The R instalment of the A-Z of British TV focuses on sci-fi spoof hijinks in Red Dwarf, “gritty BAFTA” crime drama Red Riding, Michael Palin keeping the Python spirit alive with Ripping Yarns, Rigsby’s life failures in Rising Damp and the childlike knowledge seeking venture Record Breakers.
Red Dwarf (BBC Two: 1988-1999, Dave: 2009)
The remnants of a mining spaceship crew lost three million years in the future travelling back to Earth doesn’t sound like the usual studio based BBC sitcom fare but then Red Dwarf isn’t just another comedy. Red Dwarf sees last human Dave Lister, (Craig Charles), his hologramatic bunk mate Rimmer (Chris Barrie), a lifeform that evolved from his pet cat (Danny John-Jules), the ship’s computer Holly ( Norman Lovett and Hattie Hayridge) and service droid Kryten (Robert Llewellyn) come together and, well, not do very much at all.
Taking cues from cult sci-fi shows such as Star Trek and The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy Red Dwarf was a story driven comedy that at its heights played with the conventions of the genre with injections of (largely) scatological humour. However, series’ VII and VII, and the recent Back To Earth special were all complete rubbish. New episodes are rumoured to be in production, but don’t get your hopes up on them being any good.
Red Riding (Channel 4: 2009)
Although on the face of it Red Riding was a crime drama about police corruption and brutal murder in 70s and 80s Yorkshire it had a Lynchian theme of looking underneath a seemingly innocent suburban settings and unveiling the nastiness that lurks there. Based on David Peace Red Riding Quartet novels the three-part series it demonstrated that TV drama can not only have bags of depth but be impressively artistic.
Red Riding featured an all star cast (including Sean Bean, Warren Clarke, Paddy Considine, Rebecca Hall and David Morrissey) and with its multi-layered ambitious storytelling needs an audience that was willing to pay attention and a maturity to cope with some very dark sequences. The Bill it most certainly isn’t.
Ripping Yarns (BBC One: 1976-1979)
In the fall-out of Monty Python’s Flying Circus and the various members of the team going their separate ways Michael Palin and Terry Jones created Ripping Yarns. Initially a one-off comedy called Tomkinson’s Schooldays, an amusing look at public school life in the 1910s based on Tom Brown’s Schooldays, it soon developed into a fully fledged series.
With Palin very much at the helm and taken up the majority of lead roles it was inherently silly but clever in its satirical swipe at aspects of British culture whether its murder mysteries or loyal supporters of football clubs. Ripping Yarns can be picked up on DVD for less than £5. You know it makes sense.
Rising Damp (ITV: 1974-1978)
What’s this? An ITV comedy making it onto a list of best British TV shows? Shome mishtake, shurely? Alas no, Rising Damp came before ITV executives became obsessed with celebrity based reality game shows and the birth of Ant and Dec so there was little to compromise what was a fairly conventional but still immensely popular and genuinely funny comedy.
Leonard Rossiter played the slimy landlord Rigsby who when he wasn’t lusting after the sophisticated Miss Jones (Frances de la Tour) was spying on his other tenants. Although Rigsby was an opinionated snob he was often challenged by his less bigoted residents Alan (Richard Beckinsale) and Philip (Don Warrington), but ultimately none of their lives advanced from dull mediocrity.
Record Breakers (BBC One: 1972-2001)
Obviously capitalising on child curiosity of facts and wanting to know stuff in general Record Breakers went on to run for almost 30 years on the BBC back in an age when children’s television wasn’t relegated to hidden away digital channels.
Record Breakers wasn’t just an avenue for televised attempts but played on the huge statistics archives at Guinness where a young studio audience pushing the seemingly limitless knowledge of the McWhirter brothers. The series is perhaps best known for enthusiastic host Roy Castle, who died in 1994 after a battle with lung cancer.
Steven Cookson - Steven Cookson is a writer and attempted journalist based in Howden. Originally from Chester, that Hollyoaks place in North-West of ...
