Showing posts with label tv that time forgot. Show all posts
Showing posts with label tv that time forgot. Show all posts
Box Set: TV Drama
A collection of some of my recent features on television drama...
It looks as though some of you aren't aware that I now have a new website (which you can find here), and are still hanging around here wondering where all the new 'content' is. Well it's over there, obviously. To give you all some idea of where to start, though, I'm adding some new posts here with themed collections of links, and this time it's some of my recent features and podcast chats about television drama, some of which had the temerity to exist before The Sopranos and Buffy The Vampire Slayer had even been thought of...
That Was This Life That Was - some thoughts on rewatching mid-nineties drama sensation This Life; this is a reworked version of the feature that originally appeared on this blog, with a new section looking at the experience of watching This Life on original transmission.
Doctor Who And The Rosa - a review of the standout episode of Jodie Whittaker's first series, which started out simply as a celebration of Sunday Television but eventually had to tackle the too politacaly correct NOT MY DOCTOR!!!!!! idiots as well...
Accidental Death Of An Anarchist - Channel 4's mid-eighties presentation of Dario Fo's satirical play is one of journalist Emma Burnell's choices on Looks Unfamiliar.
Dr. Pod - I join Emma Burnell and Steve Fielding on The Zeitgeist Tapes, the podcast looking at where politics and pop culture collide, to talk about politics in Doctor Who old and new and whether it really has got 'too politically correct' (clue: it hasn't).
Body Contact - BBC1's 1987 rock musical misfire is one of animator Phil Norman's choices in Looks Unfamiliar.
Top Of The Box - The Complete Guide To BBC Records And Tapes Singles is available as a paperback here or from the Kindle Store here.
Can’t Help Thinking About Christmas
Can’t Help Thinking About Christmas is a special stocking-filling companion to the year’s best-selling book about obscure radio shows and films nobody remembers Can’t Help Thinking About Me, and includes the following seasonal trimmings:
– A collection of reviews of some of the worst sitcom Christmas Specials ever made (and a couple of good ones too!)
– A Christmas Party Medley of nonsense about carol services, BBC Records And Tapes, mind-hurtingly strange Christmas Films, and when some Brookdale kids tried to steal ‘the disco’ in Grange Hill
– The story behind BBC Schools programme Music Time‘s adaptation of Lieutenant Kije
– Features on Saint Etienne Presents Songs For A London Winter and Santa Claus Is On The Dole by Spitting Image
– The ultimate guide to Denys Fisher’s TV tie-in board games
– And a brand new feature on the little-seen Rising Damp Christmas Special!
All of the previously-seen pieces are updated with new footnotes, introductions and extra detail – yes, we finally know who wrote the theme to George And The Dragon! – and there are a couple of extra Yuletide surprises too. It’s probably only going to be available during December, so grab your copy now!
Can’t Help Thinking About Christmas is available in paperback here or from the Kindle store here.
And if you still haven't got it, Can't Help Thinking About Me is available in paperback here or from the Kindle store here.
Looks Unfamiliar #32: Vikki Gregorich And Jeff Lewis – No It’s Just A Radio That’s Been Left On
Looks Unfamiliar 32: Vikki Gregorich And Jeff Lewis
Looks Unfamiliar is a podcast in which writer and occasional broadcaster Tim Worthington talks to a guest about some of the things that they remember that nobody else ever seems to. Joining Tim this time are Game Developer Jeff Lewis and Board Game Collector Vikki Gregorich, who are going back three spaces in the hope of finding anyone else who remembers Animalympics, Conrad’s War, The Last American, the books of Paul Biegel, Harry Harrison’s Deathworld series and The Secret Cabaret. Along the way we’ll be evaluating the lack of viable life choices for anyone named ‘Ulysses S. Pilgrim’, debating the identity of ‘soft lad who stood on a pole’, and perusing adverts for Genuine One Hundred Percent Legal Generic Seeds.
DOWNLOAD IT HERE - SUBSCRIBE IN ITUNES - RSS
You can find more editions of Looks Unfamiliar here.
Support Looks Unfamiliar by buying one of Tim's books! Can't Help Thinking About Me is brand new and features loads of brand new material, and you can get it in paperback here or from the Kindle store here.
Looks Unfamiliar #31: Mark Thompson - Libby's Difficult Second Carton Drink
Looks Unfamiliar 31: Mark Thompson
Looks Unfamiliar is a podcast in which writer and occasional broadcaster Tim Worthington talks to a guest about some of the things that they remember that nobody else ever seems to. Joining Tim this time is political commentator Mark Thompson, who's offering his polling predictions for the chances of people remembering hillbilly-themed soft drink Moonshine, the A. Mazing Monsters books, L!ve TV's Agony, Being Erica, Hawkeye Collins And Amy Adams, and Channel 5 sketch show We Know Where You Live. Along the way we'll be revisiting the forgotten link between Rupert And The Frog Song and Cannibal Holocaust, speculating on how many hours of L!ve TV Richard Herring might have watched, and learning the terrible fate of The Sheep That Knew Too Much.
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You can find some extra chat with Mark about watching television on holiday, looking at ropey old American anthology series, French dubbed versions of The Professionals, and whatever NUTS! actually was here.
You can find Mark's previous appearance on Looks Unfamiliar here, and more episodes of the show here.
Support Looks Unfamiliar by buying one of Tim's books! Can't Help Thinking About Me is brand new and features loads of brand new material, and you can get it in paperback here or from the Kindle store here.
Wake Up And Look At This Thing That I Bring...
A look through Emily's shop window at a couple of things you might have missed if you haven't been following my main site (which you can find here)...
And You And I Would Call Them Dragonflies
The story of my long search for the original recordings of the music from Bagpuss, with all manner of diversions about 'Acid Folk' and making tapes from off-air VHS recordings of Cable TV repeats, and a look at the new Bagpuss soundtrack CD. Which is handy. You can read it here.
Shindig! Issue #85
I've got a feature in the latest issue of Shindig! about the hidden beat, psych and folk highlights in the BBC Records And Tapes catalogue, featuring everyone from the BBC Radiophonic Workshop to the Play Away team, and even TV 'Girl' and 'Clown' (Test Card). Find out more about it here.
I've Heard Of Politics, But This Is Ridiculous
Now that charity shops are better organised and make more money for charity with sensible prices, it's a lot less fun rooting through them. Although they do smell slightly less of damp cardboard.
Back in the days when everything was stacked together in haphazard piles without any thought for genre, media or even size, though, you could chance upon something that literally changed the way you thought about everything. Well, that or fifteen copies of that The Adriatic Formula book.
This is the story of how I found an early sixties book based on a then long-forgotten television satire show, and how that changed everything for me. Read all about it here.
You can find more tales of record collecting in dingy charity shops and hunting for obscure television soundtrack music in my book Can’t Help Thinking About Me, available in paperback here or from the Kindle Store here.
Looks Unfamiliar #30: John Rain – They Probably Made Mick Fleetwood And Samantha Fox Look Like The Hitman And Her
Looks Unfamiliar 30: John Rain
Looks Unfamiliar is a podcast in which writer and occasional broadcaster Tim Worthington talks to a guest about some of the things that they remember that nobody else ever seems to. Joining Tim this time is John Rain, host of SMERSH Pod, who’s querying the lack of public recognition for Your Mother Wouldn’t Like It, E.T. Cola Creams, flop one-off charity event Trading Places Day, TV phone vote thriller Murder In Space, BBC2 sketch show Hello Mum and Oink! comic. Along the way we’ll be finding out what Jaws’ favourite crisp flavour is, enduring a sleep deprivation-derived Showaddywaddy hallucination, learning how to keep Doctor Who on the air by eating crisps, and witnessing the single worst attempt at asking Catherine Tate on a date ever.
You can get Tim's new book, Can’t Help Thinking About Me, from here.
DOWNLOAD IT HERE - SUBSCRIBE IN ITUNES - RSS
You can find more editions of Looks Unfamiliar here.
Support Looks Unfamiliar by buying one of Tim's books! Can't Help Thinking About Me is brand new and features loads of brand new material, and you can get it in paperback here or from the Kindle store here.
Looks Unfamiliar #29: Phil Norman - Salvador Dali's Scalextric Set
Looks Unfamiliar 29 - Phil Norman
Looks Unfamiliar is a podcast in which writer and occasional broadcaster Tim Worthington talks to a guest about some of the things that they remember that nobody else ever seems to. Joining Tim this time is animator and writer Phil Norman, who’s fairly confident that very few people will recall S-S-S-Single Bed by Fox, terrifying ITV schools show Leapfrog, The Country Life Christmas Box, Humrush by KMD, rock musical drama Body Contact, Oscar The Rabbit In Rubbidge, Erasmus Microman and jaw-dropping Anthony Newley film Can Heironymus Merkin Ever Forget Mercy Humpe And Find True Happiness?. Along the way we’ll also be speculating on what went on in the Chock-A-Block factory, revealing Fred Harris’ secret Video Nasty links, chronicling the rival warring factions of the ‘puppets on a black background’ phenomenon (none of whom were responsible for an Off-The-Peg Ian Paisley), and trying our hardest to avoid talking about a cannibalistic emulsified cross between Last Tango In Paris and Straw Dogs. And if you can help in finding three seconds of Sylvester McCoy being hit with planks of wood, please let us know!
You can get Tim's new book, Can’t Help Thinking About Me, from here.
DOWNLOAD IT HERE - SUBSCRIBE IN ITUNES - RSS
You can find more editions of Looks Unfamiliar here.
Support Looks Unfamiliar by buying one of Tim's books! Can't Help Thinking About Me is brand new and features loads of brand new material, and you can get it in paperback here or from the Kindle store here.
Looks Unfamiliar #24: Garreth F. Hirons – I Backed The Betamax Of Nirvana Spinoffs
Looks Unfamiliar 24 – Garreth F. Hirons
Looks Unfamiliar is a podcast in which writer and occasional broadcaster Tim Worthington talks to a guest about some of the things that they remember that nobody else ever seems to. Joining Tim for a second time is musician and writer Garreth F. Hirons, who’s getting puzzled looks whenever he mentions The Yellow Album by The Simpsons, the Frankie Goes To Hollywood computer game, post-Nirvana outfit Sweet 75, sitcom Linc’s, the Transformers ‘Action Masters’ range, The Way Of The Tiger gaming books, and high-concept soft drink Quatro. Along the way we’ll be finding out why Ian Amblin took exception to E.T.’s Rugby League, how marketable a Richard Stilgoe Action Figure would be, the correct angle for Ped Gill’s head, and more than you would ever rationally want to know about what happened on 24th November 1998. Plus there’s an update on the Piers Morgan/Monster Munch debacle!
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You can find Garreth's previous appearance on Looks Unfamiliar here.
Support Looks Unfamiliar by buying one of Tim's books! There's more about Rubik's Magic in The Camberwick Green Procrastination Society, available in paperback here, from the Kindle Store here, or as a full-colour eBook here. And there's several other books to choose from here...
Looks Unfamiliar #22: James Gent – A Cross Between The Prisoner And Test Match Special
Looks Unfamiliar 22: James Gent
Looks Unfamiliar is a podcast in which writer and occasional broadcaster Tim Worthington talks to a guest about some of the things that they remember that nobody else ever seems to. Joining Tim this time is writer James Gent, who is stringing together hazy archive recollections of The Golden Oldie Picture Show, When The Wind Blows by David Bowie, Beeb Magazine, T-Rex ‘Greatest Hits’ albums with none of the hits on them, Boxpops, and the Montreux Special of Monty Python’s Flying Circus. Along the way we’ll be finding out what Clive Dunn being Grandad as Grandad looks like, where the whistling from Never Let Me Down was ‘borrowed’ from, and where you can read about Michael Sheard And His Pet Dogs.
DOWNLOAD IT HERE - SUBSCRIBE IN ITUNES - RSS
You can find more editions of Looks Unfamiliar here.
Support Looks Unfamiliar by buying one of Tim's books! There's more about Rubik's Magic in The Camberwick Green Procrastination Society, available in paperback here, from the Kindle Store here, or as a full-colour eBook here. And there's several other books to choose from here...
Looks Unfamiliar #20: Paul Kirkley - The Most Memorable Movie Ferret Sacrifice Ever
Looks Unfamiliar 20 - Paul Kirkley
Looks Unfamiliar is a podcast in which writer and occasional broadcaster Tim Worthington talks to a guest about some of the things that they remember that nobody else ever seems to. Joining Tim this time is writer Paul Kirkley, who wonders if anyone else recalls The Kids From Fame Again, the The A-Team tie-in novels, Del Amitri by Del Amitri, David Nobbs' Henry Pratt novels, video rental shop favourite The Beastmaster, BBC1 holiday filler The Saturday Picture Show, and TV Tops comic strip The Fantastic Adventures Of Adam Ant. Along the way we'll be finding out what Robert Smith takes on holiday, what happens when Dick Turpin runs head first at Sapphire And Steel, and why you should never obey Musical Youth lyrics to the letter.
DOWNLOAD IT HERE - SUBSCRIBE IN ITUNES - RSS
You can find more editions of Looks Unfamiliar here.
Support Looks Unfamiliar by buying one of Tim's books! Not On Your Telly, which includes more about long-forgotten BBC1 Saturday Morning shows, is available in paperback here or from the Kindle Store here. And there's several other books to choose from here...
Looks Unfamiliar #19: Jonny Morris - What Was Actually In The Dandy?
Looks Unfamiliar 19: Jonny Morris
Looks Unfamiliar is a podcast in which writer and occasional broadcaster Tim Worthington talks to a guest about some of the things that they remember that nobody else ever seems to. Joining Tim this time is writer Jonny Morris, who wonders if anyone else recalls the BBC Micro Welcome cassette, The Dandy strip Jack Silver, Mr Men book Mr Spendy, BSB’s The Carmen Ejogo Show, Andrew Sachs sitcom Dead Ernest, and Jesta Giggle by The Barron Knights. Along the way we’ll be finding out how to estimate James Bond’s ‘Biorhythms’, what the second worst ZX Spectrum game was, how many times it’s possible to say ‘Padmasambhava’ in one sentence, and why The Barron Knights should have covered T.V.O.D.. Also, we solve two mystery half-recollections live on air!
DOWNLOAD IT HERE - SUBSCRIBE IN ITUNES - RSS
You can find more editions of Looks Unfamiliar here.
Support Looks Unfamiliar by buying one of Tim's books! Well At Least It's Free, a collection of columns and articles (including lots on early Doctor Who) is available in paperback here or from the Kindle Store here. And there's several other books to choose from here...
The Best Of Looks Unfamiliar #1: Captain Peacock Is Pompous, Move Back Three Spaces
Looks Unfamiliar is a podcast in which writer and occasional broadcaster Tim Worthington talks to a guest about some of the things that they remember that nobody else ever seems to. This is a collection of highlights from the first six shows, featuring Stephen O’Brien on The Morecambe & Wise Board Game, Garreth F. Hirons on Food Fighters, Emma Burnell on The Patchwork Monkey, Phil Catterall on the ZX Spectrum tie-in game of Platoon, Mark Thompson on Night Shift, and Ben Baker on Fiendish Feet. Along the way we’ll be finding out when it’s appropriate to address Colin Bennett as ‘Vince Purity’, how many issues of ‘Razzle And Wise’ were published, and just which elements of The Untouchables were considered appropriate for a scrolling platform game aimed at children, not to mention recalling the classic horror film ‘Dracula Vs. The Skeleton’. Plus there’s also something you may not have heard before – Tim on the radio talking about ridiculous seventies board games!
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You can also find the full version of each show here...
If you enjoyed hearing about The Morecambe And Wise Board Game, you can hear me on the radio talking about even weirder TV tie-in board games here.
Support Looks Unfamiliar by buying one of Tim's books! Not On Your Telly is available in paperback here or from the Kindle Store here. And there's several other books to choose from here...
Looks Unfamiliar #17: Jacqueline Rayner – She Went To The Ball In A Horse-Drawn Bath
Looks Unfamiliar 17: Jacqueline Rayner
Looks Unfamiliar is a podcast in which writer and occasional broadcaster Tim Worthington talks to a guest about some of the things that they remember that nobody else ever seems to. Joining Tim this time is writer Jacqueline Rayner, who wants to know if anyone else remembers ITV panto Quincy’s Quest, lurid soft drink Quosh Tropical, comedy battle game Klonks, Bernie Clifton’s character El Bandido, Pippa dolls and Honey Bear Spread. Along the way we’ll be finding out how to tell if Morecambe And Wise are coming to murder you, the best adventure Doctor Who never had, what measures to take when a runaway horse smashes into a bathroom factory, and why you should avoid German Smarties at all costs. And if you can tell us the name of Jac’s mystery scary children’s programme, or alternately who said ‘bastards’ on Radio 4, please let us know…!
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Doctor Who In An Exciting Adventure With Pippa
You can find more editions of Looks Unfamiliar here.
If you've enjoyed this edition of Looks Unfamiliar, you might also like this collection of highlights.
Support Looks Unfamiliar by buying one of Tim's books! Fun At One - The Story Of Comedy At BBC Radio 1 is available in paperback here or from the Kindle Store here. And there's several other books to choose from here...
Looks Unfamiliar #16: Will Maclean – Barnaby’s Apocalypse
Looks Unfamiliar 16 – Will Maclean
Looks Unfamiliar is a podcast in which writer and occasional broadcaster Tim Worthington talks to a guest about some of the things that they remember that nobody else ever seems to. Joining Tim this time is writer Will Maclean, who’s hoping that someone shares his recollections of Once Upon A Time… Man, Galaxy High, educational storybook In The Sofa, educational short film Powers Of Ten, dangerous dance craze ‘The Snake’, and the episode of The Sooty Show where Sweep’s brain was surgically enlarged. Along the way we’ll be finding out who lived at 9 The Road (Great Britain, The Solar System), questioning the best course of treatment for an incapacitated Emu, and pondering on what happened when the Play School toys ran amok off-camera.
DOWNLOAD IT HERE - SUBSCRIBE IN ITUNES - RSS
You can find more editions of Looks Unfamiliar here.
If you've enjoyed this edition of Looks Unfamiliar, you might also like this collection of highlights.
Support Looks Unfamiliar by buying one of Tim's books! Not On Your Telly, is available in paperback here or from the Kindle Store here. And there's several other books to choose from here...
Looks Unfamiliar #15: Steve Berry – I Survived The Great Nostalgia Wars Of 1989
Looks Unfamiliar 15 – Steve Berry
Looks Unfamiliar is a podcast in which writer and occasional broadcaster Tim Worthington talks to a guest about some of the things that they remember that nobody else ever seems to. Joining Tim this time is writer, broadcaster and TV Crisp Expert Steve Berry, who’s keen to scratch a nostalgic itch for Single Versions Of Pop Songs That Never Get Played Any More, Elastoplast Heroes, late night Channel 4 show United States Of Television, Skoal Bandits, the Starblazer Electronic Space Command Belt, and school assembly songbook Morning Has Broken. Along the way – when we’re not stalking Richard Herring – we’ll be musing on the hard-hitting storylines Grange Hill missed, discovering the identity of ‘Ant Marco’, and working out just how far you can balance a hymn book on the edge of a church balcony. And there’s ten million points if you can work out which comedian is noisily drinking coffee in the background…
DOWNLOAD IT HERE - SUBSCRIBE IN ITUNES - RSS
You can find more editions of Looks Unfamiliar here.
Support Looks Unfamiliar by buying one of Tim's books! Fun At One - The Story Of Comedy At BBC Radio 1 is available in paperback here or from the Kindle Store here. And there's several other books to choose from here...
Looks Unfamiliar #13: Rae Earl – I Think It Was A Cerebral Cheggers Plays Pop
Looks Unfamiliar is a podcast in which writer and occasional broadcaster Tim Worthington talks to a guest about some of the things that they remember that nobody else ever does. Joining Tim this time is writer Rae Earl, who insists that she’s not just making up the episodes of Battle Of The Planets where Zoltar was a woman, Rock’n’Bubble Bubble Gum, Gyles Brandreth quiz show Puzzle Party, Children’s BBC Cold War thriller Codename Icarus, cheap culinary filler The Home Cookery Club, and short-lived comedy sensation Cheese And Onion. Along the way we’ll be finding out which Europop duo based their image on extruded sugar, the commercial potential of a Panini Sticker Scented Candle, and what precautions you should take whilst within twelve thousand square feet of anywhere that may or may not have played host to agricultural pesticide at some indeterminate point in history. There’s also a bit of bonus chatter about the Channel 4 transmissions of The Gong Show, and if anyone else remembers The Yellow House, please get in touch!
DOWNLOAD IT HERE - SUBSCRIBE IN ITUNES - RSS
You can find more editions of Looks Unfamiliar here.
Support Looks Unfamiliar by buying one of Tim's books! Not On Your Telly, is available in paperback here or from the Kindle Store here. And there's several other books to choose from here...
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