X Factor anyone?

[Quillan]

[quote user="buelligan"]How depressing.  Perhaps I should have included "discernment" on my list.  Discernment for those choosing to be guided by someone as obviously flawed as Simon Cowell.  For those who seem unable create a society where people care about things that really matter more than the vapid outpourings of television fluffers.  For those deciding how to spend the limited and valuable time they have on this planet.[:(][/quote]

You do make me chuckle, it is only a light entertainment program you know, notice the word entertainment. I think its quite a funny program, up there with the likes of 'Only Fools and Horses' especially with Louie Walsh. I wonder what you would have us watch in our spare time?

As for deciding whats best to do with your time, what are you doing bothering with forums, posting on what you concider to be silly subjects? [:D]

[Celine]

I am certainly not worked by Simon Cowell, but if my attention has been brought to other people's suffering through this medium, then job done. If the life of only one child, one parent/carer, one nurse is made easier through the donations, then I am happy. And actually, Simon is selling me a download single, so I am actually acquiring something tangible too.

I agree, Quillan, if anyone gets in such a tizzy over this subject then it proves he/she is indirectly being manipulated by the Simon machine too.

[Mr Coeur de Lion]

[quote user="Quillan"]

[quote user="buelligan"]How depressing.  Perhaps I should have included "discernment" on my list.  Discernment for those choosing to be guided by someone as obviously flawed as Simon Cowell.  For those who seem unable create a society where people care about things that really matter more than the vapid outpourings of television fluffers.  For those deciding how to spend the limited and valuable time they have on this planet.[:(][/quote]

You do make me chuckle, it is only a light entertainment program you know, notice the word entertainment. I think its quite a funny program, up there with the likes of 'Only Fools and Horses' especially with Louie Walsh. I wonder what you would have us watch in our spare time?

As for deciding whats best to do with your time, what are you doing bothering with forums, posting on what you concider to be silly subjects? [:D]

[/quote]

I think that is very, very harsh on Only Fools and Horses. That was a programme that was created by an extremely talented writer, cast with very talented actors and talented production team.

X Factor is cheap tv and consists of average people having a shot at fame. None of them will ever be greats, just pumping out more average singers like Beyonce, Spears and the like who will be forgotten about in 10 years time. Reflects societies thowaway attitude. The only talent exuding from X factor and its various clones is marketing. It does that extremely well.

It's shows like X Factor that has killed great writing and we have far less sit coms and drama shows on our tvs as a result.

[Clair]

[quote user="Richard"]It's shows like X Factor that has killed great writing and we have far less sit coms and drama shows on our tvs as a result. [/quote]

To my mind, this is a "chicken and egg" question.

[Russethouse]

Lots of writing suddenly becomes great in retrospect, or in the rosy glow of memory......

[buelligan]

Quillan enquired; [quote] I wonder what you would have us watch in our spare time?[/quote]

I wouldn't have you watch anything.  I'd have you listen, think, do, live!

and then asked;[quote]As for deciding whats best to do with your time, what are you doing bothering with forums, posting on what you concider to be silly subjects?[/quote]

As  I wrote several pages ago; [quote](I) choose to use my time on earth interacting with real people...[/quote]  In other words, I consider it reasonably worthwhile to listen to what people think and to let them know what I think. [:D]

[Mr Coeur de Lion]

[quote user="Russethouse"]Lots of writing suddenly becomes great in retrospect, or in the rosy glow of memory......[/quote]

I don't know so much. You could see the quality of sit coms like Only Fools at the time and appreciate them. There were loads on throughout the 70's, 80's and into the 90's which were great to watch then, and are still great to watch now. I think that's what shows great writing, the fact that they live on long after they had originally been broadcast.

In contrast, talent shows are for the now and the now only. They are cheap tv, the "stars" they produce have a very short shelf life and offer absolutely nothing different to what's already out there. They are clones. Look at the spice girls. Not a great deal of talent, but thanks to good marketing they sold heaps of cds. Now they are already pretty much forgotten. No lasting power.

[Russethouse]

[quote user="Richard"][quote user="Russethouse"]Lots of writing suddenly becomes great in retrospect, or in the rosy glow of memory......[/quote]

I don't know so much. You could see the quality of sit coms like Only Fools at the time and appreciate them. There were loads on throughout the 70's, 80's and into the 90's which were great to watch then, and are still great to watch now. I think that's what shows great writing, the fact that they live on long after they had originally been broadcast.

In contrast, talent shows are for the now and the now only. They are cheap tv, the "stars" they produce have a very short shelf life and offer absolutely nothing different to what's already out there. They are clones. Look at the spice girls. Not a great deal of talent, but thanks to good marketing they sold heaps of cds. Now they are already pretty much forgotten. No lasting power.
[/quote]

The Spice girls weren't TV stars were they ?

I'm not sure that my children don't think just as much of  say 'Gavin and Stacey' or Little Britain as we thought of Only Fools etc.....I like Morecombe and Wise but some of their early stuff isn't all great.......In addition its hard to compare shows that had audiences of say 15 - 20 million, because there were so few channels, to shows of today with much smaller audiences

 

[Quillan]

Richard - We look back on the 'sitcom' era now and we all have our favorites but the problem then with sitcoms is as it now with reality shows. Everyone in doing them and too much of the same type of thing gets boring. It did with sitcoms (I mean even John Thaw got in on the act) and it does now with Britain's Got Talent, X Factor, Big brother etc. I remember back then that I wish they would at least put a decent film on or something, even a documentary would have done.

A lot of these 'old' groups come and go then come again, look at Take That as an example. What about Billy Piper, the UK 'version of Britney Spears. She was voted 6th out of the top 100 list of influential on-screen performers, the top woman on the list in 2007 and she is still going strong but in a slightly different career. Hardly forgotten with no lasting power, she used her singing career to move herself in to stage, screen and TV acting.

I can remember getting my first Beatles single and my father saying he couldn't understand the music. In fact he went as far as saying its not music just a blinking row. God knows what he thought when 'heavy metal' hit the scene.

Buelligan - No problem with letting people 'know what you think' provided you are willing to listen to and accept that others have a different point of view to yours, your starting to behave/sound like somebody from the forum who is currently away for a couple of weeks. We are all entitled to our own view and who is to say who is right, only time will tell.

General - The thing is we all get older but in a way we live in the past because that is a memory, we do not know for sure what the future involves or what it will be. I don't believe in climate change being caused by humans, I guess I am in a minority but at the end of the day neither side of that argument really knows, its just best guess based on what you read. It would be nice to be around in 50/100 years time to see what really happens.

As to what we watch on TV, be it the likes of Simon Cowell, well, its up to us. Some of us older people have done a lot with our lives and now its time to sit down with a nice cup of tea, watch a bit of amusing TV and relax.

[Mr Coeur de Lion]

Russethouse - No the spice girls weren't tv stars, I used them as an example of how such a big name is now really out of the limelight, only a few short years after the height of their "powers". I would have used a winner from one of these talent show things, but I don't know any.

Quillan - Billy Piper? I didn't know any of that about her. I just knew her as the Dr's assistant, and I think she was married to Chris Evans for a while too? Apart from that, never seen her do anything else.

Interesting you bring the Beatles up. I can see them still being remembered in 100 years time. I doubt any of todays music will. Perhaps Michael Jackson will too, but people like Brittany Spears will be lost in the midst of time. Thankfully.

[Chancer]

I remember while I was backpacking I found a really good second hand bookshop in Auckland I think, the owner was a real bookworm and liked to pass the time of day chatting to customers, I too had time to kill.

I said to him this may be an inbecile question but I would really like to know, you like most bookshops have a classic section but what is classified as a classic? He said to me it can be anything that has, or will stand the test of time and will still be enjoyed and sought after in many years to come.

He went on to say that books written to meet the poular demand of the moment in his opinion would never become classics and he cited Tom Clancy.

The same can be said of popular music.

I recall discussing with some long standing friends how our musical tastes were poles apart when we were young but with maturity and nostalgia we now enjoy records that were not to our taste 30 years ago, they are all now classics of course which is why they are still being played and were undoubtedly the best of their genre in their day.

I then asked what of todays music (it was afew years ago) will people still enjoy in 25 years, Oasis was the popular suggestion, althouh I guess it would help if one or both of them came to a Rock n roll end!

What of todays TV shows do you think we will look forward to being repeated on Christmas day in 25 years time?

[Quillan]

[quote user="Richard"]

Quillan - Billy Piper? I didn't know any of that about her. I just knew her as the Dr's assistant, and I think she was married to Chris Evans for a while too? Apart from that, never seen her do anything else.

[/quote]

Billy Piper

TV

The Canterbury Tales: The Miller's Tale (BBC One, 2003) - Alison Crosby

Bella and the Boys (BBC Two, 2004) – Bella

Doctor Who (BBC One, 2005-2006, 2008, 2009 - 2010) - Rose Tyler

Shakespeare Re-Told: Much Ado About Nothing (BBC One, 2005) – Hero,

The Ruby in the Smoke (BBC One, 2006) - Sally Lockhart

Mansfield Park (ITV, 2007) - Fanny Price

Secret Diary of a Call Girl (ITV2, 2007-) - Belle De Jour,

The Shadow in the North (BBC One, 2007) - Sally Lockhart

 

Films

 

Evita (1996) – uncredited

The Leading Man (1996) – uncredited

The Calcium Kid (2004) – Angle

Things To Do Before You’re 30 (2005) – Vicky

Spirit Trap (2005) – Jenny

I don't have time at the moment to look at her theatre stuff but the above gives a taste.

[Quillan]

[quote user="Chancer"]

What of todays TV shows do you think we will look forward to being repeated on Christmas day in 25 years time?

[/quote]

For the family I would think......

Dr Who

Star Trek (any of it and its sub series)

Disney films

The Office (even though I hate it)

The Fast Show

Pheonix Nights

Star Wars series

For Adults.........

Shameless

Inspector Morse

Period Drama, any of it. (these are timeless in a way)

I DON'T think we will be watching X Factor unless it is early film of a then current star (well you never know!)

 

[Mr Coeur de Lion]

[quote user="Quillan"][quote user="Chancer"]

What of todays TV shows do you think we will look forward to being repeated on Christmas day in 25 years time?

[/quote]

For the family I would think......

Dr Who

Star Trek (any of it and its sub series)

Disney films

The Office (even though I hate it)

The Fast Show

Pheonix Nights

Star Wars series

For Adults.........

Shameless

Inspector Morse

Period Drama, any of it. (these are timeless in a way)

I DON'T think we will be watching X Factor unless it is early film of a then current star (well you never know!)

 

[/quote]

These old shows highlighted in bold I still watch a lot of, especially Star Trek (if you haven't seen the new Star Trek movie, it's well worth a watch, their casting is excellent too). The new Dr Who is good just to know what's going to happen to him, but the old Dr Who has so much more character about it, wobbly sets, dodgy acting etc. Having said that, I think David Tennant is my favourite Dr out of them all.

Although there is a lot of good new drama that's been on in the past 2 years. Being Human, Survivors (based on the 1970's version), Life on Mars and Ashes to Ashes to name a few. I think these will stand the test of time and shows that good writers are still out there, if only they would be given even more opportunity.

Oh, and as a side note, I recently heard Richard Curtis (writer of the excellent Blackadder, Vicar of Dibley and a stack of romantic Brit comedies) will be writing an episode of Dr Who for the new series. Be interesting to see how that one pans out.

[buelligan]

Quillan wrote;[quote] (buelligan) your starting to behave/sound like somebody from the forum who is currently away for a couple of weeks. [/quote]

I can only assume by this rather veiled remark that you are referring to Dog.  If you are, I shall take it as a compliment.  For what sort of moderator would criticise a forum member when he knows they are absent and unable to defend themselves? 

and also...[quote] No problem with letting people 'know what you think' provided you are willing to listen to and accept that others have a different point of view to yours[/quote]

Absolutely!  Think on't![:D]

[Russethouse]

[quote user="Richard"][quote user="Quillan"][quote user="Chancer"]

What of todays TV shows do you think we will look forward to being repeated on Christmas day in 25 years time?

[/quote]

For the family I would think......

Dr Who

Star Trek (any of it and its sub series)

Disney films

The Office (even though I hate it)

The Fast Show

Pheonix Nights

Star Wars series

For Adults.........

Shameless

Inspector Morse

Period Drama, any of it. (these are timeless in a way)

I DON'T think we will be watching X Factor unless it is early film of a then current star (well you never know!)

 

[/quote]

These old shows highlighted in bold I still watch a lot of, especially Star Trek (if you haven't seen the new Star Trek movie, it's well worth a watch, their casting is excellent too). The new Dr Who is good just to know what's going to happen to him, but the old Dr Who has so much more character about it, wobbly sets, dodgy acting etc. Having said that, I think David Tennant is my favourite Dr out of them all.

Although there is a lot of good new drama that's been on in the past 2 years. Being Human, Survivors (based on the 1970's version), Life on Mars and Ashes to Ashes to name a few. I think these will stand the test of time and shows that good writers are still out there, if only they would be given even more opportunity.

Oh, and as a side note, I recently heard Richard Curtis (writer of the excellent Blackadder, Vicar of Dibley and a stack of romantic Brit comedies) will be writing an episode of Dr Who for the new series. Be interesting to see how that one pans out.




[/quote]

I'd add Spooks and New Tricks

BTW Did you know that the stuning end to Black Adder was only in slow motion because they were a few seconds short so slowed the fim down to fit ?

 

 

[Quillan]

Consider your self complimented then. Its nothing I have not said when he's been around. I don't mind listening to well founded debate but to be bullied because I disagree I will no stand for. Thats why I keep mentioning sticks and carrots, when he uses the carrot I am more inclined to go and investigate something and sometimes it turns up something interesting.

Trouble is you say these things and don't back them up, no point of reference etc so do we take just your word for it or what? When challenged or when one does not agree, just like Dog, you either go 'off on one' or just get personal and nasty and when somebody answers you back in the same tone you cry foul.

[Quillan]

[quote user="Richard"].............., especially Star Trek (if you haven't seen the new Star Trek movie, it's well worth a watch, their casting is excellent too).

[/quote]

I don't want to hear anything about that movie as I have it on order and it should be with me in the next 48 hours. I have a few bottles of my favorite beer and two tubs of caramel Popcorn just waiting for when it gets here. I also have Moon sitting on the side as I want to watch the two back to back.

[quote user="Richard"]The new Dr Who is good just to know what's going to happen to him, but the old Dr Who has so much more character about it, wobbly sets, dodgy acting etc.

[/quote]

Should we add 'Prisoner from Cell Block H', didn't watch much of it but I loved the bad acting, bendy cell bars and only slightly obvious hand painted bricks on the wobbly walls. Could it be classed as a classic?

[quote user="Richard"]Life on Mars and Ashes to Ashes to name a few.

[/quote]

Yes, definitely add them two. I was trying to think of their names when typing my list. If we want to show politically incorrect coppers then you have to add 'The Sweeney'.

Theres bee some excellent British films as well. I watched 'Lock Stock and Two smoking Barrels' (think I got that right?), what an excellent film. I don't have it on DVD but I do have Snatch which is very good. Not to mention 'Essex Boys' (a story loosely based around the three drug dealers shot in a Range Rover in Essex some years back) with that excellent (South) Yorkshire actor Sean Bean.

Just as I went to hit the Post button I thought of 'Prime Suspect' (the first one) and 'Inspector Frost'. If you want a 'feel good' series there is also 'The darling buds of May'.

[Chancer]

I watched 'Lock Stock and Two smoking Barrels' (think I got that right?), what an excellent film. I don't have it on DVD but I do have Snatch which is very good. Not to mention 'Essex Boys' (a story loosely based around the three drug dealers shot in a Range Rover in Essex some years back) with that excellent (South) Yorkshire actor Sean Bean

Yes I enjoyed all those films, I recently watched Lockstock with a French soundtrack and it was equally enjoyable.

I think it was Snatch where I first became aware of, wotsisface that Hollywood actor who played the part of a p1key, I had, and still arent one for the celebs (isnt he whoever he is married to Angelina wotsits?), anyway I digress, I thought that he was a truly amazing actor, because for an American to have perfected that accent must have taken some real hard graft, it wasnt just the accent but the way he comported himself, memorable stuff. Now that I would like to see in France!

[Mr Coeur de Lion]

[quote user="Russethouse"]

I'd add Spooks and New Tricks

BTW Did you know that the stuning end to Black Adder was only in

slow motion because they were a few seconds short so slowed the fim

down to fit ?

 

 

[/quote]

The ending of Blackadder Goes Forth was the best ending to any book,

film, series, or anything, ever! And the way it fades into the poppy

fields was just brilliant.

I'll have to download Spooks, I've been told it's good.

Quillan, Prisoner was a great watch, used to love watching that late on a Thursday night. It had a certain x factor to it.

 

I hope you enjoy the new Star Trek movie Quillan. I'm a big lover of Star Trek, have every series (except Enterprise) and have watched each a dozen times over I reckon. Come back and post what you think.

The Darling Buds of May. What a series that was! Filmed in Pluckley which was about 15 mins from where I lived in Ashford (don't laugh, I know it's a hole). But that was a wonderful series. Jeeves and Wooster another, then Yes Minister (which I watched again the other month, and boy, is it still current, I guess politics doesn't change that much). Red Dwarf, One Foot, Vicar of Dibley. And does anyone remember Clarence? Ronnie Barker in a one of series as a half blind removals chap who ends up settling down in the country with a maid. Set in the 30's I think. Yep, looking back on some of those, x factor doesn't come close.

Sometimes I'm out of my time zone. I'm 38 going on 68! Just love the old stuff.

[Chancer]

Here is on that never goes out of fashion as most of the characters are in a uniform.

FLOWERY TWATS!

Or was it FATTY OWLS?

An absolute classic that my ex French teacher asked me to find videos of as well as Mr Bean, I watched him last night on French TV and enjoyed it although not in the same league but a classic all the same.

[buelligan]

Quillan wrote; [quote]  I don't mind listening to well founded debate but to be bullied because I disagree I will no stand for.

Trouble is you say these things and don't back them up, no point of reference etc so do we take just your word for it or what? When challenged or when one does not agree, just like Dog, you either go 'off on one' or just get personal and nasty and when somebody answers you back in the same tone you cry foul.[/quote]

I invite you to review this thread.  Back up what you have said.[:)]

[Mr Coeur de Lion]

[quote user="Chancer"]

Here is on that never goes out of fashion as most of the characters are in a uniform.

FLOWERY TWATS!

Or was it FATTY OWLS?

An absolute classic that my ex French teacher asked me to find videos of as well as Mr Bean, I watched him last night on French TV and enjoyed it although not in the same league but a classic all the same.

[/quote]

Don't mention the war.....

Classic show, and all the better for doing just 12 episodes. Sometimes shows can go on for far too long. See Only Fools after they became millionaires as an example. Oh and pretty much every American sit com!

[Âme]

[quote user="Chancer"]I think it was Snatch where I first became aware of, wotsisface that Hollywood actor who played the part of a p1key, I had, and still arent one for the celebs (isnt he whoever he is married to Angelina wotsits?), anyway I digress, I thought that he was a truly amazing actor, because for an American to have perfected that accent must have taken some real hard graft, it wasnt just the accent but the way he comported himself, memorable stuff. Now that I would like to see in France![/quote]

I agree, Brad Pitt plays that character very convincingly.

[Celine]

Simon Cowell is talking to Kirsty Wark on Newsnight tonight about his plans to launch an X-Factor style political show before the next general election. Judging by last night's pull of 20 million viewers maybe he can at least get more people to come out of the woodwork and vote by using the medium of television.