Whose Line is it Anyway – The Last Resort – tape 623

First on this tape, a compilation episode of Whose Line is it Anyway.

Then we have The Last Resort. First guest is the actor Keith Allen, continuing his interview from the previous week’s episode

 

World renowned artist Leslie Cooper bears a striking resemblance to Vic Reeves.

Lysette Anthony is the next guest.

This isn’t the greatest interview, as Jonathan spends far too much time sniggering over her recent Playboy photoshoot.

Kathy Burke appears as Tina Bishop.

Roland Gift provides the music.

Final guest is Malcolm McLaren. He seems a little drunk.

Afterwards, recording switches and we get the end of an episode of Houseful of Plants.

Then, the last in the present series of The Last Resort.

the first guests are the Del Rubio Triplets.

Next it’s Paul Merton.

Dr Martin Scrote plays Santa at Christmas

There’s music from Nick Lowe.

The last guest is Peter Cook.

After this, recording switches again, and we’re treated to Jill Eikenberry (Anne Kelsey off of LA Law) and John Ritter interviewing Donald Duck. It’s a programme celebrating Mickey Mouse’s 60th birthday. There’s also a little LA Law cameo.

And a cameo from the Cheers team.

This show is shown as part of Motormouth. ITV’s kids show? I really don’t recall. But Jeremy Beadle popped up at the end.

 

Following this, there’s Physical Pursuits, from the Leatherhead Leisure Centre. Three teams compete at light-hearted physical challenges. And who would you expect to front a programme about physical activity? That sports powerhouse Eamonn Holmes.

This is definitely a programme that they had way more fun making than the audience ever will have watching.

The tape ends during this programme.

Adverts:

• trail: London’s Burning
• Volvo
• Braun Reflex Control
• Obsession
• trail: Fritz Lang Season
• Mail on Sunday
• Beautiful Estee Lauder
• Castlemaine XXXX
• Our Price – U2 – Rattle and Hum
• Perrier
• Tracy Chapman
• Pizza Hut
• Andrews Answer
• madame Tussauds
• Fashion by Lentheric
• Braun
• Night Nurse/Day Nurse
• Woolworth’s
• Coco Pops
• Wrigley’s Spearmint Gum
• trail: Christmas Day programmes on LWT
• Real Fire
• MFI
• Hornby
• British Telecom
• Style by Lentheric
• Country Life butter
• Duracell
• Old Spice
• Pet Shop Boys – Introspective
• Christmas Line
• trail: Christmas Day on LWT – including The Empire Strikes Back
• Prince’s
• Fashion by Lentheric
• Andrews Answer
• Beecham’s Hot Honey and Lemon
• Wrigley’s Spearmint Gum
• Tennant’s LA

 

French and Saunders – Friday Night Live – tape 501

Back in time (in tape terms) for this one, as we have a tape from 1988.

There’s the end of Gardener’s World, and a trailer for Lucky Sunil at the start of the tape.

Then, an episode of the second series of French and Saunders. Featuring, among other sketches, Dawny Seymour’s guide to a romantic life.

The extras meet June Whitfield

Music from Lulu, performing The Man Who Sold the World.

And Elizabeth Taylor in Hooray for Hollywood.

 

BBC Genome: BBC Two England, 15 April 1988 21.00

Following this episode, recording continues, and there’s a trailer for Sophia and Constance that looks like a French and Saunders spoof.

Then, there’s the start of an episode of Review, a BBC2 arts programme featuring an interview with Barry White, a look at Alan Bennett’s Talking Heads, and Ian McEwan reviews The Unbearable Lightness of Being.

Shortly into this, recording switches to Channel 4, and we have an episode of Friday Night Live. This episode, hosted as was usual by Ben Elton, features music from the Pogues.

Stavros is in jail

More music from the Christians

 

Jack Docherty and Moray Hunter do Donald and George.

“Sometimes we get such a good reaction to an act we have to welcome them back” The neophyte Jo Brand.

John Mendoza, doing some horrible fat-shaming material.

Buggerallmoney makes his first appearance on the show.

 

There’s also a film featuring Loadsamoney in the country.

The first appearance of Mark Thomas

 

After this, recording continues, with about 20 minutes of The Day of the Triffids – the 1963 Howard Keel/Janette Scott version. Then the recording stops.

Adverts:

• trail: Who Dares Wins
• Old El Paso Tacos
• Holsten Export
• Eagle Star
• Melita – Keith Floyd
• Our Price – Belinda Carlisle – Heaven on Earth
• Dulux weatherproof
• Nat West – Jesse Birdsall
• Comet
• Dulux
• Legal & General
• TV Times
• Hula Hoops – Cab Calloway
• Tissot
• Our Price – Belinda Carlisle
• Toffee Crisp
• Holsten Export
• Flowers in the Attic in cinemas
• Ford Montego
• Castlemaine XXXX
• Nationwide Anglia
• Talking Heads – Naked
• Esso
• Eagle Star
• Ford Mondeo
• trail: Brond
• Ovaltine Hot Chocolate
• TV Licence
• Levington compost

Four Hours of Vic and Bob – tape 1830

It’s Christmas on BBC2.

After a brief trailer for Lovejoy, we have At Home with Vic & Bob, a night of programmes chosen by Vic Reeves and Bob Mortimer.

Here’s the opening, and introduction to the first programme.

The highlight of the evening comes right at the beginning, Rutland Weekend Television, Eric Idle’s post-Python comedy show, and one which is almost never repeated. Although the Radio Times listing and the introduction here implies it’s a Best Of show, it actually appears to be the 1975 Christmas Show (original broadcast listing: BBC Two England, 26 December 1975 22.55)

Music is supplied by Neil Innes.

And special musical guest George Harrison (as “Pirate Bob”)

 

There’s another Vic & Bob introduction.

Followed by a special Christmas episode of Dad’s Army from 1972. This was originally broadcast as part of Christmas Night with the Stars (BBC One London, 25 December 1972 18.55). The Walmington-On-Sea Home Guard have been selected to take part in the King’s Christmas broadcast.

Back to Vic & Bob.

The next programme is Meerkats Utd, the episode of Wildlife on One which, for good or ill, introduced meerkats to the general population. BBC One London, 26 January 1987 20.00

During the next link, Vic & Bob are joined by the incomparable John Shuttleworth

Followed by a compilation of comedy moments, plus some action from the World Disco Dance Championships.

Then, Vic & Bob present Christmas with Slade, featuring Mark Willaims, Paul Whitehouse, Charlie Higson and Neil Morrissey.

This is followed by a special episode of Shooting Stars, featuring Ulrika Jonsson, Jonathan Ross, Wendy Richard, Noddy Holder, Martin Clunes and Danny Baker.

Then, another interlude, featuring some farting frenchmen.

Then, Mike Leigh’s classic Play for Today, Nuts in May. Roger Sloman and Alison Steadman go camping in Dorset, and even visit Corfe Castle, where my family and I went on holiday just a couple of weeks ago. BBC One London, 13 January 1976 21.25

And after this, Vic & Bob close down.

BBC Genome (for the whole evening): BBC Two England, 27 December 1993 19.00

Following this, a trailer for Born on the Fourth of July. Then the tape comes to an end during an episode of The Seven Deadly Sins, a programme looking at “the positive aspects of sin”. Featuring Simon Schama (as played by James Dreyfuss, apparently).

Bakersfield PD – tape 1839

Over to Channel 4 for Bakersfield PD, starring Giancarlo Esposito off of Breaking Bad.

This is the first episode of the series, and explains why Esposito’s character is working in Bakersfield – his son was born with the help of a fertility doctor who was later found to have used his own sperm to impregnate over 70 women, so they choose to move as far away as possible.

There’s a sound glitch halfway through the episode. You don’t have to take my word for it.

 

After the last episode, there’s the start of Female Parts, during which the tape ends.

 

Adverts:

• Virgin Airlines
• Urban Strike for Megadrive
• Boddington’s
• Ragu
• Sun Alliance
• Kit Kat
• Virgin Atlantic
• Osram bulbs
• Kwik Save
• Persil Washing Up Liquid – Penn & Teller
• Crunchie
• I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter
• Sun Alliance
• Milk
• Osram
• Sainsbury’s
• Clerical Medical
• Nokia – widescreen TV

• Timotei
• Persil
• Save Energy
• Volvo
• Ford Mondeo
• Orange
• Jungle Mania 94
• Persil Washing Liquid – a different advert from Penn & Teller

• Halfords
• Guinness
• trail: Wild West
• trail: Moviewatch
• Tesco
• Donkey Kong Country
• Seal
• The Guardian
• Malaysia Airlines
• Curry’s
• nationwide
• National Lottery
• Renault Laguna
• Microsoft – where do you want to go today
• Kenco
• Safeway
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• INXS greatest hits
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• Now Dance The Best of 94
• Rob Newman live on video
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• Paco Rabanne
• trail: Get Up Stand Up
• trail: Don’t Forget Your Toothbrush
• Coca Cola
• Smash Hits 94
• HMV – Forrest Gump the Soundtrack
• Weeta Flakes
• Mercury One 2 One
• HMV – Pink Floyd – The Division Bell
• Worthington’s Draught Bitter
• Terry’s Chocolate Orange
• trail: Cutting Edge – Home Alone

Moonlighting – tape 1836

Back to the Family Channel for more with Maddie and David and the Blue Moon Detective Agency.

First, there’s a bumber trailer for all the great programmes on the channel.

Then, an episode of Moonlighting, Portrait of Maddie. An artist obsessed with painting Maddie shoots himself, and Maddie is tortured by the idea. It’s all very Hitchcock. The plot revolves around a stolen painting, and there’s some fun mystery and revelation.

Next Episode is Atlas Belched, followed by The Bride of Tupperman which starts with David watching Bride of Frankenstein on TV. This episode was direted by Christian I Nyby II, a stalwart of US episodic television, and the son of the director of The Thing from Another World.

The Last episode here is North by North Dipesto. Agnes is feeling depressed about her boring life, so David and Maddie give her some case work. And a makeover, because clearly that’s what every woman needs.

I think I preferred her old look.

After this, recording continues and there’s the start of an episode of Lou Grant which looks like the second part of the two-parter, dealing with a 9 year old girl ‘appearing in porno movies’ although judging by the recap they probably don’t involve the girl being assaulted, as the mother seems OK with it – “She doesn’t know what sex is.” It’s a shame there’s only 15 minutes of this, because I’d like to see how it plays out.

Adverts:

• Qwicksilver
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• The Essential Classics (yes, again)
• Qwicksilver
• The Essential Classics
• Trials of Life
• The Essential Classics
• trail: Sirens
• Cornhill Direct
• Qwicksilver
• Craftmatic Adjustable Bed
• trail: Second Guess

Beauty and the Beast – tape 594

Long ago in the mists of time, there was a programme produced by George R R Martin where he didn’t kill off your favourite characters all the time. It’s beauty and the Beast, with Terminator’s Linda Hamilton as Catherine, and Ron Perlman, under some great Rick Baker makeup, as Vincent.

The first episode here is Down to a Sunless Sea. Fast Forward through it, it looks like the plot involves a rich psycho with whom Catherine becomes involved, who then flips out with her, ties her to a chair, she then clonks him with the arm of the chair and she jumps out of a set of french windows (in a stunt that looks genuinely painful) while Vincent does his obligatory train surfing to get there almost in time.

Before the next episode, there’s the end of an episode of A Kind of Living.

Then, another Beauty and the Beast, Song of Orpheus. This episode is written by Alex Gansa and Howard Gordon, both of whom went on to work on several other genre shows, like 24, The X Files and Homeland.

It was directed by Peter Medak, who made the movie The Krays and even directed a couple of episodes of Space 1999.

Vincent’s father receives a message from the world above, and ventures out there to find something he won’t share with Vincent. There’s a flashback where we see him testifying to the HUAC (Joe McCarthy’s Communist witchhunt) making this the second programme dealing with the blacklist I’ve seen recently. He was a scientist working on nuclear fallout. He was also engaged to a woman, but when he was blacklisted, her father forced her to end the engagement.

The woman is dying, and a crooked charity campaigner (Paul Gleason) has his hooks into her. He kills the attorney representing her, and when Father comes across his dead body in his office, he’s arrested.

It’s all resolved with some very genteel action, and Father and his former fiancée get seven days together before she dies.

This is all so syrupy, it makes me wonder if Game of Thrones is a direct result of Martin’s wish to do something completely opposite to this.

There’s another chunk of A Kind of Living before the next episode.

the next episode is Temptation. Catherine’s colleague is seduced by a lawyer in a firm representing a criminal the DA is prosecuting, and when he finally tells her they should wait until the case is finished, the riva; firm get him arrested on a bogus drug bust. Plus, Linda Hamilton gets to beat up a guy trying to kill her, which makes a nice change for this series.

After this episode, theres the start of an Adam Dalgleish mystery, A Taste of Death. The tape runs out during this.

Adverts:

• trail: Blind Date/Beadle’s About
• Heinz Spicy Soup
• Cadbury’s Chocolate Milk Drink
• trail: A Taste For Death
• TV Times
• trail: Bust (with Paul Nicholas, that charisma black hole)
• trail: Beadle’s About
• Woolworth’s – Brother Beyond
• Veuve du Vernay
• Capitalcard (I miss those)
• TV Times
• trail: The match
• trail: A Taste for Death
• trail: The Match
• philips washing Machine
• Woolworth’s
• Argos
• Bols
• Walker’s Crisps
• Ireland
• trail: Murder She Wrote
• trail: Murder She Wrote
• Twiglets
• Black & Decker Irons
• Tetley Tea
• Smash Hits 88
• malaysia
• trail: Match
• trail: Murder She Wrote
• Cadbury’s Roses
• Woolwich
• calor
• British Telecom
• Pinocchio on video
• Cadbury’s Chocolate Break
• trail: The Zero Option
• trail: Britain’s Railway
• Hamlet
• Fisher Price mini-chef
• Tennent’s LA
• Yellow Pages

Chef! – tape 1838

First on this tape, Chef! by Peter Tilbury. In Do The Right Thing Gareth is visited by health and safety, and is concerned about the provenance of some partridges.

Is it heresy to say that I don’t think Lenny Henry is a very good actor? It’s odd, because his character performances in his sketch shows are often extremely good, but when he plays regular blokes, he seems less convincing. Perhaps it’s just too many years watching him on Tiswas.

BBC Genome: BBC One London, 22 September 1994 21.30

The next episode is A River Runs Thru It. Gareth discovers a highly talented chef languishing in a tiny restaurant (Ian MacNeice) and hires him as his assistant chef. One problem – he’s an alcoholic.

BBC Genome: BBC One London, 8 September 1994 21.30 – the timing of this listing leads me to think that the show was run out of order. But the continuity announcer says, at the start of this episode that it’s a new series. And usually they flag when things are not the same episode as billed in the Radio Times (the source of the Genome listings).

A Diploma of Miseries sees Gareth appearing on a talkshow hosted by Frances Barber. Roy Hattersley is the guest before him.

 

Gareth is very rude about his wife on the show, and spends the rest of the episode trying to apologise.

BBC Genome: BBC One London, 29 September 1994 21.30 – this is probably correct because the announcer flags that Crimewatch is on the next week, and the next episode is on in two weeks’ time.

The next episode is Masterchef. Everton is developing his signature dish, with the help of Mark Williams as a policeman.

BBC Genome: BBC One London, 13 October 1994 21.30

Next episode is Private Lives. The private lives of the staff all start intruding on the kitchen.

BBC Genome: BBC One London, 20 October 1994 21.30

The next episode is England Expects. Gareth is invited to compete in a prestigious international cookery competition. Cue lots of french chefs doing comedy french accents and calling them rosbifs.

BBC Genome: BBC One London, 27 October 1994 21.30

After the last episode, there’s a trailer for The Vicar of Dibley and Murder in Belgravia – The Lord Lucan Affair.

Then the recording runs out during Inside Story. 

Clive Anderson Talks Back – Knowing Me Knowing You – LA Law – tape 1837

First on this tape, another Sky One episode of LA Law. It’s Cold Cuts (1L12).

Then there’s an episode of Clive Anderson Talks Back. Guests on the programme are Patrick Moore

John Prescott

and Griff Rhys Jones

Following this episode, recording switches to BBC2 and Knowing Me Knowing You with Alan Partridge. One of the best episodes, featuring Alan duetting with Rebecca Front on a glorious ABBA medley.

BBC Genome: BBC Two England, 30 September 1994 22.00

Recording switches, and we get the end of The Director’s Place.

Then, the next episode of KMKYWAP (Ah ha!) This one is the one presented from France, featuring Alan’s fashion tips.

BBC Genome: BBC Two England, 8 October 1994 21.00

The next episode features a political debate, derailed by the Bald Brummies for Birmingham party.

BBC Genome: BBC Two England, 15 October 1994 21.00

The final episode of KMKYWAP features Alan fatally shooting his final guest.

BBC Genome: BBC Two England, 22 October 1994 21.10

After this the recording stops, and underneath we get Glenda Jackson in a repeat of the classic serial Elizabeth R. There’s a few minutes of this, then recording stops again, and underneath it’s back to Sky One for some wrestling. There’s a weird ‘ad’ i this, obviously taking a dig at the Baseball league going on strike.

Adverts:

• trail: Due South
• Tampets
• Ariel
• Ferrero Rocher
• Daily Express
• Fairy Spring Fresh
• trail: Richard Littlejohn
• trail: Saturday Night
• Ford Transit
• Vidal Sassoon
• Yorkie
• Soul Nights
• Levi 501
• trail: Lorenzo’s Oil
• trail: Melrose Place
• Crest
• Ariel
• Pantene
• Budweiser
• Crest
• trail: Body of Evidence
• trail: Rory Bremner
• trail: Self Catering
• British Airways
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• Fosters
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• American Express
• trail: The Nick
• trail: Drop the Dead Donkey
• BMW
• Lurpak
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• Daily Telegraph
• trail: The X Files
• trail: The Fast Show
• Crest
• Argos
• Smarties
• Free Spirit Holidays
• Flash
• trail: Forever Young
• trail: Tonight
• Daz – Danny Baker
• Halifax
• Crest Complete
• Pot Noodle – Phil Hartman
• Fairy Lemon
• trail: Football

Moonlighting – tape 1840

A rare visit to the Family Channel for this tape, and an episode of Moonlighting. The first episode is Brother Can You Spare A Blonde? It starts with a Miami Vice-style drugs bust, but when the dealer dumps the briefcase of cash under the bonnet of an old car in a car park, the poundng synth music is replaced by a cheesy song, as it’s owned by Richard Addison – David’s not very successful brother, hawking a diet drink to an almost empty, all bored audience.

The next episode is one of the classics. Camille stars Whoopi Goldberg as a scam artist, being pursued by seedy cop Judd Nelson. It’s stylish to the point of parody, and a little beyond. Camille accidentally saves a senator from being shot, and becomes a hero, so Maddie and David decide to hire her to drum up business, but Nelson tracks her down, then, to resolve the plot, the cast run straight out of the set they’re in, and have a chase across the studio backlots – featuring a cameo from Billy Barty

and what looks like a cameo from John Ratzenberger

It’s all very silly, but frankly that’s what we really want from Moonlighting, isn’t it?

There’s a bit of the end credits of Trivial Pursuit (sound the Slatterywatch klaxon) before the next episode. And a slight presentation glitch. I wonder who Richard was.

The next episode is another classic, Atomic Shakespeare, which I have looked at on a previous tape. Not much to add, except here’s a Colm Meany appearance.

 

Following this episode, the recording continues, and we’re treated to an episode of Lou Grant. It’s interesting to watch this now – it’s an incredibly preachy show, but it’s heart is in the right place.

This episode covers things like the Freedom of Information act, and the McCarthy blacklist, as well as a doctor’s advice column giving frank sexual advice to teenagers, and upsetting their parents.

Plus, a blink and you’ll miss it appearance by Lance Guest off of The Last Starfighter.

Then the tape finishes with part of an episode of Rhoda, the show that first showed us what a great comic actress Julie Kavner is.

Adverts:

• trail: The Gold and the Glory
• trail: Sirens
• Craftmatic Adjustable bed (you can tell it’s the Family Channel)
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• Coronation Street Collection
• trail: Wolf to the Slaughter
• Cornhill Direct
• The Essential Classics
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• trail: Second Guess
• Discovery Channel
• Firework Safety
• trail: Nowhere To Run
• trail: Shake Hands Forever
• Qwicksilver
• The Coronation Street Collection
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• Cornhill Direct
• Trials of Life
• Qwicksilver
• trail: Moonlighting
• trail: Sirens
• The Essential Classics
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• TLC
• trail: Follow Your Heart
• trail: Shake Hands forever
• Didi Seven
• The Essential Classics
• WWF
• trail: The Darling Buds of May
• trail: Moonlighting
• The Coronation Street Collection
• Duzzit
• trail: Darling Buds of May
• Trials of Life
• Duzzit
• trail: Through the keyhole

Don’t Forget Your Toothbrush – tape 1833

A slight presentation glitch starts this tape of Don’t Forget Your Toothbrush.

But at least that ties the broadcast date to 23rd April 1994.

This episode comes from the Teddington Studios, as seen above, rather than LWT’s London Studios as it usually does. Chris Evans descends from the ceiling on a crescent moon singing When You Wish Upon A Star very badly, but I can’t tell if he’s doing it ironically, or if he’s really trying and that’s the best he can do.

 

Musical guest is Barry White, and it’s a special episode because, if the couple competing for the holiday win, the entire audience get a holiday to Eurodisney.

And I night be wrong, but I think the Polaroid Sponsor bumbers feature Paul Putner, off of This Morning with Richard Not Judy.

the next episode (the last in the series) has a bit of a Eurovision theme. Chris sings Save All Your Kisses For Me. The musical guest is Jerry Lee Lewis, except he didn’t turn up.

No big stunt like last week’s, but this time three couples play for the big holiday in Rio.

The recording stops after this episode, so it’s a short tape.

Adverts:

• Ford Probe
• Bodyform
• Flake
• Wrigley’s Spearmint Gum
• Carlsberg – Angus Deayton
• Jif
• trail: Big Breakfast