of Captain Scarlet) Joe 90 (Intro and theme tune) But it wasn't all puppets, Anderson actually made some programs with real people them like UFO (theme) - though it must be said the people in this one at least still looked very much like puppets and Space 1999 (theme), a program that whilst having lots of silly monsters and alien babes still managed to scare me stupid with one particular sequence as a nipper. A rather poignant final message has recently been received from Star Base Alpha... Anderson carried into the 80s with Terrahawks when he was perhaps past his best, but it well remembered by some. (Intro theme tune, Outro 'Noughts and Crosses' theme, Terrahawks in 'action') then into the 90s for, dear oh dear, Space Precinct ( titles). Then the 21st Century proper with the new CGI Captain Scarlet - which was actually pretty good. Perhaps it's better to just remember the classic years: And here's another shorter and rather spiffing contemporary 'making of' documentary. One extra point of interest were the many comics spin-offs. You could see the strings on the puppets, the plots were written to a strict formula, but the groovy theme tunes from Barry Gray seem to age like fine wine...

Jeremy Beadle, RIP

cillit bang — Thu, 31 Jan 2008 18:20:56 -0800

Erstwhile British TV star Jeremy Beadle died yesterday from pneumonia, aged 59, having just recently fought off kidney cancer then leukaemia. While most famous for hidden camera pranks, stunts and general cruelty, and subject of undoubtedly the funniest joke in the world (due to a birth defect), his lesser known activities included knowing just about everything, euthanasia and raising millions for charity. Love him or hate him, RIP.

At Last, the 1967 "At Last, the 1948 Show" Show

ubiquity — Wed, 10 Oct 2007 18:16:51 -0800

In 1967, before "Monty Python", before "The Goodies", and before "Marty", John Cleese, Graham Chapman, Tim Brooke-Taylor and Marty Feldman teamed up to create a groundbreaking show that influenced (and provided sketch material and dialog for) much of what we know today as British Comedy. Most of the material was erased when its owner, Rediffusion London, disappeared in England's 1967 TV franchise reshuffle. Here is almost all of what survives of "At Last, the 1948 Show".

Interactive British Game Shows at wedigtv

milquetoast — Sun, 01 Jul 2007 10:44:38 -0800

Are you a fan of Channel 4's venerable game show Countdown, but never had the chance to play? Check out this well-made Flash version. It's just one of the classic British game shows made interactive at wedigtv.com, which also features The Price is Right, Family Fortunes, and Blockbusters. Caution: Heavy Flash video, commercial breaks, and some of the UI takes a bit of practice. Via.

(UK) Children's TV

Webbster — Thu, 31 May 2007 11:53:24 -0800

Influenced by two related news items...
Were you a Blue Peter or a Magpie kid ? And on Saturday morning: Swap Shop or Tiswas ?

Question Time

Aloysius Bear — Thu, 22 Mar 2007 16:58:26 -0800

Question Time Iraq Special (Skip to 04:45 to begin). Question Time is a British TV institution, where five prominent politicians debate current affairs while being questioned by a studio audience. The Iraq edition, available online, features the British Secretary of State for Defence, a popular, anti-war former party leader, the aristocratic old socialist leading the Stop-the-War coalition, the first female leader of a Muslim state … and John Bolton.

Are upper lips the only things allowed to be stiff in Britain?

goodnewsfortheinsane — Fri, 02 Mar 2007 16:52:12 -0800

Sorry lads - Wank Week is cancelled. Channel 4's planned series on masturbation, which would have come this month and which was to feature such illuminating documentaries as "I Can't Stop Wanking" and "Masturbation for Women" (ukguard@mailinator.com/tester), as well as a portrait of the UK's first masturbate-a-thon, has been pulled as a result of the recent Big Brother controversy. Would-be viewers feel stiffed and wonder why 4 is being so hard on its viewers, who are now left to entertain themselves.

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.

Heaven knows it's Manchester now

funambulist — Fri, 14 Apr 2006 08:17:42 -0800

Remember the announcement for the BBC's Manchester Passion? The full list of songs and lineup were recently announced, rehearsals are over, tonight the procession through the city will be broadcast live on BBC Three - for now you can watch trailers and interviews with the cast (only for UK viewers/proxy users).

BFI presents screenonline

jacknose — Mon, 01 Dec 2003 09:41:59 -0800

BFI presents screenonline | The British Film Institute announces the launch of screenonline: "This new site features an unrivalled collection of archive film and television footage from the bfi National Film and Television Archive.... [It] is the first time the bfi has given the public access online to its comprehensive collection of film and television material, giving teachers, students and film enthusiasts an exceptional opportunity to investigate British history, culture and society through cinema. "

10 contestants, 40 lapdancers, 1 winner....

davehat — Mon, 18 Aug 2003 09:07:25 -0800

3. The girls are always there: you make breakfast - lapdancers. You brush your teeth - lapdancers. You try and sleep - lapdancers. Can you handle that?

The Lapdance Island contestant application. Can you handle that?

the118118experience

ginz — Wed, 06 Aug 2003 07:15:20 -0800

Channel 118. The 118118 experience. [possibly nsfw]

One-in, one-out: the nominations.

Kiell — Wed, 18 Dec 2002 01:03:32 -0800

One-in, one-out: the nominations. "Who should be granted honorary British citizenship and who should have it revoked?" The BBC's Today programme has its annual poll and this year, it claims, is a little different. Various celebrities, politicians etc will be giving their opinions and the result will be announced on New Year's Day. Who will you be voting for?

Fame Academy comes to an end.

wackybrit — Fri, 13 Dec 2002 18:16:40 -0800

David wins Fame Academy! Mix Big Brother with Pop/American Idol and you get the Fame Academy, where 12 gorgeous under-30s are thrown into a glorified stage school for a few months, and only one emerges an idol. The prize? Supposedly the 'biggest TV prize ever.' A £1 million recording contract, a fancy apartment in London, a personal shopper, chauffeur, and more. All is not lost for the 'losers' though, as they've all gained professional management and Mercury Records is considering them all for solo careers. In contrast to the 'Idol' shows, being couped up for weeks on end has caused even the wackiest contestants to grow in their singing and songwriting abilities. So will this show reach the US? Probably, given these other crossover shows.

prentiz — Wed, 30 Oct 2002 01:36:30 -0800

Trial by Tabloid? Top BBC presenter Angus Deaton has been sacked after a sex & drugs scandal. He has presented comedy news quiz Have I Got News For You for over ten years. So, is ti right for him to be sacked after trial by tabloid? Do we actually care what our T.V. presenters get up to after the cameras are turned off?

KirkJobSluder — Tue, 30 Apr 2002 15:27:42 -0800

It looks like that the British network einstein.tv and the FIDE may open negotiations this month for a reunified world chess championship. The championship was split in 1993 when Garry Kasparov left the FIDE to start his own failed league. Kasparov claims the world championship left with him, while the FIDE claims he abdicated by refusing to play nice with others. Kasparov lost the championship last year to Kramnik. Einstein.TV is milking the publicity while the FIDE says we are meeting but no comment. Wood pushers like me are probably better off leaving the politics to the people who can't stand each other and sticking to the internet chessclub, the free chess servers or simply email chess.