Originally Posted by
D.M.N.:
“Just as a FYI, some of the offerings on BBC One for the week beginning 12th April look horrible:
Monday - New Tricks (r)
Tuesday - Spoilt Rotten? 
Wednesday - Traffic Cops (r?)
Thursday, 8pm - DIY SOS (r?)
There's nothing to stop them launching dramas now, and I'm not sure why they are not launching new dramas. As the weeks pass, the amount of dramas they can put on is limited because of the World Cup. Unless this is going to be the typical BBC One 9pm offerings for the next 2 months.”
Originally Posted by sn_22:
“BBC One schedulers clearly haven't compensated for the lack of Apprentice this spring and have wound up pretty short on big weekday 9pm offerings. Ashes to Ashes and HIGNFY/Outnumbered have Thursdays and Fridays covered till june - but Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays are dead. They'll be regretting loading Jan and Feb.
I would expect to see 5 episodes of WDYTYA before summer, as last year. And I would hope that at least one or two of Luther, The Silence, The Deep, Mistresses. etc. would show up. Drop Zone must be a stinker - being pulled from 'coming soon' sections is never a good sign (think Material Girl...).”
In 1986 I bought 2 back issues of the Radio Times just to see past schedules. They were for:
7-13 October 1978 (height of the Autumn season)
9-15 January 1982 (start of the Winter season)
Looking at both, it's clear that the BBC1 primetime schedule has
always been sparse.
Both had primetime film repeats:
In 1978 Friday 7.00 - 8.30 Carry On Cleo
In 1982 Wednesday 7.20 - 9.00 - wait for this one!
- Knock On Wood, a Danny Kaye film made in
1954! (It
was in colour, though)
Sunday night schedules for both consist of:
6.40 Songs Of Praise
7.15 Posh British drama
8.05 Film (In 1982 premier of The Shootist starring John Wayne. In 1978 a repeat of The Third Day starring George Peppard and made in 1965)
and in 1982
9.40 Omnibus. (arts programme)
And look at the weekday 9.25 offerings (from the days of the 9 O'Clock News)
1978
Monday: Till Death Us Do Part (1969 film. Premier)
Tuesday: Shirley MacLaine asks Where Do We Go From Here (winner of that year's Golden Rose Of Montreux - presumably an import.)
Wednesday : The Fall And Rise Of Reginald Perrin (repeat)
Thursday : Omnibus
Friday: Target (police drama starring Patrick Mower aka Rodney in Emmerdale)
1982
Monday : Last Of The Summer Wine
Tuesday : Play For Today
Wednesday: Sportsnight
Thursday: Shoestring (repeat)
Friday: Miss Great Britain
Not really any more exciting than April 2010 and this was in the days when the BBC only had 2 TV channels, 4 national radio stations, sparse local radio, no daytime TV and closedown at 11.30/
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Incidentally the lettes page in the 1978 issue leads with viewers mourning the end of Z Cars axed after 16 years.
These comments strike a chord with anyone?
Quote:
“It will always remain one of the most important chapters in the history of television, as it was the only police series that showed the force much as it really is.... Z Cars had one great strength - its concentration on the leading characters.”
Quote:
“How can the BBC axe the best police programme on television? I suppose now we will have to put up with more imported American super-human coppers who bear no resembelence to the British policeman's actual life and work. I hope the BBC realises its mistake...”
Quote:
“It was undoubtfully one of the very best series about our police force, so well produced and beautifully acted. The characters were completely natural and never larger than life. I feel sad and bereaved at the most untimely end of this living and ever-growing series.”
Quote:
“The final episode of Z Cars was frankly depressing, very unconvincing and there was ana ir of unreality about the whole thing.... I prefer to remember Z Cars as it used to be.”
”
