[OLD BOY]

Originally Posted by Carth

No matter where the money goes, I believe mainstream TV is a mere shadow of what it used to be. It is slowly but surely being strangled by the push for Equality, Diversity and Political Correctness (in my opinion).

You can give production companies £5 million a week, but unless writers, directors and producers have the freedom to express themselves we will just get the same unpalatable claptrap regurgitated week after week.

The script writers who gave us classics like One Foot in the Grave, Cracker, Last of the Summer Wine, Fawlty Towers, Black Adder, Keeping up Appearances, Men Behaving Badly, The Britass Empire, Boys From the Blackstuff, Tenko, Jonathan Creek, A Touch of Frost, Taggart . . . they're all gone, replaced by writers who may possibly have some damn good shows in them but are constrained by the rules & regulations surrounding what is or isn't allowed.

Historical/Period Drama is at least safe (for now) from many of the constraints, as it wouldn't be a true reflection of the times if they had to follow the rules

You'll also never see anything again that approaches the sheer mayhem, laughter, insanity and joy that was It's a Knockout . .

. . . aah buggrit, rant over, going for a lay down in a darkened room

I think you are right about that, particularly when you look at the BBC. However, the streaming services also have rather a lot to do with it, with their superior content, ease of viewing (when you want) and with no commercial breaks.

There will always be the odd programme on the traditional broadcast channels (eg The Bodyguard) that prove to be the exception over the next four or five years, but these will become fewer as we move to alternative ways of viewing.