MetaFilter posts tagged with uk and television

Doctor Who and the Auton Invasion of your Nightmares

Artw — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 16:26:34 -0800

The 21 Scariest Doctor Who Moments Ever, according to SFX magazine. Waters of Mars, which aired in the UK this weekend and airs in the US on December 20th, may add to that list. Meanwhile, in other formats, Michael Moorcock is writing a Doctor Who novel.

Skip to the end

fearfulsymmetry — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 10:43:15 -0800

Spaced is 10. Fried gold!

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

Crowd Hoot

Artw — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 15:32:42 -0800

In the wake of Torchwood: Children of the Earth (screening on BBC America on the 20th for those in the US not inclined to muck about with the internets) critic Patrick West declares the British incapable of making decent television science fiction. (via)

Pillocks

Artw — Mon, 18 May 2009 09:57:31 -0800

"The BNP represents Britain's workers? They don't even represent basic British craftsmanship" - a response to the recent political broadcast by the UKs far right extremists the BNP, who are currently trying to exploit expenses scandals hiting the larger parties. Weirdly despite demanding British jobs for British workers their advertising uses American models.

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)

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 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.

'And Now For Those All-Important DNA Test Results...!'

fearfulsymmetry — Tue, 09 Sep 2008 06:56:18 -0800

When reality bites, it leaves deep scars... behind the scenes of The Jeremy Kyle Show. 'One-Night Stand On CCTV!' 1, 2, 3 - the episode mentioned in the article. Brooker on Kyle. Dead Ringers sketch.

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'.

'Danger Of Death'

fearfulsymmetry — Sun, 08 Jun 2008 14:46:36 -0800

In Bed With Chris Needham (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7) A BBC video-diary documentary from 1991 depicting the trails and tribulations of a teenage metal fan as he tries to knock his band, Manslaughter, into shape for its first gig, with many digressions into his philosophy of life along the way. Some NSFW swearing. In-depth review. Recent long interview with Chris Needham. The Official Chris Needham Website.

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.

"It's constituency was the drunk, unemployed insomniac, student, loners that understood my passion for the minutia of television."

fearfulsymmetry — Wed, 21 May 2008 09:54:21 -0800

The classic post-pub television program of the nineties, In Bed With Medinner had a simple format - Bob Mills would present and comment on clips from the many documentaries he had made over the years. Many highlights are here, but I would recommend: Muggy Bonehead Christian Flat Sharers The Great Missenden Riots Silas Heavy Metal My Son's A Grass Mr Farmer - Part One, Mr Farmer - Part Two Miss Anglia 1979 Kevin The Ladykiller Punk Son The Yorkshire Disco Dancing Championships

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."

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...

"The Definitive British Space Opera... i.e. Bloody Miserable"

fearfulsymmetry — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 14:09:55 -0800

Blake's Back! British science fiction classic Blakes 7 is getting the Battlestar Galactica treatment. Created by Terry Nation, the original program famously finished with one of the most downbeat endings of all time. However it is probably now more notorious for it's less than special special effects, but what can you expect for fifty quid an episode? It's been kept alive by fans ever since it was first broadcast. Now the big question is, who on earth can fill Jacqueline Pearce's stilettos as Servalan?

Mum And Dad Are Getting Ready For The Party...

fearfulsymmetry — Mon, 07 Apr 2008 07:47:31 -0800

Growing up in 70s and 80s Britain you were exposed to some rather disturbing Public Information Films on the television. But that was nothing... Not compared to the times at school when couple of classes would be trooped into the hall to be shown special films that would either convince you that literally anyone could be get you as in Say No To Strangers (1,2) or simply end up traumatized for life after seeing something like The Finishing Line (sadly only the first 5 mins) or the truly horrific Apaches (1, 2, 3)

Commie Kids Telly

fearfulsymmetry — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 04:07:16 -0800

One rather strange minor cultural phenomena you experienced as a kid growing up in 60s and 70s Britain was a number of television programs that originated from beyond the Iron Curtain. Most infamous was the downright scary The Singing Ringing Tree from East Germany (Radio4 doc), later spoofed by the Fast Show but there were several others... including The Little Mermaid from Czechoslovakia, The White Horses from Yugoslavia (with its beautiful and much loved theme tune) and The Mole, also from Czechoslovakia, by acclaimed animator Zdeněk Miler … of which there are many many examples on Youtube. I doubt it the BBC at the time were really trying to further world revolution (MI5 put a stop to that) the documentary explains that is was just trying to fill up the schedule with cheap imports. And apparently The Singing Ringing tree was criticised by the powers that be in it’s own country for being too bourgeois with its princesses and princes and certainly The Mole was pretty subversive in its own way: "Mr. Miler said he steered clear of politics, but as Krtek became his life's work, the films did not shut out the real world, before or after the fall of Communism. Bureaucrats were poked fun at. He lamented the destruction of the environment. He showed a rabbit graphically giving birth. One film had Krtek travelling the world, stunned at an American mole's superior burrowing technology."

One Gorilla Drumming

fearfulsymmetry — Sun, 23 Dec 2007 08:57:05 -0800

It's an advert for chocolate. It's a man in a gorilla suit drumming to a track by Philip Collins Ltd. It's been very popular. It's won awards. It's been spoofed. And it's been mashed-up... some bad (Metalica (sic), ACDC, Guns and Roses), some good (Bonnie Tyler, Subsource, A Skillz, Bon Jovi, Deep Purple, Nirvana) and some utterly sublime ('Enders, Bodyrockers, Cameo). But great adverts don't always equal great sales. Bonus: Monkey Drummer. (Previously)

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.

NOW how am I going to watch Growing Pains?

SassHat — Wed, 07 Nov 2007 21:24:40 -0800

TV-Links website shut down, site creator arrested. Says David Rock, who awaits charges, "It was just a hobby." Despite not actually hosting the content, Rock has been accused of "facilitation of infringement."

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.