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Post by alece10 on Dec 14, 2019 11:47:11 GMT
Just been sitting down with the Christmas TV listings magazine and my highlighter pen to mark down what I need to watch/record over the Christmas period. Its an old tradition but even with more channels than ever there is less and less each year I want to see or haven't seen before.
It reminded me of the days when we only had 4 channels and only a video tape recorder to record programmes. It was a work of art trying to fit everything in and hoping that programmes you wanted to see didn't overlap. Then there was the problem of recording everything on those 3 hour tapes. It was like an "o" level maths problem working out what to put on what tape to fit everything on. Then you come down in the morning to find that you had set the recorder wrong and didn't have anything at all or something you didn't want - No catch up or I Player then, so you just missed it.
I also remember one year BBC2 did a whole series over Christmas of Sondheim musicals which was the first time I had ever seen one as living in Cornwall at the time was not something the local Am Dram company would do.
Anyone else on here old enough to have those memories?
Anyway I've picked out a few of this years offerings that might be of interest so some board members.
21st Dec - Newsies - BBC2
22nd Dec - Phantom 25th Anniversary - Sky Arts
- Les Mis 25th Anniversary - Sky Arts
- Cats - Sky Arts
- Billy Elliott - Sky Arts
23rd Dec - The Goes Wrong Show - BBC1
24th Dec - Beauty and the Beast - BBC1
- My Fair Lady - C5
26th Dec - Oklahoma - BBC2
- Guys and Dolls - BBC2
28th Dec - Sunshine on Leigh - C4
29th Dec - 7 Brides for 7 Brothers - C5
- The King and I - C5
1st Jan - The Sound of Music - BBC1
3rd Jan - South Pacific - BBC2
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Post by n1david on Dec 14, 2019 18:27:33 GMT
28th Dec - Sunshine on Leigh - C4 That well-loved musical featuring the music of local lads from the Greater Manchester suburb, Georgie Fame and Pete Shelley. Shame it's not the Scottish alternative  Agree with you alece10 on the choice of Christmas TV these years. I think it's partly to do with the alternative options for home viewing now - the Christmas Film Premiere used to be such a big deal because if you'd missed it in cinemas then you had to wait for the TV premiere, but now when a film makes it to broadcast TV it's been available on streaming and DVD for years, let alone satellite channels like Sky Movies. I've done the whole highlighting Radio Times as well this year and I think I'm recording less than I do in a normal week... |
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Post by Deleted on Dec 14, 2019 19:10:31 GMT
I do like my Christmas holiday TV. I usually look forward to the BBC output and this year and I’m not disappointed at all:
- Gavin and Stacey (finally!)
- A Christmas Carol
- Dame Edna Rules The Waves
- Call The Midwife
- Mrs Brown’s Boys
- Worzel Gummidge
- The Trial of Christine Keeler
- A Berry Royal Christmas
- Dracula
Bit lost why Dracula is being broadcast this time of year but I’ll go with it. Having sat through Stephen Ward I think the Christine Keeler thing should be good (can’t be any worse) and I’m prepared to give Worzel at least 10 minutes.
Then there’s all the hour specials of the soaps to watch with a box of celebrations, which have been building up big storylines for Christmas - EastEnders should be good, as it’s been a two year storyline with two of the mainstays.
Plus all the autumn shows are coming to an end. Attenborough finished last weekend, His Dark Materials has a few weeks to go and final of The Apprentice this week too.
Throw in all the classic Christmas movies and I tell you, I’ve not idea where I’m going to find the time.
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Post by Jon on Dec 14, 2019 19:51:54 GMT
Dracula is on NYD because it’s in the prestige drama slot that Sherlock has held previously as well as things like Luther and McMafia
I’m quite looking forward to Agatha and the Curse of Ishtar which is on Channel 5 tomorrow and Channel 4’s animated short of The Tiger Who Came to Tea on Christmas Eve
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Post by SamB (was badoerfan) on Dec 15, 2019 13:19:02 GMT
22nd Dec - Phantom 25th Anniversary - Sky Arts - Les Mis 25th Anniversary - Sky Arts - Cats - Sky Arts - Billy Elliott - Sky Arts And Funny Girl is on before Phantom too (it's called 'Digital Theatre' in the guide) |
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Post by showoff on Dec 15, 2019 18:01:39 GMT
Thank you for this, I always find these so useful on these boards every year, there's lots I would have missed in other years.
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Post by TallPaul on Dec 18, 2019 14:00:32 GMT
And for those who enjoy ballet (of which I am increasingly one), there are three Royal Ballet-related programmes to watch over Christmas and into the new year:
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Post by Deleted on Dec 19, 2019 16:28:27 GMT
The older 4 Channel era used to have some great Xmas shows although it was mainly BBC1 as ITV just used to stick a movie on around Corrie.
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Post by Mr Snow on Dec 23, 2019 12:06:27 GMT
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Post by crowblack on Dec 23, 2019 13:02:01 GMT
Did anyone catch the BBC A Christmas Carol last night? I tried watching but it didn't work for me, and was so mumbled and dingy that it was physically hard to watch (it's daft to show a programme requiring cinema conditions of silent darkness in your living room two days before Christmas!). I like the actors, Peaky Blinders and Taboo so am prepared to give it another shot, but my main thought so far is "they cancelled the fantastic Dickensian for this?"
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Post by TallPaul on Dec 23, 2019 13:21:18 GMT
How many times has the BBC been told that its dramas are inaudible, yet they still get made and broadcast!!! One for you here, @theatremonkey. Channel 4 on New Year's Day at 7.40pm. The Derry Girls compete in a festive special of The Great British Bake Off. |
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Post by Jon on Dec 23, 2019 13:57:24 GMT
If anyone like ghost stories, BBC Four has Martin’s Close on Christmas Eve and Channel 5 are showing Susan Hill’s Ghost Story on Boxing Day.
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Post by oxfordsimon on Dec 23, 2019 17:26:22 GMT
Did anyone catch the BBC A Christmas Carol last night? I tried watching but it didn't work for me, and was so mumbled and dingy that it was physically hard to watch (it's daft to show a programme requiring cinema conditions of silent darkness in your living room two days before Christmas!). I like the actors, Peaky Blinders and Taboo so am prepared to give it another shot, but my main thought so far is "they cancelled the fantastic Dickensian for this?" Dickensian was great. So much potential for multiple series. A shame they never gave it a second chance. |
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Post by BurlyBeaR on Dec 24, 2019 17:59:38 GMT
How many ad breaks in My Fair Lady on Ch5?
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Post by alece10 on Dec 24, 2019 19:38:43 GMT
I'm probably the last person on the planet not to have seen Frozen so watched it this afternoon and thought it was rather sweet.
Now I'm just watching Beauty and the Beast which I've never seen before either. So wish I had seen the stage version but this is also rather good.
I feel all Disneyed today.
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Post by richey on Dec 24, 2019 20:41:02 GMT
I'm probably the last person on the planet not to have seen Frozen so watched it this afternoon and thought it was rather sweet. Now I'm just watching Beauty and the Beast which I've never seen before either. So wish I had seen the stage version but this is also rather good. I feel all Disneyed today. I just watched Beauty and the Beast for the first time too. Was ok, but would have loved if they'd put the songs from the stage version in instead. With regard to shows in tv I noticed Billy Elliot the Musical is on Pick channel later |
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Post by richey on Dec 24, 2019 20:42:11 GMT
How many ad breaks in My Fair Lady on Ch5? too many |
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Post by oxfordsimon on Dec 24, 2019 22:39:06 GMT
Beauty and the Beast was worse than I remembered it.
The new music is far weaker than any of the previous music. The new script is similarly weaker.
Watson is no Belle.
Over-produced nonsense.
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Post by danielwhit on Dec 25, 2019 8:34:58 GMT
How many ad breaks in My Fair Lady on Ch5? The thing is long enough without any, however adverts at least break up the monotony.. |
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Post by Deleted on Dec 25, 2019 14:23:17 GMT
I'll find something to watch even if it is Morecambe and Wise re-run. Christmas Strictly is usually fun too but is on insanely early.
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Post by BurlyBeaR on Dec 25, 2019 14:54:57 GMT
Oliver! Is in Ch5 at 15:10. With adverts presumably.
I got a free month of Sky Cinema and just watched Tangled. Fabulous. That scene with the lanterns... blub blub.
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Post by Marwood on Dec 25, 2019 15:44:26 GMT
I’ll probably watch Gavin & Stacey later if I’m still awake/sober/likely to remember having watched it but what an absolutely dreadful schedule across the board to put on tv on the biggest day of the year: I bet the ‘creative directors’ or whatever they call themselves of the tv companies are all on 6 figure salaries (at least) but they should hang their heads in shame at claiming such a vastly overinflated salary just to put the same old sh*te on as we get throughout the rest of the year (Midsomer Murders: how F’in festive is that ? Come Dine With Me for the umpteenth time? FFS) and then have the barefaced cheek to label themselves as ‘creative types’
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Post by Dawnstar on Dec 25, 2019 16:33:09 GMT
I agree Marwood, the Christmas schedule is pretty dire this year. The only things I've watched today are repeats of A Close Shave & Dancing The Nutcracker and there's nothing at all I want to see this evening. |
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Post by david on Dec 25, 2019 16:42:24 GMT
WIth a lacklustre tv schedule, time to dig out the classic Muppets Christmas Carol before Call The Midwife tonight. I still need to watch the Mischief TV stuff - that’s Boxing Day sorted alongside the BBC remake of Christmas Carol which I’m hoping won’t be as bad as the recent remake of War of the Worlds.
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Post by Dawnstar on Dec 25, 2019 17:24:53 GMT
I bought myself a 3000 piece jigsaw to do over the Christmas week after seeing the TV schedule. Though at the rate I'm going with it I'll still be doing it next Christmas!
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