I was doing a bit of research for this book thing and I wanted a T.V. programme from April 1974. Amazingly you can view copies of the T.V. Times from years ago. I guess if your not British or you’re not ‘old’ you haven’t a clue what I am rattling on about. It was a magazine that contained ITV programmes listings, you had to buy the Radio Times if you wanted to know what was on BBC. Bear in mind we only had three channels BBC 1 and 2 and ITV. No Freeview or Netflix back then. In fact we didn’t have a video recorder never mind Blockbusters.
On further scrutiny though I realised that on Saturday alone we had The Fabulous World of Skiing, The Saturday Morning Film, The Woody Woodpecker Show and an afternoon of Sport, complete with ‘All in Wrestling’ and the old ladies who regularly rushed to the ringside to hit Mick McManus or Steve Logan (they were the ‘Baddies’) with their handbags and all before 6pm. Choice is great but now it sometimes takes me longer to find something to watch than it does to watch it 🙂
Charliecountryboy's Blog 
I think more choice is a bad thing when it comes to going shopping with my wife and daughter… but not sure on this one. On the one hand it means that more people’s interests are catered for, on the other it makes it hard to find what you want… but you may always find something you hadn’t ever thought that you’d watch and like… however it encourages more time to be spent on TV… so I can only be a fence sitter here, although personally I spend more time reading than I do in front of the box, unless the world cup is on.
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I see where your coming from, if I watch anything on TV it’s usually a drama and these days it’s usually Netflix so I can get exactly what I want, but it does mean a lot of trolling through stuff to find it. I agree with the reading by 9pm I’m usually immersed in a book anyway 😀
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Great post Charlie. The more you have, the higher your expectations. I remember watching ‘Saving Pvt Ryan’ and thinking ‘awesome’ same as the first time I saw ‘The longest Day’. For me TV is as good/bad now as then, it’s just now there’s so much more chaff to rummage through. And you’re unlikely to find the likes of ‘Love thy neighbour’!
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‘Bloody Nora’ haha thank you Nigel. Yes I know what you mean I watched a bit of the A Team this afternoon and couldn’t believe how dreadful it was 😀
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Hey, but you’re not jumping up and down adjusting the rabbit ears…
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Haha or changing the channel. My dad used to say he wished he had a long stick then he wouldn’t have to keep getting up to switch the telly over. 💐😀
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Oh, yeah — remember this? “It’s YOUR turn!”
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😂😂😂😂💐
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Things don’t change much around the world, Charlie. Those TV programmes (or very similar) were here in Oz, too!
I can remember, way back, the kids from our neighbourhood would all be sitting in our loungeroom watching the tele. We were the first in our street to have one… You can imagine the thrills and awe it sent through all of us. That was in the fifties; things sure have changed.. 😉 😉
Good luck with your research. 🙂
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Thanks Carolyn, it was quite strange seeing all those old TV Times and what I didn’t put in the post were the cigarette adverts, quite amazing how some had a full page and the messages they put out 😂
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Yes indeed, Charlie; it was extraordinary in those days; we (people were blind to the horrific consequences of smoking). Uh oh, I think you smoke a little… Yes?
What I am seeing regularly on Netflix films/movies is a return to those days when it was purported as being cool to smoke. So much of it nowadays on film…
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Yes I partake 😜 I’m not sure if it’s more prevalent or we notice it more because of the taboo, it appears to me there is more smoking in dramas, but hey ho, some would say cancer or Alzheimer’s take your pick according to our subtle, empathetic media 😂
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Hahaaa… Neither, I hope, Charlie, for either of us! Let’s hope destiny is to be kinder to us both! 🙂
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Charlie, where is your Avatar? It is simply ‘black’….?
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OMG I thought I was feeling a bit down 😂 I’ll have a look 😀
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Ahhhh… Full colour return!
And all is well with the world… 🙂
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Haha 😀
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🤣🤣🤣The good ole day’s! Fun remembering though, thanks for the trip down memory lane😊
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It is probably best to go back to the early beginnings. And yes, at this point, it was better–
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Thank you, it was certainly simpler 😀
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It does take much longer to find something to watch. Too many choices. I sometimes spend an entire hour scrolling through my choices and then, after all that end up saying, “Screw it!”; and end up picking up a book instead. 😁
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Haha, excellent and you couldn’t binge, you had to wait until next week 😀
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Exactly! Or wait til next season to find out who shot JR. You remember “Dallas”? 😂😂😂
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Who could forget Sue Ellen 😍😂
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I’ve only just seen this? Hmmm. Yes loved Dallas😂😂 Think I had a crush on Sue Ellen😂 Thanks for the participation 😀
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We have about 600 channels on our cable set-up. I watch very few of them but truly enjoy binge watching Netflix or HBO series. Now I can indulge in Science Fiction every single night!
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600, I mean why? I guess there are 350 million of you as opposed to our measly 68 million, binge watching Netflix is great, until the next day 😂
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It just comes with the package of super fast internet speed. Only 50 are watchable but many are sports channels – yawn. Binge watching is fantastic when you are sick. After an ER visit when on vacation in Palm Springs (bronchitis), I watched four seasons of Breaking Bad…
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I still haven’t done Breaking Bad although have managed Luther in a week lol 😀
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An amazingly beautiful piece of writing ❤ I nominated you for freedom of expression tag. Do participate if possible 🙂 https://zarbakhtbilal.wordpress.com/2018/08/29/freedom-of-expression-tag-beauty/
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A blast from the past.
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I like the choice you get on Netflix as it means you can really filter to your interests…i don’t really bother with TV anymore!
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Yes I agree, but sometimes there is so much choice I spend half an episode searching and changing my mind. I guess I need to be more decisive 😂😂 Thank you for reading 😀
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You are right lol, but I have had a few recommendations from people I know, liked the sound of the things they’d watched and started watching straight away – then Netflix gives you those recommendations based on things you’ve watched (rated highly) so that helps a bit – but yes you can go on an on swiping and searching, trying to decide (like too many sweets in a sweet shop) 😊📺
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Yes those are valid points 😀. So now I have to ask, have you watched Luther? I just finished it and you know what it is – when you really liked something you just need to shout about it lol
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No I haven’t but so many people have been raving about Luther that I’ll have to add it to the list!!! I’ve been watching episodes of ‘Black Mirror’ recently – a bit weird but it’s keeping me curious 👀
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Reblogged this on Dream Big, Dream Often.
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Thank you Danny 💐😀
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I made a valuable purchase at Amazon.com a few months ago — an Amazon Fire TV Stick, just under $40 American, and instantly began streaming old movies and TV shows from the beginning of the TV era up to the latest shows everywhere in the world. Most are free, but a few of the movie channels cost a minimal amount. Guess I sound like a commercial here, huh? I’m not, just really loving all the free movies and the old TV programs I’m watching now.
Over here we had the TV Guide to let us know what we could get on our own three channels, after ABC became a new network to go with NBC and CBS. Who would ever have thought back in those days we would have come as far as we are now? Actually watching live TV from other continents! Ah, well, after watching a man walk on the moon nothing seemed impossible — even having a computer in my home!
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Haha I have a mate who’s always selling the idea of his FireStick as I say I struggle with the choice on Netflix lol. Yes we’ve certainly come a long way, thank you for the input 😀
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Thumbs up to your mate! Some days I spend more time scrolling thru the choices than actually watching the movies, but on the bright side, most of the time a movie will act as an instant sleeping tablet for me. The more I want to see the movie from beginning to end the faster that sleeping tablet works.0
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Oh the heady days of Mick McManus and Big Daddy……
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And it wasn’t fixed, you know 😂
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What memories! I’m convinced that all this choice has not improved the quality of TV.
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No, there are some drama’s that are really poor, a bit like ‘B’ movies of the 40’s. BBC and ITV still seem to make quality though 😀
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Yes, there;s still some quality about. But an awful lot of repeats…
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Great post Charlie? Anyother site to see your more work or do ya have Instagram?
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Thank you. No other site, every thing else is magazine stuff, but I have Instagram @charliecountryboy 😀
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Okie dokie💜
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Where are you on instagram? I’ll pop over and have a look 😀
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It’s hard to find you. Lol
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I’ll find you then lol 😀
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Sure I send request to few peeps but I’m sure that’s not you. Lol..
theofficialsiabillion Instagram id
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Capricorn 29th December is that you?
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Yeah that’s me😄👍
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Oh what a bummer, you miss out on the extra presents 😜
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I celebrate on Christmas 😄
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Great Post!
I also feel that the old times were better…
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Thank you I guess we are all nostalgic to a degree 😀😀
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I don’t know how to say this but I’m just 19. I haven’t actually lived in that time , but with what I’ve heard and seen in movies and from people like you , it seems like a pretty awesome era!
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Sometimes it was, but then we forget about the union strikes and the grim poverty side to it all lol 😀
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You owe us a post friend 😉
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That is such a wonderful compliment, thank you. I’m afraid I’ve let work get in the way, but tomorrow……. 💐💐💐
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I watched ‘the Beachcombers’ when I was in England late 70s. Weird to see a show there whose setting is right in my back yard.
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Haha yes I felt that way with Rita, Bob and Sue lol
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Interesting post! I think it was better, too
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Agreed. The good ‘ole days of TV programming bring back memories of “The Banana Splits” after school and Saturday cartoons. To this day, when I hear the woodpeckers pounding on an oak, I say, “Hi, Woody!”
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Yes, the memories are great, sadly they have to remain memories though. I watched 10 mins of the A Team the other day, it was quite dreadful lol. 😀
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I pity you, fool!
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😂😂😂
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In a reply, Charlie, to ChattyKerry, you mentioned having watched Luther in a week. I’d been bypassing this series for some time, until I read this!
Now we are watching a couple of episodes nightly! What an incredibly interesting/psychological thriller! It is such good acting I find myself thinking about it during the day! Don’t think I’ve ever enjoyed a series so much.
Just saying… and… Thank You… 😀
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Haha, thank you, yes it’s definitely a classic Idris Elba is brilliant, but the female character Alice captivated me 😀
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She is fantastic – Ruth Wilson – I’ve seen her in other films, but, in this one she is especially good… her character is ultra scary – her acting – incredibly good..
I know Idris Elba has said no to 007, but, hey, I think he’d make a good one!!!
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Yes so do I but he said he was too old 😀😀
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Charlie, just had to tell you…
We just today watched the last episode of Luther… Oh, I’m so sad – but – a new series will become available late 2018 – how wonderful.. 🙂
I’m still hoping that Alice is alive. What a fabulous character she is.. 🙂
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That’s great news I thought it was possibly finished for good😀 Yes I think she will have to be still alive ❤️😀
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