Stretched limos

Post by **DaveB** » 06 Mar 2007, 11:26

interesting how most (all?) of the programmes that have survived the test of time are BBC programmes.

You really are a BBC snob aren't you Andy!!

ATB

DaveB :tab:

Post by **Garry Russell** » 06 Mar 2007, 11:49

Hi Andy

For a long time including when Porridge, Open All Hours and much of what you see now.....BBC was world famous for it's comedy.

ITV were struggling then to produce something to match

So it is not surprising they have survived. :dance:

But it is not a hindsight thing. It was well recognised at the time and a constant concern to ITV.

So good that something like Fawlty Towers where there was only ever one series seems so many more such is the quality and content packed into each one.

Each episode has more than one storyline and these are masterfully interwoven.

I could never get bored watching that

Garry

AndyG · Post by **AndyG** » 06 Mar 2007, 12:19

DaveB wrote:
interesting how most (all?) of the programmes that have survived the test of time are BBC programmes.
You really are a BBC snob aren't you Andy!!

ATB

DaveB :tab:

Not really Dave, the facts do tend to back me up! With the sole, notable exception of "Rising Damp" can you think of an ITV comedy that is still funny? There was some good stuff from Channel 4 in their early days, "Desmond's", for example, is still very watchable and they can still come up with the goods ("Black Books", "Spaced" etc). And ITV have done some great drama over the years, I will still happily watch an episode of "The Sweeney", I never tire of "Morse" and you mentioned "Randall and Hopkirk" earlier; interestingly they do seem to be starting to find their way back in that area, last nights "Cold Blood" was wondrous stuff.

Actually, I'll happily admit to being a snob, if it means I don't have to watch the dross that ITV tends to churn out - it's going to be interesting to see what they televise over the next couple of weeks while they try to sort out the phone-in fiasco. I guess one advantage the BBC has over ITV is the ability to test ideas out on radio first - some of the finest TV of recent years came via Radio 4.

Garry, there were two series of Fawlty Towers, but you are so right when you talk about the quality care taken.

AndyG

Post by **Garry Russell** » 06 Mar 2007, 13:04

OK Andy that must have been short deries as a normal full series was 13 episode and I think that was about what they made.

No many when you think how much is piled into them

Garry

AndyG · Post by **AndyG** » 06 Mar 2007, 13:17

Garry, two series, six episodes in each one.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fawlty_towers

Dave, another couple of links on Wikipedia to prove I'm not the only "BBC Snob".

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Britain%27s_Best_Sitcom

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/100_Greate ... Programmes

All quite interesting stuff (honestly!).

AndyG

Post by **DaveB** » 06 Mar 2007, 13:29

I'm not going to get into anything deep and meaningful here as I don't watch BBC at all.. other than once a week for Top Gear and the odd double-repeat of Star Trek. Call it my working class upbringing if you like

While I'm willing to watch drivel on ITV.. ITV is free so I don't mind.. not that I watch a great deal of 'mainline' tv anyway

The majority of those 'classic' BBC comedies (and they are classic) were written by a handful of writers.. many by the same writer/s.. Eric Chappell, David Croft and Jeremy Lloyd. How many tv shows have these 3 produced between them?? Too many to list but a large percentage of what is now considered Classic British Comedy

It doesn't really matter to me if they were BBC or ITV sourced.. they are what they are.

ATB

DaveB :tab: