The tape starts with a trailer for a documentary, The Visit, not the BBC version, but an ITV show.
Then a trailer for Finney, which features both Andy Serkis and David Morrissey.
Then, Cracker, Jimmy McGovern’s crime psychodrama, with episode 3 of Men Should Weep. Robbie Coltrane and the police are on the trail of a serial rapist. But Penhaligon has also been raped, and not by the suspect, but by one of her colleagues, leading to a huge cliffhanger in this, the final episode of the second series.
Recording switches to BBC1, and the end of South East news. There’s weather from Michael Fish, and a trailer for The Addams Family. There’s also a trailer for Devil’s Advocate, starring a young Lena Headey.
Then, Mel Smith stars in a comedy drama about “a solicitor whose life appears to be a bit of a shambles”, Milner.
Rather oddly, John Hannah turns up early in what looks like a walk-on part. But he was a fairly established actor at the time, so does that mean he’ll be more important to the plot? Seems unlikely, as he’s credited as ‘Window Washer’.
It’s ‘based on a story by Peter Fincham’ who became the head of BBC1 until he had to resign over a controversy involving the Queen. At this time he was head of Talkback, the production company that made this programme. A company founded by Mel Smith.
There’s also a blink and you’ll miss it appearance from Catherine Tate.
It’s a pleasant enough show, with low level skullduggery being rooted out by the dogged solicitor. But didn’t really have anything much to distinguish it.
BBC Genome: BBC One London, 19 December 1994 21.30
After the programme, there’s a trailer for The Godfather part III. Then, a trailer for Boxing Day programmes on BBC1. Nice to see 2 point 4 Children getting a good Christmas slot.
Then, the recording continues into the Gene Wilder mid-life-crisis comedy The Woman in Red. There’s 30 minutes of this before the tape finishes.
BBC Genome: BBC One London, 19 December 1994 22.45
Adverts:
- Obsession – Kate Moss
- Sainsbury’s
- Cockburns Special Reserve Port
- Revlon
- Labatt Ice
- NEC
- Cartier
- Brut Aquatonic
- Cadbury’s Roses
- Energis – quite a funny advert for their telecommunications network, narrated by Hugh Laurie. Has a whiff of The Day Today about it
- Piat D’Or
- Malibu
- Cellnet
- VO5
- Lynx Systeme
- American Express – Anita Roddick
- Accurist
- Holsten Pils – Dennis Leary doing an ad about authenticity. Yeah.