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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

AIBU to think that NYE television coverage has hit a new low this year?

91 replies

Defenbaker · 01/01/2019 03:05

I guess it's hard to get A listers/top acts to perform live on TV for a NYE show, as they've probably got better things to do, would charge huge amounts and don't need the money anyway, but I can't help thinking that last night's TV offerings were particularly dire. We tuned into The Last Leg, which had a NYE special on (though I suspect it wasn't actually live). There were some funny moments, but the live band were doubling up as a weird comedy act and got things badly wrong, IMO. They performed a "funny" song they'd written about Spanish Flu, citing that it had killed millions of people. I know it was 100 years ago so nobody alive would be mourning those deaths now, but I couldn't see anything humourous in the subject matter at all. It was just odd, as were all the other silly things they did. At least the main presenters and Johnny Vegas was amusing at times.
We turned over to watch the Graham Norton Show. That was OK, until Catherine Tate appeared, doing her 'nan' character, and told a vile unfunny story which involved an old lady who'd shat herself in the theatre. The character is revolting and unlikeable, and the story was cringeworthy and not funny. Anyone who cares for elderly incontinent people will surely agree that there's nothing funny about it and many old people are mortified by the indignity of it. Mocking the afflicted is just horrible.
We enjoyed watching the fireworks in London, but felt the background music was very poor. The music seemed to be geared towards the under 25 age group, it just sounded like noise pollution to me.

AIBU to think that considering that most of these TV offerings are pre-recorded anyway, the people organising this entertainment could have done better than scraping the barrel in this way?

OP posts:
Puffinhead · 01/01/2019 10:44

I also thought the music was rubbish during the fireworks. My DD13 who was watching it with me, pointed out that I saw the new year in by moaning (about the shite music).

ShadyLady53 · 01/01/2019 10:45

Watched Jane McDonald here and loved it 😂. Best NYE telly in a long time.

Theunreasonableone · 01/01/2019 10:47

I absolutely loathe The Last Leg. I used to find it really funny so I’m not sure what happened. Maybe it’s because of Adam Hills’ total self appreciation.

RedForShort · 01/01/2019 10:47

Absolutely bring back Clive James, that is exactly what I want to watch. Review of the year and a look forward to the next. Mixture of guests and musicians. No prerecord countdown. The quiz of the year would be great on NYE too.

Everything that was on was just tired and worn out.

Madness must have something over the BBC. Why are they wheeled out at every event. Utterly tedious now.

Catherine Tate’s character of granny is well past it’s use by date. Only thing worse would be Mrs Brown appearing.
Jules Holland is losing it, it’s forgotten the music and replaced it with self congratulating.
Last Leg isn’t particularly good anyway, so can’t be shocked that was rubbish

Olivia Coleman can stay though.

myusernameisnotmyusername · 01/01/2019 10:53

I read Suggs is worth 20 million so I'm sure he doesn't care Grin
TV was dire over Christmas too. DP bought me a fire stick and I've preferred that over normal TV.

Happygolucky009 · 01/01/2019 10:54

We went to bed, watch Bond with my pre teen, which we enjoyed. Flicked to Graham Norton and enjoyed the bit we saw but hastily rushed to bed as Olivia Coleman talked about the sex scene from her new movie. Didn't want to be shown a clip and have to explain it so literally hiked up to bed :-(

MardiBras · 01/01/2019 10:55

Graham Norton was ok but Nan was just embarrassing, all the guests looked really uncomfortable and she was anything but funny.
The music to the firework display in London was dreadful and whoever was responsible for it should be sacked. I’m not sure who it was supposed to appeal to. Even my teenage daughter was 🤔
Madness were ok and a huge improvement on the firework music!!

Butcowsdontgetmarried · 01/01/2019 10:58

Nah there really should be some channel producing a “countdown of the year” review which is vaguely entertaining to watch on NYE. There’s millions of channels but there’s nothing on

justanotherprolapse · 01/01/2019 11:03

actually I agree with you op. Also the graham norton show completely missed the memo that some people let their kids stay up for new year so I had to suffenly turn the tv off when one of the guests started talking about being fingered as I didn't want my 10 year old to hear it. There didn't seem to be any coverage of the crowds outside at all.

derxa · 01/01/2019 11:04

Well as a pp said the Scottish offerings were rubbish as usual. Some 'comedian' who travelled to Hollywood and landed up in Ross King's house. Only An Excuse which is basically football jokes and then the Hogmanay programme with Jackie Bird. It's rubbish but it's our rubbish iyswim.

pigsDOfly · 01/01/2019 11:05

The Last Leg, Graham Norton, can't stand any of that sort of stuff, but I never watch chat shows of any kind, absolutely hate them, so maybe I'm not typical.

Television has been terrible over the whole holiday period imo, massive amount of the same old stuff just being churned out again and again.

Actually watched an old black and white film from the 40s last night that I'd recorded some time back. Yes I know that's repeated old stuff but at least I haven't seen it before, and as raw and as unpolished as it was compared to modern films, at least it was entertaining.

Cheby · 01/01/2019 11:05

YANBU OP. Is some more Sherlock or a new Jonathan Creek really too much to ask for?!

Happygolucky009 · 01/01/2019 11:05

@justanotherprolapse that is shocking. What were bbc thinking?

derxa · 01/01/2019 11:07

Maybe it’s because of Adam Hills’ total self appreciation. Perfectly put.
I find him absolutely insufferable

cortex10 · 01/01/2019 11:07

We happened across a showing of Les Mis and had a great singalong - then turned over to the end of Madness which left us feeling quite deflated in comparison. We don't watch Strictly so friends had to explain who the fireworks presenters were (still non the wiser)

2019rubberband · 01/01/2019 11:14

I don't really watch TV but we put it on around 11.45pm for 8yo to watch the countdown

We had a choice between Jackie Bird on BBC1 and a 70 year old Lulu on STV.

I was a bit Confused tbh - it was a bit like going back to the 80's imo.

Yabbers · 01/01/2019 11:15

Maybe it’s because of Adam Hills’ total self appreciation

I just don’t get that from him. If anything he sends himself up far more than most do. He seems quite genuine to me.

fuzzyduck1 · 01/01/2019 11:17

Why don’t you,
Why don’t you
Switch off your TV set
And do something less boring instead?

BringOnTheScience · 01/01/2019 11:20

We had the Queen gig on, then Jools in the background while we chatted. Nile Rogers was great & Marc Almond's still got it.

NotDavidTennant · 01/01/2019 11:20

I have to admit I turned over to repeats of Vic & Bob's Big Night Out.

RedDogsBeg · 01/01/2019 11:20

Agree with you OP, Madness were so awful I had to mute them during that dire 'Wings of a Dove' performance prior to the fireworks, Suggs was embarrassingly bad. Stacey and Joe were poor and awkward and as another poster pointed out kept babbling on over the first chimes. Also, I thought the fireworks and music weren't supposed to start until Big Ben had finished chiming.

The firework music was mostly crap with odd/weird choices and some commentator (not BBC) stated that the music was chosen with a particular political dimension in mind - can we not just have music and fireworks without political overlay?

I switched off after the fireworks.

Oorwulliesbucket · 01/01/2019 11:24

Still game was brilliant though. Scottish telly at new year is shite but it's tradition Grin

ninjawarriorsocks · 01/01/2019 11:25

actually I agree with you op. Also the graham norton show completely missed the memo that some people let their kids stay up for new year so I had to suffenly turn the tv off when one of the guests started talking about being fingered as I didn't want my 10 year old to hear it.

Same here! My 13 year old had stayed up to see NYE in with us. I don’t mind her hearing swearing on tv, or a bit of innuendo, but I quickly switched over when Olivia Coleman (who I find very funny usually) was talking about fingering - didn’t want to have to explain that .... I understand it’s past the watershed but NYE is a night when lots of families watch tv together. Glad we didn’t carry on watching anyway if Catherine Tate was doing Nan and talking about people crapping themselves.

The fireworks were very good but the music was a weird mish-mash - I’d have been happy for some good chart music, I don’t mind the music being geared for the under 25s, but at least play a few good songs rather than snippets of songs all mixed together Confused

Weren’t really impressed by Madness either. Watched a bit of Jools Holland which was OK.

AndNoneForGretchenWieners · 01/01/2019 11:26

We enjoyed Madness, and skanked along to them for a while until my mum skanked into the Christmas tree! Much better than watching Jools Holland. I also thought the fireworks were good this year.

WonkyDonk87 · 01/01/2019 11:27

Dear Charlie Brooker, Black Mirror is excellent but no excuse to neglect your Annual Wipe round-up at NY. Sort it out for 2019. Thanks.

Agree with PP about Graham Norton. Only watched for Olivia Coleman then turned off and went to bed. I want her to be my friend so very much Grin

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