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My Favourite TV Shows.

I am not sure where I will start with Best TV Shows? I will start by saying not for the first time while doing lists of my favourite things, I will “cheat!" That is in so much as I am going to choose from all types of shows. This can be, comedy, drama, quiz's, sports and so on. Just any TV shows I have liked over the years.

     In later years I would say I watch very little TV, with saying that, it is mainly because I spend a lot of time on the computer, mainly writing. Anne and I record things and watch together. I watch sports, mainly football and some films, but nothing like I did over the years.

    We had a telly when I was young, I was born in 1952 and there was BBC 1, ITV, all in black and white. Children’s programmes were on from about 4/00pm to 6/00pm and then 5 minutes “news.” I can only say, I think we are totally flooded with so called, “news” theses days. I remember the BBC news at 6 saying, “there is no news today.” Then showing a Goldfish swimming around or the Potters Wheel for the next 5 minutes!  

    Like all of “my lists,” I mainly come up with things as time goes on and as I remember things. As always these are in no order, just as they, “come to mind.” Like the songs where I wrote some lines and what I thought it was about and the films where we had the “best scene,” I will come up with something and of course explain what it is about.

       Shall we commence?       

1.   Star Trek – The Next Generation.

                                                                 


While I did watch the first Star Trek on and off in the 1960’s and 70’s, I really got into this when it first came out in 1987, as I used to watch it with the children. It ran for 7 series (or seasons as they say in the US) from 1987 until 1994. There have also been many films of TNG.

     There were some very good story lines and of course some very good actors in it, here are a few. Patrick Stewart (we have seen him twice on stage, a really good actor) Jean-Luc; Marina Sirtis – Deanna; Jonathan Frakes – Riker; Brent Spiner – Data; Gates McFadden – Dr Beverly; LaVar Burton – Geordi; Michael Dorn – Worf. Who is my favourite character? Its between Data and Worf, I am going for Worf as not only is it a great character but it is played so well by Michael. 

     Best episode: With around 175 to choose from it is not easy as there were so many outstanding ones.

I am going for, Conundrum, series 5 episode 14 the 114th overall. All of the crew forget who they are when an alien takes over the ship. There have also been some very good other Star Trek series.


 2.   M*A*S*H – 1972 – 1983.


                                                                                            M*A*S*H.   


This is a story of a group of doctors and other staff members stationed at a army hospital in South Korea in a very funny, but of course at times a very sad series set in the Korean War, which run from 1950 To 1953. The series came from a book and film and run for 11 series and also had a hit song which was the theme tune, ‘Suicide is Painless.’

     Another with some very good actors in it, Alan Alder – Hawkeye; Gary Burghoff – Rader; Loretta Swit – Hot Lips Houlihan:

    Best episode: For me is was the 72nd and last of series 3, “Abyssinia Henry.” The camp Colonel, Henry Blake was at the end of his tour of duty and left at the end by helicopter to get his plane home, it was shot down and he died. They then showed lots of clips of him, it was very sad. There was a big outcry in the US about that and the program makers had to promise they would not kill off any more of the main characters.

     The term MASH stands for, Mobile Army Surgical Hospital.


3. Who Wants to Be a Millionaire.

                                                                                                                                                       


When it first came out I watched it all the time, I do like quiz shows. My best episode: This was when Judith Keppel became the first person to win the million pounds in the UK. I like Judith, and of course she is in anther program I like a lot, Eggheads, I will come to that later, she has been on that since 2003.

   There was a very good TV play about Charles Ingram the ex-army major who was meant to have fraudulently won the million. A chap was meant to be coughing in the audience the number which was the correct answer. He was found guilty in court.  

    I like the way the show is put together and the idea of the “lifelines.,” and the four "multiple choices." Of course, it has changed since Covid and now (November 2021) and has a new hoist also. There is no "ask the audience," as there is no audience. They now have, two phone a friends, one 50/50, and ask the hoist who at the moment is Jeremy Clackson, who took over from Chris Tarrant. 


4.  6 – 5 Special. 1957 – 1958.

                                                                                 


I have put this and the next one in as these are some of my earliest memories of television. This program was the BBC’s first attempt at a rock-and-roll TV show. The name came from the time the show went out at 6/05 on a Saturday evening, that was after the news which was on at 6/00 for 5 minutes, there are times I wish we could go back to that, “real news!” I digress. It had the stars of the day on there like, Lonnie Donegan, Dickie Valentine, Petula Clark and many more. The hosts were Josephine Douglas, Pete Murry and Jim Dale.

    It started with a train coming down the track and the theme song, ‘6-5 Special’ playing. Myself and my two older sisters Linda and Jean would all dance to it. It run from 1957 to 1958 for 96 episodes. Doing the research on this has brought a lot of good memories, bearing in mind I was only 4 years 5 months old when it started in February 57.

 5.  Tokyo Olympics – 1964.                                                                  

The reason I have put this in is similar to the one above. While it was over 6 years later it was the first time I had ever seen television in the morning because in the UK we were 9 hours behind Tokyo and I used to watch it before going to school, I have also always liked all sports.

     It was the XVIII Olympics, it was held from 10th until the 24th October, and was the first games to be held in Asia. I loved the theme tune which was could ‘Tokyo Melody’ have a listen if you have never heard it before or for a long time.

     We can’t leave this one without mentioning some of the British medallists: Lyn Davies – gold, men’s long jump, Ken Matthews – gold, 20 km walk, Paul Nihill – silver, 50km walk, John Cooper – silver, 400 m hurdles, Maurice Herriot – silver, 3000 m steeplechase, Basil Heatley – silver, marathon, mans 4 x 400 m relay silver, Ann Packer – gold and silver, 800 m and 400 m, bronze women’s 4 x 100 m, Mary Rand – gold and silver, long jump and pentathlon.


6. Only Fools and Horses – 1983 – 2003.

                                                                               


This is a much-loved comedy starring, Dave Jason – Del Boy; Nicholas Lyndhurst – Rodney/Dave; Roger Lloyd Pack – Trigger; John Challis – Boycie; (we saw John at Tottenham a few times) Paul Barber – Denzil; just to name a few. I think most people know what the show is about, two brothers who make their way in life, any way they can!

    Some really good actors in the show. It was written by John Sullivan who also sang the two theme songs that went with it, “Only Fools and Horses” and “Hooky Street.” Where does a person start with looking for a best episode as there were so many? First off, I am going to chuck a couple of scenes in: Del Boy falling through the bar and the Batman scene.

     Best show: I have to go for the one at the end when they find “The Lesser Watch” that makes them millionaires. 


        

7. Auf Wiedersehen Pet – 1983 – 1986.

                                                                 

                                                                                     


This was about 7 men from Britain who went to work in the construction industry in West Germany because of the unemployment in the UK. I didn’t it when it first came out mainly because I was working overseas, but I caught up with them later.

    The men forge a friendship with each other and we see their trials and tribulations. I think it is very funny at times and because of being in the industry myself, I can relate to it a lot.

    Four series where made for ITV, then the BBC made some later on. There were some very good actors in it, one could say it made some of them into stars. Jimmy Nail – Oz, Tim Healy – Dennis, Kevin Whately – Neville, Timothy Spall – Barry, Pat Roach – Bomber, Christopher Fairbank – Albert, Gary Holton – Wayne.

Best episode: Oz went to see an English football team play in Germany and got very drunk and woke up on the plane back to England.


 8. Goodnight Sweetheart – 1993 – 2016.

                                                                                 

  

A series I enjoyed very much, I like time travelling and science fiction stories/films. It starred Nicholas Lyndhurst as Gary Sparrow, Victor McGuire who played his friend Ron Wheatcroft.

    Gary lives in London in the 1990's with his wife Yvonne (Emma Amos, they was also another Yvonne Sparrow, Michelle Holmes) but after discovering a time portal he finds he can go back to the 1940’s, to the same area, at the time of WWII. As he travels back and froth between the two periods, he meets another woman in the 1940’s era and begins to lead a double life. Only his best friend Ron knows about Gary’s dual life, and tries to help him along the way whenever the time traveller struggles between his two worlds.

    Best episode: As always there are lots of good ones, but I am going for the first one, ‘Rites of Passage.’ As a TV repairman Gary is in the east end of London when he walks into the time portal. He goes into a pub, The Royal Oak and thinks it’s a thematic pub, he realises he is in the past when there is a air raid. 

                                              

 9. Gavin & Stacey – 2007 – 2010.

                                                                                   


I thought this was a very good program and enjoyed it very much. It started on BBC 3 in 2007 and run for three series totalling twenty episodes.

      It starred Matthew Horne (Gavin Shipman) Joanna Page (Stacey Shipman nee West), it is also worth pointing out now that those two surnames along with Gavin’s neighbour the Sutcliff’s are that of three serial killers. Other stars James Corden (Neil “Smithy” Smith) who is Gavin’s oldest and best friend, who is jealous of Gavin and Stacey’s relationship. Ruth Jones (Nessa Jenkins) who is Stacey’s best friend and does have a baby with Smithy. Jones and Corden wrote the series together. 

      Other stars, Larry Lamb, Gavin’s dad, Alison Steadman, Gavin’s Mum. Rob Brydon, Stacey’s Uncle Bryn, Sheridan Smith, Rudi Smithy’s sister. Sheridan has done a lot of things since appearing in this.

    I thought the whole concept of this show was really good, and at times very funny, very adult hummer. The English and Welsh coming together, the relationship of the two families and of course the relationship of Smithy and Nessa.

      Best episode: Again very hard to pick one, but I am going for “Smithy Finds Out” this is where he finds out Nessa is pregnant with his baby.


10. Match of the Day – 1964 to Date.

                                                                               


I have been a football fan all my life but these days I think we are OD on it. When it first came on SKY in the early 90’s when the PL started my daughter Jean and I watch it all the time, and we used to go to lots of games, but as I said, that has worn off now.

     MOTD started on 22nd August 1964 on BBC 2 and the first game was the highlights of Liverpool v Arsenal at Anfield in the 1st Division. I watched it around my sister Linda’s and brother-in-law Bob’s house as we did not have BBC 2 at the time, I was 20 days off  being 12 years old.

     What is very surprising is that while it has been running for over 57 years it has only had five regular main presenters: Kenneth Wolstenholme (they think it’s all over, it is now!) (1964 – 1967) – David Coleman (1967 – 1973) – Jimmy Hill (1973 – 1988) – Des Lynam (1988 – 1999) – Gary Lineker (since 1999). Lineker had worked as an analyst during his predecessor Des Lynam’s tenure.

       Best episode: As a football fan the best one is, the one your team wins.


11. Boys from the Black Stuff – 1982.



This was a British drama TV series of five episodes, the series was a sequel from a BBC ‘Play for Today,’ The Black Stuff. It was written by Liverpudlian playwriter Alan Bleasdale. The British Film Institute described it as a “seminal drama series… a warm, humorous but ultimately tragic look at the way economics affect ordinary people… TV’s most complete dramatic response to the Thatcher era and as a lamet to the end of a male, working class British culture.”  

      The Black Stuff, was about a group of Liverpudlian tarmac layers (hence the slang for tarmac: ‘the black stuff’) on a job near Middlesbrough. They all get sacked for doing work on the side, the series was about the workers being unemployed in Liverpool where there was no work at the time. Starring Bernard Hill, (Yosser Hughes) Michael Angelis (Chrissie Todd) Alan Igbon (Loggo Logmond).

     Best episode: They all end up in pub in the last episode, there is too much to go into but it is very funny at times, but like the whole series, also very sad. 


12. Eggheads. 2003 – to date.



I am only going for one quiz show, but will also mention some others here. It has winners of shows like, ‘Who want’s to be a Millionaire,’ ‘Weakest Link and ‘Mastermind,’ who are pitted against amateur quizzers as they compete to win the tile and cash money.

    Its first show was on the 10th November 2003 and was on BB2, it is (now 2022, it changed last year) now on Channel 5. It has less rounds as they have adverts.

    They have had spinoffs: Are you an Egghead? (2008), Revenge of the Egghead (2014) and Make me a Egghead (2016). It was first chaired by Dermot Murnaghan, in 2008 Jeremy Vine became joint chair, and then sole chair.

     Up unto now there has been 20 series, and 8 celebrity series. I will say I like a lot of the stars but my favourites are Kevin Ashman and Judith Keppel, Dave Rainford, who has sadly pasted away. There have been a few I have not been so keen on.      Some other quiz shows I have liked over the years are, Who want to be a Millionaire? Mastermind, Chase, Tipping Point, and many others.  


13. The Rockford Files.



Jim Rockford (James Garner) is an ex-con and private detective. He was falsely convicted of a crime he didn’t commit, but that doesn’t stop him from using his ex-con buddies to help him solve crimes. Things never came easy for Jim and most episodes he got “beat up.”

      It run for 6 series from 1974 to 1980. His father Joseph “Rocky” Rockford was played by Noah Beery a retried truck driver. The show was created by Roy Huggins and Stephen J. Cannell. Huggins  had retied the TV Maverick (1957 – 1962), which starred Garner, and he wanted to recapture that magic in a modern-day detective setting. In 2002 The Rockford Files was ranked No 39 on TV Guide’s 50 Greatest TV Shows of all time.

    It is a long time since I have watched any of these, but always enjoyed watching them with the family. I thought James Garner was a really good actor and really liked him in Maverick when I was young. The Rockford Files also started with an answerphone message.

      Above is a photo of the old trailer Jim lived in at Paradise Cove, Los Angeles. 


14. Yes Minister. 1980 – 1984.



Yes, Minister was British political satire sitcom written by Antony Jay and Jonathan Lynn. There were three seven-episode series, it was first on BBC 2 from 1980 until 1984. As sequel, Yes, Prime Minister, ran for 16 episodes from 1986 until 1988. Almost all of the episodes ended a variation of the title of the series spoken as the answer to a question posed by the Minister, later Prime Minister.

      Set principally in the private office of a British Cabinet minister in the fictional Department of Administrative Affairs in Whitehall. It follows the ministerial career Jim Hacker, played by Paul Eddington. His various struggles to formulate and enact policy or effect departmental changes are opposed by the British Civil Service, in particular his Permanent Secretary, Sir Humphrey Appleton played by Nigel Hawthorne. His Principal Private Secretary Bernard Woolley, played by Derek Fowlds, is usually caught between the two.

      I enjoyed this very much and have recently (2021) seen a few episodes again on TV, they are still funny. I think the idea of it was to show how the civil servants run (or try to) run the country. It was the favourite TV show of the then UK PM, Margaret Thatcher. 


15. Columbo – 1968 – 1978.


This was starring Peter Falk as a polite, shrewd, but inelegant Los Angeles homicide detective who solves some of the most brutal, cunning and covert murders in the city. Columbo’s trademarks include his rumpled beige raincoat, unassuming demeanour, cigar, old Peugeot 403 car, and his unseen wife (whom he mentions frequently). He often leaves a room only to return with the catchphrase. “Just one more thing” then to ask a critical question.

    It ran for 10 series from 1968 to 1978 and would not be easy to pick out one episode as there was so many good ones. My mum didn’t like it very much as it showed “who done it” at the start, and she enjoyed shows where she could work out the killer.

    I liked Peter as an actor/comedian and saw him in many other things as well as Columbo, but have to say this is what he is really remembered for. He was in many films. He was born in New York in 1927 and died in Beverly Hills, California June 23rd 2011, aged 83.


16. Roots – 1977.



A TV series I really enjoyed, but with saying that it was really sad in many ways. Based on Alex Haley’s family history, Kuntia Kinte is sold into the slave trade after being abducted from his African village, and is taken to the USA. Kinte and his family observe notable events in American history, such as the Revolutionary and Civil Wars, slave uprising and emancipation.

     When Kuntia (LeVar Burton, who played Geordie in STNG) was in the US he was known as Toby (John Amos) who had half his foot cut off for trying to escape. There were very good charters in it, Chicken George (Ben Veren) Fiddler (Louis Gossett). It is a very long time since I saw it so it is hard to pick out one episode, but all of it was very well done, to tell a very sad story.


17.    Quantum Leap – 1989 – 1993.



A former scientist, Sam Becket (Scott Bakula) finds himself trapped in time due to an experiment gone awry, leaping into the body of a different person each week. Al Calavicc (Dean Stockwell), at first only known as The Observer, is Sam’s holographic adviser, he provides Sam with details about his new identity and gives him guidance on how to help people affected by his presence. But with little memory to guide him, our hero is force to bluff his way through many wacky situations. It ran for 5 series from 1989 until 1993.

        Another with many very good episodes and again a long time since I saw it, but he did leap into a young Elvis Presley which was very good. It has been long-rumoured (it is now February 20220) about a return, not sure how that would work as the last one was in 1993. Dean died at the start of 2022.


18.  Coast – 2005 – 2016.



This was a really interesting series which travelled around the entire UK coastline. Every part of the 9,000 – mile coast is covered to explore how we have shaped it and how it has shaped us.

     Hosted by a team of history and geography experts who investigate everything from life on a nuclear submarine: rebuilding the Titanic using computer images; the story behind the first Butlins holiday camp; the birth of the Severn Bore, and much more.  


19.   Doctor Who – 1963 To date.



Well this has been going since I was a kid, and has become a cult BBC TV series. I remember when the first Doctor arrived, William Hartnell in in his Tardis, time machine to fight the Daleks. Of course, the handy thing about the Doctor is that when an actor gets fed up playing him, he can evolve his biology and turn into another person. The Doctor loves earth, so he makes many trips here to save the planet and, or to enlist earthlings to help him with tasks in the galaxy. It was taken off air, in 1989 and then returned in 2005.

     Some Dr who’s are; David Tennant (10th) Jodie Whittaker (13th) so far, the only woman, Matt Smith (11th) Peter Capaldi (12th) Christopher Eccleston (9th) Tom Baker (4th) John Pertwee (3rd) Colin Baker (6th). There have also been many famous actors in it such as John Bishop, John Barrowman, Catherine Tate, Bradley Walsh, Matt Lucas, John Hurt, Bernard Cribbins, John Simms, Billie Piper and many more.

     I liked it for many years but I have to say I have gone off it a little of late, but many people still love it. It is now made by BBC Wales in Cardiff.


20. The Two Ronnie’s – 1971 – 12 series.



I always enjoyed The Two Ronnie’s as it was so funny. It was on BBC 1 and played for 93 episodes from the 10th April 1971. Along with Ronnie Barker and Ronnie Corbett it also starred, The Fred Tomlinson Signer’s, John Own, Claire Nielson and Barbara Dickson.

   The usual format included sketches, solo sections, serial stories and musical finales. While doing this “Favourite Tv Shows” it has been hard to sometimes find one that really sticks out, this is not the case for me and that is the “Fork Handles” sketch. If you have never seen it, or not for a long time, look it up as it is so funny. 


21.   Porridge. 1973.



I suppose in a way this is a bit of The Two Ronnie’s in so much as it starred Ronnie Barker, as Norman, Stanley Fletcher, known as Fletch to the other inmates. It is a BBC sitcom about the inmates of HM Slade Prison where the habitual criminal Fletcher finds himself in all manor of scrapes with the warders and his fellow prisoners while serving a five-year term for burglary.

   The final episode of Porridge, “Final Stretch,” was broadcast on the 25th March 1977. The producers and writers were keen to make more episodes, but Barker was wary of being stuck with the character2 and also wanted to move on to other projects.

   Another series with some very good actors such as, Richard Beckinsale as Lennie Godber, Fulton Mackay as Mr Mackay, also David Jason – Brian Wilde – Christopher Biggins –  Sam Kelly Brian Glover – Peter Vaughan and many others. 

   Best episode: For me it was, "No Peace for the Wicked." This was when Fletch wanted a peaceful Sunday afternoon, and he kept getting disturbed. It ends with him attacking the vicar. 


22. Fawlty Towers – 1975 and 1979.



In its day, like most of these it was very funny. It was written by John Cleese and Connie Booth who both also starred in it. It was shown on BCC 2 and only had two series of six episodes each, one in 1975 and 1979. The show was ranked first on a list of 100 Greatest British TV Programmes drawn up by the British Film Institute in 2000 and 2019. It was also named as the greatest British TV sitcom by a panel for the Radio Times.

   The series is set in Fawlty Towers, a fictional hotel in the seaside town of Torquey on the English Riviera. The plots centre on the tense, rude and put-upon owner Basil Fawlty (John Cleese), his bossy wife Sybil (Prunella Scales) and the sensible chambermaid Polly (Connie Booth) who was often the peacemaker and voice of reason. And of course, there is the hapless and English-challenged Spanish waiter Manuel (Andrew Sachs). Cleese came up with the idea after staying in a hotel in Torquay in 1970 with the Monty Python team.


23. Secret Army – 1977 – 1979.



During World War II, a Belgian resistance movement called Lifeline in Brussels, organises the return of Allied airman who have been shot down by the Luftwaffe to the UK.

    Secret Army was made by the BBC and Belgian national broadcaster BRT (now VRT) and created by Gerard Glaister. There were three series and a total of 43 episodes from 1977 to 1979. It was filmed in the UK and Belgium. Some of the stars were, Bernard Hepton - Albert, Angela Richards - Monique, Clifford Rose - Kessler, Juliet Hammond-Hill, Michael Culver.

     This was a series I enjoyed very much. It was based on true stories from the war. A lot of TV series and films are from WW II, I shall do some more later on.


 24.  Allo – Allo. 1982 – 1992.


This was a BBC sitcom that run for 9 series of 85 episodes from 1982 to 1992. I watched a fair few of these but I was working overseas so missed a lot. It was one of those that took a bit of getting used to for me. It was a comedy spin off from the last one I did, Secret Army, which I did enjoy very much.

    Rene Artois (Gordon Kaye) owns a small café in the French town of Nouvion during WW II. While his café is used as a safe house for British airman, he also runs a covert operation, first with women and keeps his wife happy. Rene has to deal with a dishonest German officer Oberleutant Hubert Gruber (Guy Siner) and the local French Resistance leader and a stolen painting, The Fallen Madonna with the Big Boobies. 


25. Till Death do us Part.



This program was about a loudmouth bigot and his unfortunate family. It a British sitcom that aired on BBC TV from 1965 to 1975. Till Death do us Part centred on the Garnett family, led by the patriarch Alf Garnett (Warren Mitchell) a reactionary white working-class man who holds and has anti-socialist views. His long suffering Else (Dandy Nichols) and his daughter Rita (Una Stubbs). Rita’s husband Mike Rawlins (Antony Booth) is a socialist layabout from Liverpool who frequently locks horns with his father-in-law.

  Alf Garnett became a well-known character in British culture, Mitchell played him on stage and television until the writers, Johnny Speight’s death in1998.  

  Garnett used to run down, Jewish people and Tottenham Hotspur fans who have a large Jewish support. Warren was both, a Jew and a Tottenham, a north stand season ticket holder. My daughter Jean and I were east stand season ticket holders. At half time at one match, on the public announcement they said “we would like wish Warren Mitchell, happy birthday for his 80th birthday today. The crowd roared and he stood up and waved, the whole crowd than sang, happy birthday. It was a very special moment


26. Dads Army.



A British sitcom which ran on BBC1 for 80 episodes from 1968 to 1977. It was about the UK’s Home guard in WWII. It was written by Jimmy Page and David Croft.

   The Home guard consisted of local volunteers otherwise ineligible for military service, either because of age (hence the title Dads Army) or being in a profession that exempt them from conscription.

  The series saw stars of an older age including Arnold Ridley, John Laurie, Arthur Lowe and John Mesurier. Younger members of the cast included Clive Dunn, who played the oldest guardsmen, Lance Corporal Jones. James Beck who died suddenly during filming the sixth series. And of course, “you stupid boy,” Ian Lavender.

   While there have been 2 films of Dad's Army, there was a very good TV program made regarding how the series came about.  


26. When the Boat Comes In.




This was another series that I enjoyed very much. It starred James Bolam as Jack Ford who was also in the BBC comedy, The Likely Lads, which I will do a write up on next.

   When the Boat Comes in was a BBC period drama which ran from 1976 until 1981, 4 series and 51 episodes.

  Jack was a First World War veteran who returns to his poverty-stricken (fictional) town of Gallowshiled in the North East of England. The series dramatizes the interwar political struggle of the 1920s and 1930s and explores the impact of national and international politics upon Ford and people around him. 

   As well as enjoying the series very much, I really liked the theme song a lot, if a person has never heard it, it is worth looking up for a listen. 


27. The Likely Lads.



This was a BBC sitcom first shown on BBC 2 in 1964 and ran for 3 series, 20 episodes until 1966. However only ten episodes have survived. It was written by Dick Clement and Ian La Frenais. It started James Bolam as Terry Collier and Rodney Bewes as Bob Ferris.

  The show was followed by a sequel series, in colour, the first were in black and white, entitled Whatever Happened to the Likely Lads? This was broadcast in 1973 and 1974, of 26 episodes. This was followed by a spin-off film The Likely Lads.

   I have seen some of the first ones, but mainly remember, Whatever Happened to the Likely Lads? I found it very funny of what two lads, from the north east of England got up to. The best one I remember was when they spent the day trying to avoid finding out the score of a England football match so they could watch it on TV that night, they did it, only to find out the game had been called off because of rain. 


28. Call the Midwife. 2012 to date.



This is a BBC period drama series about a group nurse midwives working in the East End of London in the late 1950’s and 1960’s. The episodes are narrated by Vanessa Redgrave, some of the people who have starred in it are, Jenny Agutter, Jessica Raine, Miranda Hart, Helen George, Bryony Hannah, Pam Ferris Jack Ashton and many more.

   The series was created by Heidi Thomas originally based on the memoirs of Jennifer Worth who worked with the Community of St John the Divine, an Anglican religious order, at the convent in the  East End of London. For the most part it depicts the day-to-day lives of the midwives and those in the local neighbourhood, with certain historical events of the era having effect on the storylines. It has been a very enjoyable series. 


29. The Benny Hill Show.


I have put this one in as I saw a clip of one a little while ago, and while I used to watch it I had forgotten all about. Now I look back, it was silly at times, but I think it was of its day and could not be on telly today.

    It was a British comedy show starring Benny Hill, Henry McGee Jackie Wright, with the theme song: Yakety Sax. The show consisted mainly of sketches that were full of slapstick, mime, parody and double entendre, which could be described as a version of a British saucy seaside post card humour. This was shown on the BBC and ITV and I was surprised to find out that it first aired in 1955, but the last series were from 1969 to 1989. At it’s peak it was among the most-watched programmes in the UK with the audience reaching more than 21 million viewers in 1971.


30. Bewitched – 1964 – 1972.



I really liked this when I was young, and I think we would all like to be able to do a bit of magic at times! Bewitched, a fantasy-sitcom, ran for 8 series, from 1964 until 1972 and was later made into a film.

    A young witch, Samantha Stephens (Elizabeth Montgomery) meets and marries an ordinary mortal, Darren Stephens (Dick York). She promises Darren that she will restrict her powers and be a typical housewife but life has other plans for her.

    Bewitched was ranked number 50 on TV Guide’s 50 Greatest TV shows in 1997. I had forgot about this, but came across a clip on the computer a short while ago (April 2022) while it looks very “dated” now, it did still mate me laugh.


31. Colditz.



This was a BBC TV series that was screened between 1972 and 1974.The series deals with Allied prisoners of war imprisoned at the supposedly escape-proof Colditz Castle when designated Oflag IV-C during World War II, and their many attempts to escape captivity, as well as the relationships formed between the various nationalities and their German captors.

    Some very good actors in this series, some of which are: Jack Hedley, David McCallum, Christopher Neame, Edward Hardwick, Robert Wagner, Richard Heffer, Bernard Hepton, to name but a few.

    There was one episode where one of the prisoners pretended he had mental health problems so that he would get sent home. He did get sent home, but he had the mental health problems for real. It was very sad. 


32. Monty Pythons Flying Crucis – 1969 – 1974.



Monty Pythons Flying Crucis, ran for 4 series, 45 episodes from 1969 to 1974. It had the theme song of: The Liberty Bell, and starred Terry Jones, Eric Idle, John Cleese, Graham Chapman, Michael Palin, Terry Gillam and Carol Cleveland.

   Monty Pythons Flying Crucis was from the BBC and became very popular. The unorthodox program enjoyed a unique success and proved to be a watershed not just for British comedy but also TV companies from around the world.

   Films also came from the team such as: The Holy Grail, 1975, The Life of Brian, 1979 and The Meaning of Life, 1983.


33. Rising Damp. 1974 – 1978.



This was a British sitcom, written by Eric Chappell and produced by Yorkshire Television for ITV. It ran for four series and had a spin off film in 1980.

   The landlord of the house, Rupert Rigsby (Leonard Rossiter) is dour, interfering and tight fisted. He has strong right-wing views which are adopted without morals or reason. For example, in the film he states that hanging should be reinstated but this time in public. Rigsby is an old-fashioned colonial type with prejudiced views. He is suspicious of everything beyond his parochial sphere of interest and, most particularly of Philip Smith (Don Warrington) who is suave, intelligent, well spoken – and black. Phillip always gave as good, if not better of what was given to him by Rigsby.

    Also starring Frances de la Tour as Ruth Jones, who openly fancies Philip. And Richard Beckinsale as Alan Guy More, who has permissive and left-wing  views which makes Rigsby mistrust him.   


34. Tenko. 1981 – 1984.



This was a very enjoyable series, it ran for three series, overall 31 episodes. It starred: Stephanie Cole as Dr Beatrice Ma, Ann Bell as Marion Jefferson, Patricia Lawrence as Sister Ulrica, Louise Jameson as Blanche Simm, Claire Oberman as Kate Norris, Veronica Roberts as Dorothy Bennett, Emily Bolton as Christina Camp and many more.

   A group of British, Dutch, and Australian women are taken by the Japanese as prisoners of war after the fall of Singapore in 1942 and held in an internment camp on a Japanese-occupied island between Singapore and Australia.


   I remember one women who used to talk to the guards who could not speak English and smiled as she talked as if she was being nice and she was in fact swearing at them, and they all smiled and nodded back. 


35. Just Good Friends. 1983 to 1986.



This was on BBC 1, and another one from the pen of John Sullivan. It ran from 1983 to 1986, had 22 episodes over 3 series, there was also a 90-minute Christmas special in 2004.

   It starred Paul Nicholas (Vincent Pinner) and Jan Francis (Penny Warrender) as former lovers who meet in a pub five years after he had jilted her at the altar after getting cold feet.

    I enjoyed this series but did miss a few as I was working aboard during a lot of this time. I think Paul Nicholas is a really good actor and played a really good part as the loveable rouge Vincent.  

 36. Are you being Served. 1972 – 1985. 

This was a British sit-com which ran for the years above for 69 episodes in 10 series, from the BBC. It starred Mollie Sugden (Mrs Slocombe) Wendy Richards (Miss Braham’s) Trevor Bannister (Mr Lucas) John Inman (Mr Humphries) Frank Thornton (Captain Peacock) and many more.

    Set in London, the show follows the misadventures and mishaps of the staff of the retail ladies’ and gentlemen’s clothing departments in the flagship department store of a fictional chain called Grace Brothers. It brought about the catch word, “I’m free.” In 2004 it was ranked 20th in a TV countdown of Britons Best Sitcom.


37. Soap Operas. Crossroads.



I am going to do a section on ‘soaps.’ I have not watched any for many years now, but have had my moments over the years. The term, ‘soaps,’ comes from the US as when they first had the serials they advertised soap on them.

   As I have said, “I have had my moments with them.” My Mum watched Coronation Street from the start, my wife Anne records them now and watches them. I watched Crossroads in the 1960s and 1970s. I watched EastEnders when it first came out.

  There have been a lot of British TV ‘soap operas’ over the years some others are, Emmerdale, Casualty, River City, Doctors, Holby City and many more.


38. Men Behaving Badly.



This was a series I enjoyed a lot. When I looked it up, it said? Gary and Tony share a flat. They drink beer and behave badly. There is not a lot more to be said!

   It is a British sitcom and ran from 18 February 1992 until 17th October 2014 for 42 episodes, 6 series. It starred Martin Clunes, (Gary Strang) Neil Morrissey, (Tony Smart) Leslie Ash, (Deborah Burton) Caroline Quentin (Dorothy Bishop) and Harry Enfield, (Dermot Povey) Harry played Gary’s flatmate in the first series. Written by Simon Nye and directed by Martin Dennis.


39. Juliet Bravo. 1980 - 1986. 



I have enjoyed a lot of police series over the years. This was on BBC 1. It started on the 30th August 1980 and for six series, a total of 88 episodes. The theme of the series concerned a female police inspector who took over control of a police station in the fictional town of Hartley in Lancashire the lead role of Inspector, was Jean Darblay was played by Stephanie Turner in series 1 to 3, but in series 4 to 6 she was replaced by Anna Carteret for the role of Inspector Kate Longton.

  The series was devised by Ian Kennedy Martin who had already had success with another police drama, The Sweeny. There had been many well-established police dramas on British TV but this along with LWT’s The Gentle Touch which had started a few months before, were the first series that saw female officers as lead characters, having to fight both crime and prejudice of male colleagues.



40. The Time Tunnel – 1966 – 1967.



This was a US series that only run for one series of 30 episodes, from 1966 to 1967. I watched it earlier this year (2022) on the Horror Chanel. It was corny in some ways, but I enjoyed it, it was good fun. It starred Robert Colbert as Doug Philips, James Darren as Tony Newman, Lee Meriwether as Dr Ann MacGregor, John Zaremba, as Dr Raymond.

  Two young scientists who invented the time tunnel accidently become trapped and travel through time into different historical events into the future. It starts in the first episode on the Titanic and in the last episode ends back on the Titanic. But I have read that a episode was made that they got back, but was never shown!  


 41.   The Sweeny – 1975 – 1978.



I used to watch this all the time and really enjoyed it. Three of the main actors were, John Thaw as Det. Insp Jack Regan, Dennis Waterman as Detective Sergent George Carter (Dennis passed away earlier this year, 2022), and Garfield Morgan as DCI Frank Haskins.

   The Sweeny was British and shown on ITV for 4 series and 53 episodes from 1975 until 1978. Until, The Sweeny, the violent reality of policing was largely ignored by British television. The series broke new ground for TV drama and didn’t shy away and awareness and genre-referential humour.

   The name “The Sweeny” is Cockney rhyming slang for “Flying Squad.” Sweeny is short for Sweeny Todd, (The demon barber of Fleet Street) which rhymes with, “Flying Squad.”

 

42. The Minder – 1979 – 1994.


This is a follow on from the one above, “The Sweeny,” in regards that Dennis Waterman was in both, in this he played "The Minder" ex-boxer Terry McCann. George Cole played the dodge Arthur Daley. There were 10 series that ran from 1979 to 1994, Terry was not in it after series 7.

   The Minder was a British comedy-drama series about the London criminal underworld. The series was notable for using a range of leading British actors, as well as up and coming performers. At it’s peak it was one of ITV’s most watched shows.

   In the original series Terry, a Fulham fan, an honest and likable ex-con, bodyguard (minder in London slang) for Arthur a socially ambitious, but highly unscrupulous importer/exporter, wholesale, used-car dealer and purveyor of anything else from which there was money to be made, whether within the law or not. 

43. New Tricks.

This ran from 2003 to 2015, with 107 episodes over 12 series. Over that time, it had different stars including, Amanda Redman, as Det Supt Sander Pullman. Dennis Waterman as Gerry Standing. James Bolam as Jack Halford. Alun Armstrong as Brian Lane. Nicholas Lyndhurst as Dan Griffin. Susan Jameson as Esther Lane and many others.

   The series focuses on the work of the Unsolved Crime and Open Case Squad (UCOS) – a fictional division within London’s Met Police. UCOS primarily functioned with senior police detective (Sandra Pullman) overseeing the work of three retired police officers who would handle the case, and who could bring in police support when needed. Each episode focuses on a different investigation.

    Dennis Waterman was in the original cast and sang the theme, “It’s Alright.”


44. Luther.



I really enjoyed this series, I had seen Idris Elba in an American series The Wire before this which was really good and while he had done a fair bit before I think The Wire, really put him to the fore.

   Luther, is a British psychological crime thriller TV series. With Idris as DCI John Luther and Ruth Wilson as Alice Morgan, written by Neil Cross. The detective Luther must make cases against criminals while the murderer Morgan has a complicated relationship with him.

  As a dedicated police officer, Luther is obsessive, possessed, and sometimes violent. Elba has been awarded a Critics’ Choice Television Award, Golden Globe Award and screen Actors Award. There were 20 episodes over 5 series   


45. Who Do You Think You Are? 2004 till now.



Being into genealogy as I am, I find this very interesting. This genealogy series in which well-known people trace their family tree, often travelling to different areas and other counties to follow the ancestor’s footsteps. Family secrets and forgotten stories are revealed, sometimes confirming the celebrity’s previous ideas, but often completely subverting their expectations as tales of bravery, charity, loss and heartbreak come to light. Since it started October 2004 to present (July 2022) there have been 19 series.

   Anne and I went to the Who Do You Think You Are Exhibition, in London most years until they moved it to Birmingham. Again, very interesting and they had a lot of talks, films and things people could get involved with. I also ordered and purchased a fair few things for the family tree.   


46. The Beverly Hill Billie’s.



I watched this when I was young and really enjoyed it, but thinking back to it I am not sure if it could be shown today. I loved the theme song, “The Ballad of Jed Clampett,” and knew it all the way through at one point. It ran for 9 series from 1962 until 1971 with 274 episodes.

   The Beverly Hill Billie’s was an American TV sitcom. It starred Buddy Ebsen, Irene Ryan, Donna Douglas and Max Baer Jnr.

   This is a rags-to-riches, country to city story of a family called the Clampetts who are a poor backwoods family from Ozarks who move to posh Beverly Hills, California, after striking oil on their land.  


47. Hustle – 2004 – 2012.



A very enjoyable BBC show that ran for 8 series. I shall name some of the stars and who they played first and will say there was some very good actors in it.  Adrian Lester (Michael Stone) Robert Vaughn (Albert Stroller) Robert Glenister (Ashley Morgan) Kelly Adams (Emma Kennedy) Marc Warren (Danny Blue) Rob Jarvis (Eddie) Jamie Murray (Stacie Monroe).

   The show’s premise is on a group of con artists who specialise in “long cons,” extended forms of deceptive frauds that require greater commitment, but offer greater rewards than the simple, “con trick.”

     They often targeted a “mark” whose activities are immoral and/or illegal, or whose character retains a fundamental negative personality with others they dislike, or who they make suffer, while adhering to the credo that “you can’t cheat an honest person.”   


48. Dixon of Dock Green – 1955 – 1975.



This is one of my first memories of watching television. It ran from the 9th July 1955 until the 1st May 1975, almost 20years. In that time there were 22 series and 432 episodes.

    Dixon of Dock Green, was a BBC police procedural TV series about the daily life at a fictional London police station, with the emphasis on petty crime, successfully controlled through common sense and human understanding. The central character, George Dixon (Jack Warner) first appeared in the film The Blue Lamp. Dixon is a mature and sympathetic police constable, who is the embodiment of a typical “bobby” who would be familiar with the area in which he patrolled and its residents.


49. The Americans – 2013 – 2018.



This was a very enjoyable, interesting and adult series. There 76 episodes were in six series from 2013 2018.

    The Americans was an American period spy drama television series created by Joe Weisberg for FX television network. It was set during the Cold War, it follows the story of Elizabeth (Keri Russell) and Philip Jennings (Mathew Rhys), two Soviet KGB intelligence officers posing as American married couple living in Falls Church, a Virginia suburb of Washington, DC, with their children, Paige (Holly Taylor) and Henry (Keidrich Sellati). The show also explores the conflict between Washington’s FBI office and the KGB Rezidentura there, by following the perspectives of agents on both sides, including the Jennings’s neighbour Stan Beeman (Noah Emmerich), an FBI agent working in counterintelligence.

   The series begins in the aftermath of the inauguration of President Ronald Reagan in 1981 and concludes in December 1987, shortly before the leaders of the US and USSR signed the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty.


50. Alias Smith and Jones – 1971 to 1973.



A very enjoyable Western that features outlaws Hannibal Hayes and ‘Kid’ Curry trying to go straight, but there is price for their freedom. Continually chased by bounty hunters and old enemies, they have to stay out of trouble for one year to get a promised pardon from the governor. It ran for 3 series and 50 episodes.

    It starred Pete Duel as Hannibal Hayes, Ben Murphy as Jed ‘Kid’ Curry. Roger Davis took over from Pete Duel after he died. 

    Hayes was deemed “cunning,” with Curry “gunning.” Hayes/Smith was an excellent poker player. Curry/Jones was the master gun hand and the brawn. Usually Hayes figured out ways to make money and save the twosome from precarious situations. They had been two of the west’s most successful outlaws. However, crime-fighting methods were evolving to foil them, safes were becoming harder to crack, trains more difficult to stop and posses more adept at tracking them down!


51. Morecombe and Wise. 1968 – 1977.



This was a mixture of sketches and stand-up comedy from Eric Morecombe, Ernie Wise and guests. While they were on the BBC they had 71 episodes over 9 series, from the above dates, but was originally produced by Thames Television and broadcast on ITV networks.

    I enjoyed it then and it was very funny at times. With saying that, I recorded one of the shows last Christmas (2021) and watched later on, and must say I found it very dated, but time moves on!

   There was a very large list of famous actors etc on the show, many of which they would take the “micky” out of, some of which were; Andre Previn, Dame Flora Robson, Francis Matthews, Peter Cushing, Vanessa Redgrave, Elton John, Shirly Bassey, Glenda Jackson, Tom Jones, Dame Judie Dench and many more. And of course taking the "micky" out of Des O'Conner's singing. The show’s theme song was, Bring me Sunshine.  


52. The Walton’s – 1971 to 1981.



The television movie The Homecoming: A Christmas Story was broadcast on 19th December 1971 Based on its success, the CBS television network ordered one season of episodes based on the same characters and that become the TV series The Walton’s. It had 9 series and 221 episodes.

   The Walton's is an American historical drama TV series about a family in rural Virginia during the Great Depression and World War II. Some of the stars were, Richard Tomas, Ralph Waite. Michael Learned, Ellen Corby, Will Geer, Judy Norton.

   The show’s end sequence featured the family saying goodnight to one another before drifting off to sleep. According to the BBC who aired it in the UK, “Goodnight, John-Boy” was the most common catchphrases of the 1970s.


53. Gunsmoke – 1955 to 1975.



This is another from my childhood, it ran for 20 series and 635 episodes.  The main stars were James Arness as Matt Dillion, Amanda Blake as Kitty, Dennis Weaver as Chester, Ken Curtiss as Festus, Lilburn Stone as Dr Galen Adams, Buck Taylor as Newly O’Brian and Burt Reynolds was in it as Quint Asper. 

    Gunsmoke was an American radio and TV Western drama series, it ran on radio from 1952 until 1961. It centred on Dodge City, Kansas, in the 1870s during the settlement of the American West. The central character is lawman Marshal Matt Dillion. When it aired in the UK it was initially titled Gun law, later reverting to Gunsmoke. I liked Dillions sidekick and trusty partner Chester, who had one of the biggest limps you would ever see. 


54. The Mike Yarwood Show.



I have put this in as The Mike Yarwood Show, but he did do 5 series in all, with different titles, mainly they were called Mike Yarwood in Persons. Mike is an English impressionist, comedian and actor. He was one of Britain’s top-rated entertainers, regularly appearing on television from the 1960’s to the 1980’s.

   Yarwood owed his initial success to the Sunday Night at the London Palladium variety “spectacular,” on which he first appeared in 1964. His appearance coincided with the senior political career of his best-known impression, that of the Labour Party leader and the Prime Minister Harold Wilson.

  


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