The Night Mail

[J. S. Bach]

Because it is happening to someone else and not to them?

[BSW01]

Thankfully, Sheila doesn’t watch ANY of the soap operas! She used to watch some of them years ago, but hasn’t watched any for well over 25 years now! I’m blessed, well and truly blessed! 

[Hroth]

17 minutes ago, TheQ said:

 

A Mk2, Mk 1 Matildas were suspiciously ducklike...

 

15 minutes ago, Flying Fox 34F said:

Soap Opera’s!

 

My Great Grandmother believed Coronation St was real.  She asked my Father about the train crash, when televised in 1968.  Apparently, she was disgusted both he and the Newspaper’s were ignoring it?

 

Personally, I used to live with someone, who watched them all.  I just found something else to do.  
 

I still not sure why many people, enjoy the portrayal of multiply miserable lives, affected by destruction and death, especially in December.

 

Paul

 

Because it makes them feel better because the soap characters lives are worse than their own.

 

[Not Jeremy]

6 hours ago, Oldddudders said:

Unfortunately, some decades back, the democratically-elected government of the day, which hated any form of state ownership, decided that in an effort to nuke the BBC, it would demand that that organisation must compete on viewer numbers with the independent channels. The hope was that it would fail to do so, being far too stuffy and quality-led - FFS! -  and could be accused of failing to meet targets and be sold off to the highest bidder, to the delight of the Lords of the Treasury. The race to the bottom on programming began right there. 

 

An excellent post, which explains a lot.

 

But Jeremy Vine - how does anyone explain that for Gawd's sake?!

 

For live radio "popular" music, after staying with a friend who imbibed, I have recently started listening to Virgin Radio, it has adverts, music that I am happy to hear and less b*llocks than anything the BBC offers, with some notable exceptions, to be fair.

 

 

[Hroth]

1 minute ago, Not Jeremy said:

 

An excellent post, which explains a lot.

 

But Jeremy Vine - how does anyone explain that for Gawd's sake?!

 

 

They confused him with his brother and thought they were getting a comedian.

 

[polybear]

3 hours ago, Tony_S said:

.... a bit like baked beans on cake. 

 

You could be onto something there....

 

Edit:  Oh Poo, wrong thread.....

 

1 hour ago, TheQ said:

Never seen any in any of the local stations, or on buses. 

 

Good point - I think The Metro Newspaper is probably just a London thing.

 

1 hour ago, Dave Hunt said:

 

I was once asked my opinion of some story line that had been on Coronation Street and replied that I didn't watch it. "Oh," said the questioner, "You think it's beneath you then?" This rather took me aback and I said no, it just didn't interest me. This seemed to annoy the other person to the extent that she accused me of being a typical officer uninterested in the likes of others and much more comment, some of which was verging on the vituperative so I excused myself and went elsewhere. One of the things that amused me, though, was that the exchange took place at a fairly upmarket golf club dinner at which Jill and I were guests and the woman involved was a member of its committee.

 

Dave 

 

It would've been interesting to see her reaction if you'd replied "It's just a pile of cr@p watched by those with nothing better to do".

 

p.s.  Dave's Back!!!  YAHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO.................

Edited August 14 by polybear

[PhilJ W]

2 hours ago, iL Dottore said:

Soap Operas???

 

Does The Archers count?

 

I used to listen (off and on) to the Sunday omnibus edition when I lived in the UK - usually in the car going to/from North Wales with a chum (who managed to inveigle me into doing some permanent way work on a heritage railway 😣).

 

Moving to Switzerland listening to The Archers, even intermittently, stopped. It was only recently that I listened to a (current) episode via BBCSounds. It was appalling. "An everyday story of country folk" it aint!

 

Apparently it has been "improved" by the Beeb and is now "A contemporary drama in a rural setting" So now, at The Bull, Ambridge's pub, you can get an amusing little Chablis to go with your Tofu & Quinoa salad. I don't think they sells pints of "Old Badger's Nadger's, packets of Pork Scratchings or freshly made sausage baps any longer....

 

O Tempora, O Mores...

That's typical of many rural pubs nowadays, the only way of staying in business.

[The White Rabbit]

1 hour ago, iL Dottore said:

Sorry to have taken a while to get back to you about this. ....

 

No problem, you did say it'd take a few days and it looks useful material, thankyou. Will do some homework... 

[The White Rabbit]

1 hour ago, TheQ said:

Never seen any in any of the local stations, or on buses. 

 

15 minutes ago, polybear said:

.... Good point - I think The Metro Newspaper is probably just a London thing. ...

 

Going back to pre-Covid, the Metro was available at all stations on the Wharfedale line (Ilkley - Leeds) and I was reliably informed by others all stations on the Airedale Line (Skipton - Leeds). I didn't use to read it myself but plenty of my fellow passengers did (or used it for 'other' purposes - 🤔) as the dispensing holders were usually empty by 9am. 

 

It's been five years since I've been on the national network trains for various reasons but I believe it's still distributed. However I've never seen dispensers or heard about it being offered in certain parts of the UK - say Ribblehead, Tywyn, Bere Alston ... So maybe a 'suburban thing' might be more accurate? 

[The White Rabbit]

24 minutes ago, polybear said:

... Dave's Back!!!  YAHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO.................

 

Wotesed...

 

24 minutes ago, polybear said:

... It would've been interesting to see her reaction if you'd replied "It's just a pile of cr@p watched by those with nothing better to do". ...

 

I think I do have something better to do. Today (pause for dramatic effect) I have been painting four POWs inside and out and then in the afternoon went to watch some sheep racing and a dog show. Fission Chips had for tea. Due to current circs I have no TV and haven't watched any for a few months. I don't miss it. I've been quite happy with today's agenda. 

[iL Dottore]

1 hour ago, Hroth said:

Because it makes them feel better because the soap characters lives are worse than their own.

 

I was just about to post something along the lines., But it is worth mentioning anyway:

 

Somebody once pointed out (in the 80s soon after EastEnders had started) that the difference between American soap operas and British soap operas is that American soap operas gave viewers something to look up to and to aspire to, Whereas British soap operas gave audiences something to look down on and think "my life might be absolute carp, but at least I'm better off than those poor bu99ers on the TV "

 

(To be very, very cynical and touch political) Of course the mediarati don't want "the lower orders" watching aspirational soap operas that give them "ideas above their station" Despite their public protestations to the contrary, the mediarati firmly believe "the lower orders need to know their place!"

[Compound2632]

1 hour ago, Hroth said:

 

Because it makes them feel better because the soap characters lives are worse than their own.

 

 

It's a noted difference between the US and UK that in the UK the popular soaps are those featuring the poor whereas in the US it's those featuring the wealthy.

[Dave Hunt]

2 hours ago, Compound2632 said:

 

Merely trying to cover herself for having exposed her own low taste.

 

 

Does not compute.

 

But I'm a perfect snob, happy in my ignorance of golf and both those soaps.

 

I should add that I am not a member of a golf club and have only ever tried hitting a ball with a golf bat once (unsuccessfully). We do, however, have some friends who are keen golfers and invite us to functions at their club occasionally.

 

Dave  

[Dave Hunt]

2 hours ago, TheQ said:

 

I don't think I'd like to try waltzing with one of those.

 

Dave

[Dave Hunt]

2 hours ago, BSW01 said:

Thankfully, Sheila doesn’t watch ANY of the soap operas! She used to watch some of them years ago, but hasn’t watched any for well over 25 years now! I’m blessed, well and truly blessed! 

 

Me too! Jill can't abide them (although she sometimes watches episodes of Friends on Netflix).

 

Dave

[Compound2632]

2 hours ago, Compound2632 said:

 

But I'm a perfect snob

 

I'm taking it for granted that those agreeing are agreeing that I am a snob, which is entirely justified and hardly unexpected!

[Dave Hunt]

2 minutes ago, Compound2632 said:

 

I'm taking it for granted that those agreeing are agreeing that I am a snob, which is entirely justified and hardly unexpected!

 

How can you be a snob? You talk to us quite freely.

 

Dave

[Northmoor]

9 hours ago, Phil Parker said:

We see it in model railways, where people on this forum say they prefer a YouTube review running trains on the carpet and slowly (and loudly) reading the words on the out-of-focus box, over a researched piece in a magazine.

Thank you, Phil, for convincing me I'm probably utterly out of touch with the new generation of railway "modellers".

[figworthy]

On soap operas.

 

UK readers with long memories may remember Crossroads (apologies for any nightmares that may induce).  For reasons that were beyond analysis at the time, my mother was a fan of it.  Decades later, I came to the conclusion that it was because it lead to the room rapidly emptying, the washing up being done, and home work being started.  Anyone contemplating an early return would be confronted with Emmerdale Farm and then Coronation Street.  So mother ended up with a bit of peace and quite.

 

Adrian

[Phil Parker]

2 hours ago, polybear said:

 

Good point - I think The Metro Newspaper is probably just a London thing.

 

We still gave it on Leamington Spa. Perfect reading for the run into Birmingham. 

[Northmoor]

5 hours ago, SM42 said:

You forgot Triangle ( understandable really, who'd want to remember?) and the utterly forgettable Eldarado ( an expat Neighbours) 

Two positives to take from those though:

1. They were both unintentionally hilarious;

2. Eldorado removed Terry Wogan from BBC1 twice a week (I will admit Tel was excellent on R2, but his chat show was shockingly lightweight and fawning).

[Dave Hunt]

7 minutes ago, figworthy said:

On soap operas.

 

UK readers with long memories may remember Crossroads (apologies for any nightmares that may induce).  For reasons that were beyond analysis at the time, my mother was a fan of it.  Decades later, I came to the conclusion that it was because it lead to the room rapidly emptying, the washing up being done, and home work being started.  Anyone contemplating an early return would be confronted with Emmerdale Farm and then Coronation Street.  So mother ended up with a bit of peace and quite.

 

Adrian

 

At one time it was common on the RAF for anyone seeming to be dim witted to be called a 'Benny', which was, I believe, after a character in Crossroads.

 

Dave 

[polybear]

1 hour ago, The White Rabbit said:

 

Wotesed...

 

 

I think I do have something better to do. Today (pause for dramatic effect) I have been painting four POWs inside and out and then in the afternoon went to watch some sheep racing and a dog show. Fission Chips had for tea. Due to current circs I have no TV and haven't watched any for a few months. I don't miss it. I've been quite happy with today's agenda. 

 

How do you paint a Prisoner of War inside & out??

 

8 minutes ago, figworthy said:

On soap operas.

 

UK readers with long memories may remember Crossroads (apologies for any nightmares that may induce).  For reasons that were beyond analysis at the time, my mother was a fan of it.  Decades later, I came to the conclusion that it was because it lead to the room rapidly emptying, the washing up being done, and home work being started.  Anyone contemplating an early return would be confronted with Emmerdale Farm and then Coronation Street.  So mother ended up with a bit of peace and quite.

 

Adrian

 

Barmy Benny is now 78......😲

[Northmoor]

2 hours ago, Not Jeremy said:

 

An excellent post, which explains a lot.

 

But Jeremy Vine - how does anyone explain that for Gawd's sake?!

 

For live radio "popular" music, after staying with a friend who imbibed, I have recently started listening to Virgin Radio, it has adverts, music that I am happy to hear and less b*llocks than anything the BBC offers, with some notable exceptions, to be fair.

 

 

About 20 years ago Mrs Northmoor and I worked at the same company so commuted together.  We gave up with Virgin Radio after about six months because in the 20-30 minute time windows when we travelled, they played a selection of the same five or six tracks EVERY SINGLE DAY.  One day they were having a phone-in discussion as their listening figures were down.  We cheered when one of the first callers said, "Well, you keep playing the same music all the time......"

[polybear]

4 minutes ago, Northmoor said:

About 20 years ago Mrs Northmoor and I worked at the same company so commuted together.  We gave up with Virgin Radio after about six months because in the 20-30 minute time windows when we travelled, they played a selection of the same five or six tracks EVERY SINGLE DAY.  One day they were having a phone-in discussion as their listening figures were down.  We cheered when one of the first callers said, "Well, you keep playing the same music all the time......"

 

I wonder if it was to keep Royalties/Costs down?