Parkinson

(Original thread archived)

Well I thought it was a fantastic show tonight, it had the right balance of everything. Peter Kay shunned the "oldies" I think. Didn't quite see the point of Dame Edna at the end though but I suppose 'she' had to make an appearance somewhere.

Nice bottom screen credits roll at the end too just a shame the bloody ITV anno decided to remind us that Parky would be going over his favourite moments next week. He'd already just told us that! Jeez it annoys me!

Anyway, all the best to him.

Yeah. A real Gentleman and a damned good Chatshow host. Who's big enough to fill his shoes - Jonathan Ross?

Definately not Jonathan Ross, his interviews are always based around him.

There isn't another Parky, he was of the same breed as Harty, Aspel and Wogan i.e. the "traditional" chat show host.. there isn't really anyone like that now in the UK and Aspel and Wogan have moved onto other things.

There's an interesting article here from February last year about the demise of the chat show... http://scotlandonsunday.scotsman.com/ViewArticle.aspx?articleid=2754282

I enjoyed last night's Parkinson - some good guests on there and Peter Kay actually did a bit of new material.

Nice having the non standardized credits at the end as well - why does every programme usually have to use those bloody standard ITV credits?

Parkinson: "The Final Ar*se Licking" would have been more appropriate.

I've always found Parkinson very sycophantic and cringeworthy. He also seems to wheel out the same guests every series.... Dame Judi.... Billy Connolly.... Dame Edna.... Katie Melua....

He went downhill in my estimations after refusing to accept a compromise to fit around MOTD and pissed off to ITV for more money, and ad breaks.

I do like the gimmick-free format of the show though and hope they find and better less sycophantic host for it.

The programme had too many guests and was appaulingly edited - no edit is the wrong word - hacked about like some sort of rough cut is more appropriate.

It just seesm that old acts go to ITV to die

Michael Parkinson is a genuine and sincere man and in my opinion he was the greatest ever talk show host.

He had a good understanding of the emotions of his guests and his show was so coveted it attracted big names like Sir Michael Caine and David Beckham to appear on it.

I expect him to become a bigger print journalist now, perhaps even commenting on cricket matches as he was such an able player and still is a fan.

I agree - the programme doesn't 'flow' as well when it keeps suddenly cutting to a 5 minuet long break with no warning, and then just jumps back where it left off.

He hand-picked his favourite guests from the years for this show, so that's why in this case. Dame Edna was there to represent Parky's "second home" Australia, as he reasoned in his press interviews leading up to the programme.

I'd agree with Troggles that the editing was lumpy. You had long interviews with Sir David, Billy Connolly, Becks and Michael Caine (fair enough); then Dame Edna, Judi Dench and Peter Kay just seemed to be tacked on a the end somehow.

I think Parky has become less confrontational over the years; however with more means of a celeb publicising him/herself, then it's kind of understandable why Parky was a little more "respectful" in recent years.

I think it's a shame that he's gone now. With other chat show hosts these days; the show is about the chat show host, rather than having a proper conversation with the guest I feel. With Wossy it's "look how clever I am" rather than having a revealing chat with his guests IMO