There's a common myth among British TV critics that there's a common myth among British TV viewers that British TV comedies are superior to American ones. In fact, we know perfectly well that The Simpsons, Friends, Frasier, South Park, Seinfeld etc are superior in terms of consistency and longevity to ... Read More...
Television
Last Sunday night's Aurelio Zen mystery (three episodes on BBC1, Sunday 8pm), Vendetta, was remarkably coherent for the genre. The plots of TV thrillers rarely stack up, even in the ninety-minute-plus format spacious enough to accommodate a comprehensive effort. Even the first and most successful of this particular sub-genre, Morse - despite its ... Read More...
In our occasional feature we invite guests to select the six cultural links that might sustain them if, by some mischance, they were forced to spend eternity in a succession of airport departure lounges with only an iPad or similar device for company. Today’s voyager is The Dabbler’s very own correspondent ... Read More...
Channel 4's lavish production of William Boyd's Any Human Heart may have tempted you to buy the novel, though I would question why: it seemed to me to consist of just one damn thing after another, the pace being kept chugging along by a death every ten minutes or so. Despite ... Read More...
Do you find Hollywood films which portray English people as evil upper class tyrants mildly annoying? Well, imagine how it must feel to be German. At any given moment on earth, 98% of all satellite television is made up entirely of evil Nazis (the other 2% is formed from bits ... Read More...
I like watching television, but I think it is an entirely frivolous activity. I don't believe it works as an educational tool (who hasn't had the conversation that goes like this: "Did you see that amazing Attenborough programme last night. It was in ... I've forgotten exactly which country, but ... Read More...
Despite our island nation's belief in ourselves as thoroughly amusing chaps, decent British-made televisual comedy has been a bit thin on the ground recently, so it was with some trepidation that I approached new comedy series The Trip (BBC 2 Mondays 10pm.) In this six part show, comedians Steve Coogan and ... Read More...
The finest programme currently on television is Only Connect. Cunningly scheduled to begin on BBC Four (not 'BBC4', note: being the most growed-up BBC channel, 'Four' is spelled out in full) just as University Challenge finishes on 2, and heralded by a similar diddle-diddle pseudo-classical theme maintaining the mood of ... Read More...
Continuing our 'Birdwatching Wednesday' theme, the other night I came across a documentary on Twitchers on BBC4. I watched it for as long as I could endure, which was about a quarter of an hour. Dear me, what is wrong with these people? They seem to have no intrinsic interest in ... Read More...
Masterchef: The Professionals is reaching its annual climax: it's the semi-finals this week and the finals next. I find it a hugely satisfying piece of television not just because I'm a gourmand. Unlike a number of other reality TV competitions - such as the totally revolting Apprentice - the contestants are ... Read More...
