The Goggle Box Thread

[Langers]

They're actually going hugely OTT with Dr Who just recently as well. Because that is a cash cow.

Introducing a new companion during half time in a sporting event is overkill though. Even as a massive Dr Who geek, I find it too much.

 

[Johnny75]

I watched that once.....staggering quiz show.

Strictly is hammering X-Factor in the ratings, so that isn't going anywhere soon.

The ratings thing also shouldn't affect the Beeb that much as it has a different remit to everybody else. Obviously they need to make programmes people will watch but they have more of an HBO remit than an ITV one, in that they have the opportunity to make things that are different and in some cases experimental.

But then they did make Miranda and Count Arthur Strong for some inexplicable reason.

They have made some excellent dramas of late; Line of Duty and Luther.

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

Give ITV their dues, they've produced a lot of critically acclaimed drama in the last couple of years (not that I personally watch it, but still).

 

[Paddingtonwolf]

Absolutely. From what I can see Victoria has the same sort of production values as Downton. Even if it isn't your cup of tea, you can see it is beautifully put together.

Plus Broadchurch was a great ITV success (even if series 2 was awful)

 

[Kenny]

Miranda was massively popular and a big hit for the BBC (sure I read they made a bucket of cash from that show). Never watched Count Arthur Strong, think the ads for it put me off.

Didn't they use BBC3 for the remit of trying things out and if it worked it soon made the move on to 1 or 2 but that had to be moved online to cut costs (was that after a Government report on the BBC?)

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

BBC comedy has been dismal lately. Citizen Khan and The Wright Way FFS!

 

[Johnny75]

BBC3 was more for the younger generation. A radio 1 for TV if you like.

I thought it was disproved that BBC3 was cancelled due to cost as the channel is CBeebies up to 7?

 

[Paddingtonwolf]

Plus you can see that Have I got News For You and Mock the Week are beginning to get a bit long in the tooth as concepts. They could probably do with replacement over the next couple of years.

 

[FrankMunro-371]

Perhaps a TV company could make a soap opera out of this forum...!!!

 

[Paddingtonwolf]

I don't think I am suitable for pre-watershed...

 

[Kenny]

Perhaps a TV company could make a soap opera out of this forum...!!!

Eastenders crossed with the IT Crowd and the Fast Show just wouldn't work

 

[Kenny]

I thought it was disproved that BBC3 was cancelled due to cost as the channel is CBeebies up to 7?

I have no idea on that front. I just remember a lot of shouting when the channel move was announced and people asking the Government to put its report up Cameron's arse (or something along those lines)

 

[Johnny75]

Eastenders crossed with the IT Crowd and the Fast Show just wouldn't work

Now that would be interesting - forum members as comedy characters.

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

https://www.theguardian.com/media/2014/feb/26/bbc-channel-extra-cuts-tony-hall

Basically they had to find £100m worth of savings from somewhere. Rather than taking it piecemeal off various areas they decided that BBC Three cost £100m so that could go and problem solved.

D-Cam appointing Whittingdale was an utter disgrace as the man was a clear anti-BBC plant and obviously unfit for that office but that came a year or so after the plans to shut BBC Three.

 

[visage]

Wasnt there a desire to get the BBC to do less producing and become more of a broadcaster - i.e. be more market driven?

Meaning that they're beholden to the market cost of content, not the production cost. So bakeoff, which will cost pennies to produce, has to be competed for.

 

[Paddingtonwolf]

Masterchef is a fairly cheap programme to produce as well, and is a big hit, with syndication possibilities to Good Food and Food Network and so on.

 

[Paddingtonwolf]

Well - I have just seen a trailer for "Morgana Robinson's The Agency" coming soon to BBC2. Hmmm - an impressions show that looks like it would embarrass Russ Abbott. Jesus...

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

Wasnt there a desire to get the BBC to do less producing and become more of a broadcaster - i.e. be more market driven?

Meaning that they're beholden to the market cost of content, not the production cost. So bakeoff, which will cost pennies to produce, has to be competed for.

Yeah, there was some kind of internal rule meaning something like 50% of programming had to be produced in house, but the Tories did away with it.

 

[Boozad]

I include Tipping Point in that comparison.

Tipping Point was responsible for one of the best quiz answers ever the other day.

Q: Which artist painted The Great Floods on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel?

A: Banksy.

 

[So Long Architect]

Beeb has some serious issues. Top Gear is probably dead, although LeBlanc might just revive the corpse. Bake Off is gone. Bar Poldark their only big show is now Strictly. And Victoria is beating up Poldark in the Sunday ratings war.

BBC are therefore throwing everything behind Strictly. Which is the worst thing on television, and I include Tipping Point in that comparison.

Interestingly (if you're easily interested), Poldark and Victoria are made by the same external production company, Mammoth Screen. Bit of a win-win for them.