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Things you learn from Watching TV (light hearted)

(15 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.

CanadianGran Tue 09-Jun-26 20:51:21

I love interesting documentaries on a variety of topics. Architecture, history. art and nature mostly.

Who knew Bower birds were so brilliant!

There are two things I call a whirligig; a wooden wind thing that spins and changes directions with the wind the other is a colourful plastic windmill like you would find for a child at a carnival.

LadyGracie Tue 09-Jun-26 21:06:34

This is a whirligig my DH recently made, fascinating to watch.

granfromafar Wed 10-Jun-26 08:58:54

I've learnt a lot from watching Springwatch the last couple of weeks. I just wish that I could retain the information! The presenters are so knowledgeable and I thought the feature on whirligig beetles was brilliant! 🪲 I also manage to learn quite a few facts from quiz shows like the Chase, which comes in useful fir pub quizzes!

Elless Wed 10-Jun-26 09:47:25

I have never enjoyed history but learnt so much from watching the series Versailles many years ago. I really enjoy war films based on real life.

Marydoll Wed 10-Jun-26 09:51:51

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.

Mollygo Wed 10-Jun-26 10:31:57

History programs are amazing. We’ve been watching one about evolution, from millions of years ago. So many different creatures besides the dinosaurs in the years up to the arrival of the most dangerous predator in history.
I like history programs about the American Civil War too.
The most useful thing I learnt from watching TV was how to remove my gloves properly. But I learnt that on The Sullivans, a different sort of history.

Tizliz Wed 10-Jun-26 11:05:38

Try Engineering Catastrophes - think it is Nat Geo - watched an episode about Space exploration, didn't realise so many astronauts had died.

Cumbrianmale56 Thu 11-Jun-26 18:05:43

I first saw this and thought it was a post about the eighties sitcom Watching.

Gin Thu 11-Jun-26 18:18:23

Saw the programmes by Hannah Fry about AI, absolutely mind blowing!

MT62 Thu 11-Jun-26 18:26:22

Watched a nature program on Dandylions amazing how they work on the soil.
Also another tremendous documentary, I think it was called ‘kiss the earth’. About settlers digging up the plains in America which damaged all the ecosystem.
They ended up with massive dust storms & droughts 😩
Netflix

MT62 Thu 11-Jun-26 21:12:30

MT62

Watched a nature program on Dandylions amazing how they work on the soil.
Also another tremendous documentary, I think it was called ‘kiss the earth’. About settlers digging up the plains in America which damaged all the ecosystem.
They ended up with massive dust storms & droughts 😩
Netflix

Kiss the ground (think it’s been taken off Netflix)

BoggledMind Thu 11-Jun-26 23:28:22

'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.

Maggiemaybe Fri 12-Jun-26 00:03:34

I’ve learnt from the one soap I watch that if I ask my GP to pop round because I feel a bit dizzy, they’ll be straight there. Someone accused of a crime can be charged, tried and sent down within the week. And

Maggiemaybe Fri 12-Jun-26 00:07:20

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.