Comedy Connections - Season 1
Season 1
Episodes
Porridge
From the moment it hit our screens, Porridge was hailed as a sitcom classic. But if the BBC had followed Ronnie Barker's instinct, they would have made a series called I'll Fly You for a Quid instead.
Interviews with Ronnie Barker, cast members, writers Dick Clement and Ian La Frenais, and director/producer Sydney Lotterby uncover the inside story of how the series was conceived and commissioned.
Once the gates of Slade Prison are locked for the final time, this programme follows creators and stars of Porridge to Open All Hours, 'Allo, 'Allo, Eldorado, Fraggle Rock and all the way to Hollywood.
The Good Life
The Good Life made stars of Richard Briers, Penelope Keith, Felicity Kendall and Paul Eddington, and led to hit sitcoms such as Ever Decreasing Circles, To The Manor Born and Yes, Minister.
Are You Being Served
Would Are You Being Served? have been a global success if its creators, David Croft and Jeremy Lloyd, had done as they were told?
Interviews with the Croft and Lloyd, Mollie Sugden, Frank Thornton, John Inman, Wendy Richard and other members of the cast tell the extraordinary story of how Joanna Lumley and a job at Simpson's of Piccadilly inspired a programme which is still much-loved all around the world.
And in unravelling the tangled tale of Grace Brothers, we travel through a whole era of David Croft-inspired comedy, from Hugh and I and Dad's Army in the sixties to 'Allo 'Allo! and Oh, Doctor Beeching! in the nineties.
Men Behaving Badly
The story of Men Behaving Badly, a show which changed the face of British sitcom.
Butterflies
Butterflies writer Carla Lane admits, for the first time, that the 1970s sitcom was autobiographical.
Only Fools and Horses
Only Fools and Horses is a national institution. But without some twists and turns worthy of Del Boy himself it could have disappeared without trace, or worse still never happened at all.
John Sullivan might never even have written Only Fools and Horses if the BBC had commissioned Over The Moon, the comedy Sullivan wrote after his first sitcom, Citizen Smith, came to an end. Extracts from the pilot of Over The Moon are screened for the first time ever. When the BBC turned it down, Sullivan needed a new idea fast - and the idea he came up with was Only Fools and Horses.
Famously, the first series failed to pull in the punters and the BBC wanted to abandon the show. Now, the man who gave Only Fools and Horses a second chance finally admits that he wasn't making a brave decision; he just didn't have another idea in his head.
Recently Updated Shows
EastEnders
Set in the East End of London, the show focuses on the tensions between love and family with stories ranging from hard-hitting social issues, to personal, human tragedies. And there's plenty of funny moments too.
Classic characters old and new across thousands of episodes have shared a drink in The Queen Vic, shed tears of despair or joy, sat on Arthur's bench in the Square... and at some point or other they probably crossed paths with Ian Beale.
Star Wars: Skeleton Crew
The journey of four kids who make a mysterious discovery on their seemingly safe home planet, then get lost in a strange and dangerous galaxy. Finding their way home — and meeting unlikely allies and enemies — will be a greater adventure than they ever imagined.
Would I Lie to You?
A comedic panel show featuring team captains Lee Mack and David Mitchell plus two guests per side, hosted by Rob Brydon (formerly Angus Deayton). Each person must reveal embarrassing facts and outrageous lies during a series of different rounds including "Ring of Truth", "This is My..." and "Quickfire Lies". It is up to the opposing team to tell tall tales from fantastic facts.
The Repair Shop
The Repair Shop is a workshop of dreams, where broken or damaged cherished family heirlooms are brought back to life.
Furniture restorers, horologists, metal workers, ceramicists, upholsterers and all manner of skilled craftsmen and women have been brought together to work in one extraordinary space, restoring much-loved possessions to their former glory.
Many of these items have incredible stories behind them and a unique place in history: from an accordion played in the Blitz by a woman who is now in her 90s, to a beautifully crafted clock made by a father who was completely blind; a Pinball machine that is currently being used as a kitchen counter, and a Davenport desk with its trademark fake drawers which fooled burglars - and their crowbar.
The Repair Shop is an antidote to our throwaway culture and shines a light on the wonderful treasures to be found in homes across the country.
On Call
On Call is an adrenalized and visceral police drama that puts us inside the squad car and on the streets with Long Beach Police. Through training officer Traci Harmon and rookie Alex Diaz, the series examines how the complexities of the job affects the human condition. Harmon will be enlightened by a kid from the streets, while Diaz will learn that policing isn't black and white - it requires shades of grey. Each episode tracks the duo as they respond to a new radio call, arriving on the scene to resolve an incident. Incorporating a mixture of bodycam, dash-camera, and cellphone footage to create a cinema verité effect, the innovative series explores the morality of protecting and serving a community.