TV 043: The Forsyte Saga - The Cyril Stapleton Choir And Orchestra

The Forsyte Saga captivated the British public for 26 consecutive Sundays during 1967. Based on John Galsworthy's novels, it was a splendid production that spanned many years and was the last major drama to be made in black and white.

The theme tune was composed by Eric Coates and this version was recorded by Cyril Stapleton in 1968.

Comments and feedback are welcome.

The Forsyte Saga

TV 042: Follyfoot (The Lightning Tree) - The Settlers

Follyfoot was a memorable series with a social conscience where people and animals were given a second chance.
Three series were made between 1971 and 1973 by Yorkshire Television. It was broadcast by RTE during 1985 and 1986.

The theme song was performed by The Settlers and is a cracker.

Lightning Tree. Llllllliiiggggghhhhhhhhttttnnnniiiiiiiiiinnnnnnggggg Tree.

Comments and feedback are welcome.

Follyfoot (The Lightning Tree)

TV on DVD schedule w/e 4 April

Monday 29 March
Crossroads - Episode 1009: January 1969 
British Transport Films - 'Every Valley' (1957)
Curb Your Enthusiasm - 'The Lefty Call'
Northern Exposure - 'The Final Frontier'

Tuesday 30 March
Crossroads - Episode 1182: November 1969
Yes Minister - 'The Challenge'
Robert's Robots - 'A Long, Cold Summerby'
Callan - 'I Never Wanted The Job'

Wednesday 31 March
Crossroads - Episode 1192: November 1969
British Transport Films - 'Journey Into Spring' (1957)
Arthur C. Clarke's Mysterious World - 'Giants For The Gods'
Minder - 'Fiddler On The Hoof'

Thursday 1 April
Crossroads - Episode 1304: May 1970
Tales Of The Unexpected - 'Bird Of Prey'
Pardon My Genie - 'If Opportunity Knocks: I'm Out'
The Forsyte Saga - 'A Silent Wooing'

Friday 2 April
Crossroads - Episode 1366: September 1970
British Transport Films - 'Between The Tides' (1958)
Whatever Happened To The Likely Lads? - 'I'll Never Forget Whatshername'
Van Der Valk - 'Season For Love'

Saturday 3 April
Crossroads - Episode 1481: April 1971
The Equalizer - 'Unpunished Crimes'
Monk - 'Mr Monk Goes To A Fashion Show'
The Sopranos - 'Guy Walks Into A Psychiatrist's Office...'

Sunday 4 April
Crossroads - Episode 1495: May 1971
Wonder Woman - 'IRAC Is Missing'
All Creatures Great And Small - 'Barks And Bites'
The Rockford Files - 'Beamer's Last Case'

TV 041: Fireball XL5 (Fireball) - The Flee-Rekkers

Fireball XL5 was a science fiction show from the genius Andersons - Gerry and Sylvia. Once again, Marionettes were to the fore and 39 black and white episodes were produced.

Barry Gray wrote the theme which was sung by Don Spencer. Gray would also go on to write the music for other Anderson shows such as Thunderbirds and Space 1999. The version here was a contemporary instrumental cover version by The Flee-Rekkers who were managed by Joe Meek. It's a fine cover which deserves more widespread acclaim.

Comments and feedback are welcome.

Fireball XL5 (Fireball)

TV 040: The Fenn Street Gang (The Dandy) - Denis King

The Fenn Street Gang was a Please Sir! spin-off and showed us what became of the students when they entered the big bad world of work.

Two themes were composed by Denis King and The Dandy was used for later episodes.

Comments and feedback are welcome.

The Fenn Street Gang

TV 039: Emmerdale Farm - Tony Hatch

Emmerdale Farm started life as daytime Yorkshire TV drama in 1972. The pace was a lot slower then and watching the Network DVD releases of the first 52 episodes, I am immediately struck by the keen plotting and strong character development.

RTE started showing episodes in September 1983 - right from the start, five days a week. It was a glorious time.

Tony Hatch composed the dramatic and windswept theme tune. Rock on.

Comments and feedback are welcome.

Emmerdale Farm

TV on DVD schedule w/e 28 March

Monday 22 March
Crossroads - Episode 126: April 1965 
British Transport Films - 'Ocean Terminal' (1952)
Curb Your Enthusiasm - 'The Ida Funkhouser Roadside Memorial'
Northern Exposure - 'Wake-Up Call'

Tuesday 23 March
Crossroads - Episode 496: November 1966
Yes Minister - 'Equal Opportunities'
Robert's Robots - 'Dial C For Chaos'
Callan - 'Charlie Says It's Goodbye'

Wednesday 24 March
Crossroads - Episode 497: November 1966
British Transport Films - 'Dodging The Column' (1952)
Arthur C. Clarke's Mysterious World - 'The Missing Apeman'
Minder - 'The Last Video Show'

Thursday 25 March
Crossroads - Episode 498: November 1966
Tales Of The Unexpected - 'Sauce For The Goose'
Pardon My Genie - 'My Fête Is Killing Me'
The Forsyte Saga - 'No Retreat'

Friday 26 March
Crossroads - Episode 499: November 1966
British Transport Films - 'Link Span' (1956)
Whatever Happened To The Likely Lads? - 'Moving On'
Van Der Valk - 'A Dangerous Point Of View'

Saturday 27 March
Crossroads - Episode 500: November 1966
The Equalizer - 'No Conscience'
Monk - 'Mr Monk And The Secret Santa'
The Sopranos - 'I Dream Of Jeannie Cusamano'

Sunday 28 March
Crossroads - Episode 986: November 1968
Wonder Woman - 'Death In Disguise'
All Creatures Great And Small - 'One Of Nature's Little Miracles'
NYPD Blue - 'He's Not Guilty, He's My Brother'

TV 038: Emergency Ward 10 (Silks And Satins) - Peter Yorke

Emergency Ward 10 began in 1957 and ran for ten years until it is suddenly cancelled during the summer of love. A mainstay of ATV's programming during that time, it built up a loyal following and wasn't afraid to shy away from controversy - featuring an interracial kiss at one point.

Loveable Aussie Charles "Bud" Tingwell starred which is a major selling point. Great theme by Peter Yorke. Magnificently moody.

Comments and feedback are welcome.


Emergency Ward 10 (Silks And Satins)

TV 037: Doctor Who - Eric Winstone And His Orchestra

Eric Winstone's version of the Doctor Who theme also bears the hand of Barry Gray and is a unique interpretation of the Grainer original.

Comments and feedback are welcome.

Doctor Who (Eric Winstone And His Orchestra)

TV 036: Doctor Who - Ron Grainer

Needs no introduction.

This is the stereo version of the original theme that was used from the series inception in 1963 until it was updated in 1980. Composed by Ron Grainer and realised by Delia Derbyshire. A truly haunting and memorable piece of music.

Comments and feedback are welcome.

Doctor Who

TV on DVD schedule w/e 21 March

Monday 15 March
Crown Court - 'The Black Poplar - Regina V Tressman, Part 1'
Curb Your Enthusiasm - 'The Anonymous Donor'
Northern Exposure - 'My Mother, My Sister'

Tuesday 16 March
Rising Damp - 'For The Man Who Has Everything'
Robert's Robots - 'A Spanner In The Works'
Callan - 'None Of Your Business'

Wednesday 17 March
Crown Court - 'The Black Poplar - Regina V Tressman, Part 2'
Arthur C. Clarke's Mysterious World - 'Ancient Wisdom'
Minder - 'Fatal Impression'

Thursday 18 March
Tales Of The Unexpected - 'Wet Saturday'
Pardon My Genie - 'This Unhappy Breed'
The Forsyte Saga - 'Afternoon Of A Dryad'

Friday 19 March
Crown Court - 'The Black Poplar - Regina V Tressman, Part 3'
Whatever Happened To The Likely Lads? - 'Cold Feet'
Van Der Valk - 'A Rose From Mr Reinhart'

Saturday 20 March
The Equalizer - 'Breakpoint'
Monk - 'Mr Monk And Little Monk'
The Sopranos - 'Isabella'

Sunday 21 March
Wonder Woman - 'Diana's Disappearing Act'
Miss Marple - 'They Do It With Mirrors'
NYPD Blue - 'Closing Time'

TV 035: Doctor In The House (Bond Street Parade) - Alan Tew

 

Doctor In The House was the first of five separate dramas based on Richard Gordon's Doctor books.

It started in 1970 with the opening episode penned by John Cleese and Graham Chapman of Monty Python. Bill Oddie and Graham Garden then took the reins for the rest of the run.

Doctor In The House was followed by Doctor At Sea, Doctor At Large, Doctor On The Go and Doctor In Charge. The sprightly theme was written by Alan Tew, a man who could really create a swinging tune. It lasted throughout the 90 odd episodes.

Comments and feedback are welcome.

Doctor In The House (Bond Street Parade)

TV 034: Doctor Finlay's Casebook (March From A Little Suite) - Trevor Duncan

Doctor Finlay's Casebook ran for nine years, finally finishing up in 1971 before continuing as a radio series until 1978.

The main characters were Doctors Finlay and Cameron ably supported by their housekeeper Janet. A well-written and acted medical drama that set the scene for what followed in the coming decades.

Trevor Duncan's memorable theme will never be forgotten.

Comments and feedback are welcome.

Doctor Finlay's Casebook (March From A Little Suite)

TV 033: Did You See..? (Think Big) - Francis Monkman

A look back at the week's television...

Makes a contrast with the weekly schedules published here. This ran from 1980 to 1993 (including a four year hiatus from 1987 to 1991) and was presented by Ludovic Kennedy for most of the run with Jeremy Paxman picking it up in the early 1990s run.

The theme tune was by Francis Monkman who had also worked on the score for The Long Good Friday.

Memories, eh?

Comments and feedback are welcome.

Did You See..?

TV on DVD schedule w/e 14 March

Monday 8 March
Crown Court - 'The Inner Circle - Heywood V Blower, Part 1'
Curb Your Enthusiasm - 'Meet The Blacks"
Northern Exposure - 'Lost And Found'

Tuesday 9 March
Rising Damp - 'Things That Go Bump In The Night'
Robert's Robots - 'Love At First Light'
Callan - 'If He Can, So Could I'

Wednesday 10 March
Crown Court - 'The Inner Circle - Heywood V Blower, Part 2'
Arthur C. Clarke's Mysterious World - 'Monsters Of The Deep'
Minder - 'Days Of Fines And Closures'

Thursday 11 March
Tales Of The Unexpected - 'The Gift Of Beauty'
Pardon My Genie - 'Travel By Sleeper'
The Forsyte Saga - 'The White Monkey'

Friday 12 March
Crown Court - 'The Inner Circle - Heywood V Blower, Part 3'
Whatever Happened To The Likely Lads? - 'Home Is The Hero'
Van Der Valk - 'A Man Of No Importance'

Saturday 13 March
The Equalizer - 'Unnatural Causes'
Monk - 'Mr Monk Goes To A Wedding'
The Sopranos - 'Nobody Knows Anything'

Sunday 14 March
Wonder Woman - 'Screaming Javelin'
Department S - 'The Shift That Never Was'
NYPD Blue - 'A Death In The Family'

TV 032: Department S - Cyril Stapleton

 

Department S was the first showcase for sauve novelist / detective Jason King played to perfection by Peter Wyngarde. Their brief was to take cases that were considered too tricky for Interpol. It ran for 28 memorable episodes and is another jewel in the ITC crown. 

The theme tune was composed by Edwin Astley and this outstanding cover version is performed by Cyril Stapleton.

Comments and feedback are welcome.

Department S

TV 031: Dempsey And Makepeace - The South Bank Orchestra

 

The pairing of a streetwise New York detective and a snooty English lady of noble ancestry saw many sparks fly with notable chemisty between the two leads Brandon and Barber.

The appropriately frantic theme tune was composed by Alan Parker.

Comments and feedback are welcome.

Dempsey And Makepeace