The 1970's:
Paul Whitehouse begins his celebration of sketch shows with its roots in music hall and post-war radio, including live radio performances from Tommy Handley and his gang, gloriously baffling to us now, but they paved the way for short-form comedy's growth in years to come – and clearly influenced Paul's own Arthur Atkinson character.
And influences loom large across the whole series, not least the Monty Python troupe, whose surrealist sketches truly pushed the boundaries of TV comedy. They arrived as the 60s were ending – but in the years that followed truly became the rock & roll comedy for Paul and his generation – something mums and dads couldn't possibly understand… This episode features freshly remastered Python material shown for the very first time.
Elsewhere, across primetime TV, a whole new legion of household names rose up - Dick Emery, Benny Hill, The Two Ronnies and The Goodies. The 70s were rightly hailed as the start of TV comedy's golden era.
Trailer
Recently Updated Shows
Jeopardy!
Jeopardy! is a classic game show -- with a twist. The answers are given first, and the contestants supply the questions. Three contestants, including the previous show's champion, compete in six categories and in three rounds (with each round's "answers" being worth more prize money).
The Great British Sewing Bee
Amateur sewers take on challenges as they compete to be named Britain's best home sewer.
Cops
COPS follows police officers, constables, and sheriff's deputies during patrols and various police activities by embedding camera crews with their units. The show's formula adheres to a classic cinéma vérité ethos. With no narration or scripted dialog, it depends entirely on the commentary of the officers and on the actions of the people with whom they come into contact.
Celebrity IOU
Celebrity IOU is a series where Hollywood A-listers express their deep gratitude to the individuals who have had a major impact on their lives by surprising them with big, heartwarming home renovations that bring everyone to tears.
The Boroughs
In a seemingly picturesque retirement community in the New Mexico desert, a group of unlikely heroes must band together to stop an otherworldly threat from stealing the one thing they don't have... time.