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Fictional Breakdown Slides/Test Cards

Something slightly different... (February 2021)

This site closed in March 2021 and is now a read-only archive
GE
thegeek Founding member
We're kind of drifting beyond fictional breakdown slides to homages to the real ones now, aren't we?

CCA used this in 2010 or thereabouts. The two Pudseys at the top flashed on and off in sync with the GLITS tone.

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And of course the Paramount [Comedy] Channel's Funky Chicken:
Inspector Sands and Ghost gave kudos
FO
FanOfTV99
I'm surprised no one has posted this yet.

JO
Josh
Just saw an advert for Eve mattresses featuring a mock of TCF:
JA
james-2001
And of course the Paramount [Comedy] Channel's Funky Chicken:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mrKuH8_yKPY


Some days it seemed to be accompanied by tone (as in this video), others by the sound of car horns, never seen an internet video of the latter though.

Nickelodeon had a test card too, though I only recall seeing it at weekends, when they came on air an hour later than during the week- that was accompanied by tone too.

http://rugratonline.free.fr/nickuktc.jpg

This version couldn't have been from any earlier than 1998 considering the characters on it (I definitely remember it being shown in 1999, possibly into the early 00s?), maybe there were earlier versions? I do seem to remember seeing a version without any of the character pictures.
Last edited by james-2001 on 7 February 2021 11:16pm
BH
BillyH Founding member
Still around at the end of 2002, by then it would be the last thing shown at 10pm.
JA
james-2001
Not entirely connected to test cards but I do remember one night on Nick circa 2002 after closedown where they ran a load of random footage (programmes, idents, trailers etc.), all sorts of DVR effects, rewinding and fast forwarding videos etc. The most interesting bit was that they showed loads of old in vision continuity links, starting from some that were quite recent and then going backwards. The more recent ones were clearly recorded from an as-broadcast feed, as they included snippets of the surrounding trailers and programmes (you could see where they stopped and started recording to only catch the links), but once they got back to links from around 1997/98, they were from raw studio footage, so you saw bits of the presenters before and after going on air, one clip we could hear the presenter talking to a caller before they went on air. I wish I'd stuck a tape in and recorded some of it!
CA
Caly123
I remember CITV having a Test Card F spoof featuring Horrid Henry and his teddy Mr. Kill as seen as one its bumpers.
IT
itvblocks
I remember CITV having a Test Card F spoof featuring Horrid Henry and his teddy Mr. Kill as seen as one its bumpers.


Pretty sure I've seen this online somewhere.

(Edit: Found it, timestamp is 0:37 if the embedded link doesn't work)

Last edited by itvblocks on 8 February 2021 12:34pm
TE
tellyblues
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BH
BillyH Founding member
Doctor Who predicts the future back in 1971:

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MA
Markymark
Did better than the 1969 movie, '2001: A Space Odyssey', that featured someone watching BBC 12
QN
Quatorzine Neko
This topic will of course remind me of the fake breakdown during the Halloween Special of Inside No.9 , which, while it used a real design of the current BBC Two branding, was much part of the show – as the eerie whisperings, and ultimately, the horrorful scream, can give clue.

https://www.tvark.org/?page=media&mediaid=93827

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