Is it all over....?

[Richard Charles Skryngestone]

There are still some pretty obvious ones though, aren't there?

As a big Cook and Moore fan, those brief "best of" DVDs were underwhelming, for one.

[paul.austin]

a TV fan refusing to "accept" that the 1990s were thirty years ago, doesn't say anything good about that person.. Maybe because I was a young teenager in the 1990s I'm more able to accept it. I sometimes see a lot of people on these kinds of forums acting as if the 1970s or 80s are a lot more recent than they actually are.

[Brian F]

AT present only 1990 is thirty years ago the rest of the 90's are less. 1999 is only 21 years ago! (And we still haven't lost the moon Space 1999 style).

[lovecraft]

Well, there is this.....

https://www.renownfilms.co.uk/product-c ... 20th-july/

[Mark]

They also have "Tell Me Another" on DVD, so they have a few TV titles.

Wish they would release "Freewheelers" series 7, as it had restoration work done on it, seems a pity to waste it.

[brigham]

a TV fan refusing to "accept" that the 1990s were thirty years ago, doesn't say anything good about that person..

There's arrogance for you.
I can't imagine that anyone 'doesn't accept' that 1990 was thirty years ago. Whether or not that affects a person's TV appreciation would surely be that person's own preference, surely?
I'm an 'old car' enthusiast; but my chief interest doesn't extend very far beyond the products of the pre-Great War era.
Does THAT tell you anything 'good' about me?

[Brock]

I suppose it comes down to the definition of "archive TV" that you want to use. I'm particularly interested in programmes from the 70s because that's when I grew up; but in 2020 programmes from the 90s are no less "archive TV" than programmes from the 70s. Yet there seems to be much less discussion of programmes from the 90s here than of programmes from the 70s or earlier. I presume that's at least in part down to the age of most of the participants?

[paul.austin]

I suppose it comes down to the definition of "archive TV" that you want to use. I'm particularly interested in programmes from the 70s because that's when I grew up; but in 2020 programmes from the 90s are no less "archive TV" than programmes from the 70s. Yet there seems to be much less discussion of programmes from the 90s here than of programmes from the 70s or earlier. I presume that's at least in part down to the age of most of the participants?

I was born in 1980 and my teenage years were 1993-99. The whole thing isn't helped by some acting as if the seventies and eighties are "recent" or "just yesterday". A few years ago, there was surprise on these boards when someone on a quiz show hadn't heard of Sid James. To readily know who Sid James is in 2020, forty-four years after his death, you are either a film buff or getting very old.

[Brock]

I was born in 1980 and my teenage years were 1993-99. The whole thing isn't helped by some acting as if the seventies and eighties are "recent" or "just yesterday".

Who said that?

A few years ago, there was surprise on these boards when someone on a quiz show hadn't heard of Sid James. To readily know who Sid James is in 2020, forty-four years after his death, you are either a film buff or getting very old.

That's not true. Archive editions of Hancock's Half Hour are still broadcast every week on Radio 4 Extra, so any regular listener to the station would be likely to know who he was.

[Richard Charles Skryngestone]

It's also just a strange comment to make. We all know who Mozart is, and he died over 200 years ago.

But, of course, modern quiz shows often have contestants who don't know the names of modern-day people as well.

[stearn]

Radio, granddad?

R4X has certainly opened up the archive to a newer generation, but those listening to radio, I would think, are a different mindset to those who only consume via their phones and are more likely to be looking at TikTok.

It may just be me, but I have felt that there was more discussion of programmes when they were not available - whatever little snippets were seized upon to build up a picture of what was missed and, in many cases, a far better programme was imagined than was ever made. That's the same with fragmented memories of shows - I have been bitterly disappointed with many Network releases because the production standards and sets in my head were far more impressive than what I actually watched as a kid!

The 90s are also different beast entirely. Production had changed and satellite channels were here to stay. As such, independents were looking at onward sales, and the BBC and ITV were looking at cheaper ways to buy in, so didn't own a programme and could only air it a set number of times before having to fork out again. Lots of shows are still to be found circulating on the various channels and have defined a new 'old'. Apart from the really popular 'golden age' stuff, archive shows still suffer from being too costly to repeat, and because they don't have an instant following to tap advertising into, they are seen as non-viable. TPTV were certainly struggling at the beginning of lockdown as despite an uptick in viewers, advertisers reigned in on costs as people were not able to go out spending. Thankfully they seem to be surviving.

[fatcat]

Radio, granddad?

R4X has certainly opened up the archive to a newer generation, but those listening to radio, I would think, are a different mindset to those who only consume via their phones and are more likely to be looking at TikTok.

It may just be me, but I have felt that there was more discussion of programmes when they were not available - whatever little snippets were seized upon to build up a picture of what was missed and, in many cases, a far better programme was imagined than was ever made. That's the same with fragmented memories of shows - I have been bitterly disappointed with many Network releases because the production standards and sets in my head were far more impressive than what I actually watched as a kid!

I think we just did not notice things so much in those days on TV, we were 'under a spell' of the drama going on and our minds compensated for or ignored any shortcomings and TV didn't seem to have the same importance as anything else in our lives..although can't remember whatever that was LOL..The spell might get broken though if a large boom mic made an appearance LOL. These days of course every frame has to be scrutinized because sure as hell there will be somebody out there will notice how many threads a sauce bottle has been screwed down in one shot to the next.

I do have sympathy for and think it is unfair that those young contestants on game shows like The Chase are expected to know who Lady Penelope's butler was or some old British/American sitcom or American sports' team.

[Brian F]

I was born in 1980 and my teenage years were 1993-99. The whole thing isn't helped by some acting as if the seventies and eighties are "recent" or "just yesterday".

Who said that?

A few years ago, there was surprise on these boards when someone on a quiz show hadn't heard of Sid James. To readily know who Sid James is in 2020, forty-four years after his death, you are either a film buff or getting very old.

That's not true. Archive editions of Hancock's Half Hour are still broadcast every week on Radio 4 Extra, so any regular listener to the station would be likely to know who he was.

And also several TV stations are repeating "Bless This House" or have been over the last couple of months

[paul.austin]

Old media largely appeals to old people and older people are less influenced by advertising, which is why big band/standards and the 1955-79 "oldies" format have struggled on terrestrial radio since the late 1990s. It didn't help that nostalgia stations cripple themselves with "Remember When" facts and dates rather than let the TV shows or music stand on their own.

[Martin]

I always hoped that Network would release the remaining series of Jokers' Wild. I realise that some episodes would be off limits due to the presence of certain people who have been subsequently 'discredited', but surely there's enough for another DVD release?

[Brock]

I always hoped that Network would release the remaining series of Jokers' Wild. I realise that some episodes would be off limits due to the presence of certain people who have been subsequently 'discredited'

Apart from Rolf Harris, who were you thinking of?

[David Boothroyd]

Clement Freud appears on a few series 3 episodes as well, but apart from that I can't spot anyone who might be a problem.

Clearance may be an issue, though.

[Mark]

I'd like to see more of "Jokers Wild" too, I'm not sure any would be a problem, it would be great to get the full surviving run.

[brigham]

Why must we humour these people who 'have a problem'.
It's their problem. They don't HAVE to buy it.

[Billy Smart]

I would imagine that the reason why we haven't seen a third volume of Jokers Wild would be because sales of the first two were insufficient to make continuing the range commercially viable in a dwindling market. Rather than Network cravenly kowtowing to the edicts of "those people" who "don't HAVE to buy it", the meddlesome killjoys.

[stearn]

To an extent Network have shot themselves in the foot in the past with the way they release things. The Morecambe and Wise Two of a Kind, and the Whicker releases are those that spring to mind. Early buyers and supporters were rewarded with the series only being completed in different formats requiring double dipping. I've been caught out a couple of times, so tended to wait until the many Network sales to pick up what I was after (plus more, usually), but that must have had an effect on profits.

[brigham]

I would imagine that the reason why we haven't seen a third volume of Jokers Wild would be because sales of the first two were insufficient to make continuing the range commercially viable in a dwindling market. Rather than Network cravenly kowtowing to the edicts of "those people" who "don't HAVE to buy it", the meddlesome killjoys.

Frankly, I'm surprised we got the second volume.
It's certainly a niche within a niche...

[Brock]

It's certainly a niche within a niche...

Is it? I haven't seen it since I was a kid, but I used to love it. I think it was shown at around 3.30pm in our region. I always remember the time when the topic was "Finance" and Arthur Askey started off with "I was walking down the street with my finance the other day..."

EDIT: Something's gone wrong with the summary on the IMDb entry though:

"The Impractical Jokers give their fans a unique and hysterical look behind the curtain in this brand new studio-based series. Joe, Sal, Q and Murr use taped field pieces, in-studio games and special guests to show viewers that hidden camera pranks are only the beginning!"

The rest of the entry seems OK. Is this a description of a similarly-named US show?

[Ian Wegg]

Yes, that description belongs to https://www.imdb.com/title/tt4020986/reference, a U.S. based show of the same name.

I'll submit a correction.

[brigham]

Very much a 'niche within a niche'.
Even if you consider 'old TV' to be mainstream, rather than a niche in its own right, 'sixties/'seventies stand-up comedians are a niche market.
A game show based on them has GOT to be of limited appeal.
I was hoping for the complete set; there again, I'm still waiting for all 143 episodes of 'Mister Ed'.

[Brock]

Very much a 'niche within a niche'.
Even if you consider 'old TV' to be mainstream, rather than a niche in its own right, 'sixties/'seventies stand-up comedians are a niche market.

I think Arthur Askey and Ted Ray would have been flattered to be described as "sixties/seventies comedians"! They were on their way out even then.

[stearn]

Comedians in their sixties/seventies...

[Brock]

Comedians in their sixties/seventies...

That'd be more like it!

Now I think about it, it's probably mainly due to Jokers Wild that I remember Arthur Askey and Ted Ray as well as I do. They'd probably be obscure names from a bygone era otherwise (though I did see Arthur Askey live in panto once).

[stearn]

Does the Team Think was on radio into the early 70s, with both Ray and Askey on the teams. Between that and Jokers Wild they wouldn't ever be far from the public conscious. Ray died in 77 and Askey in 82, so neither had long, lingering retirements.

[Ian K McL]

Bringham,
All the episodes of Mr. Ed have been released in region 1 either as season sets or as a complete set. The original pilot is also available