Christmas TV 2007

Weren't the last 2 episodes of The Office shown on Boxing Day and the 27th? I expect Extras will be the same. Seeing as -unlike Allo Allo - it's a proper episode I think 'To The Manor' Born is better suited to Christmas Night. It's audience is more likely to be actually watching TV plus it seems to be tradition now for the BBC to revive classic sitcoms for Xmas Day. (Only Fools.. Vicar Of Dibley)

Incidentally the final Extraswill air on HBO before it's show over here..

Is it just me or is Christmas Day the one day when it's incredibly hard to concentrate on the telly because of opening presents / chatting / listening to senile relatives wittering on / playing games / eating / drinking ? BBC1 usually stays on all day in my family but just seems to act as background noise.

I don't think I've ever settled down on Christmas Day and watched a full programme in its entirety - it's usually a case of watching recordings or repeats of the big shows over the next few days, when you are able to appreciate them 10 times more.

Ah yes, I completely forgot about the Extras Christmas Special - that is supposed to be on BBC1 I think.

And I'm surprised if TOTP isn't on over Christmas - it's a British tradition.

6.30pm - EastEnders Part 1
7pm - Doctor Who Christmas Special
8pm - Strictly Come Dancing (have they said there'll be one?)
9pm - EastEnders Part 2
9.30pm - Extras Christmas Special

:

Yeah, my family have never watched TV on Xmas Day. I'm amazed that so many can't find anything better to do then sit down and watch Coronation Street together. It's just one day FFS!

I agree the same. The TV is one as background noise, though we usually have the film on to fall asleep to after Christmas dinner.

The question is, what should TV channels put on Christmas if people aren't going to watch, and don't say the testcard!

Ceefax and News,

and of course
Kids tv at 6am - 9am
God thing 9am - 11am
News 11am - 11.15
??????

QS 3pm - 3.10pm
Normal Film 3.10pm - 5.30pm
????

News 10.30pm
Before there were famous 10.45

Well, the official line would be it's there for the people who don't have the big family Christmas's. The ratings show the audience is there on Christmas night.


Discussed several times before of course, but IMO there are two things which spoil the Christmas schedules.


Firstly, the soaps on Christmas Day - especially in recent years when they've forgotten it's Christmas and opted for weddings instead. Corrie showed last year it's best to keep to a simple Christmas Day scenario people can identify with.


The second main thing that's ruined it is Celebrity specials. Things like Celebrity Millionaire, Celebrity Stars in their Eyes and Celebrity Family Fortunes used to be reserved as Christmas specials - but now they're on throughout the year and therefore when served up at Christmas aren't special at all.

Very true.

If we watch TV at Christmas it'll only be something like Dr Who or Corrie. We haven't watched The Queen's speech at 3pm for ages. We have our lunch around then with no TV in dining room.

Channel 4 on Christmas Eve is normally very good...and yes, even better if The Snowman returns then.

Yet again, the BBC are bringing back an old comedy for "just one last" Christmas special. I have never seen To The Manor Born and have nothing against it, but it's just another sign of lacking in ideas.

Still, I will watch Doctor Who (yes, I know that is a revived show as well, but it was done well, unlike certain shows starring David Jason or Dawn French). Maybe a big film, but nothing else really.

I think this is defo the line up between 6.30 and 9.30, very odd as this is the same as last year.

So if the BBC are NOT putting out a TOTP special (thank God), perhaps the Christmas Day schedule will look like this:
6.00am Breakfast
9.00 CBBC
10.00 Christmas Service
11.00 Dear Father Christmas
11.50 FILM: A Bug's Life
1.20 BBC News, Weather
1.30 FILM: The Santa Clause 2
3.00pm The Queen
3.10 Outtake TV
3.40 FILM: Finding Nemo
5.10 My Family
6.00 BBC News
6.10 The Green Green Grass
7.00 Doctor Who
8.00 Strictly Come Dancing
9.00 EastEnders
10.00 Not Going Out Christmas Special
10.35 BBC News, Weather
10.45 FILM: Calendar Girls
12.30 Christmas Epilogue
12.35 FILM: Carry On Loving
2.05 News 24

The EastEnders episodes in 2004 and 2005 were made into hour long episodes and were very successful. I reckon they might do that again this year due to the lack of crowd pleasing mass appeal comedy such as OFAH and Dibley. Boxing Day will I reckon after second thoughts, consist of To The Manor Born and Extras and After You've Gone! Interesting to see what others think!

ITV1 on Christmas Day may be something like this:
6.00 - 9.25am GMTV
9.25 CITV
11.30 FILM: The Grinch
1.25 ITV News
1.30 FILM: Disney's Pinocchio
3.00 The Queen
3.10 FILM: Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
5.50 ITV News
6.00 Emmerdale
7.00 Coronation Street
8.00 Who Wants To Be A Christmas Millionaire
9.00 Some Usual ITV type drama such as Midsomer Murders etc.
11.00 ITV News
11.10 FILM: Close Encounters Of The Third Kind
1.45 night Time Rubbish.....
9.00

What it highlights is the dearth of popular shows in the last two decades, particularly situation comedies.