Carla Lane
Sep. 14th, 2006 10:49 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
poliphiloCarla Lane was being remembered on TV last night.
She wrote all these bitter-sweet, romantic sit-coms- Butterflies, The Mistress, Bread. She's still alive, I think, but they won't let her back on the box. She's like poor old Benny Hill: her time has passed.
And I was thinking- sheesh, but I watched most of her shows. I even liked them. They were touching, Involving. I'd forgotten all about them until prompted, but I used to really care about her characters.
Back in the 70s, 80s I watched a lot more TV than I do now. It was a family thing. I and whoever I was with at the time would slump down on the settee in the evening and take in all sorts of stuff I wouldn't bother with now- sit-coms, sketch shows, cop shows, dramas. I don't suppose I thought they were particularly wonderful, but watching them was just what one did. I watched Kojak. I watched the Dick Emery Show. Why? Why would anyone want to watch dreck like that?
But there were only two channels, then three. We accepted what was offered, uncritically, in a spirit of gratitude. How nice of those nice people to want to entertain us.
These days I watch much less. And I'm pickier. I still watch rubbish- like Most Haunted- but it's rubbish of my own choosing. And the only thing Ailz and I watch as a couple is America's Next Top Model- and that's simply because it happens to be on at tea-time.
She wrote all these bitter-sweet, romantic sit-coms- Butterflies, The Mistress, Bread. She's still alive, I think, but they won't let her back on the box. She's like poor old Benny Hill: her time has passed.
And I was thinking- sheesh, but I watched most of her shows. I even liked them. They were touching, Involving. I'd forgotten all about them until prompted, but I used to really care about her characters.
Back in the 70s, 80s I watched a lot more TV than I do now. It was a family thing. I and whoever I was with at the time would slump down on the settee in the evening and take in all sorts of stuff I wouldn't bother with now- sit-coms, sketch shows, cop shows, dramas. I don't suppose I thought they were particularly wonderful, but watching them was just what one did. I watched Kojak. I watched the Dick Emery Show. Why? Why would anyone want to watch dreck like that?
But there were only two channels, then three. We accepted what was offered, uncritically, in a spirit of gratitude. How nice of those nice people to want to entertain us.
These days I watch much less. And I'm pickier. I still watch rubbish- like Most Haunted- but it's rubbish of my own choosing. And the only thing Ailz and I watch as a couple is America's Next Top Model- and that's simply because it happens to be on at tea-time.
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no subject
Date: 2006-09-14 11:18 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-09-14 04:12 pm (UTC)I sometimes catch the end of Eggheads. Does anyone ever beat them?
How nice of those nice people to want to entertain us.
Date: 2006-09-14 12:43 pm (UTC)Re: How nice of those nice people to want to entertain us.
Date: 2006-09-14 04:28 pm (UTC)How many do I remember? Too few.
no subject
Date: 2006-09-14 01:11 pm (UTC)didn't watch tv for about 4/5 years i guess, through uni and into my time here. hardly at all. but now i watch stuff- through the net. chosen stuff. LOST, 24, Veronica Mars, BattleStar Galactica, The Wire, Dr. Who, Deadwood, and sometimes Horizon documentaries.
Only really bothered about LOST, though. Deadwood of course, but that's done now. Horizon every now and then is cool too. LOST is boldest thing out there, I feel.
Bread- ha. I remember that. Blonde guy calling everybody 'sunshine'. and Some fat kid. Hmm.
Re: How nice of those nice people to want to entertain us.
Date: 2006-09-14 04:20 pm (UTC)Rome
Dr Who
America's Next Top Model
Sensing Murder
Extras (with Ricky Gervais, which starts its new season tonight.0
What an odd bunch!
no subject
Date: 2006-09-14 02:08 pm (UTC)But with Internet and DVDs, the days of mass viewing are definitely over. Right now, G is away and I'm currently watching the first Danger Man series from the 1960s (forerunner of the far more famous Prisoner.
no subject
Date: 2006-09-14 04:25 pm (UTC)Tonight I'll be tuning in for the start of the new season of Ricky Gervais' Extras. It's one of the very few shows I make an appointment to watch.