Reviving Eccentricity: A Plea to Break Free from Bland TV and Embrace the Quirky
The golden age of British television, the 1970s and 80s, was marked by groundbreaking shows that shattered molds and left indelible marks on viewers' minds. A stark contrast to today's sea of reality shows and Downton Abbey-esque dramas, these programmes dared to be different, challenging conventions and embracing the weird.
In 2021, then Conservative culture minister John Whittingdale emphasized the need for public service broadcasters to produce content that was "distinctively British." Yet, the examples he cited, like Only Fools and Horses, Carry On, and Dad's Army, harked back to a distant era fraught with unreconstructed stereotypes.
The true distinctiveness of Britain on screen, however, lies not just in outdated portrayals but in the diverse tapestry of the British experience. Beyond humor, landscapes, and inclusiveness in cast and crew, there's an elusive element that once defined the best of British TV—sheer weirdness.
Weirdness in television is the unpredictable collision of the unexpected and phantasmagorical with the mundane. The alchemical bond between weirdness and innovation birthed iconic moments, like the record-breaking Ghostwatch in 1992, blending documentary, live reportage, and domestic haunting to terrify audiences.
The legendary Doctor Who, since its 1963 debut, has been a bastion of British weirdness, introducing phantasmagoric creatures and neofascist Daleks. Its time-traveling escapades and offhand humor have not only created a winning and exportable formula but also enriched the English language with iconic terms like "Tardis" and "exterminate!
Even children's television embraced the eccentric, from the hand-knitted cosmic oddities of The Clangers to the megalithic occultism of Children of the Stones. Shows like Brideshead Revisited and Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, while less fantastical, unfolded at an eerily glacial pace, creating strange, aspic universes within the aristocracy and cold war spycraft.
In advocating for distinctively British content, let's not forget the weird, the unconventional, and the mind-bending that once made British TV truly exceptional. It's time to revive the eccentric, break free from the shackles of predictability, and bring back the peculiar magic that defines the best of British television.
In delving into the TV landscape of the 70s and 80s, often hailed as the golden age of television, one encounters a rich tapestry of weirdness that wasn't gratuitous but a profound commentary on the entrenched power structures and divisions within British society. This era birthed supernatural, period, and realistic dramas like Alan Clarke's Made in Britain and Scum, the post-apocalyptic dystopia Survivors, and the Arthurian-toned crime/political thriller Edge of Darkness. These shows confronted class distinctions and societal issues, providing viewers with a mirror reflecting the complexities of British life.
However, the landscape has shifted, and the rise of series like Downton Abbey and its sanitized portrayal of the past has perpetuated rather than punctured Britain's illusions about itself. While successful globally, these shows offer a cosmetically altered vision of history, presenting a Brexiter-fantasy Great Britain that veers into the realm of gift-shop versions of the past.
Moreover, the programming surrounding these shows, from police dashcam footage to reality TV sagas, showcases a nation seemingly fixated on property dreams, hidden treasures, and the nostalgic art of "make do and mend." The monotony of shows like Homes Under the Hammer and Bargain Hunt mirrors a depleted society priced out of the housing market, yearning for a semblance of control and simplicity.
Reality TV, seemingly in its death throes, careens between banal human interactions and scripted banter, offering a chaotic spectacle that fails to engage audiences authentically. The formulaic nature of history documentaries, replete with celebrity presenters' "personal journeys" and reconstructed scenes, signals a loss of creative nerve.
Yet, amidst the sea of mediocrity, terrestrial, non-demand TV stands as a portal with the latent potential to deliver revelations and horrors into the homes of audiences. Commissioners and program makers must resist the allure of easy, box-ticking content and remember that it's the daring, thought-provoking material that endures in the hearts and minds of viewers. It's time to reclaim the soul of British television, infusing it with the spirit of innovation, societal reflection, and the weirdness that once defined its golden age.
In the tumultuous landscape of the 60s and 70s, the zenith of British TV weirdness, schedules were a captivating mosaic of nuclear attacks, ghosts, war stories, and intellectually demanding folk horror dramas like Robin Redbreast, Penda's Fen, and Artemis 81. A generation of screenwriters, directors, and producers, molded by the crucible of World War II and the dismantling of an empire, channeled their experiences into programming that transcended norms.
The home front's destruction exposed them to an existential threat not felt since the Norman invasion a millennium earlier. Meanwhile, their younger viewers, growing up in an unprecedented era of peace and stability in Europe, were privy to a brand of television born from a less cutthroat broadcasting environment.
Even today, amidst the competitive frenzy and the dominance of streaming giants, Britain continues to produce exceptional content like I Will Destroy You, The Gold, Small Axe, Top Boy, It's a Sin, and Happy Valley. Notably, some shows, including The English, The North Water, Detectorists, The Gallows Pole, Black Mirror, Inside No 9, and Ghosts, uphold the tradition of injecting that vital dash of the weird.
This serves as a testament that now, more than ever, is not the time to surrender to the homogeneity imposed by streaming services. Instead, the encroaching competition should be a rallying cry for the resurgence of even stranger, mold-breaking television that possesses the power to scar the minds of the next generation for life.
Rob Young, a journalist at The Wire magazine and the author of The Magic Box: Viewing Britain through the Rectangular Window, beckons us to reject blandness and embrace the eccentric, ensuring that British TV remains a vibrant force that defies conformity and captivates audiences with its unparalleled weirdness.
As we traverse the annals of British television history, from the bizarre landscapes of the 60s and 70s to the contemporary realm dominated by streaming giants, the call to arms echoes clear. The golden age of TV weirdness left an indelible mark, offering nuclear attacks, ghosts, and intellectually demanding folk horror dramas that defied convention. The architects of this eccentric era, shaped by war and empire dismantling, crafted narratives that transcended the mundane.
Today, amidst the cutthroat competition and the streaming behemoths, British television stands resilient. Productions like I Will Destroy You, The Gold, and Black Mirror showcase the nation's ability to produce exceptional content. Some, like Detectorists, The Gallows Pole, and Ghosts, continue to embrace the vital dash of the weird that defines Britain's TV legacy.
Rob Young's clarion call urges us not to succumb to blandness in the face of streaming dominance. Instead, the encroaching competition should serve as a catalyst for even stranger, mold-breaking television. The conclusion is clear: it's time to reject conformity, defy expectations, and ensure that the eccentric spirit of British TV not only endures but evolves, leaving an indelible impression on the minds of generations to come.