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Alas Sage and Onion – Blackadder’s Christmas Carol – tape 635
Some Christmas cheer on this tape. First, for your delectation is Alas Sage & Onion, a special edition of Mel Smith and Griff Rhys Jones’ sketch show. Almost immediately, the Slatterywatch klaxon...
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Top Secret – The Making of Dances With Wolves – tape 634
First on the tape, Top Secret. Is this film still well known? I loved it at the time, and it still holds up perfectly – its period setting meaning it hasn’t dated. And it’s just bursting with inventive...
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The Changes – tape 1895
Good old UK Gold – it was a treasure trove of classic telefantasy in the 90s, and here’s one example. The Changes was based on a series of books by Peter Dickinson – The Weathermonger, Heartsease and...
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Have I Got News For You – Seinfeld – tape 1893
First on this tape, and episode of Have I Got News For You from April 1994, featuring guests Jonathan Ross and Eddie Izzard. Amusingly, there are several comments about how Jonathan Ross must be unused...
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Favourite Films – Have I Got News for You – Australian Grand Prix – The Full...
First on this tape, Martin Scorsese talks about his Favourite Films. Among the films he talks about are Duel in the Sun, Land of the Pharoahs, East of Eden, Citizen Kane, Tales of Hoffman and The Red...
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The Business – Bill Gates – tape 1826
This tape opens with the end of a western, Best of the Badmen. There’s a trailer for Wooldridge on Whisky. Also for True Brits – The Pioneer’s Story. Then, the first episode of The Business, with The...
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The British Comedy Awards 1994 – The Full Wax – tape 1864
Straight into the comedy awards on this tape, with an intro featuring Philip Schofield going from the studio where he’s just finished presenting his own live show, and takes the camera to the studio...
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The Front Page – tape 629
The Front Page is a story which has been adapted a fair number of times, perhaps most notably in His Girl Friday where Howard Hawks cast Rosalind Russell in one of the lead roles, a role originally...
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The X Files – tape 1866
Straight into The X Files, on BBC2. A father is found dead on his garden swing with two puncture wounds on his neck. Naturally, Mulder talks about cattle mutilations. This episode is called Eve. BBC...
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Cracker – tape 1863
The first thing on this tape is Cracker, with the episode The Big Crunch part 2. It has a hefty cast, including Samantha Morton as a young girl who (I think) has escaped from captivity at the start of...
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The Vicar of Dibley – tape 1865
After the fraught psychodrama of Cracker, here’s a slightly lighter tape, with some Vicar of Dibley, plus a few other bits and pieces. Off to Dibley for the first programme. After the intrigue of...
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Drop the Dead Donkey – Bakersfield PD – tape 1868
First programme on this tape is Drop The Dead Donkey. Monday December 5th, so I’m assuming 1994. Henry’s house is uninhabitable because of a water leak, so he’s forced to stay with Gus in his lonely...
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Ellen – tape 1869
Some more episodes of Ellen DeGeneres’ sitcom Ellen. One thing to notice is that in the titles, they end up outside, with a standard lamp next to them (see above) – just like the titles for Friends....
View ArticleA Fish Called Wanda – Lethal Weapon 3 – tape 1870
First on the tape is a Sky Movies presentation of A Fish Called Wanda, a film I’ve looked at on a previous tape. I’ve nothing really to add here. Following this, another Movie Channel presentation,...
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White Men Can’t Jump – Cliffhanger – tape 1867
First, another Movie Channel presentation, of Ron Shelton’s White Men Can’t Jump. An amiable enough story of a couple of basketball hustlers, Wesley Snipes and Woody Harrelson, trying to get by in Los...
View ArticleCracker – tape 1842
Straight into the first episode on this tape, Cracker, To Be A Somebody, one of the most memorable stories of the series. It’s the first episode of the new series. This is possibly the most memorable...
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Doomwatch – tape 1844
Let’s go back to the 70s to see what the future’s going to be like, with another episode of Doomwatch. Before the first episode, there’s the end of an episode of The Onedin Line. Onedin’s wife wants to...
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Doomwatch – tape 1862
First on this tape, more from the Doomwatch team, with Waiting for a Knighthood by Terence Dudley. A priest collapses with acute lead poisoning, but it’s unclear from where he could have got it. John...
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LA Law – tape 1845
Straight into an episode of LA Law – the start of the show was cut off. Interesting credit spot – Creative Consultant Paul Haggis. This is recorded from Sky One, and is late-vintage LA Law, sorely...
View ArticleThe Simpsons – tape 1847
Here’s a packed tape, with loads of episodes of The Simpsons, and not much else: Lisa’s Rival Itchy & Scratchy Land Treehouse Of Horror II Treehouse Of Horror V Sideshow Bob Roberts Lisa On Ice...
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White Goods – tape 1828
After a few tapes of commonplace US TV, here’s something a bit different. White Goods is a Lenny Henry vehicle, written by Al Hunter-Ashton and directed by Robert Young (who directed GBH). Ian McShane...
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Don’t Forget Your Toothbrush – tape 1833
A slight presentation glitch starts this tape of Don’t Forget Your Toothbrush. But at least that ties the broadcast date to 23rd April 1994. This episode comes from the Teddington Studios, as seen...
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Moonlighting – tape 1840
A rare visit to the Family Channel for this tape, and an episode of Moonlighting. The first episode is Brother Can You Spare A Blonde? It starts with a Miami Vice-style drugs bust, but when the dealer...
View ArticleClive Anderson Talks Back – Knowing Me Knowing You – LA Law – tape 1837
First on this tape, another Sky One episode of LA Law. It’s Cold Cuts (1L12). Then there’s an episode of Clive Anderson Talks Back. Guests on the programme are Patrick Moore John Prescott and Griff...
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Chef! – tape 1838
First on this tape, Chef! by Peter Tilbury. In Do The Right Thing Gareth is visited by health and safety, and is concerned about the provenance of some partridges. Is it heresy to say that I don’t...
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Beauty and the Beast – tape 594
Long ago in the mists of time, there was a programme produced by George R R Martin where he didn’t kill off your favourite characters all the time. It’s beauty and the Beast, with Terminator’s Linda...
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Moonlighting – tape 1836
Back to the Family Channel for more with Maddie and David and the Blue Moon Detective Agency. First, there’s a bumber trailer for all the great programmes on the channel. Then, an episode of...
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Bakersfield PD – tape 1839
Over to Channel 4 for Bakersfield PD, starring Giancarlo Esposito off of Breaking Bad. This is the first episode of the series, and explains why Esposito’s character is working in Bakersfield – his son...
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Four Hours of Vic and Bob – tape 1830
It’s Christmas on BBC2. After a brief trailer for Lovejoy, we have At Home with Vic & Bob, a night of programmes chosen by Vic Reeves and Bob Mortimer. Here’s the opening, and introduction to the...
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French and Saunders – Friday Night Live – tape 501
Back in time (in tape terms) for this one, as we have a tape from 1988. There’s the end of Gardener’s World, and a trailer for Lucky Sunil at the start of the tape. Then, an episode of the second...
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Whose Line is it Anyway – The Last Resort – tape 623
First on this tape, a compilation episode of Whose Line is it Anyway. Then we have The Last Resort. First guest is the actor Keith Allen, continuing his interview from the previous week’s episode...
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