On Sun, 01 Jan 2012 16:01:56 +0000, wrote:

Maybe they could broadcast a 2nd soundtrack without this commentary.

Err, they do, as above.

Now, I wish I could get rid of the signing goon, but it seems there's
no choice with that piece of idiocy.

On Fri, 30 Dec 2011 09:34:09 +0000, Alan
wrote:

Us seeing people also have to put up with viewing the same thing over
and over again just in case we have forgotten what happened on the
screen 5 minutes ago

I blame the GM foods - it's obviously infected us all with the
goldfish gene.

On Sun, 01 Jan 2012 13:39:19 +0000 (GMT), Jim Lesurf
wrote:

I was listening to one of the predictable 'debates' about the economy and
politics on R4. It suddenly occurred to me that although we get loads of
"argument" programmes about this, we get almost no serious documentaries
about the ideas and theories of Economics, and how well they either fail or
survive being confronted with real-world evidence.

Not quite what you're demanding, but there was a rather good
documentary on C4 in the run up to a General Election about a decade
or so ago called something like: "Is Democracy Dead?"

The last series I can recall that did this in any depth was "The Age of
Uncertainty" by Galbraith - but that was *decades* ago. And I also recall
series by some of the old education society types, again decades ago.

Yes, an excellent series, of the type that sadly no longer is made,
because modern documentaries assume that their target audience has an
attention span of less than a minute or so. I remember that series
with affection, not just for it's excellent presentation of economic
theory and reality, but also for it being littered with JKG's dry,
ironic humour. I have the hardback, and recently reread it, and would
unhesitatingly recommend it.

Looking at the TV offerings over the current holiday period, surely
the worst ever by quite a comfortable distance, if they must feed us
all these endless repeats, then why not ...

"Civilisation"
"The Ascent Of Man"
"The Age Of Uncertainty"

.... and for an example of drama ...

"The Mayor Of Casterbridge" with Alan Bates in the title role.

.... and for music ...

Therapy, Ralph McTell, and The MacCalmans live (at the Free Trade
Hall?) in Manchester in the mid-80s, one of the best folk concerts
that ever made it on to nationwide TV.

A late 60s / early 70s documentary about the music of Ewan McColl and
Peggy Seeger, possibly called something like "Sweet Thames Flow
Softly".

I really don't see why they have to repeat recent low-quality material
ad nauseam when the BBC in particular have such a rich heritage of
programming to draw upon to fill up the schedules.
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On Sat, 31 Dec 2011 17:18:22 +0000, Ian Jackson
wrote:

I must admit, I'm totally fed up with Doctor Who. It's now mainly just a
load of special effects, with no (understandable) plot.

Whereas it started out with a bit of a plot, but ultra-crappy SFX and
wobbly sets, with exterior planetary surface shots done in a gravel
quarry somewhere - probably near W.London.

In article , Java Jive
wrote:
On Sun, 01 Jan 2012 13:39:19 +0000 (GMT), Jim Lesurf
wrote:


The last series I can recall that did this in any depth was "The Age
of Uncertainty" by Galbraith - but that was *decades* ago. And I also
recall series by some of the old education society types, again
decades ago.

Yes, an excellent series, of the type that sadly no longer is made,
because modern documentaries assume that their target audience has an
attention span of less than a minute or so. I remember that series with
affection, not just for it's excellent presentation of economic theory
and reality, but also for it being littered with JKG's dry, ironic
humour. I have the hardback, and recently reread it, and would
unhesitatingly recommend it.

I suspect one of the reasons other economists tend to ignore JKG is that he
could write with far more clarity and wit than them. He also had the
awkward habit of pointing out the failures of economics to the 'believers'.
Doing so in a crystal clear manner.:-)



Looking at the TV offerings over the current holiday period, surely the
worst ever by quite a comfortable distance, if they must feed us all
these endless repeats, then why not ...

"Civilisation" "The Ascent Of Man" "The Age Of Uncertainty"

I think the first two have been repeated on BBC4 in recent years. But I
can't recall the latter being so. Maybe it is on DVD.


Therapy, Ralph McTell, and The MacCalmans live (at the Free Trade Hall?)
in Manchester in the mid-80s, one of the best folk concerts that ever
made it on to nationwide TV.

You make me wonder: Have the BBC 'lost' all their recordings of "The
Northern Drift" and "Close the Coalhouse Door"? Or never even recorded
them?

I really don't see why they have to repeat recent low-quality material
ad nauseam when the BBC in particular have such a rich heritage of
programming to draw upon to fill up the schedules.

Not sure when it is selective memory, or fashion, or simply having lost
material.

For example, I did a search of the BBC website yesterday for "John Ebdon".

No hits at all. Am I the only person who remembers the director of the
London Planetarium, and Perseus?... ;-

....and I know the BBC regained a recording of "Post Mortem", the play that
featured Kenneth Williams doing a remarkable performance. (Not comedy.) Yet
has it been rebroadcast? Who even knows now that he was capable of such
serious work as an actor? It was certainly a surprise even when first
broadcast.

Slainte,

Jim

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Jim Lesurf wrote:

You make me wonder: Have the BBC 'lost' all their recordings of "The
Northern Drift" and "Close the Coalhouse Door"? Or never even recorded
them?

I really don't see why they have to repeat recent low-quality material
ad nauseam when the BBC in particular have such a rich heritage of
programming to draw upon to fill up the schedules.

Not sure when it is selective memory, or fashion, or simply having lost
material.

It's PC ******** in the case of It Ain't Half Hot Mum.

Bill