Recommended Television Programmes

[JasonPalmer]

What is the great wipe out ?

[AuntDaisy]

What is the great wipe out ?

The BBC (& other broadcasters) junking / wiping old TV programmes - when they thought they'd no longer be of use / saleable or cost too much to store. (See Missing Episodes)
Some programmes have been returned, e.g. from overseas programme sales - a good example is (most of) Patrick Troughton's "Web of Fear".

Radio has also suffered and there are various groups trying to recover off-air recordings (e.g. RadioCircle) & from other sources (e.g. Transcription Service(s) discs).

[eighthobstruction]

....Well by right Daisy they did wipe many episodes of Tomorrows World too..../

[AuntDaisy]

....Well by right Daisy they did wipe many episodes of Tomorrows World too..../

... but not the Foresight Saga?

[eighthobstruction]

[Serial_Apologist]

... but not the Foresight Saga?

Brilliant, iimss!

[gurnemanz]

I suspect you're a Doctor Who? fan, Jason. I'm among the few still alive whom remembers seeing episode one the first time it was broadcast (1963?) (as well as the following week when it was repeated before episode two was shown). My favourite doctor was Patrick Troughton; sadly, his episodes are I think, the most affected by the great wipe out.

I was 14 in 1963 and can remember when we out mucking about on a Saturday afternoon making sure we got back in time for Dr Who. I haven't watched it since that time and can only remember seeing it in black and white. It was off the air when our children were children. Otherwise I would probably have watched it with them.

[smittims]

I think another reason for 'the great wipe out' was that in order to avoid paying royalties or rights they agreed the programmes would be shown a limited number of times and then destroyed. In those days the BBC were more interested in live broadcasting than archiving. Many DVD releases of Black and White TV have come from 16mm. prints distributed to Commonwealth countries where they survived.

The BBC weren't alone in this practice, however short-sighted it seems to enthusiasts today. Austrian Radio were under a similar agreement with the Salzburg Festival. Most .DVD releases of Festival performances from the 1950s emanate from copies of tapes.

[JasonPalmer]

Enjoying dr who, the terror of the zygons.

[johncorrigan]

I'm thoroughly enjoying the new series of 'Shetland' on Beeb 1 - plenty red herrings and lots of great scenery, and just the right mix of dark and light for me...unlike 'Boat Story', also on the Beeb, which is just too daffy and dark and violent for my liking.

[eighthobstruction]

Boat Story 2 deaths....a torture/blood fest'...and a maiming all in the first 20 minutes....yes John and daft/ dippy/inaccurate....no thanks...

....but I didn't like the New Shetland either.... Next to disappoint will be Kin....probably....

[kernelbogey]

Boat Story 2 deaths....a torture/blood fest'...and a maiming all in the first 20 minutes....yes John and daft/ dippy/inaccurate....no thanks...

....but I didn't like the New Shetland either.... Next to disappoint will be Kin....probably....

I watched one and a half episodes, encouraged by a five star review in the Grauniad....which described it as Tarantino-like...but in the end got bored rather than repelled. I don't mind a bit of blood in a good cause .

[tim2017]

I suspect you're a Doctor Who? fan, Jason. I'm among the few still alive whom remembers seeing episode one the first time it was broadcast (1963?) (as well as the following week when it was repeated before episode two was shown). My favourite doctor was Patrick Troughton; sadly, his episodes are I think, the most affected by the great wipe out.

I too watched Doctor Who from the first episode back on 23/11/1963. 60 years ago. Looking forward to The Daleks in colour today on BBC Four.

[Serial_Apologist]

I'm thoroughly enjoying the new series of 'Shetland' on Beeb 1 - plenty red herrings and lots of great scenery, and just the right mix of dark and light for me...unlike 'Boat Story', also on the Beeb, which is just too daffy and dark and violent for my liking.

I have to agree about Boat Story - I was astonished at the very strong recommendation from Joanna Scanlan, claiming it even better than In The Thick of It. This turned out to be in the sick of it. But, really, I must have trees in my drama landscapes!

[JasonPalmer]

I too watched Doctor Who from the first episode back on 23/11/1963. 60 years ago. Looking forward to The Daleks in colour today on BBC Four.

Thanks for the heads up tim, looks an interesting episode of the daleks. Followed by more dr who themed content. I suspect between programs they will be telling us of all the backlog episodes now available on bbc iplayer. Petroc was mentioning it on breakfast this morning and playing dr who music. Something about sixty year anniversary. All good dr who stuff.