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TV, radio, film, Arts

TV programmes from the past.

(100 Posts)
NanKate Thu 06-Nov-25 14:13:38

On Women’s Hour today they asked for listeners to text in saying TV shows they watched and loved from many years ago.

Suddenly Kenny Everett jumped into my mind. He used to do a sketch where he was presenting a pretend DIY Show. It was manic, over the top and he was covered in blood a lot of the time or wearing a sling. My son and I used to roll around with laughter. He often finished the show in drag and was sitting in a large chair throwing one leg over the other saying ‘everything is in the best possible taste’. Absolutely hilarious. I don’t think it would be thought appropriate now.

What were your favourite Shows ?

David49 Sun 09-Nov-25 20:39:37

The 1960s and onwards repeats are very watchable, before that they seem very stilted and cheesy, I rate current TV and film content as pretty awful, so much so that You Tube is better.

Annma Sun 09-Nov-25 20:41:29

The Likely Lads,Watching,The Beiderbecke Affair,Callan,The Glittering Prizes,Brideshead Revisited,,Tenko,,Doctor Finlay’s casebook- black and white version.

Crasymum1561 Sun 09-Nov-25 21:02:37

My daughter watched whatever happened to the likely lads with me, on a "catch up" channel. Days later a teacher asked the class about what they were watching and she said " the likely lads" . The teacher immediately started talking to her about it and the characters. No one else had heard of it. She came home buzzing that she had grown up talks with teacher .

NotAGran55 Sun 09-Nov-25 21:18:45

I love that your boyfriend came back for you MayBee70 😍

cupcake1 Sun 09-Nov-25 21:32:54

Dempsey and Makepiece
Charlie’s Angels (the original)
Hart to Hart
Miami Vice
Upstairs downstairs
Some Mothers do have’em

HowVeryDareYou2 Sun 09-Nov-25 22:03:10

More programmes I liked....

Blackadder
Some mothers do have 'em
The Old Grey Whistle Test
TISWAS
Only fools and horses

Ellie Anne Sun 09-Nov-25 22:16:24

A lot of memories there. I loved Neil Pearson in drop the dead donkey. Saw him in something recently. Big disappointment!

LizH13 Sun 09-Nov-25 23:15:10

DHs favourite is New Tricks. Brilliant casting in the original series, Amanda Redman, Dennis Waterman, James Bolam and Alun Armstrong. It lost something in the later seasons

Kathmaggie Sun 09-Nov-25 23:30:00

Peyton Place
Rawhide
Wagon Train - so so long ago !

Janlara Mon 10-Nov-25 01:54:00

Nannan2

Where will i find rewind please?Loved moonlighting the series with Bruce willis and Cybill shepard- used to watch it with my late mum.My daughter found it on STV for me.

Rewind is on Freeview, channel 81 on my TV.
ThatsTV has three channels - 56, 65 and 71 - all showing old programmes from various decades.
Does anyone remember 'Nanny' with Wendy Richards? Some of the episodes were very poignant .

MibsXX Mon 10-Nov-25 05:37:12

Ohh Blakes Seven, I managed to get the entire series on VHS at one point, years after it ended! At least this one was ahead of it's time, the women were the strongest characters by far!

Tuinoma Mon 10-Nov-25 07:29:46

Rising damp, Minder, Brideshead Revisited and so many others now i start thinking about it...I must have a look to see if I can find them, am a bit wary though as i might find them disappointing now...and i love all the good memories they bring back

narrowboatnan Mon 10-Nov-25 10:58:09

madeleine45

Yes Minister and Yes Prime Minister are old, think they were made in the 70's, but they are as relevant today as they were then. Still funny and such great acting from all of them but especially Nigel Hawthorne and his wonderful , so hard to learn, speeches. A lot of the Dads army, but especially "Dont tell them Pike" episode, Some of the Good Life was execellent too, although you would actually find someone like Tom Good a bit of a pain to live next to. Penelope Keith in her yellow outfit falling over in the garden etc etc. Fawlty Towers of course, Never been interested in any soaps like coronation street or suchlike, but the other things that I loved were Micheal Parkinson, who always did his homework and was usually a very good show to watch but could not be beaten when the great Billy Connolly was on. Parky tried so hard to be ready for anything but Billy would have him corpsing in a few minutes. Billy.s take on life was always worth listening to and would have me crying with laughter when he just said something unexpected and had you looking at things in a very different way. On days when life is tough a look at an old Connolly bit will cheer me even now. So for me life tended to be quite serious and difficult at times and I have been so thankful for music and art and some humour to get me through a rough day.

All of the above, but my absolute favourites are Jeeves and Worcester with Steven Fry and Hugh Laurie; and Hi De Hi with Sue Pollard and the rest of the wonderful cast

narrowboatnan Mon 10-Nov-25 11:04:45

I recently found a remake of Reginald Perrin starring Martin Clunes. They’d made it modern and up to date. I found it just as funny as the original. Most enjoyable. It was on Amazon Prime

DotScot Tue 11-Nov-25 01:19:04

Lots of favourites in this thread that jogged my memory!
Don't think anyone's mentioned Randall and Hopkirk (deceased) which I liked and a series I was hooked on from about 1966 called 'Quick before they catch us, everybody run'.

Whitewavemark2 Tue 11-Nov-25 01:40:43

Recently watched all the episodes of “A Horseman Riding By” and at the moment am watching “The Pallisers”

skate Tue 11-Nov-25 08:04:03

Absolutely favourite is Hi de Hi, then Ever Decreasing Circles and Sorry with Ronnie Corbett.

LindaPat Tue 11-Nov-25 09:15:48

Does anyone remember " A Family at War "? It was set just before and during WW2.
We are enjoying watching it, and are currently half way through series 3.
Very nostalgic, I remember watching some episodes at the time, early 70s.
The acting ( and the scenery! ) is a bit wooden and shaky at times, but the storylines are good.
One of the stars is the lovely Barbara Flynn, who plays one of the Ashton daughters.( She is currently playing Martha's mum in " Beyond Paradise") . A very young John Nettles has just starred as her Consultant Doctor boyfriend.
I'm enjoying watching the set details, lots of " Ooh, my granny had one of those!" moments!
Take care xx

Hatcham Tue 11-Nov-25 16:09:55

Try Talking Pictures! DH and I are addicts! Zcars, Batman and many others. Channel 82 on Freeview

Eloethan Tue 11-Nov-25 19:59:52

I liked Drop the Dead Donkey, but saw an episode on one of the free channels recently - and it did not seem at all funny. I think perhaps style, rather than content, has changed.

As with another poster, I still think Dad's Army is funny.

I used to like Just Good Friends. I hope it has aged well.

For drama, I thought Spycatcher was very good, Colditz and Secret Army. More homely programmes like Dr Finlay's Casebook and All Creatures Great and Small were also favourites in our house.

HowVeryDareYou2 Thu 13-Nov-25 21:43:26

Even more......

The League of Gentlemen ( I loved it)
Keeping up appearances
Only when I laugh
When the boat comes in
On the buses

Beans12 Wed 19-Nov-25 16:02:18

The High Chaparral-I adored Buck and Mano, great bromance! Little House on the Prarie-my weekly sob-fest!
Original Star Trek-Spock was a hot alien!
When the Boat Comes in-Northern drama at it's best
I, Claudius-sublime

Astitchintime Wed 19-Nov-25 16:09:30

Diff’rent Strokes
Happy Days
The Old Grey Whistle Test
Space 1999
Mork and Mindy
The Avengers
………….I could carry on !

Grannydaisy1 Wed 19-Nov-25 16:15:51

LindaPat I use to love Family at War. Great believable storyline and great acting as I remember. Can I ask what channel you are watching it on?