I posted a thread this morning about John Cleese's article relating to TV comedy these days. Some people replied and said that the 1970s shows aren't much better than today's.

So, here is a BBC TV schedule for a Saturday night in 1975:

6.30 - This is Your Life
7.00 - Dixon of Dock Green
7.30 - Dad's Army
8.00 - The Two Ronnies
8.30 - Steptoe & Son

This Saturday night:

6.30 - Robin Hood
7.00 - Tonight's The Night
8.00 - National Lottery 1 vs. 100
8.50 - BBC News

**Please note on BBC Two at 6.30 there is a repeat of Dad's Army**

I think it's pretty clear which era is better.

1 1/2 hours hours of the greatest comedy every Saturday night just before going out? Where's my TARDIS?

But there'd have been a massive powercut due to strikes so you'd have missed it.

Yeap - I love 1 vs 100!

Quote: sootyj @ May 7 2009, 8:09 PM BST

But there'd have been a massive powercut due to strikes so you'd have missed it.

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I'd have the TARDIS. I'd just reverse the polarity of something and were off again.

Quote: sootyj @ May 7 2009, 8:09 PM BST

But there'd have been a massive powercut due to strikes so you'd have missed it.

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Very true.

But at least broadcasters made the effort back then.

I hope that the BBC schedulers and commissioners are reading this thread. They should be ashamed.

Quote: Aaron @ May 9 2009, 9:22 PM BST

I hope that the BBC schedulers and commissioners are reading this thread. They should be ashamed.

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Really. I just caught 'Tonights the Night'. I take it it's a euthanasia project right?

Quote: Mike Dan-Carter @ May 7 2009, 6:07 PM BST

So, here is a BBC TV schedule for a Saturday night in 1975:

6.30 - This is Your Life
7.00 - Dixon of Dock Green
7.30 - Dad's Army
8.00 - The Two Ronnies
8.30 - Steptoe & Son

This Saturday night:

6.30 - Robin Hood
7.00 - Tonight's The Night
8.00 - National Lottery 1 vs. 100
8.50 - BBC News

**Please note on BBC Two at 6.30 there is a repeat of Dad's Army**

I think it's pretty clear which era is better.

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If anyone is unable to spot the scientific flaw in comparison of "a Saturday night" with "this Saturday night", please read Bad Science by Ben Goldacre.

Also, irrespective of your views on 1970s comedy, This is Your Life and Dixon of Dock Green were never a barrel of laughs, were they?

I recently acquired a September 1986 Radio times. If you want to know what it was like in the 1980s, then let me know. All I'll say is that September 1986 saw the debut of 'The Russ Abbot Show' on BBC1. The Radio Times described him as comedy's hottest talent since Peter Sellars.

Quote: Badge @ May 9 2009, 11:18 PM BST

If anyone is unable to spot the scientific flaw in comparison of "a Saturday night" with "this Saturday night", please read Bad Science by Ben Goldacre.

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I noticed that, but let it slip on the basis of tonight's schedule being pretty reflective of the other 50-odd ones in the past year.

The 1970s probably is my favourite decade for comedy but I don't think the difference is quite as marked as that comparison suggests.

Obviously television was completely differently structured back then but I think that if you were to cram all of the good programmes that we have now onto 3 channels (and over a much shorter time slot) then it would look pretty impressive.

I do think that British TV has becoming increasingly less daring since the late 60s, and is possibly at a nadir at the moment. Every show feels like it has been designed by a committee - the slick but dire Robin Hood in the above schedule being a typical example.

Worth noting that in the above schedule Dad's Army was the brainchild of Jimmy Perry, a writer new to television, and Steptoe & Son emerged out of the Comedy Playhouse in which Galton & Simpson were given complete creative freedom. Imagine that happening now!

Quote: Ben @ May 9 2009, 11:37 PM BST

I recently acquired a September 1986 Radio times. If you want to know what it was like in the 1980s, then let me know. All I'll say is that September 1986 saw the debut of 'The Russ Abbot Show' on BBC1. The Radio Times described him as comedy's hottest talent since Peter Sellars.

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Okay that is hyperbole, but The Russ Abbott Madhouse on ITV was actually very good; however the BBC completely failed to get what he was all about, and upped the production values to repackage him as a replacement for The Two Ronnies, overwhelming the "this is daft and we know it" material.

Also television cut off a lot earlier back then, you didn't get repeats of as wide a variety of classic BBC shows for filler. Had next to no options in regards to choice of channels......

...

...(!)

It's hard to compare. There were only two other channels in 1975 and no video or DVD. Anyway, youngsters (that is anyone under 60) should be out on a Saturday night.

Also it's more a case of scheduling rather than just the TV output; like that 1970s line-up versus, say Doctor Who, Ashes to Ashes, Outnumbered and Pulling.

Anyway, everyone will be saying My Family and Coming of Age are 'ironic' comedy classics in 30 years time...

And as someone who remembers the 1970s without rose-tinted spex, it really wasn't that great TV wise.

Probably also worth noting that Robin Hood features a slender, good-looking black actor as Friar Tuck (I'm not joking).

We live in decadent, delusional and massively f**king stupid times.