The Square-Eyed Couch Potato: May-June 2017

Top pick this past month?  A German-language drama series on Netflix - "THE SAME SKY".  If you liked "Deutschland 83" last year on Channel 4 - I loved it - then this is well worth watching.  Set a decade earlier, in the summer of 1974, this ZDF series written by no less than esteemed British TV writer Paula Milne, and directed by Oliver Hirschbiegel of "Downfall" fame) focuses on a little-known aspect of the Cold War: the East German "Romeo spies" who were sent over the border to seduce women and persuade them into giving away state secrets.  But this is just one part of the story.

There are several other fascinating sub-plots running too, including the talented young swimmer caught up in the doping programme, and the gay teacher desperate to reunite with his true love in the west - but needs to dig a tunnel to get there.  It's an excellent series and if you have Netflix I highly recommend you watch it.  Nordic Noir fans will be interested to see Sofia Helin (third from left, above)  in the role of Lauren, the first secret service employee targeted by "Romeo" Lars.  As is the rule in most modern TV dramas, the numerous loose ends were not tied up by the end of this excellent first series.  It can't end here!  There are so many more stories to be told, so please don't keep us waiting too long for that second series ZDF/Netflix!

After a 5 month break, I decided to return to "CORONATION STREET" (ITV) on its annual "big week" which as usual coincided with the week of "Britain's Got Talent" live shows.  This time round the big stories were the Bethany Platt grooming storyline (Bethany and her abuser Nathan pictured above), the lead-up to the decision of Nick Tilsley to leave Weatherfield, after a ridiculous episode in which he was trapped in quicksand and saved by enemies Peter Barlow and Steve McDonald, and the conclusion of the "Who Pushed Ken?" storyline (which I had missed over those months I didn't watch the show).  It will be fascinating to see where they take the character of Ken's son Daniel, who has the potential to become one of the show's most complex characters; a nice change from many of the one-dimentional characters polluting the show.  Now we have a couple of promising new storylines - Phelan's discovery that he has a daughter, Nicola; and Eva's discovery of Aidan's affair with Maria. A delicious revenge storyline in prospect, then!

The Bethany storyline attracted a lot of media attention lately.  But the fact remains that it can only go so far, due to the show's pre-watershed slot.  For a more brutal take on the horrific impact of grooming, there was the BBC1 drama series "THREE GIRLS" based on the true story of the three vulnerable teenagers who were the victims of long-running abuse by grooming gangs in Rochdale. This story highlighted that the police and other services did not cover themselves in glory.  It took the efforts and hard work of a brave and fearless youth worker, Sara Rowbotham, to finally achieve justice for these young women.

"TANNADICE '87" was an entertaining documentary on BBC Alba which commemorated the 30th anniversary of Dundee United's UEFA Cup run of that year.  Although I'm not a United fan, I distinctly remember being caught up in the hysteria around that time and cheered them on to the final. Those were very different times of course, when a team exclusively composed of Scottish players, managed by one of Scottish football's toughest taskmasters of that time (Jim McLean), could make it all the way to a European final.  Sadly the fairytale had an unhappy ending as although they made it as far as the final, they lost out in the end to their opponents IFK Gothenburg.

Not only are we halfway through the year already, but in the real-time reruns of "TOP OF THE POPS" (BBC4) we have now arrived at 1984.  Each new TOTP year brings a must-see documentary going behind the scenes of the year's music scene.  In the real world it was a very turbulent year - the miners' strike and the growing threat of the Cold War - meanwhile TOTP was at the height of its studio party days, with clowns, balloons, attention seeking dancers, and pop in its prime.  "THE STORY OF 1984" had everything from Frankie Goes to Hollywood (above) to Hi-NRG, one man electro bands, new jazz to Nena to music with a message and ending the year with Band Aid.

Talking of Frankie Goes To Hollywood, I probably lost count of the amount of times I played the 12" version of "Two Tribes" over and over again that summer....it's still one of my favourite songs of all time.

I am probably too old to accept streaming as any kind of substitute for owning physical/downloaded copies of music, and I have a nostalgic yearning for times when music seemed to matter more than it does these days. "ALL THINGS MUST PASS: THE RISE AND FALL OF TOWER RECORDS" was a fascinating documentary which you would usually expect to turn up on BBC4 but it was actually broadcast over on Sky Arts which also has built up an impressive musical catalogue.  This chain, which evolved from humble beginnings in Sacramento, California, eventually became a US giant and even expanded to the UK in the '90s, including a shop in Argyle Street in Glasgow.  For those of us of a certain age, this documentary was a warm piece of nostalgia; for those of a younger, different generation thay may not understand the importance of what record shops meant to us, it was probably a strange history lesson. Essential viewing.

Backlog

On to some older stuff now: I've been stockpiling several films and series and am finally getting round to watching them.

Let's go back to just before Christmas 2016 and the long-awaited second series of "HUMANS" (Channel 4).  After that excellent first series, this one took a while to get going; once it did, however, it was gripping viewing.  Fans of "Nashville" might be interested to know that Sam Palladio (Gunnar) had a role in this series as a cafe owner who had a relationship with Mia.

It is a credit to all the actors involved in "Humans" that those playing the Synths are so authentic that you often forget they are only acting.  A third series is on the way next year.

"PRIDE" (BBC2) was screened around Christmas 2016 and has been on my Tivo box since that time.  It is a lovely, warm feelgood film and even more remarkable is that it is a true story - "Lesbians and Gays Support The Miners" was a real organisation set up by a group of activists during the 1984-85 miners' strike.

Unfortunately there were other things happening in the mid-80s - the rise of AIDS for example. Mark Ashton, one of the leaders of the support group in the film, lost his life to AIDS, aged only 26.

I guess that my way of watching TV has changed now: for series on terrestrial/satellite TV, I'd rather record the full series and then watch it at my leisure, whether one or two episodes at a time.  The idea of "binge-watching" is still a bit too much for me, as my attention span isn't that great; however it's nice to know that I can watch a couple of episodes one day and then another couple the next day, without having to wait till the following week for the next episode.



I finally caught up with the third and final series of "BROADCHURCH" (ITV) which was broadcast between February and April of this year.  After that disappointing second series, this was definitely a return to form.  David Tennant and Olivia Colman were back in their leading roles as Hardy and Miller.  Apart from the original characters including the Latimer family, series 3 introduced a new whodunnit storyline, focusing on the rape of Trish Winterman (played by Julie Hesmondhalgh, always remembered as Corrie's iconic Hayley Cropper).  Series 3 captured all the aspects which made that first series so special.  Wisely, the series' creator Chris Chibnall decided that only three series were ever going to be made, so there will be no more Broadchurch.  That's the secret of good TV - leave them wanting more.

Back to the present day now.  The first anniversary of the EU referendum was commemorated by several TV shows.  One of these proved that one of the original reality TV formats still has legs.  "WIFE SWAP - BREXIT SPECIAL" (Channel 4) in which the wife of a remainer family swapped with the wife of a leave family, and each tried to persuade the other family of their point of view.

There were some priceless moments, not least when the remainer wife decided to use a Daily Express featuring a picture of Nigel Farage, for the family dog to, um, do its business on.  The minute the dog finally poo'd on Nigel was priceless.  Talking of that supreme irritant, the wife of the leave family proudly displayed his picture over the fireplace and left it as a gift for the remainer family.  In the end, the picture ended up in the fire...!  In the end they concluded that Brexit may have been a 'class thing', although as a working-class remainer, I still don't get that.

Over on BBC2, there was a slightly offbeat documentary, "BREXIT MEANS BREXIT" where documentary maker Patrick Forbes presented the events of the past year as top-class political farce. Which, depending on your point of view, could be argued that it was.

It's summer of course, which means that BBC1 and ITV have their summertime talent contests keeping the seat warm for yet another autumn and winter of Strictly Come Dancing and X Factor. ITV has "The Voice Kids" which seems to be doing very well with the critics and viewers alike, whilst BBC1 has gone for a show based on the popular movie franchise "Pitch Perfect" where acapella singing groups "riff-off" against each other.  "PITCH BATTLE" is presented by Mel Giedroyc, and the jury members include choir guru Gareth Malone and, inexplicably, Kelis, along with a guest judge every week.  I watched the first couple of instalments but my main criticism is that the show is far too long and drawn-out.  An hour would be enough.  You can't deny the musical talent of all the singing groups who have put so much work into their performances, it's just a shame that they have to compete against each other.

(picture courtesy of www.proclaimers.co.uk)

Finally, a tribute to one of Scotland's most popular and enduring duos.  "THE PROCLAIMERS: THIS IS THE STORY" (BBC2 Scotland)  a warm-hearted documentary in which Craig and Charlie were interviewed by superfan David Tennant, commemorated the fact that it was 30 years since the Reid twins' debut album.  Since that time they have enjoyed varying degrees of success, whilst always remaining true to themselves and never needing to compromise their distinctive Scottish accents. Needless to say their music is synonymous with being Scottish: "I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles)" is our unofficial national anthem and no social event is complete without it.  

The Square-Eyed Couch Potato: March-April 2017

Television, like other branches of the media, has the power to change lives.  Yet in times of fake news and fake reality, it's hard to find a programme which can have such a genuine impact if you are experiencing what those on screen are experiencing, and if it spurs you on to do something about it. "MIND OVER MARATHON" (BBC1)  is a very different kind of reality show, in which a diverse group of people who experience a range of mental health concerns are brought together to train for the 2017 London Marathon.  The first episode this week was an absolute emotional rollercoaster and I was in floods of tears by the end of it.  These people have experienced so much pain in their lives as it is, without the stresses and strains of taking on this massive challenge, so they all absolutely deserve our support.  Although I'm no royalist by any means, I'm very impressed by the way that Prince William, the Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry have focused on the importance of mental health issues.  Hopefully this will raise the profile of an issue which for so long has been something that previously was something you just didn't talk about.  And how did this show affect me?  Well, I don't quite have the fitness to run a marathon but it inspired me to exercise again after a long period where I have struggled with my own mental health.  Regardless of how they all do in the London Marathon, everyone in this series is a hero in my eyes :)

The premise of "HARRY HILL'S ALIEN FUN CAPSULE" (ITV) was pretty flimsy: it's like a Room 101 for nonsense, trying to prevent an alien invasion!  Harry has spent the past couple of years trying (and failing IMHO) to recreate the magic and madness of the irreplaceable TV Burp - most recently the misfiring "Tea Time" on Sky 1.  So I was a bit nervous about this new show (which has just come to the end of its first series) particularly as it resembled the dreaded comedy panel game show format which turns up everywhere these days.  However, there was a significant difference here as Harry was very much in charge and the changing weekly celeb panel often provided the fuel for his surreal wit.

I know this series wasn't to everyone's taste, but I thought this was the closest he has come to emulating the successful Burp formula.  "Local news roundup" could have come straight out of Burp, whilst going even further back in Harry's TV career, Stouffer the Cat even made a recent appearance. It was a long time coming, but finally, shout it from the rooftops, Harry Hill is back on form.  Give us more series ITV!!

"THIS IS US" (Channel 4) is a shamelessly sentimental American family drama series which in its first season has gathered lots of critical acclaim and award nominations in the USA, and did well enough in the ratings to be recommissioned for two further series.  Channel 4 had bought a successful show, so it should have been put in a prime-time slot, shouldn't it?  But then that would interfere with that particular channel's house-improvement/shock-doc/One Born Every Minute/Gogglebox schedule.  So instead it was stuck in a 10.30pm/11.00pm ratings graveyard.  Which is a shame really, even if this show was often as irritating as it was heartwarming, moving and emotional.

This show reminded me in a lot of ways of that other successful American TV family drama of the late 80s: Thirtysomething.  So I guess I wasn't too surprised to see Ken Olin's name among the "This Is Us" production credits - as a 'twentysomething' I had a major crush on Ken who played Michael Steadman in that show.

It's rare these days to see simple family dramas on TV, where the schedules are packed with complex cop shows, fantasy sagas or superheroes.  Perhaps UK TV channels struggle with this drama format - Channel 5 only screened the first two series of the now-ended wonderful US drama "Parenthood", which would make you laugh, make you cry, irritate you and inspire you all in the space of one episode.

But back to the time-hopping "This Is Us".  I had assumed that by the end of the first series we would find out the reason why Jack was no longer with us in the present day; wrong!  I guess that's for the two series which lie ahead...in the meantime, the final episode, almost exclusively focused on Jack and Rebecca, suggested that they may have not always been the "perfect couple".  There are more stories to be told about the Pearson family: I only hope that we get to see the next series here in the UK and the same fate does not befall "This Is Us" as what happened to "Parenthood".



I have always been a fan of Peter Kay's work: I consider him to be the natural successor to Billy Connolly, such is the high standard of observational comedy which he delivers, and I still consider "Phoenix Nights" to be the finest TV comedy show of the 21st century, although I felt that at certain times over recent years he's become a bit too big for his boots  So when "PETER KAY'S CAR SHARE" (BBC1) initially appeared on our screens 2 years ago, I was rather disappointed and didn't last beyond the first episode.  When I found out that a second series was due to be screened, I decided to give the first series another chance.  I was very wrong 2 years ago - because this is actually one of the funniest TV series of recent years.  Series 2 continues in the same hilarious vein, with the 'will they-won't they' aspect of the car sharing pair, John and Kayleigh, (a brilliant and believable partnership played by Peter Kay and Sian Gibson) and I guarantee that you will not see a funnier half hour on TV this year than the episode which in Friends-speak would be known as "the one with the monkey"....

"MANIC STREET PREACHERS: ESCAPE FROM HISTORY" (Sky Arts) was a great documentary which covered the period from Richey's disappearance, through the writing and recording of the album which brought them to mainstream success.  That of course was the brilliant "Everything Must Go" which remains one of my favourite albums of the 90s, and one of the most significant of that glorious and most underrated decade.  This documentary was made with the full co-operation of the band (above) and the other key players involved.

I always enjoy these occasional Timeshift documentaries on BBC4 which explore aspects of recent history.  "DIAL B FOR BRITAIN: THE STORY OF THE LANDLINE" took a look back through the history of the telephone in this country.  Now there are many people out there who could not imagine that a time existed before the mobile phone.

For those of us who remember our own phone-related stories, this certainly jogged a few memories from the 70s onwards.  At that time, it was only the better-off people who had a phone, before the changing technology allowed more of us to have a phone in our homes.  This documentary also mentioned party lines - we didn't have one, but I know a few people who did. We didn't get a phone until the late 70s, and when we finally got one, it looked like the one pictured above.  Talking of phones, my uncle (mum's brother) worked as a telephone engineer. I remember nicknaming him "Buzby" after the cartoon bird who appeared in the TV ad from the 70s, also featured in this documentary, who encouraged everyone to "make someone happy with a phone call".  Something which wasn't mentioned in this documentary, but which became an essential aspect of phone ownership in the late 70s/early 80s (and the bane of my mum's life when it came to the phone bill!) was Dial-A-Disc, where you phoned up a number to listen to the latest chart hits.  The Spotify of its day, you might say!

I haven't watched much TV lately - haven't really been in the mood - so yet again the backlog is growing :( The highly acclaimed series 3 of "Broadchurch" has now ended and I haven't seen any of it, whilst I also need to catch up with the long-awaited new series of "Prison Break" which was a massive fave of mine back in the early days of this blog.

As the next few weeks are going to be very busy, with the combination of the run-up to Eurovision and preparations for our forthcoming holiday, there won't be a Square-Eyed edition in May, but I'm planning a special catch-up edition over the summer.  

The Square-Eyed Couch Potato: February 2017

I don't really understand Simon Brodkin (above)'s motivation for being "BRITAIN'S GREATEST HOAXER" (Channel 4) but it's fascinating to see just how much research and work he puts into his stunts.  From auditioning as an Orthodox rapping rabbi on "Britain's Got Talent", to posting a "BHS destroyer" sign on Philip Green's superyacht, and finally to throwing swastika-emblazened golf balls at Donald Trump on his golf course in Scotland.  This documentary will have raised his profile, but of course that means that the better-known he becomes, the harder it will be for his future stunts to succeed. However when it comes to attention-seeking pranks and stunts, "Brodkin's Got Talent" so I'm sure there's much more to come.

There's no end to the news coverage and speculation about Brexit on our TV screens, but we very rarely get the chance to see what's happening in European politics.  Katya Adler explored the current state of play in "AFTER BREXIT - THE BATTLE FOR EUROPE" (BBC2) which looked at the rise of anti-establishment politics in Europe, and the growing Euroscepticism which may eventually tear the EU apart. As Ms Adler concluded, the EU may not be there for us to leave...

On to a documentary about Russian football hooliganism.  "THIS WORLD: RUSSIA'S HOOLIGAN ARMY" (BBC2) explored the world of Russian's football hooligan 'firms' who made the headlines last summer after the shocking scenes in Marseille during Euro 2016.  They are far from the bevvied-up stereotype of a football hooligan - in Russia, the firms prefer the gym and sauna to the pub, and they are trained to fight combat-style, and the job interview is a brutal 'forest fight'.  They proudly display themselves as a symbol of a country where aggressive masculinity is now encouraged. "When we are good, no-one remembers us, when we are bad, no-one forgets us" said one masked group (a couple of them pictured above) who promise to roll out the red carpet for the 2018 World Cup.  Be very afraid.

Whilst this documentary was going out on BBC2, here in Scotland we were being treated to "THE INSIDER'S GUIDE TO THE MENOPAUSE" in which broadcaster Kirsty Wark (pictured above) explored what is still a taboo subject, but what is a part of every woman's life.  You don't have to be a "certain age" though; as this programme revealed, many younger women are also going through "the change" for various medical reasons.

This was very close to home of course as this daily debilitating hell has been my life for the past 3½ years.  However I just wish that the programme would have focused more on alternative treatments to hormone replacement therapy (HRT), as not everyone chooses to go down that route.  We need more positive coverage in the media of this much-misunderstood aspect of women's lives, which as this documentary showed, is often material for comedy sketches.  Let me tell you though, it's definitely no laughing matter.

I'm not really a fan of the fad for documentaries fronted by celebrities, but sometimes they can be a good way to raise our awareness. In "THE TROUBLE WITH DAD" (Channel 4), comedian and writer David Baddiel gave us a very personal insight into Pick's disease, a previously little-known form of dementia, which his father Colin is living with. (David, his brother Ivor and dad Colin are pictured above).  Sad, shocking, funny and warm-hearted all at the same time, and a fascinating exploration of a family relationship which, although unconventional and complicated, is characterised by enduring love.

"HOW TO LOSE WEIGHT WELL" (Channel 4) was one of those typical shows which turns up at the start of every year on TV.  All this new year, new you nonsense, you know. This show compared a number of 'fad' diets and tried them out on people either wanting to lose weight quickly or over a longer period.  It didn't really tell us anything apart from that these diets will work if you stick to them, but they are definitely not a long-term lifestyle choice.

There are a lot of shows on TV at the moment which I call "empty TV" - the kind of lightweight factual format which seems to pop up on every channel.  You know this type of programme - the dumbed-down-documentary format which spends the first five minutes telling us what it's going to be about, then spends the rest of the show on numerous recaps etc, and doesn't go into any real depth about its subject. These shows particularly tend to focus on food/diet/health issues.  Whether it's "SAVE MONEY, GOOD HEALTH" (ITV), "TRUST ME, I'M A DOCTOR" (BBC2) or occasional issues of "TONIGHT" (ITV), these are the kind of shows which were once consigned to daytime TV (and probably still should be).  I can appreciate the need for escapist entertainment in these difficult times, but we also need quality investigative journalism too, rather than these bland, throwaway substitutes.

"SHOP WELL FOR LESS" (BBC1) returned with another series.  This show follows the same intelligence-insulting template of "Eat Well For Less" where extremely well-off families are shown how to save money by swapping their overpriced brands for cheaper stuff.  When many people are struggling to make ends meet, a programme like this is in such bad taste.

Talking of bland TV......

I initially had high hopes for "LET IT SHINE" (BBC1). I really can't stand talent shows any more but the idea of this one initially appealed to me thanks to the Take That angle.  The purpose of this show was to put together a boy band for a new musical which will feature the songs of Take That - although, just to confuse you, they won't actually be playing Take That.

After the initial auditions, which were not that far removed from every other talent show, the programme then went down a very strange route by forming five different bands with different names (Drive, Neon Panda, Five To Five, Iron Sun and Nightfall), before the eliminations started and confusingly, the remaining contestants were absorbed into other bands.  By that point I completely lost interest but returned for the final on 25.02.2017.  The eventual winners were Five To Five (pictured above).  Since the final, there has been some controversy in the media as the winning band will not have as much of a role in the musical as was first thought.

The problem for me was that I just didn't care enough to invest in any of the contestants in the way that I did 10 years ago in the BBC's previous musical-casting show, "Any Dream Will Do".  Aah, 2007....those were the days :)

"WHO DARES WINS"  is back but over the past couple of months it received some very shabby treatment in the schedules; either shunted into a teatime slot, in preference to Pointless Celebrities and Casualty, (both bookending the aforementioned "Let It Shine") or it wasn't on at all.  It now seems to have been restored to its rightful slot.  BBC, stop messing this show about! Interestingly enough,  the show which we watched being recorded in Glasgow last May was finally screened on 18.02.2017.

"TOP OF THE POPS 1983" (BBC4) is still an enjoyable nostalgia trip, and during the past month we've had everything from Kajagoogoo, Wham!, Duran Duran and the Thompson Twins to Orange Juice, Big Country, and of course who could forget New Order's unforgettable live performance of "Blue Monday".  Even bands which I definitely wasn't a fan of, like Altered Images, could surprise me, with a song like "Don't Talk To Me About Love" which was just a great pop song. It's actually nice to reconnect with that time, because, as in 1981 and 1982 I was in my "parallel universe"of just listening to indie/alternative music, however as time has progressed I have rediscovered the mainstream pop of those years, thanks in no small part to the 80s chart followed by the brilliant "Forgotten '80s" on Absolute 80s radio.



"THE EIGHTIES" (Sky Arts) was the follow-up to the CNN documentary series on the previous decade, co-produced by Tom Hanks. Like "The Seventies" it delivers a curiously American slant on that most scary, greedy and troubled of decades (if you weren't lucky enough to be rich/a yuppie/the up-and-coming billionaire, Donald Trump of course).

Finally, to the annual experience of suffering my way through "THE BRIT AWARDS" (ITV). Once upon a time, when music (and everything else) was better, this ceremony was never screened live as even though it was always the most corporate of events, there was always a risk of - shock horror! someone swearing or doing something shocking. But over the past few years it's been broadcast live, because bland musical times get the bland awards ceremony they deserve,  2017 brought yet another slick and soulless ceremony, however there was one very striking emotional moment as Andrew Ridgeley and Pepsi and Shirlie (above) paid tribute to their dear friend George Michael, who very sadly passed away on Christmas Day. Unfortunately this was followed by Chis Martin's version of "A Different Corner". A song which cannot, and should not, be covered by anyone.

The next Square-Eyed should probably appear around the middle of April.  I haven't been watching much telly since the beginning of March, thanks to a) writing my blog posts backlog and b) catching up with all the national selections for Eurovision. National finals season ends this weekend, so that should give me a bit more time to watch TV ....although I still have a lot to write about national finals season, so TV will have to wait a little while longer, I guess :)

The Square-Eyed Couch Potato: December 2016/January 2017

A very historical post now (!), as I take a look back at my telly viewing in December and January.

The big news in December was that I finally got Netflix, on Christmas Eve to be exact and it immediately impacted on my TV viewing.  The great thing about it is that their original programming can also be downloaded so this has enabled me to watch shows on my tablet as well as on TV.  Of course BBC iPlayer also lets you do this, and I just wish that more broadcasters could do the same. So come on ITV!  Although if I'm honest, there is very little on ITV worth watching, let alone downloading....!

The first series I watched all the way through on Netflix was "THE CROWN" which in more financially stable times would have been the type of lavish historical costume drama you'd seen on the BBC.  But in these cash-strapped days, the online broadcasters like Netflix and Amazon Prime are the only ones with the cash to splash, it would seem.  "The Crown" is Netflix's most expensive series to date, and also had an ace up its sleeve as the writers and producers didn't have to seek royal approval for the scripts or storylines. Although I'm not a royalist by any means, I found the first series to be consistently watchable and it certainly fitted well into the Netflix reputation for binge-watching.

In case you're unfamiliar with the series, it's a dramatised account of the lives of the British royal family which begins with the early years of Queen Elizabeth II's reign.  The royals are ripe for the soap opera treatment and this series is certainly very soapy and addictive.   The series was very well cast and acted and is truly a high quality product.  One of the stand-out performances was by John Lithgow in the role of post-war Winston Churchill, however on the whole the series was extremely well-cast with some convincing performances by all involved.  Bring on series 2.

I also caught a couple of films on Netflix: "EDDIE THE EAGLE" and "SOMMEREN '92".  Both films were warm-hearted biopics which share the theme of sporting underdogs, although admittedly with opposing degrees of success.

Back in 1998 at the Calgary Winter Olympics, after fighting the powers that be, to be allowed to compete, British ski jumper Eddie Edwards was eventually allowed into the ski-jumping events.  He would never reach the standard of Matti Nykänen and his team of flying Finns, and came last in both individual events, he became a worldwide talking point and certainly embodied the definition of a true Olympian: it really was the taking part that counted.  My only gripe about this film was that his coach, a fascinating character named Bronson Peary, played with great glee by Hugh Jackman, was entirely fictional.  I guess we just need to put this aside and enjoy the film for what it is: a much-needed lightweight escape from the increasingly miserable state of the world....

As for "SOMMEREN '92", this Danish-language film told the fairytale story of the Danish national football team which won the 1992 European Championships, against all the odds.  Under new and seemingly unpopular manager Richard Moller Nielsen, the team had failed to qualify for the tournament.  That summer, the players headed off on holiday only to be summoned to Sweden at the very last minute to take part, replacing the Yugoslavian team which was disqualified due to the civil war ongoing at that time.

The film explores the tournament from the viewpoint of Moller Nielsen, who had replaced the acclaimed Sepp Piontek but inherited a team which were no longer 'Danish Dynamite' like the World Cup squad of 1986.  He also faced player rebellion and resignations, yet this quiet and unassuming character managed to turn the team's fortunes around.  I would highly recommend this film, which has some very good performances.

In December, the 14th series of "STRICTLY COME DANCING" (BBC1) came to an end.  This show just gets more and more popular every year and continues to hammer "The X Factor" in the Saturday night ratings.  The standard of contestants was extremely high this time round, and there was some controversy as Will Young quit the show and  and the show also attracted lots of publicity thanks to former politician Ed Balls, whom we all thought was going to be this year's hopeless contestant with two left feet.  And then this happened....



Of the real contenders, actor Danny Mac was in a completely different class, paired with the excellent Oti Mabuse.  But this also meant that he attracted a lot of criticism for his previous dancing experience.  He reached the final along with Louise Redknapp and Ore Oduba.  BBC presenter Ore was the only one of the three finalists with no previous dance experience, and in this instance that "journey" was a crucial factor in him winning the competition. Strictly 2016 was the last series to feature legendary judge Len Goodman, who has now retired from the show.  It won't be the same without "SEVEN!" and "a ten from Len".  I guess he's got more time now to focus on "pickling his walnuts"! :)

A very interesting fly-on-the-wall documentary series on BBC Scotland.  "THE COUNCIL" looked at the various aspects of the work undertaken by Fife Council.  Over recent years, public services have been strangled by massive budget cuts and year after year, the challenges increase, to provide a high level of service with the more and more limited resources available. Hopefully this programme will have persuaded many people who are quick to blame council services that people are working as well as they can, within tighter limits, to deliver the best possible service.  

On to another TV show made in Scotland.  "PRISON: FIRST AND LAST 24 HOURS" (Sky One) came back for a very welcome second series.  

"THE MISSING" (BBC1) was one of the biggest, best and most gripping drama series of the year. After a very successful first series, I had my doubts about how a second series would go.  However, in my opinion, I thought the second series was even better than the first.  It was a very gripping story set this time in Germany. Linking both series was Tcheky Karyo's brilliant character Julien Baptiste, who is one of the best TV cops of recent years.

On the lead-up to Christmas I discovered a cracking little drama series on the online-only BBC3.  "BARRACUDA" was the story of a young Australian swimmer from a working-class immigrant background, who won a scholarship to a private school and was thrown into a very different world of champion swimming. This was a very gripping series exploring a number of issues along the way - race, sexuality, social class and the pressures to achieve success - and was well worth watching.

After an excellent first series, I eagerly awaited the second series of "30 DEGREES IN FEBRUARY" (Sky Arts) as I felt that there were more stories to be told about the characters who had gone to Thailand for a new life.  It was well worth the wait and picked up where the last series left off.  A little Melodifestivalen link here, as Björn Kjellman, who participated in Melfest 2006, joined the cast as the father of Joy and Wilda (above). Like the first series it was an emotional rollercoaster and often heartbreaking at times.  And yes, I did have something in my eye at the end of the series...! It was a satisfactory conclusion though, and I don't think there will be a 3rd series.

What with the combination of getting Netflix, catching up with my TV backlog and the small matter of immersing myself in Festivali i Këngës, I didn't really watch too much traditional "Christmas TV" on the terrestrial channels.  One very strange thing happened though: I decided to quit watching "CORONATION STREET" (ITV), a programme which has always been a part of my life.

I've watched the show decline over the past couple of years, with the introduction of characters I don't care about (and the departure of those which I did care about), and one ridiculous storyline after another.  The particular straw which broke this camel's back was the story of Mary's search for her son (above) whom she gave up when he was born.  In no time, just like magic, hey presto, he appeared and it was no time until he was inviting her to come and live with him in South Africa.  Of course the lure of Weatherfield proved too much for Mary and she didn't go.  I reached a point over the festive season when I decided that my intelligence had been insulted enough and I could do better things with the 2½ to 3 hours per week which I waste on watching this show.

Since that time I haven't seen Corrie, and to be honest I haven't missed it!

The Square-Eyed Couch Potato: November 2016

Reboots, reunions, revamps, call them what you like - when it comes to TV shows, they don't always work.  In my November TV review I'm focusing on two much-loved TV favourites who have made a comeback over the past couple of months.

Firstly I caught up with the revived series of "COLD FEET" (ITV) which recently returned to our screens with its 6th series, 13 years after it made an emotional farewell.

This show was a phenomenon when it arrived on TV in the 90s.  But would it work in the 21st century?  The answer is a definite yes.  It is of course a testament to the quality of the writing and acting on this show, that it was no time before it felt like they had never been away.  And one very important thing hadn't changed - David remains one of the most irritating characters I can remember in a TV drama.

Cold Feet deserves the praise though - it's warm-hearted, funny and sad, mixing light-hearted and serious issues, but in the end it's just a lightweight, soapy relationship drama - an everyday story of Mancunian middle-class folk.  After the show's success with the critics and viewers alike, it wasn't too surprising to learn that the series has been renewed for another series on ITV.

However, contrast this with the rather shabby treatment by ITV of another lightweight drama series which also enjoyed ratings success over this summer.  Things were looking good for "Brief Encounters" after a successful first series. so it was expected that the 80s-set story of Ann Summers reps could be returning for a second series. However, ITV announced that they would not be recommissioning the show.  Like Cold Feet, it's a lightweight, soapy drama about relationships, and family, and it's also set "up north".  But the characters in "Brief Encounters" are more working-class, more "ordinary" than the reasonably affluent protagonists of "Cold Feet", and the series has not been given the chance to develop characters and storylines to the extent that "Cold Feet" was able to do over several series.  This to me says a lot about the television executives who dictate what appears on our TV screens.

One final mention of "Cold Feet" for a moment - and a very familiar face turned up in the final episode.  None other than Sanjeev Kohli, best known as the hilarious shopkeeper Navid, one of the best characters in "Still Game".



Which brings me on to the 7th series of a Scottish comedy institution.  "STILL GAME" (BBC1). The main characters, Jack and Victor, initially appeared in that other Scottish comedy institution, "Chewin' The Fat", before being given their own spin-off which ran for six series before Greg Hemphill and Ford Kiernan ended their partnership somewhat acrimoniously.

But time of course is a great healer and the consistent popularity of what is (in this part of the world) a very relatable comedy meant that the calls for a reunion just kept on coming, whilst we were all wearing out our copies of the DVD series 1-6 box set).  Eventually the gang reunited for a series of sell-out live shows at the SSE Hydro arena in Glasgow in 2014.  This was recorded live and televised by BBC Scotland however if I'm honest, I found it a huge disappointment watching it on TV.  I guess you had to be there.  What couldn't be argued was that there was still a massive appetite for this show, so it was great news when a long-awaited new series was announced.

Something else happened on the way to series 7: the show reached a much wider audience via Netflix.  Anyway, was the new series worth waiting for?  Well, yes, I would say, although there has been some criticism but I think that may be down to the burden of expectation which would inevitably result in disappointment.

Particular highlights for me were Isa's talking dog (episode 1), new arrival Methadone Mick's dental treatment and job interview (episode 3) and my favourite episode of this series, episode 5, when Jack and Victor tried some dog-sitting with Zeus and Onion and traded some "History Today"-style insults:

"Your dug needs a gastric band!"
"Your dug's an a***hole!"

The series ended on a slightly disappointing note for me but on the whole I didn't think the series was as bad as some people made out.  It looks as if this will be the final series as there will be another series of live dates in 2017 - which will not be filmed, and the title of the shows is "Bon Voyage" which suggests something quite final.

A quick mention for the latest instalment of "THE PEOPLE'S HISTORY OF POP" (BBC4) which covered the decade 1986 to 1996.  It was Lauren Laverne's turn to take us from Depeche Mode to the rave scene, the Hacienda, Take That, Blur and the Spice Girls.  A particularly poignant end to the show featuring Craig Gill, the Inspiral Carpets drummer, and his memories of Oasis.  Craig passed away in the week the show was aired; one of far, far too many losses to the music world in this hellish year.

I'm still struggling to get through the TV backlog - haven't seen series 2 of "Humans" or "The Code" yet whilst I'm slowly working my way through series 2 of "30 Degrees In February" and will review that in my December post.  And despite promising myself Netflix in November, well that still hasn't happened!

The Square-Eyed Couch Potato: September-October 2016

Who'd have guessed that the biggest story in British TV over the summer would have revolved around a TV baking contest?  Since its humble beginnings 6 years ago, "THE GREAT BRITISH BAKE-OFF" (BBC1) has gone on to become one of this country's biggest ratings smashes and the format has been sold all over the world.

It was all good news for the BBC then, or so you would have thought.  Only problem is that the BBC didn't own it - an independent production company named Love Productions did.  And then, this September, they sold it to Channel 4 for a new 3 year deal...and all hell broke loose.  It turned into a Twitterstorm and a media frenzy.  It wasn't just about a TV show moving to another channel: it was a story of loyalty, and principles, and dough.  Hosts Mel and Sue, who are a huge part of the show's personality (and of course the all-important innuendo) have chosen to stay with the BBC and in their words, not to 'follow the dough' whilst judge Mary Berry is also staying at the BBC.  Her co-judge Paul Hollywood is however going with the show, and the dough, to Channel 4.

It's highly unlikely that the show will have the same level of success after its move to Channel 4: with the break-up of the winning formula of presenters, judges and - crucially - no ad breaks - it's hard to imagine anything else but an inferior product.

In the meantime, the 2016 series (the final one to be broadcast by the BBC) was another massive success. As with every year's intake, it featured an incredibly talented group of bakers who were all winners in their own way.  But the visually inventive bakes by Candice - she of the eye-catching and ever-changing lipstick colours - reminded me a little of the baking creations by Frances Quinn who won the 2013 series, so I wasn't all that surprised when she took the title.  That's the thing about GBBO - it's a feelgood show, gentle, charming and warm, where each weekly elimination is almost apologetic.  In an increasingly nasty world, we need all the escapism we can get.  Whether Channel 4 can replicate that atmosphere of warmth and mutual respect, well I guess we will have to wait and see, but I fear the worst.....

Whilst I'm on the subject of GBBO, and TV reality/talent competitions....Of course a staple (and tedious) cliche of the reality TV genre is "the journey".  But in the case of last year's GBBO winner, Nadiya Hussain, it turned out to be very appropirate,  When Nadiya first appeared on GBBO she was a shy and uncertain baker who didn't know just how talented she was.  You'd never have believed that she would turn out to be such a natural TV presenter.  "THE CHRONICLES OF NADIYA" (BBC1) - love that pun, by the way - was a very interesting two-part documentary which saw Nadiya take a trip to Bangladesh to explore her family's roots, traditions and of course, food.

Nadiya is an articulate, charismatic and likeable young woman, and a particularly positive role model.  So I wasn't surprised to see the BBC signing her up for more TV work.

If I was inventing my own ideal TV presenter, likeability would be near the top of the list.  Yet it's a very rare aspect of many of those overexposed TV presenters who dominate so many of our shows. How many of them are really likeable and approachable?  Hmmm....let's think....

While you're thinking I'd just like to suggest that Si King and Dave Myers a.k.a. The Hairy Bikers are two of the most likeable TV presenters of the last few years.  Their latest cooking travelogue, "THE HAIRY BIKERS' CHICKEN AND EGG" (BBC2) did what it said on the tin and sought out recipes and cuisines from the UK to France, Morocco, Israel, the USA and back to the UK, exploring along the way how chicken is becoming the world's most popular meat (and the only meat which your almost-vegetarian blogger still eats).  Watching their show is like hanging out with a couple of warm and funny old friends who are talented cooks too!

Since the demise of TV Burp and the failure of the Stars In Their Eyes revamp, we Harry Hill fans have been waiting for the great man's return to our screens.  "HARRY HILL'S TEA TIME" (Sky 1) is a spoof cooking show and let's face it, you wouldn't be long for this world if you took some of those "recipes" seriously!!  Each week features a special guest star (GBBO's Paul Hollywood, pictured above with Harry) .Whilst I'm very happy to see him back on TV, I continue to have mixed feelings about this show.  It's packed with a lot of the surreal comedy, daftness and songs which made TV Burp such a hit - a trio of Delia Smith lookalikes singing a Smiths song every week, for example! - but this show also misses and misfires as much as it succeeds, and I find it funny and infuriating in equal measures.

Needless to say that after that referendum, there were lots of programmes over recent months about Brexit.  But notably most of these ignored the fact that the majority of Scottish voters chose to remain in the European Union.  Until "SCOTLAND AND THE BATTLE FOR BRITAIN" (BBC2) in which Andrew Marr finally had the opportunity to explain our political differences to the rest of the UK.  That situation is so complex that it would take much, much more than an hour's TV to explain, but Mr Marr did pretty well to at least go over the basics.

Now on to something a bit more frivolous....autumn means the return of "STRICTLY COME DANCING" (BBC1) and it became very clear, very quickly, that there is a very high standard this year. But Strictly being Strictly, the headlines are often made by those with two left feet.  This year's John Sergeant/Anne Widdicombe is the former Labour MP Ed Balls, who has also achieved notoriety in the Twittersphere over recent years thanks to "Ed Balls Day" which commemorates him tweeting his own name.  Yes. But Ed is also making some progress - yes, it's that "journey" again! - and he is actually learning to dance.  On the other end of the Strictly spectrum we have Hollyoaks star Danny Mac who is putting his previous dance experience to good use; TV presenter Ore Oduba is a strong contender (that jive was one of my favourite dances of this series), and Louise Redknapp is also very good although her dancing is still lacking in personality.

So far, no fauxmances/showmances to speak of, which I'm sure must be a major disappointment for the tabloids, but there has been plenty of controversy in the early weeks of the show, such as the departure of Will Young who had been one of my favourites to win.  My own personal favourite at the moment is little Claudia Fragapane, the Olympic gymnast.  I expected a lot more from her fellow Olympian, long jumper Greg Rutherford - he just needs to loosen up, lighten up and let go, and he could become a contender.  At the moment though it's hard to see past Danny Mac for the win.

Forget X Factor - the highlight of my Saturday night is catching up with the previous night's "DOOBIDOO" (SVT) which recently came back for another series and continues to do very well in Swedish TV ratings.

It's a very simple format.  Swedish singers/actors/TV personalities compete in teams of two in various rounds of music questions interspersed with archive TV clips and the whole thing is held together entertainingly by host Lasse Kronér (pictured above).

Another new show which recently caught my attention was "EN KVÄLL I NEW YORK" (SVT), a 4-part series where several of Sweden's best-known singers took a trip to NYC to perform at the world-famous Apollo Theatre, backed by a top gospel choir who also perform on the Late Show.  So, no pressure then!

Week 1 featured Roger Pontare, Darin, Titiyo and Sweden's latest worldwide sensation Zara Larsson. It was a very entertaining hour: special mentions to Roger's encounter with a stylist, and Darin's reunion with Kat DeLuna ("Breathing Your Love") along the way.  Oh, and on a shallow note here, Darin is still hot.   It was funny though, seeing the choir's reaction to the "murderer" lyrics from the choir in "Lovekiller"!

In week 2 it was the turn of Sarah Dawn Finer, Andreas Lundstedt and Linda Pira to meet the choir and band.  For Andreas it was a new take on "Crying At The Discotheque" whilst Linda chose "Knäpprar Mina Fingrar" and Sarah interpreted "For A Friend".  Unfortunately I didn't see the rest of the series as I had discovered it pretty late and by the time I got round to the remaining episodes they had been removed from SVT Play.  Well done SVT for bringing this new fresh musical format and giving these very talented performers their moment on that iconic stage.  I can only envy Swedish TV channels for trying out music-themed TV formats over recent years, which don't just involve the talent-option (apart from TV4's Swedish Idol).

Talking of which, I haven't been following Idol this year: I have too many other things to watch, and too much to do. The show's had a revamp with an all-new jury of Fredrik Kempe, Nikki Amini and Quincy Jones III (pictured above).

It was time for another episode of "THE PEOPLE'S HISTORY OF POP" (BBC4) an occasional and very enjoyable series which takes a look at a particular 10 year period through the experience and anecdotes of the people who were there - the fans.  The latest episode covered the period from 1976 to 1985 - personally a very exciting and incredibly diverse time for music from punk, new wave and 2-Tone to the new romantics and The Smiths.  In the same way that BBC Radio 2's "The People's Songs" played the longer game in exploring the soundtracks of people's lives, so there was potentially a longer and more detailed story to be told; this series could potentially have focused on a different year rather than a decade for every episode, but I suppose we should be grateful for whatever we get.



Another terrific recent documentary which should probably have been watched in conjunction with "The People's History of Pop" was "BOY GEORGE'S 1970s: SAVE ME FROM SUBURBIA" (BBC2), another very personal look back at an influential decade, which was not perfect; industrial unrest, unemployment, economic gloom, and an EU referendum.  Sounds familiar, but at least the music was a million times better than what we have to put up with in the "tens".....Anyway it was very entertaining and it was interesting to see George catching up with a couple of old friends, namely Marilyn and Martin "Sigue Sigue Sputnik" Degville.

BBC1 had a little nostalgia trip by reviving a few classic sitcoms and bringing them up to date. "ARE YOU BEING SERVED", that classic department store-set slice of innuendo and double-entendres, didn't really float the critics' boats.  But it was very well cast, I thought, and in a time when Mrs Brown's Boyd is so popular (although the critics detest that too!) maybe it could have succeeded with a longer run?  But the very old fashioned setting of Grace Brothers suggests that this sitcom should just have been left in the 70s after all.

However the most successful revamp was "PORRIDGE" which will now get a new series.  Glad to hear that, as the pilot was pretty good.  This time round, Fletch's grandson (played by Kevin Bishop) is in prison, and it will be interesting to see where they take the character from here.

As I said in a previous TV review post, I'm watching TV a bit differently these days and take a long time to get round to watching series!  So I have still to see the revived series of Cold Feet, series 2 of Humans, 30 Degrees in February and The Code.  I guess that's my homework for the next few weeks then...!

The Square-Eyed Couch Potato: August 2016

Big news at EuropeCrazy HQ this month as I've now moved over to Virgin Media and discovering the joys of fibre broadband, Tivo and on-demand viewing.  All very 21st century :)

Most of my viewing this month focused on the Rio Olympics which received the same blanket coverage on the BBC as London 2012.  Unfortunately I've ended up with yet another backlog thanks to hours and hours of evening and overnight recordings so although Rio 2016 is over, it will be going on for a bit longer yet in my house....!

I was late in discovering "BRIEF ENCOUNTERS" (ITV).  The series is now finished but I would be very happy if ITV decided to go with a second series of this drama, set in the early 80s.  The basic premise of this show was based around the early days of those Ann Summers parties, but if you were expecting anything trashy and tacky, then think again - it was an extremely engaging drama with characters you couldn't help but root for.  Yes it was lightweight, but sometimes that's what you need.

Every year it happens: "THE CHASE" (ITV) goes on its summer break and the teatime quiz show slot runs riot with summer pilot/replacements. This year we had two of them, both running for two consecutive weeks: "CASH TRAPPED" not only presented by Chase legend Bradley Walsh, but also devised by him too.  Unfortunately it was just too confusing to stick with, whilst its successor "ALPHABETICAL" hosted by Jeff Stelling, didn't do enough to hold my attention.  It all proves that the formula for quiz show success isn't as easy as it looks.

We hardly had time to digest Rachel Frederickson's (controversial) win on "THE BIGGEST LOSER" (Sky Living) before a new series came along.  Some changes this time round: out goes Jillian Michaels - in comes Jen Widerstrom and the one and only Jessie Pavelka (Jessie and Jen pictured above).  Jessie first came to my attention on "Fat - The Fight of My Life".  I make no apologies here for being completely shallow, but if you had this guy as your personal trainer then shifting the pounds would be more pleasure than pain.  This series is a change from the usual as it also features former athletes who haven't stayed in shape.

Serie 4 of "DAG" (Sky Arts) is here, with its trademark deliciously dark humour still in place.

Sky Arts' "TRAILBLAZERS" series brought a very interesting documentary on the influence of pop radio in the UK - from Radio Luxembourg to the 60s pirates, to Radio 1 and commercial radio, and even a mention for legendary 80s Irish mega-pirate Radio Nova, a major obsession of mine back in those days.  It was particularly interesting to see former Nova newsreader (and partner of the station's late founder Chris Cary) Sybil Fennell commenting on the station's famous closedown which never fails to bring a tear to the eye whenever I hear that clip.

That's all for this month: now off to catch up with some of that backlog of recordings....

The Square-Eyed Couch Potato: July 2016

I find it frustrating when really interesting documentaries are shunted into a late-night slot in favour of dull dramas or reality shows.  If you missed "JUST CALL ME MARTINA" (BBC1) you missed a warm and engaging profile of the legendary record-breaking tennis star who grew up in Czechoslovakia and made her home in the USA after defecting there.  Martina became a non-person in her home country but these days she has joint US and Czech Republic citizenship and returns regularly to visit the area where she grew up.  Despite political hard times, Martina still reflected on her upbringing with positivity: "I was never hungry, I was never cold" she said, with a smile.

This documentary began with Martina marrying her partner Julia in New York. Martina found her identity as a gay woman in a time when such things were swept firmly under the carpet; since that time she has become an activist for gay rights and many other causes.  This documentary revealed her warm sense of humour and likeable personality.  Martina's achievements in tennis made her one of the greatest female athletes of her generation.

"EAT WELL FOR LESS" (BBC1) is back, and it hasn't changed.  It's an insult to viewers who struggle to put food on the table, watching comfortably well-off home-owning families being asked to chop their own veg and grate their own cheese - aww, shame - to save money.  And it's all overseen by the eternally irritating Gregg Wallace.  The message of the show remains that you don't have to buy big brands to eat well - it's just a very patronising hour to endure before you get the message.

Just a few weeks after Carla Connor departed the cobbles, "CORONATION STREET" (ITV) said goodbye to Kylie Platt, fatally stabbed by one of Callum's old mates.  Unfortunately ITV scored an own goal when they gave away their own spoiler.  I'm really sad to see Paula Lane leave the show as she made Kylie one of the show's best characters, turning her from an initially unlikeable chav into a multi-layered character, unlike many of the show's one-dimensional characters who take up far too much screen time on the show.

There are big changes happening in Corrie world.  A new producer, Kate Oates, has taken over from Stuart Blackburn.  She's promising more big storylines and interestingly, more character interaction. The show is also going up to 6 episodes a week from 2017.  Too much of a good thing?  I remember when it was only on twice per week.  Changed days.

Not sure what the point of "LOUIE SPENCE: TAXI DRIVER" (Sky One) was, apart from giving him a week's trial as a taxi driver and some much-needed screen time, but Michael Buerk's narration was priceless.  Michael of course narrated My favourite moment was when the wrestling boss "was having second thoughts about Louie entering his ring".  You can't beat a bit of innuendo.  And let's face it, we certainly need a few laughs after some very dark months in this country and the world.

The path of true love never runs smooth though, as they say, and when a marriage or long-term relationship breaks down there can be some issues which both parties just can't resolve.  Bring in the mediation service.  Fly-on-the-wall documentary "MR V MRS: CALL THE MEDIATOR" (BBC2) was uncomfortable viewing at times, watching separated couples discussing their troubles on camera.  There was something about it all which left a bit of a bad taste.  And I certainly don't envy the mediators their jobs, trying to resolve the often un-resolvable.

When it comes to 1960s retrospectives, 1967 gets all the glory: but over the past couple of weeks, some TV shows have focused on the year before that.  Apart from being the 50th anniversary of a certain team winning a certain football tournament, 1966 was profiled in "ARENA - 1966: 50 YEARS AGO TODAY" (BBC4).  I always enjoy this retrospective type of show but the same things keep cropping up time after time.  This documentary for me was refreshing as it provided a genuinely interesting insight into a year which I didn't really know much about beforehand.

Another 50th anniversary was celebrated in "CLASSIC ALBUMS" (BBC4): it's been 50 years since the Beach Boys' legendary "Pet Sounds" album was released.  This was a great documentary going behind the scenes of the album's recording and the band's evolution from making lightweight pop songs about surfing, to ambitious, layered productions with honest, mature lyrics.  "Pet Sounds" remains one of the most important and critically acclaimed albums in the history of pop music.

BBC4 does these music documentaries so well.  This month we were also treated to another episode in the occasional series "THE PEOPLE'S HISTORY OF POP".  This time it was Danny Baker's turn to look back at the period between 1966 and 1976, a landmark period for music.  Baker mixed his own reminiscences with those of the fans who bought the records and went to the concerts.  More please!

Documentary event of the month though?  "ONE NIGHT IN 2012" (BBC1) rewound to exactly 4 years ago, with the story of that fantastic opening ceremony imagined and directed by Danny Boyle. I remember that I wasn't really looking forward to the London Olympics 4 years ago, but then that opening ceremony happened, and the feelgood factor lasted all the way throughout the event.  4 years on, the Rio Olympics are due to start at the end of this week, and yet again I'm not really looking forward to it, what with the terror threat, the Zika virus and the Russian doping scandal.  But given the world's current state of gloom, we need something to cheer us up.  Over to you, Rio!

From the sublime to the ridiculous: just when you thought TV had plumbed all possible depths, along came "ALAN CARR'S GREASE NIGHT" (Channel 4).  The 'chatty man' and his co-host Katherine Ryan promised an "entertainment extravaganza" set in a 1950s prom.  What we got instead was one of the most critically slaughtered TV shows I can remember in a long time.  Now I'm usually quite a tolerant person but I switched off after 30 minutes.  29 minutes too late.  Why Didi "Frenchy" Conn agreed to be part of this is beyond my understanding.  Less greased lightning, more car crash.
Hopelessly devoted? Nah, just hopeless.  There was a good programme waiting to be made about "Grease", one of the best films ever made, but this wasn't it.

Square-Eyed is going to take a little summer break and will be back in September.  In the meantime, EuropeCrazy HQ is undergoing a digital transformation as I am switching TV, phone and broadband providers in a couple of weeks.  Hopefully everything will go well and I will soon benefit from a super fast fibre broadband connection, which will enable me to watch more on-demand TV over the internet rather than building up a huge backlog of recordings.  Who knows - maybe some day I'll even get Netflix :) but that's a long way away.  So many recordings and DVDs to be watched.....