I think the reason my brain has refused to let go of this one is that I can’t think of a purer example of an IT brain not understanding a broadcast concept.
I think this is linked to a lot of problems, both from outside the industry looking in, but equally from inside the industry itself.
Someone’s just linked to a Cory Doctorow piece and I’ve just never been able to take him seriously after I saw him refer to the BBC One regional blanking slide as “DRM”.
A YouTube account called 'When TV Was Better' has posted an old episode of The Big Breakfast with a very obviously AI-produced description, and all I can think about is When The Internet Was Better.
When I was on the Universal Studios tour a year or so ago, when I was on one of the backlots I asked about Sabrina Carpenter shooting an NBC Olympics promo there, and I don’t know whether I impressed them or embarrassed myself.
Also, everyone else should get with the programme and understand that evil hex Never Getting Laid is one of the best tracks on Man’s Best Friend.
What I’m saying is that I’m best at liking Sabrina Carpenter, and she should meet me and tell me I’m great.
The amusing thing about reading Sabrina forums is the number of people who kinda sorta like her, but then get grumpy when she does weird stuff.
“Why is she playing an old interview with Leonard Cohen on her tour, it’s BORING”
Sabrina singing Tears on top of a fountain spraying everywhere
2025: Some Sabrina Carpenter fans tut at the line “Tears run down my thighs” and say it’s embarrassing.
2026:
Another concrete #Caturday poem, this one by J.R.R. Tolkien.
#NationalPoetryMonth #Poetry
“Cat”
Reading reviews of her Coachella concert and STOP GETTING SABRINA CARPENTER WRONG
I love how many endless interpretations of songs Sabs does in these concerts. She's STILL doing brand new versions of Feather, with the staging half-Chicago, half-Material-Girl, and with an interpolation of Copacabana in it, because why the hell not?
Sabrina Carpenter singing Manchild with backing dancers dressed as dalmations
It was also as much a comedy show as was a concert.
Watching the Sabrina Coachella concert, and it’s clearly the best, most brilliantly staged live performance she’s ever done.
The falling-off-the-moving-walkway bit was perfect. Absolutely no sign of bracing herself, which would have ruined it. Just stunning.
Kira Nerys and Miles O'Brien have their butts hanging out from under a control panel
"Deep Space Nine is a layered, complex examination of politics and faith as told through the Star Trek universe, challenging the franchise's previous moral perspectives and assurances."
Also Deep Space Nine:
(Yes, I know I’m blending UK and US TV here, but you all know what I mean, and my point generally stands for both.)
How did a single series of Inside No 9 manage a greater number of looks within a single series than most of the rest of television did as a whole?
The very worst thing about television now is we have a greater opportunity than any time in the past to shoot things to suit the material, and instead we’re heading towards everything looking the same.
As I’ve got older, that’s gradually changed, and in some instances disappeared entirely. You wouldn’t hear me arguing that Mary Tyler Moore or Cheers would have been better shot on VT.
But how All in the Family looks - picture flaws, colour balance issues, and all - still gives me a rush.
Looking back at the shows I loved as a kid, there really aren’t much film-based ones at all, even film ones done in front of an audience.
I’m wary of post-rationalisation, but I think I really did feel the distance of film versus the immediacy of video, and found video more appealing to watch.
Please hire me for your topical comedy show
The Laverne and Shirley opening titles are all very well, but the way they’re carrying on there’s going to be a serious industrial accident.
Well, I heard FOUR of the pieces of music at the time…
AI Overview There is one letter "i" in the word "teamwork". T E A M W O R K While the phrase "There is no 'I' in team" is a common idiom regarding collaboration, the word "teamwork" itself contains one "i".
So unbelievably, nearly a year later, Google is still getting this wrong.
Like, my name is all over the site, both in metadata and otherwise, so figuring out the author should be the easy bit?
AI Overview Dirty Feed's extensive coverage of the Smashie and Nicey – The End of an Era (1994) mockumentary, often authored by Simon Parkin, provides in-depth analysis of the BBC satire, including music guides, production details, and visual effects analysis. Articles highlight the spoof of fictional DJs Mike Smash and Dave Nice, linking them to real 1970s radio culture.
Simon Parkin is not mentioned anywhere on Dirty Feed, so where Google’s AI Overview got that from is anyone’s guess.
Yes, yes, I know it’s endlessly mentioned, but it still boggles the mind it made it into the shooting script, let alone the final edit.
You know the worst thing is, I stopped watching The Adventure Game so I could write the article, and never went back to it.
I do wonder if either of the UK pilots (not the test CSO stuff) still exist. I feel if they were still in ITV’s archive they would have leaked by now. Tim Child might have them on VHS, of course.
Knightmare was a touchstone for a whole generation of kids, and not just the nerds. Widely popular. I wish it could be recognised properly. If only Network could have done it.