Proud of the BBC

[maxwells_daemon]

Mitch Benn's Proud of the BBC is great (thanks to bibliogirl for the first recommendation). Go watch it now.

That's a fantastic song, but I'm not sure I can fully get behind the sentiment. Most of my BBC favourites are from some time ago. There are many excellent British programmes not on that list, mostly made by Channel 4. I am watching much more US TV nowadays, mainly because the BBC is producing much less good drama these days. (I don't even have an LJ icon from a BBC programme.) Maybe I can say I'm proud of what the BBC was and proud when it still, too rarely, produces something brilliant.

Qualifications aside, jinty alerted me to a meme that seems to be developing and I feel well-justified in spreading. Here are the programmes (and other BBC output) listed in the song. I have struck out those I have never seen/heard, emboldened those that I love. There are a few that I saw (or was forced to watch, eg. due to scheduling annoyances) that I wish I hadn't, so I shrunk those in the hope that no one notices them.

Newsround
Newsnight
iPlayer
Website
Toni Arthur
Brian Cant
Spooks
Adam Adamant
Postman Pat
Blackadder
Hancock
Yes Minister
Later with Jools Holland
Pride and Prejudice
Hitchikers Guide
World service
Stuart Lee
Mr Benn
Casualty
6 Music
Glastonbury
Horrible Histories
Dennis Potter
C-Beebies
Quatermass
Two Ronnies
The Thick of It
Radio 3
Open University
Mark Kermode
Simon Mayo
Round the Horne
Goon Show
Blakes 7
Dick and Dom
Last Night of the Proms
Gardeners' Question Time
Last of the Summer Wine
Steptoe and Son
Clangers
The Young Ones
Edge of Darkness
Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
Letter from America
The Mighty Boosh
QI
Panorama
Bagpuss
I Claudius
Absolutely Fabulous
John Motson
Red Dwarf
Our friends in the North
Culture Show
Woman's Hour
Charlie and Lola
Alan Partridge
Sherlock
News at 6 o'clock
Live Aid
Likely Lads
Michael Palin
No ads
This Life
That's life
Life on earth
The good life
Captain Pugwash
Tony Hart
Til Death do us Part
Ken Bruce
News Quiz
Keeping Up Appearances
Outnumbered
Miranda
Who do you think you are
Kirsty Wark
Jeremy Paxman
Parkinson
Wogan
Tripods
Fireman Sam
The Ascent of Man
One foot in the grave
Xander (Armstrong) and Ben (Miller)
Rob (Webb) and Dave (Mitchell)
Antiques Roadshow
David Attenborough
Bruce Forsyth
The League of Gentlemen
Have I got news for you
Hairy Bikers
Being Human
In the Night garden
Have I got news for you
You & Me (Me and You)
Monty Python
Doctor Who
Top Gear
Merlin
Ivor the Engine
Watchdog
Wimbledon
Springwatch
Formula 1
Blue Peter
Swap Shop
Five Live
Top of the Pops
Trumpton
The Archers
That Was The Week That Was
The Goodies
Songs of Praise
World at One
The Day Today
Sorry I haven't a Clue
Not the Nine O'Clock News
Nationwide
Mr Men
East Enders
Bottom
Gary Lineker
Radio 1
Radio 2
Ripping Yarns
Johnny Ball
Test Match Special
Bergerac
Perfect Day
Radio Active
Howard's Way
Jeremy Hardy
Final Score
(nearly everything on) BBC4
Only Fools (and Horses)
Sky at Night
Shooting Stars
Pete and Dud
Teletubbies
Life on Mars
Radcliffe and Maconie
Jackanory
A Bit of Fry and Laurie
Children in Need Appeal
Douglas Adams
John Peel

(List originally typed up by communicator.)

Comments

[jinty]

I'm still very happy with the Beeb's current output, as I've been watching a lot of BBC4 stuff which has been very good - in-depth, substantial, interesting.

Channel 4 has some good stuff but if I wasn't stuck to the telly then I wouldn't be watching any of them, I don't think, whereas I was watching BBC stuff even before I was sofa-bound.

[e-pepys.livejournal.com]

For recent stuff that I've been most keen on, I guess we put Being Human against Misfits. The BBC does have some great old stuff still running: Doctor Who and Spooks which C4 can't match.

[freya-9.livejournal.com]

I've had fun comparing my selection with yours! As I'm an avid Radio 2 listener but get subjected to Radio 1 at work my 'known of' is about the same number, just differently arranged. Although you not watching Fireman Sam :( and Tony Hart - original Morph!

[e-pepys.livejournal.com]

I'll have to check out Fireman Sam. I'm afraid Radio 2 (nor 1) is definitely not for me. When it's on in the background I ask people to switch it off (OK, I ask in my head, because I'm rarely brave enough to do that).

[manylelephants.livejournal.com]

Brilliant! As ever with Mitch.

Good to see Dr Who getting its due amount of attention, as well as a nice dig at Sky.

Thanks for alerting us to this!

[e-pepys.livejournal.com]

Did I mention Doctor Who?

[purpletigron.livejournal.com]

What about 'Mary, Mungo and Midge' and all the others mentioned in the dance outro?

[e-pepys.livejournal.com]

I didn't check the list myself, just took what the OP posted. I think it's just the ones on the papers, so doesn't even mention the Now Show!

Anyway, for me, I'm not sure I remember Mary, Mungo and Midge. I don't think we had a TV when it was on.