I spend a fair amount of time giving out about what is on the television. I have three young children, limited disposal income and even more limited babysitters, therefore I rely on the television to entertain me for an hour or two in the evening. I pay my tv license and I pay UPC ever-changing amounts every month for this privilege. Tv programming is generally speaking awful but usually, usually, you can rely on some decent TV on Christmas week. Not this year.
Last night, the children went to bed at a reasonably ok time, I kicked the sea of toys out of sight and sat down with the remote control. 8.30pm on the Friday of Christmas week, surely I would be spoiled for choice?
These were my choices.
RTE1- TV50 SUP AS AN TOBAR – A documentary celebrating those who contributed to the past 50 years of Irish language programmes on RTE. There was a man, sitting in a chair, reciting the rosary as gaeilge. Well I presume that’s what he was doing, he had rosary beads and my Irish is limited.
RTE2- NATURAL WORLD- Documentary looking at wildlife of the Himalayas. I have no interest in the mating patterns of snow leopards or wolves. I actually have little interest in animals at all. I don’t think this information will be useful to me in my everyday life and have no immediate plans to visit the Himalayas.
TV3- IRELANDS ANIMAL A&E CHRISTMAS SPECIAL- A special programme recalling the most moving and emotional stories of the series. More animals. Sweet Jesus. And sick animals at that. Why?
TG4- MISE EIRE- More than 50 years on the story of Irelands most famous documentary film Mise Eire, is told through the eyes of its director. Excuse my ignorance but I have never heard of this famous film therefore having it retold by its director, again as gaeilge, was really not going to do it for me.
So nothing on the Irish channels, onto the UK ones we pay for……
BBC1- HOLBY CITY. A hospital drama I thought ended in the 90′s. Apparently not.
BBC2- RACING LEGENDS. A documentary about Colin McRae. Why would I or indeed most people want to watch a documentary on racing car drivers on a friday night?
UTV- THE CORRIE YEARS- A special seasonal edition of the Coronation Street looking at memorable seasonal stories on the street. I do not watch Coronation Street and if I did I would already have seen these seasonal stories why would anyone need them recounted?
Channel 4 JAMIE AND JIMMYS FOOD FIGHT - This was some kind of cookery programme about making beer. I don’t drink beer and have no interest in learning how to make beer especially from some loud patronising cheery git with a cockney accent. Gary Barlow was also on this. Enough said.
A quick scan through all the other channels we pay for but never watch – Sky1, Living, Atlantic, Dave, Gold etc threw up the usual crap- re-runs of Criminal Minds, Blue Bloods, Last of The Summer Wine, Utterly Outrageous Reality TV and more and more and more tripe.
I spent 30 minutes channel hopping and ended up watching Sky News and then giving up.
Tonight’s offerings and highlights for our viewing pleasure include:
Mrs Browns Boys- Brendan O’Carroll in drag
Winning Streak with Marty Whelan
Dales Great Giveaway – Dale Winton gameshow.
Cannot. Wait.
I need to send a strongly worded letter to RTE about my license fee. We all do.
Couldn’t agree more, desperate and disappointing line up – not one of those appealed to me either : )
I’d be interested in seeing some of the documentaries, (not the sick animal ones, what is with that? All “family movies” when I was young involved and abused animal,a lost one or one that died),but I can imagine it is tiresome, especially if you have lived with all of it all of your life.Me,i want more of my Irish heritage, and we do say the rosary in our house, but …lol!