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1990 on BBC Four (January 2018)

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CO
Colm
Like Big Hits 1987, they've kept the end graphics on the performances they've collated for the 1988 compilation.

With the new titles/graphics introduced in January 1989, this is the last year they'll be seen.
JA
james-2001
Interesting the Story of 1988 (briefly) covered the edition that had to come from a gallery and was made up entirely of repeat performances and videos due to asbestos removal in the studios. Rather unfortunately we didn't hear Nicky Campbell talking about it even though he was one of the talking heads.

No mention of the start of the Radio 1 simulcast either sadly (though we saw the Radio 1 FM logo in the studio on a couple of the clips).

Did seem to be too much focus on a couple of minor acts as well, though that seems to be common in these Story Ofs, really would have been good to hear more about the behind the scenes changes and the new presenters, they were only briefly touched on.
CO
Colm
Interesting the Story of 1988 (briefly) covered the edition that had to come from a gallery and was made up entirely of repeat performances and videos due to asbestos removal in the studios.


And suggested the audience for said edition was made up of production staff and any of the cheerleaders still involved with the show.

Also thought there'd be more mention of some of the other presenter changes: the last regular occasions for Peter Powell, Simon Bates and Janice Long (oh, and Mike Smith, but I expected that to be glossed over); and perhaps more of a nod to the debuts of Mark Goodier and Andy Crane.
JA
james-2001
We did see a couple of short clips of Mark Goodier, nothing of Andy Crane though, sadly! Did see a split second shot of Jennie Powell though (even though she didn't present until 1989) as well as Liz Kershaw and Sybil Ruscoe.
JA
james-2001
Colm posted:
Like Big Hits 1987, they've kept the end graphics on the performances they've collated for the 1988 compilation.

With the new titles/graphics introduced in January 1989, this is the last year they'll be seen.


Still the hard zooms to cut off the captions at the start though! I wonder how they'll cope from 1990 onwards with big graphics that fly all over the screen?

End captions do return from 1997... sort of. For around the year or so before the 1998 revamp the song captions appear at the end rather than the begginning of most performances, and from the 98 revamp they appear at the beginning and end. The artist name captions in a variety of styles and animations do indeed vanish for good at the end of 88 though!

One thing about the Big Hits compilations is it seems to vary whether they've been made in 16:9 HD (albeit obviously with only the titles & captions being HD, and the performances being pillarboxed and upscaled), or 4:3 SD, the last couple have been made (or at least broadcast) the latter way, but several of the others have done in HD.
Last edited by james-2001 on 8 June 2019 12:33am - 2 times in total

9 days later

JA
james-2001
This week's episode, the first of 1988, was the first with Paul Ciani listed as producer, but still had Michael Hurll credited as Executive Producer. There must have been a brief handover period where both were working on the show, not sure that ever happened before or since, it was usually a straight transition from one show to the next, on screen at least.
JA
james-2001
BBC Website listing two episodes on the 5th July (the 11th & 18th February 1988):

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00704hg/broadcasts/upcoming

I presume this is their way of making sure 1988 is finished this year.

Although next Thursday, BBC4 are scheduled to show the 1st quarter final of the women's world cup, though if England don't lose against Japan tonight, and win the second round match on Sunday, then they'll be in that match, and I can't see an England quarter final being restricted to BBC4, so maybe we'll get the 21st Janaury episode then instead next Thursday (and possibly only one episode on the 5th July) if that happens.
BE
benriggers
BBC Website listing two episodes on the 5th July (the 11th & 18th February 1988):

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00704hg/broadcasts/upcoming

I presume this is their way of making sure 1988 is finished this year.

Although next Thursday, BBC4 are scheduled to show the 1st quarter final of the women's world cup, though if England don't lose against Japan tonight, and win the second round match on Sunday, then they'll be in that match, and I can't see an England quarter final being restricted to BBC4, so maybe we'll get the 21st January episode then instead next Thursday (and possibly only one episode on the 5th July) if that happens.


I think the 2 episodes on 5th July might just be a one-off to catch-up on episodes as there's only one episode this week, none next week. See what happens.
JA
JAS84
Yeah, sport coverage takes priority over a 30 year old music programme. These pre-emptions will happen sometimes. They also drop episodes because of The Sky at Night, don't they?
JA
james-2001
I wasn't complaining about the pre-emption, just pointing out if England win on Sunday, then they'll be in the quarter final that BBC4 are due to show on Thursday, and that I imagine it will be moved to BBC1 in that situation (I can't see an England quarter final being relegated to BBC4, especially when their group games have all been on BBC1) and we could get a TOTP next Thursday as a result.

I imagine Sunday's second round match will be moved from BBC2 to BBC1 as well.
BU
buster
Assuming the repeats carry into 1989 and 1990 (and they stay with two years transmitting in one), with no skipped shows anymore and approx 102 shows to get through, they will have to find other places to put shows when sport/Sky at Night/Eurovision etc occur.

Of course, they could go back to one year per year, one ep per week, and just double up on a Thu & Fri when they need to get back on track.
JA
james-2001
Sky At Night may well be moved elsewhere from next year, it was only moved to Thursdays when the TOTP repeats began, to plug the gaps from the missing episodes. Before 2011 it was on Tuesdays.

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