Public TV broadcasting

[Dave2002]

There has recently been some fuss about the move of Bake Off to Channel 4. In the past, C4 has had some decent programmes.
The Downton Abbey series was very popular, and well done for those who like that sort of thing.

Currently there is one decent enough ITV programme - Victoria.

I thought I'd try to get my iPad working with ITV, C4 and also Channel 5. There are Apps for all of these, but they don't work so well with casting to a big TV.

However, what is really obvious, having tried to overcome the technical issues, is how impoverished and dumbed down about 95+% of the programme conent is on these channels. We may bemoan what's happening to the BBC, but we should continue to do so, as we sure don't want it to sink to the level of these others.

Using the iPad and trying to "cast", flash pages appear telling me that I have to accept ads, because "it's not fair that programme makers don't get paid ...". I suppose my view might be that if that's what most of those programme makers are going to produce, then I don't want to pay them anyway!

The flash pages sometimes last for minutes, then still sometimes fail to deliver the programmes. The BBC may be going downhill, but it has a very long way to go before it reaches the depths of some of the other channels - though it may be trying. Also, in the case of C4, the argument about public service broadcasting is just nonsense. Apart from the news and weather (which are probably OK), there's very little else. I do not regret paying a licence fee if it goes to help keep the BBC away from commercialism and advertising, and helps them to at least attempt to keep standards up.

[Richard Tarleton]

There has recently been some fuss about the move of Bake Off to Channel 4. In the past, C4 has had some decent programmes.
The Downton Abbey series was very popular, and well done for those who like that sort of thing.

Currently there is one decent enough ITV programme - Victoria.

Dave - there's regularly much excellent drama to be found on ITV, attracting critical acclaim. whether or not it happens to be to one's own taste. Currently, the revival of "Cold Feet" is receiving good notices, and ITV has its share of quality police procedurals (again, whether or not you like that sort of thing) and other drama. I think you damn Downton with slightly faint praise - here's a list of the awards it won, for a start. The Beeb tried to respond a few years ago by digging up "Upstairs Downstairs" but were knocked out of the park.

Whereas once one may have looked to the BBC for quality drama, it's now quite a crowded field. A lot of the best is to be found on internet or subscription channels (Netflix, Amazon, Sky), and a lot of it is made in America (this has been the case for a long time) - in recent years Breaking Bad, House of Cards (of course based on a GB original).... Channel 4 currently has "National Treasure", with a stellar cast led by Robbie Coltrane, Julie Walters.....and (IMV ) the commercial channels have some pretty good factual programmes as well. Channel 4's "Hunted" is a guilty pleasure

I've never watched "Bake-off" - the BBC was a good fit as long as it was cheap to make (basically a tent and 8/10/12 [?] cookers), but the idea of handing over 312,500 licence fees to the production company does seem a bit much. This move does seem to make a nonsense of C4's public service remit - but at least C4 receives (AFAIK) no public subsidy and is good in other ways.

You've got a Freeview box?

[VodkaDilc]

Many thanks to Richard for putting my thoughts into words. The gross exaggerations of Dave2002's original post were so extreme that I did not know where to start - so decided not to start at all.

[Dave2002]

Richard

I never got into Cold Feet, and I don't intend to try the rerun either. I did watch most of the Downton series, though it got a bit much in the end. I thought it was well done. I really haven't noticed too much in the way of good programmes on C4 recently, though I thought they used to do some quite good documentaries.

It wouldn't be true to say that I don't ever watch C4 and ITV, and others in my family like some of the programmes, such as Home Fires, Foyle's War, Endeavour, Grantchester etc., but there doesn't seem to me to be much on now (apart from Victoria), and trying to pick up things on catch-up may present problems with some devices. Marcella was grimly gripping.

We do have a BT YouView box, so we can get quite a lot of stuff from the independent channels.

I have been meaning to watch House of Cards - the US Kevin Spacey version - for years, but never got round to trying Netflix out, though now have several devices which are capable of receiving it. The West Wing was good, but that was years ago. Homeland? Maybe!

I still have a soft spot for repeats of Frasier, which last just long enough to hold my attention!

[johncorrigan]

Channel 4's "Hunted" is a guilty pleasure

Don't be remotely guilty about it, Richard. I thought last year's 'Hunted' was one of the TV highlights of the year. Last week's programme had two of the girls on the run just 5 miles from here with the hunters closing in after a supposedly helpful woman grassed them up for a few hundred quid. Gripping stuff, in my opinion.

[Dave2002]

Many thanks to Richard for putting my thoughts into words. The gross exaggerations of Dave2002's original post were so extreme that I did not know where to start - so decided not to start at all.

Really! Just wait till I try to start exaggerating!

[jayne lee wilson]

Anyone with Sky should be sure not to miss HBO's latest, The Night Of, still going out live on Sky Atlantic but already available as a boxset weaving an elegant web of plot lines into its 8 episodes. On the face of it a New York whodunnit, you'll find yourself warming to John Stone (John Turturro) a slightly seedy ambulance-chasing attorney, chief bailer of the City of Night's waifs and strays in the precinct police station ("No fee till you're free!").

Always seeking a new cure for his eczemous feet (he scratches at them gently with a chopstick while travelling on the metro ) , he reluctantly takes in a rescue cat despite being allergic, trying to look after it by "living apart together" . A prison drama, a courtroom drama, much harsh truth of human frailty with unlikely warmth and humour, all so deft and effortless and beautifully photographed, with some wonderfully weary, lived-in NY faces. When the final credits roll on The First Time I ever saw Your Face, you want to smile, laugh and cry all at once at the many layered contextual meaning of the song. This is a gem, a concise masterpiece not a single minute too long. I watched the last three episodes in one night, I couldn't stop.

(Oh yeah... new series Westworld starts tomorrow....it's all happenin' on 108!)

Sorry what was this thread about again?

[Richard Tarleton]

Anyone with Sky should be sure not to miss HBO's latest, The Night Of, still going out live on Sky Atlantic but already available as a boxset weaving an elegant web of plot lines into its 8 episodes. On the face of it a New York whodunnit, you'll find yourself warming to John Stone (John Turturro) a slightly seedy ambulance-chasing attorney, chief bailer of the City of Night's waifs and strays in the precinct police station ("No fee till you're free!").

Always seeking a new cure for his eczemous feet (he scratches at them gently with a chopstick while travelling on the metro ) , he reluctantly takes in a rescue cat despite being allergic, trying to look after it by "living apart together" . A prison drama, a courtroom drama, much harsh truth of human frailty with unlikely warmth and humour, all so deft and effortless and beautifully photographed, with some wonderfully weary, lived-in NY faces. When the final credits roll on The First Time I ever saw Your Face, you want to smile, laugh and cry all at once at the many layered contextual meaning of the song. This is a gem, a concise masterpiece not a single minute too long. I watched the last three episodes in one night, I couldn't stop.

(Oh yeah... new series Westworld starts tomorrow....it's all happenin' on 108!)

Sorry what was this thread about again?

Thanks for the tip jayne - I'd missed The Night Of, among the plethora of riches on offer

Westworld - yes indeed, and Humans (C4) is back soon....

[Anastasius]

At the end of the day, it all comes down to personal choice and to say that one channel is 'better' than another is pointless IMO. They all have good programs and they all have bad programs. The one (to us) major advantage of the BBC is that there are no adverts to break up the flow of a good drama. Fast-forwarding on a PVR helps but it still breaks up the flow. Although I'm sure that Dave2002 may advocate that in many instances the adverts are better than the programmes

[Sir Velo]

I think you damn Downton with slightly faint praise - here's a list of the awards it won, for a start.

Sorry to disagree but since when have TV awards ever been anything other than a backslapping luvvies love-in for the industry?

[Anastasius]

Sorry to disagree but since when have TV awards ever been anything other than a backslapping luvvies love-in for the industry?

Since a non-cynical viewpoint recognises that these awards reflect the sheer skill, ability, art and expertise of many of our directors, actors, designers, the list is endless.

[Richard Tarleton]

Sorry to disagree but since when have TV awards ever been anything other than a backslapping luvvies love-in for the industry?

Well OK, perhaps Dave's assessment about right for that one. Started out as quality drama and became a soap opera? A fine line - perhaps the point at which one ceases to care about the characters, and is more interested in what hoops the scriptwriters will put them through next.....