Thetownend.com

After a hectic week I've finally got round to doing what I'm at uni for.... working...  I need to pick some brains.  I've got quite a decent assignment of writing various newspaper articles, and as one I've chosen to write a column for a broadsheet.  I'm going to bemoan weekend, in particular Saturday night, television compared with 10 years previously when we had great programmes such as Gladiators, Blind Date and Noel's House Party.  Now it's all bloody reality TV.  What else used to be on on a Saturday night 10 years previously that was better than modern scheduling?

Or am I talking utter bollocks and TV is now 1000 times better than it ever was?

(It really does sound like a piss-easy assignment when I put it like that...!)   :?

I couldn't tell you what was on saturdays now... Doctor Who is when it's on isn't it? That's pretty good. Casualty is still going as well isn't it? Hasn't it got more soap opera like instead of the old skool "which one of the extras shown at the start is going to die and how?" formula which was fun.

Blind Date could be looked at a sort of precursor to modern reality television, it's pretty similar just in more of a game show format.

Gladiators was ace though.

Without stating the obvious ten years ago you were ten years younger, at your age especially that makes a big difference, my tastes now at 23 are majorly different to then.  I would say you have a point - there was more variety then, however they still dragged the lotto out for an hour, still had terrible 'variety' shows on, and bruce forsyth still loitered on the fringes of primetime - that said I watch very little decent TV these days, especially saturday night which as a general rule is avoided like the plague.

 :shock:

I can't believe you're bad-mouthing Brucey!  What did he present again?  That card game that I can't remember the name of?  Also, Catchphrase used to be pretty legendary.

To be fair, I don't think my tastes have changed too much, though a valid point.  This article is becoming a bitch to write!  I was adament I preferred 1997 weekend TV til I came on here!

The Generation Game 'rus!

I thought that was Jim Davidson...?!?

Mincing on Ice was worth watching to crack one off over Holly Willoghby. I'd make a point of that Walrus.

This man makes so many valid points...

Not 23 for much longer though eh Matt :wink:

Don't remind me Larwood! that said at 24 I don't my TV taste will change.

Oh ffs Matt, i'm gonna buy you the complete one foot in the grave for your birthday  :wink:  :D

Now one foot in the grave was quality 1990s TV!

That can be Matts nickname,Mrs Warboys :wink:

 8)

although Ben has already said it, Gladiators was ace......

You're all wrong

CATCHPHRASE!

 8)

Although in reality, by 1997 it was definitely on the down turn.

Jet from Gladiators!! Yummy

http://www.alan-partridge.co.uk/articles-info/ideas/ideas.htm

I used to like Big Break, that was ace

I think things were more family orientated 10 years ago.
I recently stopped workin Saturday evenings so have watched some TV with my 8yr old.
There is nothing that would keep he and i entertained at the same time on terrestrial tv. So we have to go to Sky and watch the simpsons or re-runs of things like Gladiators etc on challenge!
Even comic relief on Friday was targeted at an adult audience imo and im sure it never was.
Another theory is that we now have so much channel choice they are churning out shite!
And Brucy did The Generation Game before Jim, When was bullseye on - i think that was a Sunday and way before 1997!?

I agree, because everybody's spoiled by selection now. The big family variety shows no longer have any place. If I was a kid which had the choice of sitting and watching Noel's house party or watching whatever I wanted from the internet then I'd no what I'd choose.

TV Programs have been forced to specialise.

10 years ago you had the german channel.For that reason alone 1997 was better

That, for me, will be the post of the day. I'll be surprised if owt gets near it.

 :Ride On Fatbury's Lovestick:

Matt