Maybe in the 70s it was, but things have moved on a bit now.
In the age of catch up TV, the restart programme feature on BBC, plus 1 channels, digital recorders and even DVD/video recorders still being around, there is no need to watch a programme at the exact time it's broadcast unless you really want to. So missing it because of the time it's been scheduled has long since stopped being an issue. I just find it astonishing that anyone would think it still is!
Everyone I've discussed TV with, friends, colleagues etc, uses catch up TV. Even my parents who are not into computers, technology, etc tape things on their video recorder, and therefore do not watch all their TV programmes at the time of broadcast.
And from reading these forums I've always got the impression that the use of catch-up/recording is pretty much the norm.
I don't know how old you are but people of a certain generation (like me) still watch TV as it is broadcast, and Dickensian is likely to appeal to that profile as most younger people haven't a clue who the characters are. We don't go searching for programmes on catch up or elsewhere (and BBC doesn't have +1) as I can't be bothered. If it's not on TV when I'm available then why bother. I do Sky+ some things or have them on series record but that's it (just saying) ;-);-)
Maybe in the 70s it was, but things have moved on a bit now.
In the age of catch up TV, the restart programme feature on BBC, plus 1 channels, digital recorders and even DVD/video recorders still being around, there is no need to watch a programme at the exact time it's broadcast unless you really want to. So missing it because of the time it's been scheduled has long since stopped being an issue. I just find it astonishing that anyone would think it still is!
Everyone I've discussed TV with, friends, colleagues etc, uses catch up TV. Even my parents who are not into computers, technology, etc tape things on their video recorder, and therefore do not watch all their TV programmes at the time of broadcast.
And from reading these forums I've always got the impression that the use of catch-up/recording is pretty much the norm.
Im only in my 40s but if I miss something of an ongoing series, chances are I wont remember, or have time to watch it on catch up and so lose interest in watching the rest of the series.
I also might want to watch something I missed, thinking it was 'only last week' to go to catch up and find Ive missed the chance to watch it as Im out of time.
If you're wanting funny and silly, then this should be right up your foggy, gas-lit, cobbled street: Bleak Expectations http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00ngz6q
I don't know how old you are but people of a certain generation (like me) still watch TV as it is broadcast, and Dickensian is likely to appeal to that profile as most younger people haven't a clue who the characters are. We don't go searching for programmes on catch up or elsewhere (and BBC doesn't have +1) as I can't be bothered. If it's not on TV when I'm available then why bother. I do Sky+ some things or have them on series record but that's it (just saying) ;-);-)
I'm 36, but I know people quite a bit older than me who use iplayer etc. My parents are in their 60s and record lots of programmes, as I mentioned before. And my granddad who is just about to turn 95 will happily use the video recorder that my dad bought for him several years ago.
I do think your view of "if it's not on TV when I'm available then why bother" might be quite unusual now!
Also some young people do know who the characters are I'm sure. I was familiar with quite a lot of them even when I was a teenager. Hopefully classic novels will still be read by those young people who are into literature. The characters from Oliver Twist and A Christmas Carol are so famous, how can anyone not have heard of them? Even if only from school productions etc.
I know bbc don't have plus 1, (although I think I heard that they are planning it in the future) but they do have the restart programme feature which basically serves the same purpose.
The Bleak Old Shop of Stuff which was a disappointing attempt to transfer the comedy of Mark Evans' splendid radio 4 Dickens pastiche Bleak Expectations to tv.
They really should have left the format the same as the radio, such as the Pip Bin's boarding school days and the larger than life villain, Mr. Gently Benevolent, etc..
Centering it around the shop for television was a mistake.
I'm 36, but I know people quite a bit older than me who use iplayer etc. My parents are in their 60s and record lots of programmes, as I mentioned before. And my granddad who is just about to turn 95 will happily use the video recorder that my dad bought for him several years ago.
I do think your view of "if it's not on TV when I'm available then why bother" might be quite unusual now!
Also some young people do know who the characters are I'm sure. I was familiar with quite a lot of them even when I was a teenager. Hopefully classic novels will still be read by those young people who are into literature. The characters from Oliver Twist and A Christmas Carol are so famous, how can anyone not have heard of them? Even if only from school productions etc.
I think your family is not the norm then, you must all have embraced new technology, but I think you are in a minority (really). As far as Dickens is concerned, maybe young people know Oliver Twist (a bit) and Scrooge (from the films) but the rest, surely not. I bet if I asked my Upper 6th after the holidays who they could name from Dickens, I would have silence in the room ;-);-)
Im only in my 40s but if I miss something of an ongoing series, chances are I wont remember, or have time to watch it on catch up and so lose interest in watching the rest of the series.
I also might want to watch something I missed, thinking it was 'only last week' to go to catch up and find Ive missed the chance to watch it as Im out of time.
So catch up is not the norm for me.
I watch so much stuff on catch-up now that I actually have a separate diary to write down when programmes are due to expire! But I do realize that I am probably completely alone in doing that.
I think your family is not the norm then, you must all have embraced new technology, but I think you are in a minority (really). As far as Dickens is concerned, maybe young people know Oliver Twist (a bit) and Scrooge (from the films) but the rest, surely not. I bet if I asked my Upper 6th after the holidays who they could name from Dickens, I would have silence in the room ;-);-)
But VHS is not new technology though is it? It was around in the 80s.
And if that is true about teenagers not knowing who any characters are from Dickens, that would be a great shame.
I watch so much stuff on catch-up now that I actually have a separate diary to write down when programmes are due to expire! But I do realize that I am probably completely alone in doing that.
A great many people simplify their life, if they can't catch the program during the normal course of the week, then they don't bother they just let it drop.
There are only so many hours in the working week, at some point there's more content than hours/will to watch, so they just don't bother.
I've got get_iplayer, I've got to be into terrabytes of BBC TV and Radio 4 content now, a good 80% I haven't seen or heard yet.
I'll keep buying HD's...
I'm on my own, I've only got myself to sort out, I don't have work out my viewing habits with someone else or children in mind.
I wasn't talking about VHS, but catch-up, etc. And unfortunately 18 year old have no or little idea about any Dickens characters :(
Bugger, one of my Daughters has surprised me, at 19 I thought she'd know some, but apparently not.
Maybe she's avoiding another series of baffling tangential questions from her Dad
Bugger one of my Daughters has surprised me, at 19 I thought she'd know some, but apparently not.
Maybe she's avoiding another series of baffling tangential questions from her Dad
There's a link in the OP to the program page there's the cheat sheet and list of characters linked off that page too.
Thanks, seen it now
I jumped into the thread after the programme had started, so missed your OP. Would have saved me a lot of time trying to work out the characters had I seen your post earlier. Lol
Is there an omnibus edition of this going to be screened at some point? It seems quite good, but I just can't be bothered watching half an hour then another half an hour later, and then the same again next night!
Is the detective a character in a Dickens novel, or is he made up just for this? (Sorry, not a great Dickens fan).
Is there an omnibus edition of this going to be screened at some point? It seems quite good, but I just can't be bothered watching half an hour then another half an hour later, and then the same again next night!
Is the detective a character in a Dickens novel, or is he made up just for this? (Sorry, not a great Dickens fan).
He's from Bleak House. And I doubt there will be an omnibus as it will last 10 hours
Is there an omnibus edition of this going to be screened at some point? It seems quite good, but I just can't be bothered watching half an hour then another half an hour later, and then the same again next night!
Is the detective a character in a Dickens novel, or is he made up just for this? (Sorry, not a great Dickens fan).
get_iplayer download them as they come out, block watch them at the end.
The first couple of episodes might be off the iplayer by the time the last 2 air.
get_iplayer download them as they come out, block watch them at the end.
The first couple of episodes might be off the iplayer by the time the last 2 air.
Previous knowledge of the characters and/or the individual stories isn't a prerequisite to watching this. You can argue as to whether or not it would make viewing more enjoyable, however this can be watched in isolation.
I wasn't talking about VHS, but catch-up, etc. And unfortunately 18 year olds have no or little idea about any Dickens characters :(
But my generation did when we were 18, or some of us did anyway, and that was only the late 90s. Has it really changed that much since then?
And as for the other point, you said that my family must have embraced modern technology, but my parents and granddad are using a video recorder, so they haven't really!
Comments
I don't know how old you are but people of a certain generation (like me) still watch TV as it is broadcast, and Dickensian is likely to appeal to that profile as most younger people haven't a clue who the characters are. We don't go searching for programmes on catch up or elsewhere (and BBC doesn't have +1) as I can't be bothered. If it's not on TV when I'm available then why bother. I do Sky+ some things or have them on series record but that's it (just saying) ;-);-)
There's a link in the OP to the program page there's the cheat sheet and list of characters linked off that page too.
Im only in my 40s but if I miss something of an ongoing series, chances are I wont remember, or have time to watch it on catch up and so lose interest in watching the rest of the series.
I also might want to watch something I missed, thinking it was 'only last week' to go to catch up and find Ive missed the chance to watch it as Im out of time.
So catch up is not the norm for me.
If you're wanting funny and silly, then this should be right up your foggy, gas-lit, cobbled street: Bleak Expectations
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00ngz6q
I'm 36, but I know people quite a bit older than me who use iplayer etc. My parents are in their 60s and record lots of programmes, as I mentioned before. And my granddad who is just about to turn 95 will happily use the video recorder that my dad bought for him several years ago.
I do think your view of "if it's not on TV when I'm available then why bother" might be quite unusual now!
Also some young people do know who the characters are I'm sure. I was familiar with quite a lot of them even when I was a teenager. Hopefully classic novels will still be read by those young people who are into literature. The characters from Oliver Twist and A Christmas Carol are so famous, how can anyone not have heard of them? Even if only from school productions etc.
I know bbc don't have plus 1, (although I think I heard that they are planning it in the future) but they do have the restart programme feature which basically serves the same purpose.
They really should have left the format the same as the radio, such as the Pip Bin's boarding school days and the larger than life villain, Mr. Gently Benevolent, etc..
Centering it around the shop for television was a mistake.
I think your family is not the norm then, you must all have embraced new technology, but I think you are in a minority (really). As far as Dickens is concerned, maybe young people know Oliver Twist (a bit) and Scrooge (from the films) but the rest, surely not. I bet if I asked my Upper 6th after the holidays who they could name from Dickens, I would have silence in the room ;-);-)
I watch so much stuff on catch-up now that I actually have a separate diary to write down when programmes are due to expire! But I do realize that I am probably completely alone in doing that.
But VHS is not new technology though is it? It was around in the 80s.
And if that is true about teenagers not knowing who any characters are from Dickens, that would be a great shame.
A great many people simplify their life, if they can't catch the program during the normal course of the week, then they don't bother they just let it drop.
There are only so many hours in the working week, at some point there's more content than hours/will to watch, so they just don't bother.
I've got get_iplayer, I've got to be into terrabytes of BBC TV and Radio 4 content now, a good 80% I haven't seen or heard yet.
I'll keep buying HD's...
I'm on my own, I've only got myself to sort out, I don't have work out my viewing habits with someone else or children in mind.
I wasn't talking about VHS, but catch-up, etc. And unfortunately 18 year olds have no or little idea about any Dickens characters
Bugger, one of my Daughters has surprised me, at 19 I thought she'd know some, but apparently not.
Maybe she's avoiding another series of baffling tangential questions from her Dad
Thanks, seen it now
I jumped into the thread after the programme had started, so missed your OP. Would have saved me a lot of time trying to work out the characters had I seen your post earlier. Lol
Is the detective a character in a Dickens novel, or is he made up just for this? (Sorry, not a great Dickens fan).
He's from Bleak House. And I doubt there will be an omnibus as it will last 10 hours
Thanks.
There could be a few omnibuses lasting 2 hours each.
I really can't see the point of screening it the way they have. It seems guaranteed to put people off watching.
10 hour long episodes over 10 weeks would have been better imo. Anyway, intriguing as the premise is, I think I'm out.
get_iplayer download them as they come out, block watch them at the end.
The first couple of episodes might be off the iplayer by the time the last 2 air.
I don't think I like it enough to be bothered.
I'm sure that's not Peter Crachit halfway down the page. It looks like Arthur Havisham..
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/tvandradio/bbc/12066816/dickensian-review.html
But my generation did when we were 18, or some of us did anyway, and that was only the late 90s. Has it really changed that much since then?
And as for the other point, you said that my family must have embraced modern technology, but my parents and granddad are using a video recorder, so they haven't really!