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Bring back Spitting Image
Glenn A
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The time is right for this puppet comedy show to come back. Just think, they could savagely send up the politicians we have now, Ed Miliband would look good as an alien and Call Me Dave could be portrayed as an upper crust twit, and also I'd love to see them take on people like Katie Price( her puppet would be really gross) and Kerry Katona. With all the idiot politicians and Z list celebs around to parody, the time has never been better for Spitting Image to return.
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And what does using tabloid newspaper stereotypes contribute to political debate?
It was very overrated and dragged out far too long. There were enough gags for a couple of programmes but it seemed to go on for ever, I very rarely watched it.
Loosen up, they took the mickey out of everyone. The eighties were a far more politicised time than now and it was nice they sent up everyone from Norman Tebbit as a boot boy to Michael Foot as an eccentric old man.
I know near the end they were getting a bit short of material and the last series was laboured, but it had been on for ten years.
Also I'd love to see a puppet version of Katie Price.
But John Lloyd also said in his interview that he thinks Spitting Image had no effect on British politics at all. It doesn't need to contribute to the debate as such, provided it's amusing and not bullying.
If anything they'll produce another animated version like 2DTV.
I wouldn't mind having 2DTV back as this was very amusing.
On a different note, I wouldn't mind it if Dead Ringers came back on our screens.
How about her 2DTV replica?
As Degsy points out, it was very expensive to make - in these days of finite advertising money being spread over hundreds of channels its just not going to happen.
A puppet version of Katie Price might be mildly funny first time but not when you see it doing the same gags week after week.
A one-off programme once a year perhaps but it would be too expensive. Once they have the sets and puppets they would want to use them as much as possible to maximise the profits.
regarding spitting image I know Comedy Central Extra were running it a while ago (I presume it was the first series) but have never seen anymore of it again I wonder why?
I wouldn't mind if ITV brought it back even if it was a "yearly" event but I really doubt they would spend money on it .... they probably would rather throw the money to the cast members of TOWIE :rolleyes: but on the another hand since ITV are on a "revival" tour at the moment they may as well give this a second go
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Headcases
Not sure why it fizzled out.
Spitting Image was one of the first casualties of the takeover of Central TV (who made it) by Carlton.
ITV has not done comedy in any serious way since Carlton took over most of ITV.
The other problem is that you would probably have to explain to the post X-factor audience who most of the politicians were as they have no idea.
The other day on Pointless the question was "Name any Labour Cabinet minister form 1997 to 2010"..... "Boris Johnson" said one younger lady.
I know the search on DS is pretty shite, but a very quick one brings up This one from June 2006;)
But it would be educational too,as,once the young'uns knew who the politician puppets were,they would actually learn something about them and then you'd be less likely to see some bimbo thinking Boris was in the Labour cabinet!
But I agree,sadly it won't happen. And animation just aint the same.
This would not happen if it was on ITV - Cowell would not allow it, and what he says goes.
Before the merger took place, it's Granada that had the majority share of the regions over Carlton. Carlton had Central, Westcountry and HTV.
Granada had Meridian, Anglia, Yorkshire, Tyne Tees, Border. They did have HTV initially but had to give it up when they wanted the Anglia/Meridian/HTV group (MAI)
Spitting Image possibly may have been one of the first casualities, who's to say? But was it past its sell by date by then. Dont' get me wrong, I loved Spitting Image but didn't they dump it on a late Saturday Night slot towards the end of its run?
Satirical humour did come back in the form of 2DTV and I don't recall them trying to ban it or anything like that.
Sad thing is they're all non ITV shows. Surely Simon Cowell must have a sense of humour and knows people want to send him up. However, in such a cut throat television world we have now, Mr Cowell is beyond criticism even if most people think his shows are awful.
But I don't recall ANYBODY suing! They probably would today, sadly,which is another reason why it won't come back.