I was forgetting that BBC1 have a new Outnumbered for Christmas.

And what about Car Share? A new four-part series in the pipeline. Could they launch it on Christmas Day and run it on Sundays. With a schedule for January 1st, 8th and 15th of

8.00 Sherlock
9.30 Car Share.

I remember the boost that Gavin & Stacey got when they were scheduled on Christmas Day, although that was in the days when people actually WATCHED television on Christmas Day.

Thanks Ray

Ordinary Lies doing poorly in that slot. I imagine ep6 will be under 3m against IAC.

Tenable not doing too bad. Though that is three quzzies on one after the other. Though they all differ.

Do you have any other daytime ratings you could post for yesterday?

I had forgotten about Car Share. Has it been filmed already? That could work well, although as you say, Christmas Day TV doesn't rate in the way it used to. That Sunday schedule could do really well though, particularly on New Year's Day when Mrs Brown's Boys could go after Car Share at 10pm.

Is there any reason why Car Share is only 4 episodes? Beyond Peter Kay's perpetual laziness, that is.

If you name a few specific programmes I'll see what I can do.

Peter Kay's busy schedule perhaps? That's the advantage of having pots of money - you can take on as much or as little work as you want.

Didn't they say they had to film Car Share in the summer to get maximum daylight? Think it should be in the can now.


I'm watching Ordinary Lies on the iPlayer. I've seen episodes 1 and 2 and I watched part 4 on Monday. Not planning to catch up on the unwatched episode 3 and it's touch and go whether I'll watch parts 5 and 6. I find it enjoyable but nothing special. Perhaps BBC1 should re-commission dramas that don't leave room for a second series (although Missing seems to have just about got away with it.) Definitely won't be a third series of OL.

I noticed ITV screening three consecutive quiz shows in daytime. Strangely that doesn't bother me in the slightest even though I get thoroughly hacked off by BBC1 having two programmes about house selling in their daytime schedule even though one is at 10am and the other is at 3pm. Or two programmes about council officials pursuing petty criminals. That annoys me too. One programme of each genre is more than enough< BBC1 - or it is when the genre is house buying or councilors at work.

Neighbours, please!

I hope Tenable sticks. It's derivative but very watchable. I prefer it to the Chase. It's a lot like Pointless and Family Fortunes.
As always, loses a lot by not having a studio audience. I'm glad the BBC haven't gone down that road paved with copper.

Thank you

US dramas aren't going to air in primetime Saturday anytime soon unless it's after the watershed and ITV have tried US dramas on Saturdays and none of them set the ratings alight.

Game Shows are hit and miss and I think simply reviving them and expecting them to produce the numbers they did in the 1980s and 1990s is unrealistic

Could ITV air not try out Lethal Weapon on Saturday? Or would it be better to launch it after BGT instead of another LE show, then if it does struggle, it can be pushed back into a later slot.

I big lead in would at least give it a shot at success.

Oh I don't mean put US shows on in primetime, that ship has long sailed. I just meant that we will probably see a return to scripted shows on Saturday evenings. The Beeb has maintained that tradition with reasonable success.

As for gameshows, I'd try to reboot some as they could work. They aren't going to get 7m but 5m is certainly attainable. Need the right host and easier slot. If Blankety Blank fails then I'll be wrong.

It's a scary thought for network TV...
Gameshows might not work, sitcoms are struggling even in America, the talent show era is past its peak, reality TV is the same and movies rarely pull in big numbers.

Toss in the falling audiences for sport and you can see why this is 'the golden era of drama'.

There's always wildlife.


3m seems the limit for US shows here now. I used to watch Channel 5 when they had CSI and Mentalist on Tuesdays and Saturdays.
10pm seems a natural time for these shows on BBC1 or ITV. Saturday or even Sunday. I don't think they'd mind it being up against sky1 on a Sunday since, you know, series link...

I imagine Lethal Weapon will get a 9.30-10pm slot on Saturdays after Through the Keyhole, ITV did that with The Americans and Pushing Daisies so it's feasible.

I do wonder whether ITV should look for a post watershed comedy entertainment shows, they've tried a few in the past but only Keyhole has stuck. Something like a UK version of Hollywood Game Night or Whose Line is it Anyway?

I see my5 are airing Comedy Central's The Roast of Donald Trump tonight for the first time on Freeview. I'm surprised they didn't find a slot for it on C5 itself.

this morning, rinder and tipping point. thanks in advance.

Entertaining Im a Celeb again tonight, and two more celebs going in tomorrow. Danny Baker should ruffle some feathers. Not sure what Martin Roberts is like as a person as nobody has ever seen him anywhere but walking round a 2 bed terrace in Cumbria.

He's irritating enough doing that so I imagine he might rub a few people up the wrong way. Danny Baker will most likely cause some rows. It's all quite pleasant at the moment but that might not last long now.

I thought so too. While there are no arguments, on this forum you get moaning its too boring, then when there is someone like Lady C, they moan that its too nasty.

I think its impossible to get it 100% spot on. Some characters take time to emerge. I like Adam after tonights ep.

Ratings wise, tonight I think The Missing will hold a solid 4.5m while IAC will drop to 8.5/7m due to the stiffer comp and 90minute run time.

24 Hours In A&E migh take a hit though.

It held on to viewers on Sunday and it was over 90mins.

It's impossible to get it spot on because there is no spot on. Even forgetting those sensible enough not to watch it if they don't like it, those who do watch will want quite different things.

By now itv should have the data to know what works for most viewers. In 20 odd episodes I would feel you've got to have some drama in four or five of them. You're putting everything in to the Trials basket without some heat.

I don't know which was the most successful series but I'd imagine there was someone in there who caused a stink now and again.

That was the launch though, hardly the same kettle of fish...

There is a difference between 90minutes on Sunday and 90minutes mid week.

Indeed, and last year there were so many rows with Lady C that the Dingo Dollar Challenges didn't always get shown. No rows and you end up having to fill with those 'round the campfire' late night chats.

Lady C was a one off though, like comparing every BGT to SuBo.

I think the only way 45 minute dramas would work on the BBC is if they did something like this:

Extend the news until 7:15
One Show at 7:15
Eastenders/Factual 7:45
1 Hr factual like Watchdog 8:15
45 minute drama from 9:15

It's awkward and I don't really like missing the junctions but it's viable. It would mean shifting the whole schedule though.

Or alternatively, you could run two 45 minute shows back to back (Maybe Factual/Drama).

I'd prefer to see 90 minute dramas return to BBC1 though, running from 8:30 to 10. One thing ITV have right is that the news is flexible and they can quite easily shift the news to 10:30 if they want to run a 90 minute drama. BBC are very reluctant to do that.