To expect decent television

feetlebaum....I can remember a time (20 -30 years ago) when I only understood about 1 in four Horizon programmes. I don't think I've got any cleverer, yet now they all seem suitable for Blue Peter!
Decent meaty historical or arts based documentaries are very rare too. I did find a couple of excellent ones hiding away on I player last month. Two well argued 'lectures' on Shakespeare, both were a joy to watch, it was such a treat to find myself properly immersed in a subject listening to someone arguing their viewpoint well.

Say what you really think feetle! Don't hold back

Oh, and fire a good percentage of the executives who stink up the programmes - leave it to the talent to make the decisions!

Several things really grind my gears... those blasted 'continuity announcers' who pipe up as the end music begins on a drama to prattle about some rubbish I'm not the least bit interested in, breaking the mood so skilfully created... it's rude and show contempt for the programme and the viewers, as does that vile habit of zooming out from the cast list, so that you can't see who that actress was you've been waiting almost two hours to identify, and then zooming it back up to size when it has reached the Best Boy and the location caterers. Never mind the comedians, you should hear my invective when that happens.

Then there are the science-oriented programmes... Horizon was good, years ago. Now it's all unnecessary music (I speak as a one-time musician) and fancy camera work. Just tell us the tale, chaps, puh-lease!

I must be too easy to please, I think... cos I like lots of our television programmes and think we are lucky. I agree about too many repeats these days, but always seem to find something enjoyable in the evenings.
Having seen television in some other countries, ours by comparison is excellent!

I do think standards have dropped, having said that I would not relish a new Mary Whitehouse figure! Some comedians started swearing because the shock value seemed to raise a laugh. Now the shock value has long gone. I don't watch shows which feature comedians who swear all the time - I don't use that language and don't see why I should have to listen to it in my own home.

I am anti-censorship but think the people who produce TV shows seem to cater for the lowest denominator and forget that most of us like interesting programmes which educate and entertain. Once a certain type of programme becomes popular the airways are saturated with them, cookery, property, "reality", to name a few.

I find I check whats on in the evening and more often than not end up putting on a DVD

Oh yes - that reminds me of Lady Chatterley's Lover. Not many of us would have thought of reading DH Lawrence in our early teens, but when it was finally released after all the censorship fuss, we devoured the thing.

Australian TV is abysmal - it went down hill when they got loads of new channels - subsidaries of the regular channels. Waste of time! I love good drama, good cop shows, preferably British or Australian, archaeology, science, good comedy such as Qi and Big Bang Theory, news and current affairs. But what we get in spades, is sport ad nauseam, so-called reality shows, Big Brother, freak shows (ie biggest loser) millions of cooking shows, building shows - honestly, it is a good job we have no telly license here or we'd want our money back.

The Whitehouse woman was a horror... obsession is never pretty. She didn't have to watch things she disliked, yet seemed to think she had a right to stop everybody else from watching them. And as is usually the case, her efforts only served to publicise and popularise the things she railed against.

Good for you PRINTMISS. Agree entirely.

It is strange isn't when that some people swear and it does not offend, others make the heckles rise. When I was a child, I was often sworn at, not abused in any way, it was just how we lived. I vowed that I would never swear at my children or indeed not use that sort of language, and I don't, I am not a saint, the words are there, just not spoken. I will not read a book whose first four pages contain the 'F' word, and do not watch TV programmes which I know will offend. I am not going to change the world, just make my corner the way I like it.

I remember Mary Whitehouse when I was younger and thought she was a horror, but over the years my view has changed. Rather than censorship per se, I certainly think standards, or a code of conduct, should be re-written. The arbitrary use of a watershed has lost its effect now that telecommunications have advanced. Many more people view programmes via computer, on demand and from recordings, so children are being exposed to much more than they would be all those years ago.

There are some comedians whose use of swear words doesn't bother me, and others who use swear words to be abusive and issue insults, which I don't like.

I can stand soaps and reality shows,the S.O. loves them,therefore I have to watch them.My pet hate is the comic who laces every second word with an obscenity and thinks it funny.O.k.it might after the watershed and I can switch over but what about the young teenagers who aren't in bed and are watching in their bedrooms.Maybe it is time for another Mary Whitehouse.What do others think?????

Casualty was the only thing for daughter and myself tonight, now hubby is channel hopping, has stopped on Con Air, I wish I had a pound for every time he`s watched that film!

Ana I too have just discovered 4oD and I did watch The Returned earlier tonight, alone in the house too! spooky!
Can't wait for the second part tomorrow night but it clashes with The White Queen. Thank goodness for those back recording thingamys.

I'd forgotten about the Kenneth Branagh version; it was dire. Having missed Broadchurch but then watched it on dvd I think I'll do the same with the Returned, as it was much better watching Broadchurch without the adverts. Hadn't realised The White Queen starts tomorrow. Have been looking forward to that . Haven't read the book so don't have great expectations that might be thwarted. Tonight is so bad I've put on a David Bowie dvd. Still, it's Royal Ascot next week [hurrah].

The White Queen starts tomorrow. I enjoyed the book so am hopeful

Just discovered 4oD - a bit late to watch The Returned tonight, but I might find time to catch up with this before the second instalment tomorrow!

Tegan, I don't like that one either, nor Kenneth Branagh's version!

We barely watch TV , use netflix and watch series instead

Same here. Even Wallander is a repeat [and it's the Wallander with man boobs, not the Wallander I like; not that I've got anything against men with boobs; don't want to be accused of discrimination...]

I agree, merlot - I can't find a single thing I want to watch, although DH has a seemingly endless supply of steam train dvds, so he'll be happy!

Tonight is absolutely dire. I don't like The Voice and DH wants to watch rugby. I might as well go to bed.

I've just loved watching Come Dine With Me. All Brummies, and I was so 'with them'. I hated Birmingham when I grew up there, but in recent years I've come to appreciate the Brummies, their kind hearts and their wonderful black sense of humour.

Still, it was nice seeing Shamley Green again - I used to pop into the Red Lion there for lunch when I worked in Shalford... at one time the village was home to Alfred Hitchcock.

I enjoyed the cats utilising cat-flaps to burgle other cats' dinner left-overs!

In my last garden I had both catnip and catnip. Once they had polished off the catnip by lying on it and nibbling it, my cats and their neighbours did the same to the catmint - they loved the plants so much that they killed them! I believed that they were seriously addicted.