SV on Television

ASD v. ITV and BBC (Page 3)

Shared experiences (1999 - 2002)

By 1990, my language had advanced to a point where I was able to listen to music and enjoy sitcoms with meaning, being able to get the gist of more subtle jokes. By 1995, I was able to enjoy sitcoms which had more subtle humour than slapstick. By 1996 - 97 it was satire. In 1999, I started getting the gist of irony and pathos.

Working full time between 1999 and 2001, comedy was a relief from a day's work, sometimes an escapist route. Personal experience for me became more understandable in 2001 as I lapped up the first series of 'Phoenix Nights' (having been to Working Mens' Clubs myself). As I started becoming more at ease with people, favourite television programmes became a conversation subject. This was helped with me doing a Media course at my local college where I was taught interviewing and copywriting skills among other skills.

The Internet or the TV? There's only one way to solve it... (2003 - 2008)

Television ceased to be the main form of language acquisition for me in the last 5 years. In spite of this, the cathode ray tube (and increasingly plasma or LCD screen) remained a focal point. This time, it was the Internet.

Though television has enabled me to pick up oral language reception in its formative years, it continues to be used for the sole purpose of making my fellows laugh. This time, inflicting quotes from 'Only Fools And Horses' or 'I'm Alan Partridge' seem to have the desired effect.

My current job has had the dual purpose of enabling me to hone my writing abilities for web rather than print, and to build my own websites. This article and the rest of my website is concrete evidence.

Besides enabling me to 'recover' lost speech, the cathode ray tube has enabled me to speak to others browsing this site, post on forums and come into contact with friends several miles away. I wonder where I would be without this invention, let alone a PC or iMac.

Favourite Programmes (1990 - 2008)

Father Ted (Comedy, Channel 4);
Phoenix Nights (Comedy, Channel 4);
That Peter Kay Thing (Comedy, Channel 4);
The IT Crowd (Comedy, Channel 4);
I'm Alan Partridge (Comedy, BBC);
The Royle Family (Comedy, BBC);
15 to 1 (Quiz show, Channel 4);
Only Fools and Horses (Comedy, BBC One);
Benidorm (Comedy, ITV);
Life On Mars (Drama/Sci-Fi, BBC One);
Mapman (Documentary, BBC Two).

Favourite Programmes (all years)

On The Buses (Comedy, LWT 1968 - 1973);
Threads (Docudrama, BBC Two 1984);
Coronation Street (Soap Opera, Granada 1960 - to date);
The Krypton Factor (Quiz Show, Granada 1977 - 1995);
Open All Hours (Comedy, BBC 1976 - 1982 and 1985);
Rentaghost (Children's comedy, BBC One 1976 - 1984);
Boys From The Blackstuff (Drama, BBC 1982);
Spitting Image (Comedy, Central/Carlton 1984 - 1997);
The New Statesman (Comedy, Yorkshire 1987 - 1992).

Stuart Vallantine,

Sunday 28 September 2008.