Category: TV

When did E4 win the right for the third series of Curb Your Enthusiasm? Does this mean that it won’t get a run on BBC4 now? (Obviously I’ve already seen the third and fourth series, but that’s not really the point). And has E4 made much of this rather good acquisition? Haven’t seen any ads…

I really do have to wonder about the sanity of some of our channel controllers – in particular, step forward Mr Stuart Murphy, controller of BBC Three. Since it was launched, this particular channel has gone for a multi-channel styling like no other channel. That means permament on-screen “DOG” (i.e. a BBC Three logo), reminders…

I remember watching this way back in 1988 when it seemed to be coming off the boom in Dungeons and Dragons (celebrating its 30th anniversary) and the plethora of supposed teenage millionaires who’d made their fortunes in games for the Spectrum and Amiga. As it says in the packaging, The One Game was never repeated…

As predicted, The Block has suffered the same fate as Making Waves and been axed from primetime by ITV. Not unsurprising given that it’s a daytime format dressed up in primetime gladrags. In brief, from what I can tell, several pairs of contestants are given identical flats to do up on fixed budgets. Those that…

Very strange. The 10.30 ITV News ended and we were due to go into the local London news. Instead we got “Welcome to Meridian News, and also to viewers in London.” This was followed by a full local Meridian bulletin. I should explain that I’m in north London and shouldn’t ever get the news from…

Today’s Mediaguardian has a piece by David Liddiment where he tries to avoid any kind of blame attached to the axed drama Making Waves. If I’m reading the piece correctly he’s saying that he and Nick Elliot both had their doubts about the series and weren’t going to go ahead with it until the BBC…

I’ve been watching Entourage, the new HBO series, and it’s pretty good. We have the star actor Vince and his group of hangers on, supposedly modelled on the likes of Executive Producer Mark Wahlberg’s own gang, as well as those of people like Leondardo DiCaprio. He has his brother, a not quite as successful actor,…

I was pleased to see that the Tour de France was good (free reg reqd) for ITV2 this year – even if a certain amount of me says that “they would say that” for the sake of the programme’s sponsor. Whether ITV keep the coverage beyond what they’ve now got is anyone’s guess. But bravo…

Any UK TV channels reading might want to make sure that they pick up Rescue Me, the new FX Network TV series starring Denis Leary. In many respects it seems very similar to The Job which aired a few years ago, and more recently on BBC Choice/Three. The only small criticism I’d make is that…

Thanks to the Mausoleum Club forum, I’ve just found out that the ITV News Channel is having a John Pilger season! Better get the videos at the ready. The ITV News Channel is a strange beast. It would appear to be much less well funded than either News 24 or Sky News, but it plugs…

So the Terry Nation estate hasn’t been able to agree terms with the BBC over use of the Daleks in the new series of Dr Who. A shame, but it does let them use the Daleks at a later date.

ITV has been berated by viewers and forced to apologise for including the Scottish flag in a title sequence for a programme they showed on Saturday called Dumb Foreigners. It seems that there were upwards of 100 complaints from Scots who were ever so slightly miffed that ITV should think them foreign. I was unfortunate…

[And this better not turn up as an Endemol production any time soon – I’m retaining copyright on the idea for the good of humanity] How Low Can You Go? Two teams of contestants compete for cash prizes. Each round one person from each team is picked to perform a terrible stunt (eg. worm eating),…