Enter The Mind of a Brummie TV Addict. (Top Ten TV Programmes... Ever!)

Member Name: marandina

Product:	Top Ten TV Programmes... Ever!
Date:	16/01/05 (532 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Can, be, addictive

Disadvantages: Must, do, something else

We’re all addicted you know? I mean, how many of us can live without that wee box of tricks that pipes in images from all across the globe? I sometimes wonder whether John Logie Baird realised what he was unleashing when his system of transmitting television pictures was pioneered in the 1920’s (see http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/historic_figures/bair d_logie.shtml). Over the years, I’ve found myself having less time for TV as my kids grew up and took over that spot in front of it along with the increasingly ingenious methods of hiding the remote control. Having lived through the expansion from 3 to 4 to 5 to thousands of different channels, the frustration of not being able to find anything to watch on a Saturday night seems as true today as it ever was! So, anyway, having waffled an introduction here are my top 10 TV programmes in no particular order. Of course, they are subject to change as my tastes change with age (weeeell, I’m nearly 40 y’know?).

Soccer AM: On every Saturday morning between 9am and 12pm on Sky Sports 1 – Helen Chamberlain and Tim Lovejoy have transformed the weekend for many die-hard footie fans. An irreverent mix of comedy sketches and footie clips and chat combine to amuse everyone from Plymouth Argyle fans to Manchester United Reds. Check out http://www.skysports.com/skysports/socceram for more info about the programme but me favourite bits include the *ahem* Soccerette around about 11m and the comedians that follow whereby Lovejoy gets his colonel out. Soccer AM is spankingly good form.

Horizon: Established for many a long year, Horizon spends an hour translating science into layman’s terms. Only last week a programme about Global Dimming was billed as one of the most important science broadcasts for many years whilst the next fortnight sees a homage to the fascinating Albert Einstein being screened. Anyone that saw the movie “The Day After Tomorrow” will recognise the theory expounded in a programme about the amount of fresh water being dumped into the Atlantic Ocean that may eventually suppress the salt content. This in turn may switch off the Gulf Stream (a warm current of water that runs from the American continent past our own shores) thus ushering in a new Ice Age. Scary stuff. Shown on BBC2 at 9pm during the week, Horizon is an interesting programme to watch. (see http://www.bbc.co.uk/sn/tvradio/programmes/horizon /index.shtml)

Spongebob Squarepants: With the movie due out any day now in the UK, now is a good time to find out all about the Nick Toons induced mayhem that is Spongebob. In fact, as I write this particular paragraph, I can see that my 9-year-old lad has been on the Google search with his trail still warm with the misspelt “SpongeBob Square Pants the movey”. The hero of the story is a little man made from sponge who lives in a pineapple under the sea. His best friends are a squid and a star-fish whilst he derives an income from working in a restaurant for a crab. Hmm….you think I’m on the funny weed now don’t you but if you take the time to watch it much of the humour is adult whilst being great fun for kids. Hey, just go see the movie, man!(see http://www.nick.com/all_nick/tv_supersites/spongeb ob/main.jhtml)

The Bill: On between 8 – 9pm on Wednesday and Thursday, ITV, The Bill is a fictional account of life in the met. Based in the London borough of Sun Hill, the characters and stories are often overblown with an increasingly populist slant to keep the millions watching. In the last few months we’ve had lesbianism as well as a gay wedding between a coloured officer and a white officer whilst one of the pathologists has tried to murder one of the senior officer’s daughters only to subsequently get her pregnant. I know, it’s all very incredible as opposed to credible but I’m assured the real-life police watch it and us men can only look on at the womanising Phil Hunter and wonder - if only that was me.... (http://www.thebill.com/)

Frasier: Shown on Channel 4 with ongoing repeats on the Comedy Channel, I’ve adored the antics of the Cheers inspired Frasier Crane and family. The stories are often beautifully observed with the golden rule of the restoration of the equilibrium maintained for the most part until Niles Crane is finally allowed free reign with Daphne Moon eventually marrying her. The whole cast sparkles and it’s a great shame that the NBC comedy has now run it’s course. If ever there has been a funnier psychiatrist then please let me know and here’s hoping to a change of heart from the TV network or alternatively a spin-off series of some kind.(http://www.nbc.com/Frasier/index.html)

Globe Trekker: Shown on the Discovery and Travel channels, Globe Trekker is an hour-long journey through any country in the world. The trips are taken from the perspective of a backpacker as the most interesting parts of the countries involved are explored avoiding the commercially exploited tourist-type aspects. Different presenters are featured and it’s the Surrey born Ian Wright that represents my favourite. If you are planning a trip you could do a lot worse than take in the Rough Guide inspired travel programme shown at lots of different times on cable (and usually repeated) (http://www.pilotguides.com/tv_shows/globe_trekker /)

The Simpsons: Now being shown on Channel 4, Matt Groening’s dysfunctional American family has struck a chord with the watching millions. Whilst the hero, Homer Simpson has had more jobs than most of us have had hot dinners, the nuclear family of Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa and Maggie reinforces family bonding through a mix of disaster and misfortune. The Simpsons have taken their very particular brand of madness across the globe with visits to Australia, England and Brazil being just a few from many whilst the programme itself quickly became the fledgling Sky One’s jewel in the crown. One of my favourite episodes is the one where Homer goes all psychedelic after having eaten an incredibly strong South American chilli at a local chilli cook-off. Again, subversive adult humour at it’s best! (http://www.thesimpsons.com/)

Malcolm in the Middle: Malcolm seems to be a live action version of The Simpsons featuring…erm….a dysfunctional family from middle America. Showing on Sky One most evenings, Malcolm (Frankie Muniz) is a perfectly ordinary kid who suddenly discovers he's a genius. With an IQ of 165, he's now in an elite class full of gifted (and weird) kids, and people are suddenly treating him differently - especially his family. Malcolm's parents are Hal (Bryan Cranston) and Lois (Jane Kaczmarek). With 3 brothers, the comic possibilities are endless and it’s that wry take on life with a caring sub agenda that makes Malcolm so appealing. (http://www.fox.com/malcolm/)

Most Haunted: Hmm….maybe I’m lying on this one although Yvette Fielding (formerly of Blue Peter fame) and the resident Liverpudlian psychic medium, Derek Acorah, often have me smiling with the former renowned for jumping about and screaming “Did you see that?” and Derek getting possessed by some poor unsuspecting spirit who was just out for an innocent nightly stroll. Basically, the crew of Most Haunted (shown on Living TV – Sunday and Tuesday 9pm) roam about the country investigating haunted places. With increasing regularity, Most Haunted becomes Most Haunted Live with 3 days worth of live shenanigans lasting 3 hours a time i.e. 9 hours in total. It’s all a load of old bunkum but most entertaining. (http://www.livingtv.co.uk/mosthaunted)

Hollyoaks: As a rule, I don’t do soap operas but the teen version of Brookside based in Chester makes me wander from the straight and narrow. Penned by the creator of Grange Hill, Hollyoaks is the every day story of teen somethings either still at school or recently started work. Shown weekdays at 6.30pm on Channel 4, to be honest, the only reason I watch it is to look at the gorgeous blondes that seem to dominate most frames. It’s because of that that I can’t really recall any of the story lines. Damn you, Hollyoaks, you’ve sucked me in….(http://www.hollyoaks.com/)

Oh well, there you have it. Now I have to choose between watching Fulham v WBA or surfing the Net. Hmmmmmm….


Thanks for reading.

Marandina

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