h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

It's the 21st Century. People have grown up owning their own favourite films on VHS, DVD or Blu-Ray etc. Those who subscribe to satellite and cable television receive hundreds of channels broadcasting over a year's worth of programmes every single day. Favourite films and programmes can be i-playered, downloaded or data-streamed on-demand any hour of the day.

So am I the only one who still gets excited, highlighter in hand, when the Christmas Radio Times comes out?
(Other television guides are available - the days of needing to also get the TV Times to see what's on the other side are long gone.)

I don't even watch that much television...

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I'm like you. I used to get very excited by all these movies coming on TV, and avidly planned out what I was going to watch or record.

The main reason I've lost interest today is that I've not seen a half-decent movie for many years, and I know I'm going to be disappointed. I'll just watch a few of the classic ones.

I get Radio Times most weeks, even though I hardly watch any TV. It's partly force-of-habit. However, I know that there's much _less_ point than usual paying attention to the Christmas listings, because I'll not get to watch any of it. I think some members of the family privately object to Christmas being spent in front of the TV, because they insist that several activities over the period cannot be postponed or delayed (admittedly, some genuinely can't). What with the length of movies, it's so rare to find one that I want to watch which happens to be scheduled to exactly fit into a gap between, say, Christmas lunch and the Doctor Who Christmas Special.
In fact, Doctor Who seems to be the one major exception these days: we really will plan around sitting down to watch it as a family.
Of course, this year is different, as I'll be in Tokyo, and my parents will be in France.

>>Doctor Who seems to be the one major exception these days<<

Unless you have to spend Christmas Day at my BiL's (Thank the gods those days are gone - the only acceptable things were Songs of Praise and the news )

You have made me quite homesick with thoughts of the front cover of the Christmas Radio Times. Even if you don't have a TV, surely it still also tells you what's on the radio? There are some gems in that there wireless.

I bought my copy today!!!!!! Yes I still get terribly excited!!!!

But I don't bother going through it with the highlighter any more, cos I never manage to watch all the stuff I think looks interesting.

Mol

This year's Radio Times Christmas cover - 'The Snowman and the Snowdog'. How have they made a sequel to 'The Snowman'?

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Yes they have! It's on my viewing list.

Excitement probably isn't quite at the same level these days, but I'm still keen to look through the schedule. Often the trailers have already been on TV to give a taster.

I haven't got the highlighter out yet, but I probably will - although I often change my mind about what I want to watch/record.

So, and to those who've already bought their copy... Is there anything* on this Christmas worth watching? I do hope they show the brave little toaster again.... Christmas is one fo the few times I watch TV, as I don't have a tV in my house...

There's a few dramas & films I thought I'd watch. Depends what you think worth viewing....

Have to say, it's good value as magazines go - took me ages to read, and that was *without* making a list as I went along.

Mol

Doctor Who goes without saying.
I'm unsure about 'The Snowman and the Snowdog'. 'The Snowman' was perfect as it was, how can a sequel improve or add to it?
I've yet to have a chance to sit down and properly look through.

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I've now been through with the highlighter. Actually turned out there isn't all that much I'm keen to see.

We've had a second copy delivered today, in error. Wonder if it has different schedules

what i really really want to see again is Bernard and the Genie. But it seems to have vanished off the face of the earth.

Is the brave little toaster on this year?; Its useually in the early hours of the morning, at some point

I suspect that the song all about Princess Diana being a loser might be one reason they don't show 'Bernard and the Genie' on TV any more..

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I don't remember that part. The rest of it was brilliant.

It was only in the background soundtrack, which they could replace. But it is brilliant, I especially loved the Mona Lisa/Kylie joke.

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It's not Christmas until you get the double issue Christmas Radio Times. It's just not.

It's out now!

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