Why Are Some Tv Programmes Never Repeated?

[Jennykenny]

I loved Not The Nine O’clock news, (see Gerald the gorilla on YouTube) the follow up Alas Smith and Jones, The Fast Show and Smack the Pony.
Why when we get all the rubbish under the sun, (Bless this House - dear god), can’t they show some decent material?

[Mamyalynne]

Pinched straight from Digital Spy in 2004, well it is late :-)


// think it's contractual reasons, usually. I think that in the case of Q and Python there seems to be some disagreement over who owns the rights so it can be difficult to show them. Also, I seem to recall that a number of editions of Q were wiped by the BBC - is this right? In addition, I assume that when the shows are sold to channels like UK Gold or Paramount there would be some block on the BBC repeating them at the same time.

As for others like Reggie Perrin and Butterflies, some comedies simply don't travel through time very well. Try looking at some of the early episodes of Bread and you'll see what I mean, or any of The Young Ones - very funny and original at the time, but simply unfunny now. Others work because they are brlliantly written and the observations still ring true - The Good Life - or were set historically anyway - Dad's Army, Blackadder.//

[jno]

you can sometimes get box sets, though not as cheap as telly of course

http://tinyurl.com/ybgl4mch

http://tinyurl.com/y7cvkdz2

[pixie374]

Smack the Pony was reshown recently and I think some of those others might be on Boxsets. They do seem to choose one series and stick with it though.

[Jackdaw33]

PC

You will never see again the likes of the first series of "Till Death Us Do Part" and similar offerings.

Interesting bit of trivia:

Did you know that Fiona Allen, from "Smack the Pony", is the granddaughter of Harry Allen, the last hangman in the UK.

[pixie374]

Sky Boxsets ...

[Mamyalynne]

Not the Nine O'Clock News...

The series has rarely been repeated; eight re-cut and condensed (to make it "faster and funnier than ever") "episodes" made for a video edition in 1995 are shown instead. This is primarily because the original episodes in their entirety lampooned events that were in the news at the time.

[Georgiesmum]

Danger UXB and Colditz, the serial.

[vetuste_ennemi]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Glittering_Prizes

[vetuste_ennemi]

Not just Raphael, but the fine Tom Conti's first outing (in my memory).

[Buenchico]

As had been suggested, rights issues are frequently involved.

Broadcasters often only pay for the rights to a single transmission of a series (with the rights to show the same programmes on catch-up services for a month after transmission now commonly being added in). In order to show a series again they need to renegotiate the rights, which sometimes involve getting new contracts with each of dozens of people who were involved in a show. That be be complex, time-consuming and expensive.

In some cases actors don't want programmes to be rebroadcast, as they'd rather not be associated with the type of material involved. (e.g. Lenny Henry no longer wants to be associated with his comedic portrayals of black people in his early work).

In other cases individual disputes between cast members can cause problems. (e.g. James Bolam is determined that Rodney Bewes won't get a single penny from repeats of 'The Likely Lads', even though he'll lose money himself through them not being shown, because they fell out 40 years ago and he still bears a grudge).

There are also issues of 'political correctness' with some shows. For example, 'It Ain't Half Hot Mum' has never been rebroadcast due to the controversy over Michael Bates blacking-up to take on the role of Rangi Ram, rather than the part being given to an Asian actor.

[bhg481]

I think another reason is that when re-usable video tape started being used it was overwritten to save cost. As the price dropped the need to overwrite disappeared.

[Jennykenny]

Thank you all. Some very interesting snippets.

C, I loved your info on the Likely Lads. Nice bit of gossip.

[dave50]

I have never seen The Goodies repeated on any channel.

[davegosling]

The Pink Medicine Show.

"It's me grillocks, doctor, it's me grillocks..."

[Stephen_G]

I'm sure that Gold are showing The Fast Show - I've watched a few very recently.

[jno]

I don't know why the Pink Medicine Show wouldn't be screened, one of them's dead and the other runs a very good art gallery. Perhaps the illnesses are no longer current.

[bhg481]

Interesting comment from Buenchico about the Likely Lads. I'm sure we saw some episodes of "Whatever happened to ..." a couple of years ago - we recorded them and then got fed up with them. Perhaps the contract on these follow-ups was different from the original series.

[Guilbert53]

The Fast Show has been shown Gold I think it was very recently. One was on a few days ago.

They also show Not the 9 o clock news now and again.

Gold is a great channel for old comedy.

The Yesterday channel also shows a lot of comedy as well as documentaries.

I have been watching Yes Prime Minister these last few weeks which is still relevant today.

[andy-hughes]

I take your point about the time-frame of Butterflies, but the pathos was just sublime, as was the imagery used.

I recall one episode, where Ben was obviously having (silent of course!) thoughts about Rhea, and she was busy thinking about Leonard, and they both drove off in their cars.

At the end of the road, he turned one way, and she turned the other, and the camera cut between the two of them driving, and listening to 'You've Lost That Lovin' Feeling' on their radios. First one frowned at the radio and turned it off, and then the other did the same.

It was just wonderful imagery, they really don't make TV like that any more.

[jno]

bhg, a lot of The Likely Lads was lost, probably wiped. Whatever Happened To still exists

All the survivors here, for a tenner

https://www.zoom.co.uk/product/the_likely_lads_collection_box_set_dvd?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIjPqutrvE1wIVoQrTCh3RLwCpEAQYASABEgLdV_D_BwE