New Doctor, New Set Of Moaning Geeks…

Well, the excitement in Doctor Who-land didn’t last long, did it? The first pictures of the 11th Doctor Matt Smith and his new assistant Amy Pond (played by ‘wee’ Scots actress Karen Gillan) were published all over the British press this week as filming of the next series began in Cardiff. But there’s already a […]

Terrorvision

All that’s missing from this picture is a little table with tea and HobNobs.

A Mammoth Load Of Rubbish

The Elephant Princess. Seriously, just how unrealistic can a children’s television programme get? I’ve no problem with the basic premise: that this young, suburban Australian lass, Alexandra Wilson, who’s in a band and dreams of rock stardom, suddenly discovers that she’s Princess of this mystical kingdom called Manjipoor when she’s visited by this lad called […]

Who Says The 1980s Weren’t Stylish?

The second series of Ashes To Ashes began last Monday night on BBC1. It’s by no means as great as its predecessor, Life On Mars, but it’s a lot of fun nonetheless; Gene Hunt (Philip Glenister) is still the finest current comic creation on TV. Anyway, this isn’t a TV review, it’s about the clothes. […]

Ham Acting Is The Least Of It…

Just how much humiliation can one band inflict upon itself?

Pat Kenny, Again

Another example of why the Late Late continues to be essential viewing.

Masterchef – It’s Final Week

“Pointing out the obvious in clichéd soundbites DOESN’T get hammier than this..!” An army marches on its stomach (and apparently plays hide-and-seek behind the heather too), especially a Scots one, but that’s no excuse for putting the three finalists in charge of their dinner in the open air of the Scottish Highlands, on Masterchef (BBC2) last night. As […]

American… Wonder Pests

“The phone/ The phone is ring-ing.” What the hell has happened to Wonder Pets? Or, more specifically, the UK version? Any parent who spends their mornings, afternoons and evenings being blasted by the unremitting fire cannon of kaleidoscopic, hyperactive, cacophonous, epileptic programming on Nick Jr knows what an oasis of calm and cuteness Wonder Pets […]

Thatchers’ Sitcom Just Gets Sillier

It had to happen, really; her mother is one of the most despised politicians in British history, her father was a much-lampooned, anti-socialist businessman and her brother is a former rally driver, senza sense of direction, who was involved in an alleged coup plot in Equatorial Guinea. It was only a matter of time before Carol was making controversial […]

Tony Hart 1925 – 2009

Another founding stone of my love for television passed away last weekend. Tony Hart, gentleman, artist and one of the most pristine, softly-spoken examples to children’s TV presenters the world over, has left us at the age of 83. I first fell under the spell of this wonderful man in the 1970s, on the slightly bizarre children’s arts programme, Vision On; […]