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Things you learn from Watching TV (light hearted)

(41 Posts)
62Granny Tue 09-Jun-26 20:42:05

Just watching Spring Watch (Tues), I never realised a whirligig was actually a real thing, I always thought it was an old fashioned word for a fairground ride.
Anybody else learnt something from the TV.

pennyg Thu 18-Jun-26 21:03:54

Mollygo learned how to remove gloves by watching The Sullivans, I learned how to fold paired socks from Dot Cotton in the launderette!

Chocolatelovinggran Mon 15-Jun-26 17:25:35

Mary Beard, too, NotSpaghetti, but she usually covers a different period in time.

NotSpaghetti Mon 15-Jun-26 16:14:44

I prefer Mary Beard to Lucy Worsley who my husband and I both find pretty annoying. Her TV seems rather thin.
I have found out a lot via Mary Beard though.

Cossy Mon 15-Jun-26 15:13:30

Marydoll

62Granny

Just watching Spring Watch (Tues), I never realised a whirligig was actually a real thing, I always thought it was an old fashioned word for a fairground ride.
Anybody else learnt something from the TV.

We call rotary dryers, whirligigs here. I have never heard it called anything else, well apart from the shortened version, whirlie, which is the usual term.

Is too. It’s the only thing I’ve ever called a whirligig

Chocolatelovinggran Mon 15-Jun-26 15:05:30

I'm another Lucy Worsley fan, too, Seabreeze, and I have had to rethink some of the history which I learned years ago, in the light of her excellent analyses.

Seabreeze Mon 15-Jun-26 14:33:39

Lucy Worsley does some very informative historical programmes. She makes it fun too.

Grandma70s Sun 14-Jun-26 21:52:36

I learn a lot from programmes like University Challenge and nature programmes. I’m especially keen on history programmes, because although I passed O-level history many years ago, I feel I was badly taught, and anyway there isn’t time to cover much history at school.

BoggledMind Sun 14-Jun-26 21:23:29

@Wyllow3 😁

Wyllow3 Sun 14-Jun-26 21:19:56

BoggledMind

In Death In Paradise, Saint Marie appears to have the most efficient and successful police force in the world. Four cops and a Commissioner have a 100% crime solving rate between them, and manage to keep the communities safe.

I want to move there.

I worked it out, one murder per episode for 16 series plus 15 Christmas specials = 143 murders over 16 years on a Caribbean Island. Approx 8.9 each year.

I hope the .9 are OK now.

WithNobsOnIt Sun 14-Jun-26 21:09:04

I thought a. Whirligig was some kind of cheap, children's chocolate bar.

AskAlice Sun 14-Jun-26 20:15:17

We had my DGS1 over the weekend and last night and this afternoon he watched Pointless and Tipping Point with us, just for a change from his XBox. He really enjoyed it, got a Pointless answer and was really enthusiastic about trying to answer the questions He'll be 10 in a couple of week's time.

What we learnt was that the younger generation can still enjoy doing something different, are not all social media-zombies and can bring something special to our lives - although not sure it will be the same when he turns into "Kevin the Teenager" in a few year's time!

Mollygo Sun 14-Jun-26 20:05:20

BoggledMind

In Death In Paradise, Saint Marie appears to have the most efficient and successful police force in the world. Four cops and a Commissioner have a 100% crime solving rate between them, and manage to keep the communities safe.

I want to move there.

I agree, but the downside is that like Saint Mary Mead and Miss Marple, there’s an awful lot of murders.

BoggledMind Sun 14-Jun-26 19:42:22

In Death In Paradise, Saint Marie appears to have the most efficient and successful police force in the world. Four cops and a Commissioner have a 100% crime solving rate between them, and manage to keep the communities safe.

I want to move there.

Alison333 Sun 14-Jun-26 18:06:18

In Eastenders, nobody seems to have a washing machine. Instead they get service washes from the launderette.

Alison333 Sun 14-Jun-26 17:40:24

Maggiemaybe

Whoops, posted too soon!

…And even on minimum wage, everyone can afford to eat breakfast in the caff, lunch in the pub and dinner in the bistro most days.

Yes, it's quite extraordinary, isn't it!

NotSpaghetti Sun 14-Jun-26 17:03:26

I'm afraid I'm another who doesn’t like the presenters on Springwatch.

But I've also discovered how happy I am to watch some rubbish (remember Ice Road Truckers anyone ?) but hostile to others (such as the X Factor or Married at First Sight).
grin

NotSpaghetti Sun 14-Jun-26 16:57:53

I also found the Michael Portillo programmes interesting.
Lots of things/ places/events etc looked ip later.

I also found out lots of things about the Roman Empire from TV - though I loathe all the reconstructions where they have actors dressed up!

missdeke Sun 14-Jun-26 16:54:34

Silverlady333

missdeke is it because you are not comfortable watching Chris Packam? He is neurodiverse. He actually gives me hope for my little granddaughgter who is also neurodiverse. She adores animals of any kind and loves going to the zoo. She knows all the names of the dinosaurs too from books and watching 'Walking with dinosaaurs'.

No not Chris Packham, I know he is neurodiverse, and he's done done a lot for Wildlife. It's Michaela Strachan and Iolo Williams I find particularly irritating, Having been brought up with presenters like David Attenborough and now Hamza Yassin who make it all so interesting I just find the others irritating and non professional, just my opinion though.

suelld Sun 14-Jun-26 16:48:41

BoggledMind

'Light-hearted'. Okay....

I began to think that John Nettles was in fact the suspicious one. Midsomer Murders: look how many murders occured in the area. Bergerac: murders were common.

Just saying.

🤣🤣🤣 That’d certainly be a twist no one was expecting. Now I’ll be waiting for the next MM with that fixed in my mind!!!

Wyllow3 Sun 14-Jun-26 16:13:38

since we are going lighthearted ..

Ciao! Prego....

Guess which Italian Detective I am obsessed with...

and the ever essential

Dov'è il bagno?

Silverlady333 Sun 14-Jun-26 16:13:02

missdeke is it because you are not comfortable watching Chris Packam? He is neurodiverse. He actually gives me hope for my little granddaughgter who is also neurodiverse. She adores animals of any kind and loves going to the zoo. She knows all the names of the dinosaurs too from books and watching 'Walking with dinosaaurs'.

crazyH Sun 14-Jun-26 16:04:07

I learn a lot from my addiction - quiz shows and wild-life documentaries

Babamaman Sun 14-Jun-26 15:58:09

I’ve discovered Michael Portillo’s railway journeys?
Weird yes
But interesting yes
First started with his Japanese tour? Just so happened when my daughter and family were visiting Japan! I followed her journey. Whilst watching his programme I learnt so much and as I will never be able to afford to go to any of the places he visits. It’s a beautiful way to learn about countries. Last episodes he toured Portugal & Madeira. So beautiful.

missdeke Sun 14-Jun-26 15:10:35

I don't watch Springwatch, I find the presenters irritating, although the subject matter is wonderful. Were they talking about Whirligig beetles or is it something else? I believe the beetles were named after the toy.

specki4eyes Sun 14-Jun-26 13:42:50

I've learned from watching the new Deal or No Deal that Steven Mulhern is arguably the best game show host since dear Bruce Forsyth graced our screens. He is truly empathetic, funny, efficient, kind and sweet natured and I hope he gets to the top in his TV career.