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

Hiya, I thought I'd start a journal thread about what I'm watching, reading, playing and listening to. A sort of less-frequently-updated and less-widely-read version of Tachyon TV (http://tachyontv.typepad.com/tachyon_tv/), but covering all media.

First up, there's obviously Doctor who, but there's enough threads about that so this entry is going to be about The Now Show, Friday, 18:30, BBC Radio 4, http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/comedy/nowshow.shtml

This is a topical radio comedy starring Steve Punt and Hugh Dennis who were half of The Mary Whitehouse Experience back in the olden days, along with David "Fantasy Footie" Baddiel and some other guy. It's mostly a bunch of monologues and sketches about the news linked by Punt and Dennis talking about the news. News, by the way, has a very broad definition; the new Doctor Who series features quite a bit in Friday's episode (Mitch Benn's song at the begining is excellent), which can still be heard on the BBC website.

Isn't it odd the way that no-one can remember the name of the other bloke... Rob something-or-other wans't it? Did he and Baddiel do a show together for a while? I think Frenchbean was a bit soft on him for a while

Rob Newman, but I only know that because I checked the Beeb's Mary Whitehouse Experience page to see how to spell Baddiel.

That's the bloke

I have to make a confession here btw... I can't stand the Now Show

*waves to Thingumebob*

I'm not keen on it either

I don't know exactly why... it just doesn't tickle me funny bone The tall one (Hugh Dennis? I can never remember which is which ) reminds of a particularly unpleasant little oik from my schooldays... perhaps that's the reason.

I dunno, I went to an all girls school and still they both annoy the out of me

Poor ole Bagpuss - here we a re ripping apart one of his favourite shows

Ironic I should read this thread just as Newman and Baddiel are on Channel 4's best comedy sketches...

...That's you, that is...

B

Thanks B, I've been trying for ages to remember where that comes from

See that yellow smiley with the beer in its hand?????????

I've still got to watch most of the 50 Greatest Comedy Sketches. I was disappointed at how high up the chart History Today was, not to mention t' Four Yorkshiremen sketch. Amazing how good that still seems considering the fact that it were made back when TV only broadcast for 3 seconds a month and t' budget were tuppence 'a'penny for a century.

Oh, and don't worry about knocking The Now Show. I like it, but I chose it more because I hadn't seen it mentioned elsewhere than because it's my absolute most favouritest Radio 4 show ever.

I wouldn't bother watching the Top 50 Sketches after they get past number 10. It was shouting-at-the-TV time for me.

B

After watching some more this morning, I've only got the top ten left to go.

I wouldn't bother. You've seen the best of it.

B

Just watched it and I didn't think it was at all bad. The Fast Show, Morcambe and Wise and Victoria Wood didn't really appeal, but Little Britain twice, League of Gentlemen, Goodness Gracious Me and Brass Eye are all good. Dead Parrot isn't my favourite Monty Python sketch, but it was obviously going to be highly placed. Overall I'm a lot happier with this top ten than the Beeb's Britain's Best Sitcoms list.

New entry people: Club of Queer Trades, BBC Radio 4, Monday 11:30. It doesn't have its own website, but you can get it on the Beeb's "Listen Again" feature via http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/comedy/.

This has been adapted from a G.K. Chesterton book and stars lots of famous people including Martin "Arthur" Freeman and Geoffrey "Ford/Deep Thought" McGivern. Rather than being a chapter of a story, we had a self-contained vignette, which I assume will be the norm for the rest of the series.

The story itself, involving a retired major who was insulted and attacked for unknown reasons, was amusing and charming rather than inventive, which I think was intended. Also I had trouble distinguishing the leads, apart from the blustery old major, but he was only in for the one episode. Mind you, that's a problem I have with radio plays.

I'll definitely be tuning in again to see what other queer (i.e. unique) trades there are, but I don't know if I'll bother with the whole series.

Speaking of radio book adaptations, I'm also enjoying The Great Pursuit, on Radio 4 at 23:00 tonight, which stars Mark "Brian/Dr. Statham" Heap as a conscience-challenged literary agent. The book's by some fellow named Tom Sharpe and it's clearly a bit more recent than Club of Queer Trades, as it involves transatlantic flights and the first joke I've heard involving the time delay on digital radio. Unfortunately you've already missed the first two of four parts (if you Listen Again before they updat it), so there's no point checking that out now.

I've never read any GK Chesterton - I can see that I'm going to have to change that