New Home, New Outlook, Old TV

A Brit Talks Vintage TV

Well, what can I say? It has been quite a while since I sat in front of this microphone and recorded this podcast. It has to have been a whole year or more, as I have moved house since then! It is amazing what a change of location can do for you. The much brighter interior, and ample windows, provide a much cheery outlook. It makes me feel less reliant on classic comedy to brighten my Wednesday afternoons. Granted I'm still a regular watcher of Boy Meets World, Home Improvement and Golden Girls on Disney+, but my new outlook has allowed me to stray into new areas; Helped greatly by the channel Talking Pictures TV.

Firstly, I can't be the only one who has fallen in love with Dixon of Dock Green for the first time recently. I didn't grow up in an era where Jack Warner's character was still on the beat, so it has been a nice surprise to find some enjoyment in his adventures. This show was always sold to me as a cosy remnant of the past, but without too much else to go with it. What I've found, certainly in the recently broadcast early existing episodes, is that Dixon was much grittier than I was ever led to believe. Just last week, saw Andy Crawford shot leading to a cliffhanger that was to be concluded in the next episode. Sadly the second part doesn't exist anymore. I've seen people turn to social media to express their disappointment. I must admit I felt the same, but it did prove something. Dixon still had the power to captivate and engage, all these years on.

Next, witnessing Jack Hargreaves' Out of Town series has been a breath of fresh country air. Jack, I must admit, has been a figure I have admired for some time. Fred Dinenage once told me that Jack could pick up an object and discuss it without a script. Based on what I have seen, he was right. Jack, while the film plays over him, narrates many sections. In between he tells stories and gives explanations on objects. My son and I have become quite fans of this marvellous program, he still regularly talks about the one where Jack explained the workings of an old restored mill. I must admit that I often think about it too.

The most striking thing is that schedulers have perhaps underestimated the value of Dixon and Jack for decades, perceiving their usefulness to have run out. Im sure they're not the only ones to have been vaulted, but perhaps it was more likely with these two, which have large amounts of their run missing; A problem in the age of TV binging. From what I see, it's all based on statistics now. The problem is if everyone took notice of them, Dixon and Hargreaves would've stayed in a vault. Their lack of reruns over the years has meant exposure has been low, reduced to anecdotal evidence based on tiny clips and nostalgia on cheap clip shows. Their resurgence has reassured their usefulness, and I love it.

Maybe, looking from the other side, it was a good thing they'd been locked away for so long. It gave original audiences a beautiful reminder of a lost time, while everyone else got to discover it for the first time. In some ways, both get to have a fresh take on it. We get to evaluate the material, highlighting where society has changed since it last contributed to popular culture. We also get to be surprised by it, knowing that no matter how much time has passed, some things never change.

So what else is there to say? I've said enough. If you have anything to say about the shows mentioned in this podcast, you can email [e-mail], tweet @OldTimeReview on Twitter or check out the Facebook page, Old Time Review. This is Jamie Dyer signing off.