What's on the box? (Top Ten TV Channels)

Member Name: jo1976

Product:	Top Ten TV Channels
Date:	15/03/09 (287 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: There's always something worth watching on my favourite TV channels

Disadvantages: Might not be to your taste

It seems a bit strange to be compiling a list of my Top Ten TV Channels, considering that we only had five to choose from less than two years ago, when we finally admitted defeat and signed up to Sky TV. Choosing my final ten was much more difficult than I'd imagined, probably because we have 50 channels listed in our Favourites section and I had to whittle them down to just ten. Which all suggests that the TV is on far too much in our household and we should switch off and do something less boring instead.

Here's the final ten, anyway (with my favourites at the top of the list):

1. ITV1
The original ITV channel and still the best. I always check the up and coming listings for ITV1 as I know I'll find some excellent dramas, documentaries, entertainment programme and quiz shows. This channel is the original home of the best soap on TV - Coronation Street, alongside modern classics such as Who Wants to be a Millionaire and the X Factor. Even with all the weird and wonderful channels to choose from, ITV1 is always my first choice.

2. BBC1
Apologies for not being particularly exciting so far but another classic terrestrial TV channel is still one of the best of the bunch. (The second best in my opinion, actually!) I don't follow many of the classic BBC programmes really (Eastenders, Casualty etc) but BBC1 has the best breakfast and news coverage and, obviously, no advertising.

3. five
The newest of the 'original' terrestrial channels, five has been a bit of a slow-burner for me. When it was first launched with all the hype and publicity, I found the content of the early stuff pretty poor. (Although I did used to watch that quiz show on there 100%. Anybody else remember that or was I the only one watching?!) Recently, I think the quality of channel five programmes has improved drastically and they seem to have a bigger budget so have managed to steal classics such as Neighbours from the BBC. (Okay, I admit it, I have Neighbours on series link so I never miss an episode!)

4. Channel Four
Yes, in at number four is channel four. It's almost as though it was meant to be there. Admittedly, the home of such dross as Big Brother nonetheless Channel Four produces some excellent programmes, notably Grand Designs, Relocation, Relocation and the fascinating Cutting Edge and Dispatches series.

5. Dave (Sky Channel Number 111)
This channel used to have a typical TV channel name (although I can't remember what it was) which is probably exactly why the name was changed to Dave. Who can fail to love a channel that sounds like the nice bloke who lives next door? Luckily, this channel has Top Gear and Dragon's Den on pretty much a continuous loop, both of which are my husband's favourite channels so we do have a reason to like Dave and not just for the name!

6. Dave ja vu (Sky Channel Number 158)
This is cheating slightly as Dave ja vu is the new name for the Dave+1 Channel. (Basically showing exactly the same content as Dave but exactly one hour behind.) Great for those moments when you realise you've missed the start of something good over on Dave and can sky plus it on Dave ja vu. Worthy of an inclusion in my list for the witty name alone!

7. CBeebies (Sky Channel Number 614)
Obviously, my youngest is always being stimulated and never allowed to watch TV at all *cough* but if he were allowed, say, a limited amount of TV time whilst Mummy tries to get on with some household chores (not to mention having a wee or, god forbid, a cuppa), CBeebies, especially In The Night Garden, would be my littlest's channel of choice.

8. More4 (Sky Channel Number 138)
This is the channel that is guaranteed to have something worth watching, whether it's a re-run of Deal or No Deal or repeats of Location, Location, Location and the like. It's basically Channel Four programmes at a time that suits us better.

9. Challenge TV (Sky Channel Number 125)
I love quiz shows so a whole channel dedicated to quizzes is perfect. In the days before we had Sky, I used to get excited about staying at a friend's house where we used to watch Challenge for hours, especially repeats of Family Fortunes. (The celebrity version on ITV1 recently wasn't a patch on Les Dennis's series. Why wasn't Les asked to present it?)

10. DMAX (Sky Channel Number 144)
We've been watching this channel a lot recently, mainly because my husband is a big fan of a series called Miami Ink (and its spin-offs, LA Ink and London Ink.) These shows are reality TV programmes set in a tattoo parlour. I have to admit that the programmes are really fascinating as they focus on the reasons behind the customers having their particular tattoos and not just on the tattoos themselves. I won't let my husband read this as I always have a moan when he wants to watch this stuff although I'm secretly quite engrossed!

So, that's my top ten. If you enjoy soaps, dramas, documentaries and quiz shows have a look at my suggestions; there's always something worth watching.

Summary: I need to turn off the TV and do something less boring instead.