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The archive department of Fremantle Media, the company that owns the Thames Televison archive and brand, has been posting its contents the Thames TV YouTube Channel for some time. It contains playlists by subject, and a compilation of the iconic Thames Television station identification from 1968 to the 2000s.

posted by mandolin conspiracy (18 comments total) 27 users marked this as a favorite

This is quite a treasure trove, but if we’re talking custom startup tones for one’s 90s-era computer, surely it would have been London Weekend Television idents 1969-1995. [end derail]
posted by theory at 3:48 PM on September 23, 2021

Ah, I was right, Thames Television produced The Tomorrow People, which is how I knew their station ID.
posted by mollweide at 5:25 PM on September 23, 2021 [3 favorites]

And Danger Mouse! Nickelodeon licensed tons of Thames stuff back in the day.

That Thames ident compilation is hypnotic and calming, and then suddenly SLAM it's a masterclass in burning your brand identity to the ground
posted by phooky at 5:55 PM on September 23, 2021 [16 favorites]

oh my god now I'm watching this old episode of Data Base about "Japanese Home Computers" and the host has just started by reminding his viewers that there will be a program for the BBC micro transmitted at the end of the program so they should get their cassette recorders ready and i think i'm in looooovvvve
posted by phooky at 6:01 PM on September 23, 2021 [5 favorites]

[urgent record scratch noise] I am sorry to interrupt whatever party you are currently having but I would like to insist that you watch the Japanese Home Computers segment I just linked above because whenever you think "I've gotten to the best part" a better part immediately comes up and oh my god how is this national treasure only six minutes long
posted by phooky at 6:16 PM on September 23, 2021 [6 favorites]

The Thames trumpet logo video was like a pavlovian trigger of Benny Hill. it's as if the whole wind section went from a serious announcement to well you know. but the good news about that and totally unrelated was after Benny Hill twice got to watch The Prisoner. I think I'm going to look into the dangers of cannabis first. thanks for this.
posted by clavdivs at 6:55 PM on September 23, 2021 [7 favorites]

Speaking of Pavlovian triggers, yes, the Thames logo meant that some quality stuff was about to air on US public tv.
But the ITC's spinning pinwheel in space meant it was time for Space: 1999!
posted by bartleby at 7:06 PM on September 23, 2021 [5 favorites]

The Thames ID always makes me think Benny Hill is about to come on.
posted by The Underpants Monster at 8:24 PM on September 23, 2021 [4 favorites]

Looks like the other UK weekend franchise has its archive online as well.
posted by zaixfeep at 9:12 PM on September 23, 2021 [1 favorite]

Watched the Frankie Howerd interview. Sadly, he never once seemed to get past the prologue.
posted by zaixfeep at 9:14 PM on September 23, 2021

Thanks! Currently six Judith Chalmers-presented Mary Berry cooking segments in, and sometimes they're friendly, sometimes Berry's terseness teeters on snottiness.
So now there's this compelling will-they-or-won't-they chemistry, because it's not like I've watched enough TV with that dynamic already.
posted by Iris Gambol at 11:04 PM on September 23, 2021 [1 favorite]

I love the 1980 Batcave clip. Can anyone identify the music?
posted by Paul Slade at 12:45 AM on September 24, 2021

ITC's spinning pinwheel in space will always mean The Muppet Show to me.
posted by AzraelBrown at 6:10 AM on September 24, 2021 [3 favorites]

"Here they are now, Morecambe and Wise..."
posted by Webbster at 6:45 AM on September 24, 2021

I read the title and saw "Thames" and I actually could hear the music in my head. Between Channel 9's Thames block on Sunday nights (where I first watched "Are You Being Served?" and "'Allo 'Allo", both far too young to get the jokes), Nickelodeon (Danger Mouse and Tomorrow People), and PBS (the Fourth Doctor), it really is burned into parts of my head.
posted by mephron at 6:49 AM on September 24, 2021

The Thames ID always makes me think Benny Hill is about to come on.

Instantly sets off the Count Duckula theme for me!
posted by lumensimus at 9:26 AM on September 24, 2021 [2 favorites]

And here I just thought the choco ration had just been doubled!
posted by Insert Clever Name Here at 4:37 PM on September 24, 2021 [1 favorite]

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