A Question of Pap (Question of Pop, A)

Member Name: W Shakespeare

Product:	Question of Pop, A
Date:	18/06/01 (22 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: It'll put the kids to sleep, Good opportunity to go out and buy a lottery ticket, It makes you appreciate Catchphrase

Disadvantages: Tired old format, Tired old team captains, Tired young audience

Dear oh dear oh dear. What must Willy Carson and Bill Beaumont make of this? A re-hashing of the tired old 'Question of Sport' (QoS)concept that in itself seemed to be hanging on by the very skin of Sue Barker's false teeth.

The fact that the show's two captains, Suggs and Noddy Holder, were last regularly in the hit parade when most of today's youth were a star in their father's twinkle is evidence that this show has been dreamed up by middle-age BBC Entertainment executives, only happy when they're using a hackneyed old formula (but at least they got rid of 'Blankety Blank').

The original QoS celebrity face round' is now replaced by the 'album cover round'. No wonder the audience sit there in stunned silence, as even most of the musicians have no idea of the answers. Great fun for all the family as Grandma and the kids struggle to name Pink Floyd's earliest album art. Let's face it, even Pink Floyd would struggle.

The QoS mystery celebrity round remains a feature, although frankly it's often a mystery who the people are when they're not in disguise.

Of course there's the 'Home/Away' round. Unfortunately, by this stage most of the audience want to get home/away.

The final round is shamelessly lifted from BBC 2's 'Never Mind The Buzzcocks', with contestants having to identify songs by their lyrics. However, the manic humour and tempo of Buzzcocks are completely absent from A Question of Pop and Jamie Theakston will have to give his next job a lot of thought if he's not to become the next Keith Chegwin, both of whom graduated from Saturday morning kids television.

The QoS 'What Happened Next' is round is noticeably conspicuous by its absence, although I can see why - "Kurt Cobain picks up the gun...what happens next?"

Overall, A Question of Pop typifies the TV Hell that is Saturday evening televis
ion in this country. It says a lot when the most inspiring Saturday night programme is the National Lottery Draw.

As the Pet shop Boys would say, "What have I done to deserve this?"

Summary: