Topic: TV Guilty pleasures.

[greencalx]

Chalk up another for DTTB (as we call it in our house, our schedule being far to hectic to refer to TV shows by their full titles). Methinks (a) the crew are quite manipulative, insisting for example that a bride-to-be sets her heart on a dress that the groom can't hope to match and (b) they both know that if you spend 12k on a wedding, it's hard for it to be a total disaster. That's why the Vegas episode was so astonishing. I did, however, spot a classmate who now manages a bridal shop in the west country on one of the episodes, so this ordeal has delivered me another pisspoor claim to fame, which is never a bad thing.

Let's now add Waterloo Road to the mix. I think of this is some kind of extreme sport, where you try to guess who's going to be impregnated/murdered/gang-raped/contract some terminal disease this week, all to be forgotten the following week. Also trying to work out what year the kids are supposed to be in, and why some of them still seem to be there several years after leaving, and others go from first year to university in the space of three episodes.

[turnstyle]

We're big 'Don't Tell The Bride' watchers in my house.

As noted, the Vegas episode was the best one, because the bride was totally distraught, and questioned whether or not she actually wanted to be with the (idiotic) groom. The sister had a complete fit at the airport too, and refused to get on the plane, in a crap Mr T type way. Oh, the drama!

Every time I watch it, I'm secretly hoping that the groom will fuck up the planning so badly, that it will end in a massive fight, both sides of the families piling in. At the very least, I'd like to see an episode where they don't even get married. Just once!

The biggest issue I have with the show though, is that the couples don't appear to have had any discussions before hand. If I was to go on this show (God forbid), I know that my girlfriend would give me a list of everything she wanted for the day. I mean, at the very least, we'd have mentioned it in passing. This never seems to be the case for the hapless couples though, which is why the blokes end up dressing their brides as Dolly Parton and marrying them at West Brom.

Speaking of the dresses...I don't think I've ever seen an episode where the bride was dissapointed by the dress. They always talk about the sort of dress they'd like, then go off to film them trying some on in a shop, their mums and sisters oohing and ahhhing with each change. Cut to the bloke in some grotty bridal shop, looking at a bright pink puffball, with dragon detailing. 'Ah!' you think. 'She's going to HATE that!!'. Cut to the day however, and she's gushing about how beautiful it is, and how much Darren must really understand her, EVEN THOUGH IT LOOKS NOTHING LIKE ANY OF THE ONES SHE LIKED.

Wedding fans are well catered for actually. There's Four Weddings USA and UK, and that Wedding House one. There must be more, as I don't think a day goes by in our house without a good solid two hours of wedding themed TV scheduling.

I have to say, I would never watch these things if I were single. I mean, have you seen the porn you can get these days?
 

[Consignia]

Those quiz showes before the Saturday Lottery with all the idiots grabbing the smallest amounts of money by getting basic trivia questions horribly wrong. It's my guiltiest pleasure ever.

[turnstyle]

Oh shit.

I just remembered another wedding show. How could I forget this one.

Has anyone seen Bridal Plasty? Oh sweet jesus. There's about 12 or so future brides all living in a house, and they have to compete each week, with one person being voted out at the end of each show. The best bit though? The winner of each episode is rewarded with...plastic surgery.

What this means is that the show, past the first episode, resembles an A&E ward, with people in various stages of recovery from boob implants, nose 'corrections', other 'make me pretty!' surgeries.

All the women are vile, naturally.

The best bit is that when someone gets voted off, the host says 'I'm sorry, you won't be having a perfect wedding'.

Hateful doesn't even describe it.

Obviously it's brilliant.

[Phil_A]

Well as I say, it's a long time since I had a working telly... Still, that is a travesty. But I thought educational programming was part of the BBC's remit? Have they been shunted somewhere else?

Here's the current Learning Zone schedule: http://www.bbc.co.uk/learningzone/schedule/2011/14

It's basically been cut up into tiny chunks and hidden away at a time where no-one could possibly notice it. I think Channel 4 did pretty much the same thing with their schools programming.

[Jemble Fred]

Is it my imagination, or is that half the regular posters on NotBBC working on those GCSE English programmes?

[Ignatius_S]

...It's basically been cut up into tiny chunks and hidden away at a time where no-one could possibly notice it. I think Channel 4 did pretty much the same thing with their schools programming.

If I remember rightly, there was quite a big noise about this when it was fist moved into the early hours, so people were aware - particularly educators. However, I'm also pretty sure that they used to broadcast far more during the night than they do now - I suspect the Beeb tried offloading this aspect of programming onto the Web.

I would have thought that education programmes - ones aimed at primary school children - would have been a good fit for CBBC during school hours.

[Famous Mortimer]

Ice Road Truckers

I did watch the first few episodes of "Gold Rush Alaska" as well, but I realised after three episodes that I wanted them all to fail, so I stopped.

[Alberon]

When I think about it the amount of trash I actually watch is rather worrying. I've watched most of Road Wars over the years and even the justification of it being mostly filmed around two places I've lived Reading and Slough really isn't good enough.

Come Dine With Me and a lot of the knock-offs like Three in a Bed are also ones we watch a lot. And my wife sometimes has a laugh at Sally Morgan or one of the other ridiculous 'psychics', she watches those on her own as I tend to shout at the telly when those grief-vampires are on.

[Uncle TechTip]

Ice Road Truckers

I did watch the first few episodes of "Gold Rush Alaska" as well, but I realised after three episodes that I wanted them all to fail, so I stopped.

I watched the first three episodes of IRT too, then I realised that I'd seen everything interesting that could ever possibly happen to a trucker so I didn't watch any more. Oh, the road is particularly treacherous this week, is it? Who knew.

Waterloo Road. Now I would maintain that at a basic level, this programme is good. Undemanding, sensational, but still somehow satisfying. I have noticed rather a dip in quality this "term" though, many of the kids have forgotten how to act. George Sampson is terrible. No surprise that they crowbarred in a dance sequence this week. The escape to Gretna was poor as well. Half the Borders police force to arrest one female teacher. And they all got from Rochdale to Gretna and back again within a school day, with a marriage ceremony inbetween. EastEnders-style sloppy writing, there. And I assume that dreary Home Ec teacher's nascent writing career has been referred to before, otherwise it's just a bit stupid.

Still, the ratings are impressive, and it's loved by its fans, who manipulate awards shows to make sure it wins. One thing that strikes me is that it's so undemanding and sensational that you'd think it's the sort of programme ITV could shit out every week, yet it's on BBC1. It's by the Bad Girls people too so why ITV don't show this kind of solid ratings banker I find bizarre.

[Baby Woodrose]

grief-vampires

:-)

The Hotel Inspector and Country House Rescue and that sort of toot.

[Boycey]

After being a staunch anti-reality TV show person (bar one or two exceptions) I got sucked into watching the US Survivor. I could blame it on the OH and say I just watch it for her, but that wold be a lie. They pick the casts well (there are people with 'personality' but they seem to avoid just going for the whacky ones and find a good dynamic) and the show really does work as an examination of human nature. Even the game show aspects (challenges etc.) are kept to a minimum and the keep the premise pretty basic.

The same goes for The Amazing Race as well

God help me, I'm sticking up for reality TV shows

(And going by his avatar, I'd wager Ja'Moke is also a Survivor fan...)

[HAYRDRYAH]

The same goes for The Amazing Race as well

Is that about white people

[Johnny Townmouse]

Is that about white people

chortle

[CaledonianGonzo]

Cookery programmes, especially ones that involve some sort of travelogue element.  Of course, Keith Floyd was the king of such fayre, but even watching Rick Stein twatting around Sardinia reciting Homer and munching on sea urchins is the televisual equivalent of a soothing evening cuppa.

Hell - I'll even watch Nigella.

[doppelkorn]

Caledonian Gonzo, I think we'd get on really well locked in a room with Sky.

I used to love Good Food Live (and Good Food Bites) presented by the outrageous Jenni Barnet who was a woman of a certain age who just flirted with the guest chefs like Brian Turner, Gino D'Acampo and the Tanner Brothers. It was basically Saturday Kitchen but the chemistry was hot, hot, hot! I'm sure they all fucked her brains out once the cameras stopped rolling at 1. Saucy minx!

They replaced it with the insipid Market Kitchen.

[Bob The Skutter]

I used to be obsessed with Lovejoy. I had a painting of him that a friend's mum did for me, as well as the Ian McShane album (on cassette and vinyl) and loads of Jonathan Gash's Lovejoy novels. I hated Eric Catchpole so much; just thinking about him now makes my blood boil. The series ended on such a sad note too, with Lovejoy being whisked away in a helicopter by hoodlums whilst the lovely Charlotte was waiting for him at the altar. *sighs*

I discovered Lovejoy a few years ago via ITV3 repeats when I really should have been studying for my finals. Became mildly obsessed with it for a while. It's got such a nice jolly atmosphere to it and is really entertaining. I loved any episode with Lovejoy duelling with that rascal Charlie Gimlet. I don't know why but it's the kind of show that seems desperately unfashionable to like. Maybe it's the east anglia overt white englishness of it combined with the BBC sunday teatime slot it aired in originally.

Another thing, It's very weird hearing Phyllis Logan's actual west of scotland accent after watching her so much as Lady Jane.

[Jemble Fred]

By the way, what's wrong with Eric? It's years since I saw the show, but I just remember him being 'the dull one' out of the gang.

[Serge]

True fact: Chris Jury (who played Eric) was on the 'fake shortlist' to play the Seventh Doctor. They'd pretty much decided to give the job to Sylvester McCoy, but had to go through the procedure of auditioning several actors, one of whom was apparently Jury.

I remember that I used to quite enjoy 'Lovejoy', but after 'Deadwood', I wouldn't be able to watch it without imagining that McShane is about to call someone a motherless cunt. The books are meant to be much harder, apparently, though I've never read one.

[Jemble Fred]

True fact: Chris Jury (who played Eric) was on the 'fake shortlist' to play the Seventh Doctor. They'd pretty much decided to give the job to Sylvester McCoy, but had to go through the procedure of auditioning several actors, one of whom was apparently Jury.

Chris Jury Fact Day Celebration No. 2: He's now into DVD Production, and I met him backstage at the Hammersmith Apollo when he was preparing to direct/produce the I'm Sorry I Haven't a Clue DVD. And yes, I did want to shout "HELLO, ERIC! WHERE'S TINKER? NAHAHAHAHAA!"

[Ja'moke]

After being a staunch anti-reality TV show person (bar one or two exceptions) I got sucked into watching the US Survivor. I could blame it on the OH and say I just watch it for her, but that wold be a lie. They pick the casts well (there are people with 'personality' but they seem to avoid just going for the whacky ones and find a good dynamic) and the show really does work as an examination of human nature. Even the game show aspects (challenges etc.) are kept to a minimum and the keep the premise pretty basic.

The same goes for The Amazing Race as well

God help me, I'm sticking up for reality TV shows

(And going by his avatar, I'd wager Ja'Moke is also a Survivor fan...)

YES! Finally another verbwhore that watches Survivor. I don't know if two fans warrants a Survivor thread though.

Survivor is my all time favourite reality show, and it certainly isn't a guilty pleasure. It's not trashy like a lot of reality-tv, as you say, the casts are usually made up of fairly down-to-earth, semi-intelligent people, with perhaps just the odd deluded one thrown in for good measure (I'm looking at Phillip from this current season). Its also very well produced, the editing is often inspired, just look at this bit from the most recent episode:

Survivor: Redemption Island - Episode 8 - Part 1/3 [dcdice] (9 minutes in)

That cracked me up the first time I saw it.

One big selling point for Survivor above many other reality-gameshows is the change of location every season (or every two seasons now), some of the places they've been to are beautiful to look at on screen, the one that springs to mind is the Cook Islands. And then of course there is the strategic element, and how different people approach the game, the biggest contrast of gameplay this season can be seen when you compare Boston Rob to Matt. It's that strategic element which makes Survivor the most compelling reality-gameshow because each season people will play a different way, unlike The Amazing Race (which was great from Season 1 - 7) which is the same thing year after year.

Who you tipping to win this season Boycey?

[Famous Mortimer]

I follow Survivor through The Soup, so I just wondered, does the show mention what sort of federal agent the "former federal agent" actually was?

[Ja'moke]

I follow Survivor through The Soup, so I just wondered, does the show mention what sort of federal agent the "former federal agent" actually was?

Ha. Nobody actually knows, and the show continues to take the mick by putting a question mark after "Former Federal Agent":



He mentioned during one Tribal Council that he did field sanitation, I'm not sure what kind of Federal Agency covers that!

[danyulx]

To Catch a Predator.

Whilst knowing too well it's the most inexcusable, morally indefensible piece of dogshit ever broadcast, TV as its very lowest and horrible, and I'd fully support the whole production crew being blacklisted, or even murdered.. I'll admit I've had a few nights here and there on Youtube - always pissed to fuck mind you - ploughing through three or more episodes a go, that'll be roughly three hours' worth +, without letup.  Thoroughly entertained, having a great time.. and really wishing I wasn't.

Here's how bad it can get -

Handicapped on to catch a predator

[Boycey]

@Ja'moke & Famous Moritmer: Well, Rob has been playing a blinder of game so far and - even though he has a massive target on him now - has a good chance. Mike perhaps and maybe Matt even though he's far too nice for his own good. Long shots could be Andrea and that fire fighter woman whose name I have forgotten.

As for Philip, sure he'll turn out to be a janitor or something (I presume the question mark added by the crew isn't just there to mock him - I'm thinking they're worried about any legal ramifications of referring to someone as a federal agent when they're not).

Agree with on the points you made - ultimately it's a show where the format focuses on human nature/interaction and doesn't overshadow it with ridiculous tweaks to the rules and the like (the Redemption Island gimmick this season for example - it fundamentally changes the nature of the game but doesn't change the nature of the show). But that's why I like The Amazing Race - it's ultimately about the people even if the format is a bit samey. This season has been good with former racers from previous seasons taking part.

I know they're far from trash TV but I suppose I have an innate dislike of reality TV and everything with that tag so I always approached them with suspicion but , yeah, two examples of how reality TV should be done

[Ja'moke]

I agree that Rob has been playing a blinder, its like Survivor 101 for any wannabe contestant out there. Although, this is the guys fourth time at playing, so you'd expect him to have almost perfected it by now. At the minute I can only see Rob or Andrea winning, based on their edits. Andrea, although she hasn't dominated the edit, has always been given a confessional when her strategy changes, we always hear her reasons for her actions (like this week with Matt), and she hasn't been completely buried as useless like Ashley and Natalie. I don't think any of the Zapetara tribe have a chance, I'm guessing Rob and his zombies will pick them off one by one.

I'm not sure about the Redemption Island twist personally, its certainly not as bad as I was aniticipating, but I don't like the idea that someone could possibly be voted out twice and then still have a shot at winning the game!

Sorry for turning this in to a Survivor thread, I'm just excited that I can talk about the show on CaB, rather than having to navigate my way through the often hilarious but frightening Survivor Sucks board.

[Boycey]

My OH pointed out that Matt did seem to have the wind totally taken out of his sails when he was voted out again and will probably lose the next challenge as he just seems crushed. I still think Mike has a chance but take your point about Andrea - though I always thought the show was well edited enough to wrongfoot you and not make it totally obvious who would stay or go.

And, for those of you with no interest in Survivor, I'd like to nominate Simpsons/Scrubs/Friends as a guilty pleasure. I know that they're not trash but it's the fact that I always watch them even if I have seen an episode hundreds of time. Oh yeah, and CSI which I can't switch off even if the various franchises are formulaic and - frankly - bloody ridiculous.

Oh yeah, 'Estonia's Got Talent' which was won this year by a youngster who can play grass. Seriously.

[holyzombiejesus]

By the way, what's wrong with Eric? It's years since I saw the show, but I just remember him being 'the dull one' out of the gang.

He was just such a klutz, always fucking things up and being utterly stupid. Like in the episode 'Friends In High Places' where the whole episode revolves arounding trying to get back into an eye-scanner safe that will only recognise Eric's; after about 50 minutes he realises he needs to take his new contacty lenses out and the problem is solved. He's such a cunt.

Chris Jury has his own website  http://www.chrisjury.com/    and also contributes to a political philosophy blog.

Ian McShane's dad played in goal for Port Vale, which was probably why I first started watching. There was quite a few football references in the show; McShane used to crowbar in references to manchester united, often replacing props such as mugs and holdalls with united merchandise. One of the directors (I think), however, was a Manchester City fan who got his revenge by naming several charcters and locations after city related things/ people. I'm sure they had a Mr. Vonk in one episode.

Can anyone remember the episode where Lady Jane agrees to let The Hothouse Flowers saty at Felsham Hall and one of the band had to sell his valuable antique harp? Ha ha!

I also think that 'Three Men & A Brittle Lady' is one of the best titles for an episode of a TV show ever.

[djtrees]

I can't stop watching Neighbours. I went through a few months of not watching it when someone shite died a couple of years ago and they wanked on about her for ages. However as with all the best things in life in Errinsborough anything that happened more than 3 weeks ago is forgotten, never to be mentioned again. I have even begun to download the torrents from Australia, so I am in fact living slightly in the future compared to everyone else I know.

[mycroft]

Can anyone remember the episode where Lady Jane agrees to let The Hothouse Flowers saty at Felsham Hall and one of the band had to sell his valuable antique harp? Ha ha!

I remember watching that one during the run of ITV3 repeats and being very confused.

Brilliant show, Lovejoy. Every episode had a fantastic guest cast, and when I was a kid I remember wanting to grow up to be like Tinker Dill (or Norman Clegg, I wanted to be a Sunday evening whimsy, basically).