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There have been several TV series's over the past 40 years or so that have just bombed- a lot of them comedies, but not all. Can anyone remember some of them? here are a few that I recall:
The notorious 'Albion Market', which has already got a special mention on DYR.
Moon & Son- late '80s sleuth drama starring Millicent Martin as a psychic who uses her astral powers to solve murder cases and other serious crimes, aided by her teenage son. It hit the decks after the first series, but Martin was very upset when it was pulled.
Ennal's Point- early '80s drama series set around a lifeboat crew and their families, broadcast on weekday mid-afternoons. Supposedly set in a fictional town in North Devon, it was actually filmed in Mumbles on the Gower Peninsula in Wales (though it DID feature a real yacht called the 'Gay Lady' that used to be based in Mumbles). It's airing schedule attracted low viewing figures, and it's relocation to England from Wales annoyed the Welsh- actually quite a good concept for a soap opera, but badly mishandled.
Oh! Dr.Beeching!- feeble sitcom starring Paul Shane, Su Pollard and Steven Lewis (who played Inspector Blake in 'On The Buses'), set in a country railway station in the early '60s on the eve of the 'Beeching Axe'. Actually succeeded in running for two series's in the mid-'90s, but ultimately ran out of steam....
The Mrs. Bradley Mysteries- although not broadcast till 2000, this was actually MADE in 1998 and starred Diana Rigg as a wealthy widowed heiress in the mid 1920s and her faithful sidekick chauffeur, who were amateur detectives. Really a second-rate rip-off of Agatha Christie's Ms.Marple stories, it fell flat on it's face.
There was a supposed 'comedy' made in the mid-'90s whose name I can't remember, set in a nuclear command & control bunker that was being decommissioned following the end of the Cold War. Intended to be a post-Soviet version of 'Dad's Army', few people felt that the subject of nuclear annihilation had any light side that could be made a joke of, and the series was an embarrasment to the BBC.
Jericho- being a bit cheeky here, as this dates only from 2006 and so is officially beyond the remit of this site; Robert Lindsay played a detective in early 1950s East End London. Never took off, most people felt that it was a 'period detective series too far'.
Beast- 1999 sitcom about a reluctant country vet, meant to be a rather lighter version of Doc.Martin. I think people got fed up with vets being regarded as figures of fun whilst doctors & nurses are always taken so seriously.
Anyone recall any others? I'd be interested to know!!
The notorious 'Albion Market', which has already got a special mention on DYR.
Moon & Son- late '80s sleuth drama starring Millicent Martin as a psychic who uses her astral powers to solve murder cases and other serious crimes, aided by her teenage son. It hit the decks after the first series, but Martin was very upset when it was pulled.
Ennal's Point- early '80s drama series set around a lifeboat crew and their families, broadcast on weekday mid-afternoons. Supposedly set in a fictional town in North Devon, it was actually filmed in Mumbles on the Gower Peninsula in Wales (though it DID feature a real yacht called the 'Gay Lady' that used to be based in Mumbles). It's airing schedule attracted low viewing figures, and it's relocation to England from Wales annoyed the Welsh- actually quite a good concept for a soap opera, but badly mishandled.
Oh! Dr.Beeching!- feeble sitcom starring Paul Shane, Su Pollard and Steven Lewis (who played Inspector Blake in 'On The Buses'), set in a country railway station in the early '60s on the eve of the 'Beeching Axe'. Actually succeeded in running for two series's in the mid-'90s, but ultimately ran out of steam....
The Mrs. Bradley Mysteries- although not broadcast till 2000, this was actually MADE in 1998 and starred Diana Rigg as a wealthy widowed heiress in the mid 1920s and her faithful sidekick chauffeur, who were amateur detectives. Really a second-rate rip-off of Agatha Christie's Ms.Marple stories, it fell flat on it's face.
There was a supposed 'comedy' made in the mid-'90s whose name I can't remember, set in a nuclear command & control bunker that was being decommissioned following the end of the Cold War. Intended to be a post-Soviet version of 'Dad's Army', few people felt that the subject of nuclear annihilation had any light side that could be made a joke of, and the series was an embarrasment to the BBC.
Jericho- being a bit cheeky here, as this dates only from 2006 and so is officially beyond the remit of this site; Robert Lindsay played a detective in early 1950s East End London. Never took off, most people felt that it was a 'period detective series too far'.
Beast- 1999 sitcom about a reluctant country vet, meant to be a rather lighter version of Doc.Martin. I think people got fed up with vets being regarded as figures of fun whilst doctors & nurses are always taken so seriously.
Anyone recall any others? I'd be interested to know!!
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