Small Screen Surfin'
Created | Updated Apr 7, 2004
Welcome to SSS number thirty-four (XXXIV for those from another age) and it makes me
wonder why people watch soaps after some have gone to meticulous lengths to inform you of what
happens before the show comes on. Why? Football fanatics hate to know the score if they want to
see the match so why is that soaps (although predictable) don't hide their endings? Do you need to
know how a gun was pulled out on someone or what type of weapon it was? Is it the fact that Jimmy
MacKiller hasn't hada shave for this murder and thus his 'character' is somehow different in the
night pouring with rain? Please answer this(/these) question(s) if you know.
Historyonics is rather an interesting programme for Sunday. Being on BBC One at 6:30pm
means that it's finally a child-friendly show in the slot that was usually reserved for the children's
drama series like Phoenix and the Carpet for example.
John Knowles, in a rather bright purple shirt for Sunday viewing, presents a series that shows
the facts of history in a funny way. Last Sunday's being 1066. Seemed the right time to present
itself too with recent surveys showing that one in ten Britons believe Adolf Hitler to have be a
fictional character. The show obviously doesn't try to be serious with the characters interacting
with Knowles while on a budget that would make Doctor Who sets look expensive 1. A fact
which Knowles is more than happy to point out. It was like Monty Python and the Holy Grail
for children.
HAROLD: 'If you could be a little more clearer as to who you want to be
successor...'
*king dies*
'What's that? You want me to be king?'
Plus being in a Sunday slot gives the show a nice relaxing niche to sit instead of being
confrontational with Monty Python Terry Jones' Medieval Lives which was reviewed *cough*
a couple of weeks back.
One comment I've read was that Historyonics might help children revision wise. I
seriously doubt it. It's too funny to absorb the historical information unlike Terry Jones' whose
style is more fact then sketch then fact based. Enjoyable romp for all ages naturally. Hopefully the
start of less patronising children's programming that adults can watch as well. Nice work.
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And now the Small Screen Supplement2.
Just a bit of sci-fi and fantasy news. The new Doctor Who is Christopher Eccleston. Fans of
Who will obviously know this by now but worthy of mention.
On the fantasy front, Star Wars: Clone Wars (yes fantasy) has begun it's second series,
chapters 11 through 20, on digital channel Toonami at 4:00pm3 this week. Still pitifully short at five minutes - come on live action
series! - there's the chance to see Episode III main bad-guy General Grievous in action as
well as good acting. Probably not helpful saying this on Thursday but, well, they'll be repeated on
Cartoon Network no doubt like last time.
Keep Surfin'
I know that sci-fi shows are expensive but look cheap. Don't send letters.2You missed it didn't you?3And 5:00 and
6:00 and...
