I've just finished watching a documentary on BBC Four about the history of science and science fiction programming on British TV over the past 60 years. I don't go back quite that to the beginning of the period in question, but I found I wasn't surprised simply by how many of the programmes I remembered, but how many I remembered fondly. There were successive segments about the Open University 'lecture' programmes which engaged so much of my time in my teens - I had the first TV of my own, a huge, old black and white receiver, bought second-hand, and which took pride of place in my bedroom, for my 14th birthday, and promptly disappeared from view for huge chunks of the next four of five years, watching hour after hour of OU programming on BBC2 - and Blakes 7, easily my favourite sci-fi drama series ever, even if the sets and special effects were legendarily wobbly. Then there were, among numerous others, the 1980's BBC adaptation of The Day of the Triffids (and why, especially in this CGI age, has no-one made a film or television version of The Chrysalids?), Doctor Who (of course, although I can only claim to go back as far as the second 'Doctor', Patrick Troughton), Equinox, Q.E.D., the infeasibly wonderful Hitch-Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy, and, probably my all-time favourite TV series in any genre, Horizon.
Geek, moi? Well....yes, actually!
Love & best wishes to all
Sammy B
Pretty cool post! I love when those types of shows come on - there is one here called "Richmond Memories", produced by the local public station, that has a segment on local TV in the market. Now I only got here in 1980, but I sure was surprised at how many of the people and programs I knew "back in the day".
ReplyDeleteOh, and at my first job in TV in 1978, I ran episodes of Dr. Who. Don't know which Dr. Who this was, but it was a pretty cool show.
Peace <3
Jay
I remember watching loads of films from Shell and other such companies when they were providing a signal for the first colour tv in Britain to be tested out.
ReplyDeleteThose films took teenagers like me into a world we hadn't even known existed.
I'd never seen an oil or gas drilling platform in the North Sea before - I lived in Birmingham afteral!
Hello Jay
ReplyDeleteNostalgia isn't what it used to be! LOL! It is nice, though, sometimes, to be able to look back fondly, and be reminded of people and places, and even TV programmes, you may have forgotten.
Love & best wishes
Sammy B
Hello Micky
ReplyDeleteThey weren't included in last night's programme, but I remember the 'Trade Test Films' you're referring to as well. I saw the North Sea one you mention, and others, especially one about the making of stained glass (great on our first colour TV, of course, which we got when I was about 12), come to mind. Once I graduated from children's programmes, I'd say at least 90% of my TV viewing has been either sport or documentaries.
Love & best wishes
Sammy B
Hi all,
ReplyDeletethere I can not join at all. My father bought his first TV for the soccer World Cup 1966th. There I was 16 years old. At that time there were only three programs that we could receive. Only in the late 70s, then came a few "private programs" as well.
Nikki
Guten Tag Nikki
ReplyDeleteAlthough I was only 6 at the time, I can actually remember watching the 1966 World Cup final, at my aunt & uncle's house, and being very disappointed when one of my favourite cartoons was cancelled to accommodate the extra time being shown! It's interesting how TV programmes, photos, or whatever can dredge these details from your memory!
Love & best wishes
Sammy B