JK
Comic Relief has really gone to pot, and as some on here have said, the pandemic is no excuse. For nearly a decade, the quality has plummeted.
Tonight's telethon felt nothing like the event from say 2011.
For reference, back 10 years ago there was an Outnumbered special, a mini episode of Doctor Who, Harry Hill's TV Burp Special, Celebrity Masterchef Special at 10 Downing Street, A Downton Abbey spoof called Uptown Downstairs Abbey, Graham Norton's Chair Game, Alan Partridge, The Inbetweeners, 24 Hour Panel People
That was just a summary - what an excellent line up.
Tonight's telethon felt nothing like the event from say 2011.
For reference, back 10 years ago there was an Outnumbered special, a mini episode of Doctor Who, Harry Hill's TV Burp Special, Celebrity Masterchef Special at 10 Downing Street, A Downton Abbey spoof called Uptown Downstairs Abbey, Graham Norton's Chair Game, Alan Partridge, The Inbetweeners, 24 Hour Panel People
That was just a summary - what an excellent line up.
SP
Yes I'm sure that clearing repeat rights would be a doodle. Especially the appearance by Mike Smith. And I'm sure it won't need significant editing to deal with "of their time" jokes, references to people who later fell from grace (Yewtree) etc. And as it was made in 4:3 it would inevitably be Shatliffed.
That's not too say it couldn't have been done, but I think suggesting it would be a doddle is underestimating things.
One big difference from the early days is that a lot more of the "elder statesmen" of comedy got involved and there was a lot more dusting off of archive material that hadn't been seen for years. Eg Ernie Wise introducing a M&W sketch, David Croft introducing a Dad's Army. I guess there's not much left gathering dust that would be worth showing these days. Except perhaps some of the one off sketches for early Comic Relief nights.
If BBC parliament can rerun hours of a general election coverage of the BBC from say 1970, surely re-running the 1993 Comic Relief night would have been a doddle for them.
Yes I'm sure that clearing repeat rights would be a doodle. Especially the appearance by Mike Smith. And I'm sure it won't need significant editing to deal with "of their time" jokes, references to people who later fell from grace (Yewtree) etc. And as it was made in 4:3 it would inevitably be Shatliffed.
That's not too say it couldn't have been done, but I think suggesting it would be a doddle is underestimating things.
One big difference from the early days is that a lot more of the "elder statesmen" of comedy got involved and there was a lot more dusting off of archive material that hadn't been seen for years. Eg Ernie Wise introducing a M&W sketch, David Croft introducing a Dad's Army. I guess there's not much left gathering dust that would be worth showing these days. Except perhaps some of the one off sketches for early Comic Relief nights.
FL
This paragraph from Digital Spy’s write-up on it sums up the main problems for me, even though it’s not what they were intending:
Jason Manford really shouldn’t need to be described as a “comic” in the context of Comic Relief. He should have just been one in a long list of comedians fronting the show.
That clip shared by Mark (from 1997, I think?) is exactly what Comic Relief should be. The audience loudly cheer the fact that Anthea Turner has apparently been “replaced” as presenter, because it was a night of anarchy and alternative fun. But now we have a talent show judge who has never done any comedy presenting the show completely straight.
The pandemic isn’t an excuse. They’ve completely lost the focus. Organisers and producers really need a reminder of what RND is, and it needs to re-capture its uniqueness. Leave Alesha Dixon and the rest of today’s Anthea Turners to Children in Need where I have absolutely no issues with them.
Quote:
Leading off the socially-distanced festivities were Comic Relief icon Lenny Henry, David Tennant, Britain's Got Talent judges Alesha Dixon and Amanda Holden, Davina McCall, Top Gear's Paddy McGuinness and comic Jason Manford.
Jason Manford really shouldn’t need to be described as a “comic” in the context of Comic Relief. He should have just been one in a long list of comedians fronting the show.
That clip shared by Mark (from 1997, I think?) is exactly what Comic Relief should be. The audience loudly cheer the fact that Anthea Turner has apparently been “replaced” as presenter, because it was a night of anarchy and alternative fun. But now we have a talent show judge who has never done any comedy presenting the show completely straight.
The pandemic isn’t an excuse. They’ve completely lost the focus. Organisers and producers really need a reminder of what RND is, and it needs to re-capture its uniqueness. Leave Alesha Dixon and the rest of today’s Anthea Turners to Children in Need where I have absolutely no issues with them.
BR
I think TV in general has forgotten how to do anarchic entertainment. Back then you had a generation of television that included a weekly telethon on the form of Saturday morning TV, daily entertainment like The Big Breakfast and live Saturday night shows where you felt anything could happen and even a tightly produced smooth running format like Noels House Party felt anything but.
Nowadays the closest you get to such things is Phil and Holly getting the giggles - endless cookery shows have replaced weekend morning entertainment and the big primetime shows are formatted to within an inch of their life. Just as the telethons(and Christmas) suffer from the lack of hit sitcoms across the year they also suffer from the BBC just not delivering light entertainment in the way they once did.
Nowadays the closest you get to such things is Phil and Holly getting the giggles - endless cookery shows have replaced weekend morning entertainment and the big primetime shows are formatted to within an inch of their life. Just as the telethons(and Christmas) suffer from the lack of hit sitcoms across the year they also suffer from the BBC just not delivering light entertainment in the way they once did.
SP
Fair points, although I have no problem with people like Alesha Dixon hosting if they are paired with a comedian who doesn't have live presenting experience. They are there to keep the thing moving while the comic gets laughs and is a bit unpredictable. I think they used Davina McCall in that kind of role previously. Obviously there are plenty of stand up comedians around with live telly experience (often via The One Show) and wouldn't need that double act. Jimmy Carr, Iain Stirling, Paddy Kielty, Alan Carr, Graham Norton... the list goes on. Hell, there's no studio audience this year so why not get Corden to do an hour from the Late Late studio?
That said a lot more of the night is pre-recorded the days. Back in the day having the comics who were used to compering gigs was handy because they could cover if the next live item wasn't ready to go.
It all seems a bit too slick and script edited within an inch of it's life these days. Russell Brand falling off air the other year is as edgy as it gets.
That said a lot more of the night is pre-recorded the days. Back in the day having the comics who were used to compering gigs was handy because they could cover if the next live item wasn't ready to go.
It all seems a bit too slick and script edited within an inch of it's life these days. Russell Brand falling off air the other year is as edgy as it gets.
UL
But there is a balance with these things, remember 2017 when they tried to make it anarchic and it was a disaster. I love Vic & Bob for example especially Shooting Stars but their sketch with Susanna Reid live in the studio was awful and they cut from appeal films to Richard Osman's World Cup of Biscuits, fine for twitter but not for a Charity Telethon, it was the first year I remember that I turned it over early.
SJ
Although judging by last night it looked like Alesha Dixon had no presenting experience as she stuck rigidly to reading the autocue. There were moments where it was clear Lenny, David and Alesha were supposed to be a 'conversation' between presenters, but Alesha just faced forward and read the autocue without even looking at Lenny or David and just made it look awkward.
In fact the best presenters for me last night was David Tennant and the pair of Amanda Holden and Jason Manford, they seem to be trying to lift the whole thing with enthusiasm and fun whilst the rest were much more subdued and serious.
Like others have said, it was very comedy-lite last night. I don't see why there couldn't have been some stand up routines from comedians to give some more live stuff going on in the studio. People like Rowan Atkinson used to have some involvement every time but he seems to have disappeared. Even people like Michael McIntyre who is a regular BBC face don't seem to get involved which feels slightly odd.
Fair points, although I have no problem with people like Alesha Dixon hosting if they are paired with a comedian who doesn't have live presenting experience. They are there to keep the thing moving while the comic gets laughs and is a bit unpredictable.
Although judging by last night it looked like Alesha Dixon had no presenting experience as she stuck rigidly to reading the autocue. There were moments where it was clear Lenny, David and Alesha were supposed to be a 'conversation' between presenters, but Alesha just faced forward and read the autocue without even looking at Lenny or David and just made it look awkward.
In fact the best presenters for me last night was David Tennant and the pair of Amanda Holden and Jason Manford, they seem to be trying to lift the whole thing with enthusiasm and fun whilst the rest were much more subdued and serious.
Like others have said, it was very comedy-lite last night. I don't see why there couldn't have been some stand up routines from comedians to give some more live stuff going on in the studio. People like Rowan Atkinson used to have some involvement every time but he seems to have disappeared. Even people like Michael McIntyre who is a regular BBC face don't seem to get involved which feels slightly odd.