BBC trail that was pulled

[Simon36]

I’ve no idea why this randomly popped into my head. Sometime around 2001, the BBC broadcast a trail (for itself) which caused something of a stir. A lot of people complained about it and it was pulled from further broadcasts. I never saw it but I remember it being talked about; i have a vague memory of it being something to do with the viewer feeling like they were falling off a cliff or something. Does this ring a bell with anyone?

[Cole]

Was this it? http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/4463108.stm

[Simon36]

Was this it? http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/4463108.stm

Ah, nice one. It wasn’t the faces one, but the cliffhanger one that’s mentioned at the end of the article. Thank you!

[brigham]

I remember the hideous head one; it produced the same uneasiness I got from Doctor Who's 'The Faceless Ones'.
The BBC was on form then. They made you sit up.

[Simon36]

And here it is. What on Earth were they thinking!

https://youtu.be/3RiuETHf63M

[Brock]

And here it is. What on Earth were they thinking!

https://youtu.be/3RiuETHf63M

That was horrible. How on earth was it supposed to promote BBC One?

Incidentally it was 2003 rather than 2001.

[Cole]

And here it is. What on Earth were they thinking!

https://youtu.be/3RiuETHf63M

I don't remember the trailer, but that was pretty unpleasant. Also noted that would have cost a few bob to stage only to be used a few times...

[Brock]

I don't remember the trailer, but that was pretty unpleasant. Also noted that would have cost a few bob to stage only to be used a few times...

That's what I was thinking - at the start I thought it must have been a trail for a new series or even a film, rather than just for a channel. How could they possibly justify the expense?

I'm still scratching my head trying to work out the message. "Everyone likes to watch"? Were they suggesting that BBC One viewers are all goggle-eyed idiots who are so absorbed that they'd rather let someone die than stop watching?

[brigham]

WOW!
The BBC really WERE on form then!

[Simon36]

The Creative Services department at that time, who made the trails, had huge budgets and a massive amount of creative freedom, ironically unlike the chain of command in programme making itself! I think the fact that there were awards available for the best trails was perhaps more of an end goal than the suitability of something for a channel. It all seemed to be getting awfully self-congratulatory at the time.

[brigham]

My first thought was 'if only they would put that much effort into the actual dramas...'
Then I remembered that they did.

[Brock]

awards available for the best trails

Oh, that explains it all. Who gave out these awards? Presumably not anyone who actually watched the programmes.

[Mark]

I don't remember the trailer, but that was pretty unpleasant. Also noted that would have cost a few bob to stage only to be used a few times...

That's what I was thinking - at the start I thought it must have been a trail for a new series or even a film, rather than just for a channel. How could they possibly justify the expense?

I'm still scratching my head trying to work out the message. "Everyone likes to watch"? Were they suggesting that BBC One viewers are all goggle-eyed idiots who are so absorbed that they'd rather let someone die than stop watching?

No, the two biscuit chompers were supposed to be viewers at home watching ( that's why they didn't help her) it was just a way of saying TV viewers love a good Drama.

Bit of a waste of money though.

[Simon36]

I don't remember the trailer, but that was pretty unpleasant. Also noted that would have cost a few bob to stage only to be used a few times...

That's what I was thinking - at the start I thought it must have been a trail for a new series or even a film, rather than just for a channel. How could they possibly justify the expense?

I'm still scratching my head trying to work out the message. "Everyone likes to watch"? Were they suggesting that BBC One viewers are all goggle-eyed idiots who are so absorbed that they'd rather let someone die than stop watching?

No, the two biscuit chompers were supposed to be viewers at home watching ( that's why they didn't help her) it was just a way of saying TV viewers love a good Drama.

Bit of a waste of money though.

I think that’s the biggest misjudgment of all. If the “viewers” had been on the edge of their seats or clutching each other in suspense, it could have worked, but they are just utterly indifferent, which gives the thing completely the wrong tone and makes them look inhuman. The whole thing feels like a criticism of television and suggests it makes us sadistic and dehumanised.

[Brock]

The whole thing feels like a criticism of television and suggests it makes us sadistic and dehumanised.

Precisely.

[spflog1]

That really was horrible. I can see what they were aiming for but it failed big time and turned into something seriously unpleasant.

[Mark]

I agree it was misjudged, but the portrayal of the ' Armchair viewers' was more realistic I thought, who sits on the sofa biting their fingernails? , it's usually a family size Pizza, these days!

[brigham]

I agree it was misjudged, but the portrayal of the ' Armchair viewers' was more realistic I thought, who sits on the sofa biting their fingernails? , it's usually a family size Pizza, these days!

A jaded society, as far as television is concerned.
We've all had too much of a good thing!

[Mark]

I agree it was misjudged, but the portrayal of the ' Armchair viewers' was more realistic I thought, who sits on the sofa biting their fingernails? , it's usually a family size Pizza, these days!

A jaded society, as far as television is concerned.
We've all had too much of a good thing!

Convenience food to watch convenience TV.