Fazzinchi

Christmas Review #7 of 12

The Christmas reviews continue (despite the fact that all seems like months ago now) and, even though the dreaded flu struck me down over the holidays and forced the cancelation of plans for a big party to see in the New Year, it did give me the opportunity to curl up (with nothing stronger than a hot Ribena), huddled under a duvet and to enjoy the delights of Jools Holland’s Annual Hootenanny as the clock passed midnight. This really is a gem of a show, in which a cast of what (more…)

Highlighter Pen at The Ready

It continues to amuse me that the greatest weekly magazine that the UK produces continues to be called the Radio Times despite the fact that almost nobody uses it for looking forward to radio listings but instead plan their TV viewing for the forthcoming week. And, of the 51 issues that get released every year, it is the “legendary” (their own word) double-sized Christmas issue that makes for the greatest read. So, for this post, with the trusty tome by my side, I will provide my own (more…)

The Importance of Missing Football

One of the less satisfying aspects of this blog in its previous incarnation was my attempt to record a diary of every programme I was watching on the telly.  Not every flick of the thumb during regular channel hopping sessions as I would work my way through the multitudinous offering of the Sky World package, of course.  Instead, the main programmes that I had tuned into were devotedly recorded (well, I wasn’t even that devoted to be honest) and early diarising even (more…)

… And All That Jazz

Children in Need is one those staples of the British TV schedules that you either love (and consequently find yourself spending your Friday night curled up in front of the telly with a bottle or two of something white), or you hate (and see it as a huge incovenience when there’s nothing worth watching if you stay in and you can’t go out for fear of people pestering you for your loose change). I have to confess that I fall more into the former category than the latter and that is despite the fact (more…)

Comics Brittanica Continuing to Entertain 

Friday nights are undoubtedly back to being the definitive “staying in night” of the week.  Of course, this meant that last Friday we went out to see some friends for dinner and had to postpone our viewing until Saturday but it was worth the wait.  QI made a welcome return for its fifth series on BBC2 and the second installment, as is fast becoming tradition, followed immediately on another channel (to encourage all the luddites to upgrade to digi).  Back on BBC1, I am delighted (more…)

Tommy Jessop and Nicholas Hoult

Sunday nights are a strange time for watching television.  The early evening is a regular haunt of shows like Antiques Roadshow, Last of The Summer Wine, Heartbeat and, wierdly, an increasing number of sociological doumentaries: The Robert Winston Hour.  It is a television schedule designed for elderly aunts but for the rest of us it feels like a lull before the oncoming storm of the working week.  A kind of soporfic inducement to encourage us to bed early.  Later in the (more…)