The dumbing down of TV, what do you miss?

This reminds me, I'm so glad Jimmy never responded to my letter.

Can't remember what it was, something Spiderman related iirc, but so thankful he never 'fixed' it for me.
 
I'm not sure that the title of the thread is aligned with the responses. I don't think TV has been "dumbed down" although it is nostalgic to look back at what was considered to be the golden age of tv in the 70's and 80's .The truth was that there was a fraction of the content produced vs what there is now and scheduling meant that anticipation built ahead of broadcast. All the girls in my year 8 class used to look forward to Dallas on a Wednesday night. I used to try and get back from watching St Mirren by 5.15pm to see Doctor Who. Times were different, attention spans were longer, tolerance of low production values was higher and directors couldn't resort to green screening.

As the thread is nostalgia driven, i'd like to nominate my particular favourites.

Blakes 7
The Gemini Man
Black Adder
Doctor Who - Tom Baker
Get up and Go
Mr Benn
Bagpuss
Film XX - Barry Norman
The Young Ones
The Tube

Arguably we are in an unprecedented time for TV. On demand, the ability to stream, binge all manner of content is incredible. My kids don't believe me when i tell them about only having 3 channels and they weren't broadcasting all day. There is still wonderful content made but we probably don't appreciate it as it is consumed by one eye and is immediately forgotten.
 
Calpol said:
Arguably we are in an unprecedented time for TV. On demand, the ability to stream, binge all manner of content is incredible. My kids don't believe me when i tell them about only having 3 channels and they weren't broadcasting all day. There is still wonderful content made but we probably don't appreciate it as it is consumed by one eye and is immediately forgotten.
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I remember a woman telling me about her experiences of living in rural Ireland when she was younger - I think it would have been around 1980. Apparently there were two channels on the TV and on channel one there was a hurling match. So she turned to channel two, which was showing exactly the same match but with Gaelic commentary.
 
the power of social media https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c62kyg00q71o

Netflix drama Adolescence has become the first streaming show to top the UK's weekly TV ratings, beating BBC shows like The Apprentice and Death in Paradise in the latest official rankings., external

The first episode of Adolescence was watched by 6.45 million people in its first week, according to ratings body Barb.

That is the biggest audience for any streaming TV show in the UK in a single week, beating the 6.3 million who watched Fool Me Once on Netflix in January 2024.

Adolescence's achievement in breaking the dominance of the traditional broadcasters at the top of the UK's weekly TV ratings will be seen as another milestone in the growth of Netflix and streaming.
The second episode of Adolescence was seen by 5.94 million, with BBC One's The Apprentice and Death in Paradise third and fourth respectively in the weekly chart with almost 5.8 million each.

Adolescence is now among the programmes with the highest seven-day ratings so far this year, behind the BBC's The Traitors, Call The Midwife and the Gavin & Stacey: A Fond Farewell documentary.

ITV's drama Mr Bates vs the Post Office, which similarly made headlines and set the political agenda last year, was watched by 10 million people in its first week.
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personally hadn't seen that or any of the other mentioned tv hits (bbc had previously made a better factual series on post -office)

the mention today of using nostalgic tv series for dementia sufferers , tried to dispel that maybe they weren't just selectively remembering the good stuff, vs more recent dross.
 
Calpol said:
I'm not sure that the title of the thread is aligned with the responses. I don't think TV has been "dumbed down" although it is nostalgic to look back at what was considered to be the golden age of tv in the 70's and 80's .The truth was that there was a fraction of the content produced vs what there is now and scheduling meant that anticipation built ahead of broadcast. All the girls in my year 8 class used to look forward to Dallas on a Wednesday night. I used to try and get back from watching St Mirren by 5.15pm to see Doctor Who. Times were different, attention spans were longer, tolerance of low production values was higher and directors couldn't resort to green screening.
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This is what I was alluding to, as we only had three channels there was a lot less dross but also a lot less good TV.

There's just more of everything now.

We were just doing other things IRL. TV was watched far less and at specific times when a programme we actually wanted to watch was on.
 
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Not sure I agree with the dumbing down sentiment. I think there is just a lot more content out there so you may have to look a bit more to find the gems.
 
Ulyssese 31
Jayce and the Wheeled Warriors
M.A.S.K
Dungeons and Dragons
Mysterious Cities of Gold
Thundercats

the trash they pump out on channels like cartoon network and the rest of those crap US styled kids channels is proper dross compared to those 80's cartoons we used to get
 
Recently came across The Cook Report on YouTube, now that is journalism. Not this intentionally provocative nonsense you see plastered on every news channel. Oh and the lack of 24 hour news back then was a joy.
 
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wildman said:
Ulyssese 31
Jayce and the Wheeled Warriors
M.A.S.K
Dungeons and Dragons
Mysterious Cities of Gold
Thundercats

the trash they pump out on channels like cartoon network and the rest of those crap US styled kids channels is proper dross compared to those 80's cartoons we used to get
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:cool:
 
I've noticed a lot of cartoons back in the day had deeper storyline than many tv shows these days.

I think the Teletubbies was the start of the downfall.
 
For people saying that TV has been dumbed down just look at the Bafta TV nominees just announced.

Drama series
Blue Lights (BBC One)
Sherwood (BBC One)
Supacell (Netflix)
Wolf Hall: The Mirror and the Light (BBC One)

Limited drama
Baby Reindeer (Netflix)
Lost Boys and Fairies (BBC One)
Mr Bates vs the Post Office (ITV1)
One Day (Netflix)

International
After The Party (Channel 4)
Colin From Accounts (BBC Two)
Say Nothing (Disney+)
Shogun (Disney+)
True Detective: Night Country (Sky Atlantic)
You Are Not Alone: Fighting The Wolfpack, Netflix
 
Whatever happened to variety shows?

We all used to love a bit of variety on a Saturday night - there was something for everyone.

You’d have something for the children like a ventriloquist (normally Roger de Courcey and Nookie Bear), some stand up comedy (Jimmy Cricket or suchlike), an improbably named Eastern European circus act involving knife throwing or sawing somebody in half, a dance troupe (seemed to always be the New Generation) and, obviously, a musical act which could be anything from Lena Zavaroni to Tony Monopoly (though sometimes there would be a treat for the old folks with Roy Hudd and his sidekick performing Underneath The Arches).

And, to top it all, all of this presented to you by Mike and Bernie Winters or, if you were really lucky, The Krankies.

Yes, I really miss a bit of old fashioned variety on a Saturday night.
 
wildman said:
Ulyssese 31
Jayce and the Wheeled Warriors
M.A.S.K
Dungeons and Dragons
Mysterious Cities of Gold
Thundercats

the trash they pump out on channels like cartoon network and the rest of those crap US styled kids channels is proper dross compared to those 80's cartoons we used to get
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I’m surprised that there’s not a nostalgic tv channel of kids tv. Have it for drama and comedy
 
That Jekka Gal said:
Whatever happened to variety shows?

We all used to love a bit of variety on a Saturday night - there was something for everyone.

You’d have something for the children like a ventriloquist (normally Roger de Courcey and Nookie Bear), some stand up comedy (Jimmy Cricket or suchlike), an improbably named Eastern European circus act involving knife throwing or sawing somebody in half, a dance troupe (seemed to always be the New Generation) and, obviously, a musical act which could be anything from Lena Zavaroni to Tony Monopoly (though sometimes there would be a treat for the old folks with Roy Hudd and his sidekick performing Underneath The Arches).

And, to top it all, all of this presented to you by Mike and Bernie Winters or, if you were really lucky, The Krankies.

Yes, I really miss a bit of old fashioned variety on a Saturday night.
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god I hated Saturday night variety TV!

takes all sorts I guess.
 
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