Whatever happened to…

… Saturday night television?

As I sit here and wait for Match of the Day to burst forward at 10:20 tonight, I am distinctly aware of a complete lack of anything remotely interesting to watch on television tonight. The growth of reality television has effectively killed off what was, traditionally, a strong time for family television. Programmes such as the ever reliable Casualty on the Beeb, or films on ITV and Channel 4 have suffered as we are exposed to such television rubbish as Last Choir Standing (who cares?), X Factor (painfully pointless and long lasting – contributing to the demise of the music industry), and tonight, a programme celebrating the good work of the National Lottery. Now I appreciate the good stuff that the lottery does, but as someone who contributes to a television licence, I am more than a little peeved at this taking over an hour of prime-time television.

I find that I am left with the options of NCIS on Channel 5, and what is proving to be the winner of Batman Forever on Channel 4. Neither of which, if I’m honest, particularly inspire me. I have seen Batman many times, and NCIS is just a poor version of the much more popular (and better) CSI franchise.

My question though, is why does reality television still continue to flourish? It is, if we are honest, the lowest denominator of television. Programmes such as the aforementioned Last Choir Standing are less popular than either the X Factor or Strictly Come Dancing, yet they still manage to occupy hours of prime-time. Let us not forget Big Brother either, this television carbuncle still rumbles on ten years after it was initially started as a psychological experiment. At the time, in my opinion, it barely passed as an interesting experiment. Ten years down the line, I wonder how many people really still care. Switching onto E4 last night I was unfortunate enough to catch the last two minutes of BBLB. As I stared blankly at the screen I was unsure whether to be embarassed for the presenters, or embarassed for the people who still tune in. The question which I posed to my sister (to which there was no answer) was “is this entertaining?” I’m assuming the lack of answer was an answer in itself.

What can be done to save television? I know that is a hard question as tastes vary (indeed there are some who still tune into the aforementioned tripe) but there needs to be a swift return to quality programming, with people such as those at the BBC and ITV returning to the idea of making quality programmes, and spending some of the money they make either through the licence payer or through the advertising. Channel 4 is still involved in making some very good films, so why are we not exposed to these films more often?

In short there needs to be someone, somewhere who stands up to the ogre of reality television and fight back, for the sanity of most viewers nationwide. I have heard grumbles about the number of American programmes appearing on our screens from numerous people. My response is that they are better than what we can offer. I feel much happier watching some American dramas as opposed to British reality tv. That’s the way of it. British television sucks. Our television needs reclaiming, for the sake of the nation at large.

When Trash Ruled the World…

So it begins. Summer is finally here. After many weeks of waiting, we need wait no longer. Sorry folks, whilst Wimbledon remains a week away, the television trash that is Big Brother has returned to occupy pretty much all of Channel 4’s programming until August.

Now I really dislike such programmes. This dislike isn’t reserved exclusively for BB, no, I dislike all reality TV. My tastes are suited to something with a bit more…effort. Cheap, easy television is, in my opinion, rubbish. Granted when BB was new, it was a revolutionary concept, an interesting social study into relationships and how people interact. Now the format is old, desperately old. Despite attempts at sprucing it up (making Big Brother more and more insanely evil, or putting in as many freaky people as is possible), the show, to my mind at any rate a sad indication of the nature of our celebrity fuelled culture.

Andy Warhol once proclaimed that everyone should have 15 minutes of fame. However, if we are to believe the television listings, the people in the new house probably get about 18 weeks of initial coverage. And then whatever else they can get, mainly through the pages of weekly gossip magazines.

Take this years batch of specially collected folk. They include a blind man and an albino guy. Is this good television? Really? To me it’s an advanced form of the olden day freak shows. The only difference is there are cameras. Offer me the chance to watch something else (even a BBC Four documentary) and I would snap your hand off to avoid watching BB.

What amazes me though is that it remains so popular. Quite why so many people avidly watch a bunch of nobodies sleeping is beyond my comprehension I’m afraid. There is nothing entertaining about it. It is a group of people. They eat, sleep and s**t. Yet so many people find this fascinating. Why? What is so enthralling about people living in a contained environment and being subjected to various mental trials? If it were guinea pigs, the animal rights protestors would have a field day.

I’m going to stop there, partly because I am annoying myself too much, and partly because I don’t want to bore you. Suffice it to say, I will strive to avoid Channel 4 for the next few months. I just wish more people thought like this, so that the programme could be cancelled due to declining viewing figures. Trouble is, they don’t.