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Are You Being Served?

The Remake (February 2016)

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MA
Markymark
Jake posted:
Cando posted:
AJ posted:
Isn't it more that writers are going elsewhere with their new material because they feel that the BBC can't offer them the creative freedom they want?

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/tvandradio/9536262/BBC-interference-caused-Alan-Partridge-to-move-to-Sky-says-Armando-Iannucci.html


Coogan being economical with the truth there. The first series of Mid Morning Matters was funded by Fosters like the Fast show revival. Sky Atlantic just picked up the repeat rights as the BBC wouldn't for obvious reasons.
The film Alpha papa was made by BBC films afterwards.

Armando Iannucci, not Coogan. Am I missing something, what are the obvious reasons? The BBC aired the Fosters Fast Show material, I'm sure they were interested in Mid Morning Matters.


I've watched MMM on British Airways and Virgin flights, I'm sure branded as a 'BBC Worldwide' presentation ?
JC
JCB
Jake posted:
Cando posted:
AJ posted:
Isn't it more that writers are going elsewhere with their new material because they feel that the BBC can't offer them the creative freedom they want?

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/tvandradio/9536262/BBC-interference-caused-Alan-Partridge-to-move-to-Sky-says-Armando-Iannucci.html


Coogan being economical with the truth there. The first series of Mid Morning Matters was funded by Fosters like the Fast show revival. Sky Atlantic just picked up the repeat rights as the BBC wouldn't for obvious reasons.
The film Alpha papa was made by BBC films afterwards.

Armando Iannucci, not Coogan. Am I missing something, what are the obvious reasons? The BBC aired the Fosters Fast Show material, I'm sure they were interested in Mid Morning Matters.


I recall Iannucci saying the BBC wanted MMM but didn't deem it "prime-time friendly" and wanted to dump it in the post Newsnight graveyard slot. They were also insistent that any further new series adapted the old "I'm Alan Partridge" format. Whereas Sky were happy to let them do what they wanted.
BS
Ben Shatliff
JCB posted:
Jake posted:
Cando posted:

Coogan being economical with the truth there. The first series of Mid Morning Matters was funded by Fosters like the Fast show revival. Sky Atlantic just picked up the repeat rights as the BBC wouldn't for obvious reasons.
The film Alpha papa was made by BBC films afterwards.

Armando Iannucci, not Coogan. Am I missing something, what are the obvious reasons? The BBC aired the Fosters Fast Show material, I'm sure they were interested in Mid Morning Matters.


I recall Iannucci saying the BBC wanted MMM but didn't deem it "prime-time friendly" and wanted to dump it in the post Newsnight graveyard slot. They were also insistent that any further new series adapted the old "I'm Alan Partridge" format. Whereas Sky were happy to let them do what they wanted.


A bit similar to Birds Of A Feather. BBC would only do a one-off Christmas Special whereas ITV offered a Christmas Special and a New Season which has paid off.

It makes me wonder if the BBC now regret this hence why they are looking at other revivals again and also why Still Open All Hours became two seasons.
IT
IndigoTucker
The BBC wanted a PILOT for Birds of a Feather, despite it being on air for a decade. Needless to say they walked out and went to ITV who accepted it on face value.
TR
TROGGLES
I've been mentioning it for ages and got away with it on here so far Very Happy
pad-e posted:
Will they talk about Mrs. Slocombe's pussy in the new episodes or is that too much for today's audience to cope with?

Very Happy
SP
Steve in Pudsey
IndigoTucker posted:
The BBC wanted a PILOT for Birds of a Feather, despite it being on air for a decade. Needless to say they walked out and went to ITV who accepted it on face value.


They also wanted to pilot the revival of Yes Prime Minister, and the writers took offence and went to UKTV. Where they produced something which was generally felt to be a pretty awful imitation of the original.
WH
Whataday Founding member
I'm sure the Birds of a Feather story was that the BBC wanted a Christmas special and would use that a pilot for a full series (in the same way as Still Open All Hours).
AN
Andrew Founding member
Of course everything like that tends to do well at Christmas on BBC1 so it's strange they wanted to go through with that rigmarole, and not just commission to series.

I'm not sure Are you being served is a remake I'd ever wanted to see, it's very of its time.
JC
JCB
Losing Partridge was a massive blunder which must be a tad embarrassing for the BBC considering MMM was offered to them fully cooked on plate and widely regarded to be a return to form for the character.
MI
Michael
Of course Coogan hates Murdoch and his ilk, doesn't he? That's why he's taking BSkyB's money....er......
HC
Hatton Cross
But, he has to go where the money is.
Plus none of the newspaper people (which is where his main beef is) run anything on the tv side - and there are other shareholders in Sky to dilute the Murdoch factor (as if he really has any day to day commissioning power).

Its exactly the same as Frank Bough.

News Of The World S&M and drug taking stories on the front page, and his next tv job? Err.. Frank Bough Tonight on Sky..
Last edited by Hatton Cross on 24 February 2016 9:34am
WH
Whataday Founding member
JCB posted:
Losing Partridge was a massive blunder which must be a tad embarrassing for the BBC considering MMM was offered to them fully cooked on plate and widely regarded to be a return to form for the character.


I don't think they have lost Partridge indefinitely. I think if there was ever a big budget Partridge return in the vein of a chat show or sitcom, it would almost certainly return to the BBC. Alpha Papa was produced by BBC Films, and the vast majority of Babycow productions are BBC commissions.

I think the BBC was right to reject MMM for prime time BBC 2 as it was quite low budget and seemed very throwaway (if you're not a hardcore Partridge fan). It could have worked well in the ten minute slot that Marion & Geoff occupied 15 years previously - I think just prior to Newsnight. But as a half hour edit in prime time, I can't help feel that casual viewers would feel a bit short changed.

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