Grange Hill, Grandstand and The Good Life

Real Life School Drama and Self-sufficient Comedy on British TV

Aug 31, 2009

A selection of the most important and influential British TV shows beginning with the letter G.

A mixed array for Shows Beginning with G, but the Beeb is still somehow remaining the dominant force. This article looks at an age when children’s TV wasn’t afraid to talk about issue with Grange Hill, when a tires American format found new life in Gladiators, Brucie Forsyth’s chin in The Generation Game, when Grandstand was the face of BBC sport coverage and the “bloody nice” sitcom The Good Life.

Created by Phil Redmond, the man behind Brookside, this was an attempt to provide an alternative to what he saw as a middle-class hold on children’s television. His idea was rejected by ITV but picked up by the Beeb, and became a hit. Controversy was never far away as depictions of drugs abuse, racism and sexual diseases were considered by some observers to be too graphic for tea-time viewing but was considered essential by viewers and critics.

Grange Hill was from a time when kid’s TV was actually any good and not hidden away on obscure digital channels filled with American cartoons. Grange Hill's demise and eventual cancellation in 2008 was evidence of how little modern execs cared about this groundbreaking show.

A spin-off from American Gladiators, the UK version somehow turned into one of the most talked about things on TV when it debuted in the early 90s. The closest thing British viewers had come to this sort of camp competition was with the wrestling on World of Sport, so the glamour and excitement of seeing athletic people take on the chiselled (and ridiculously named) Gladiators in races up walls or hitting them with padded sticks was a must-see.

The games were big, the names (Cobra, Zodiac, etc) were daft yet somehow it came together for an entertaining evening and an era when the likes of Lightning and Jet were plastered on every teenage boy's wall. Also female contestant Eunice Huthart not only won three series but also went on to have a successful career as a film stunt double. Sky1 resurrected the format in 2008 but the nostalgia only lasted a year before it was axed.

It would be a crime to conduct any list of British TV and not include living legend Bruce Forsyth at any stage. The Generation Game was a family game show where teams of punters competed in a range of tasks from dancing and drawing to the conveyor belt finale (with the famous cuddly toy) with Brucie spinning out his widely known catchphrases – “Nice to see you, to see you…” and “Didn’t they do well?”. Larry “shut that door” Grayson took over for a short while and was very popular before Forsyth returned for another stab in 1990.

The quality soon dropped when a squeaky clean Jim Davidson took up the reigns and unfortunately by the end of his run Saturday night had evolved into the realm for tacky talent competitions and for Simon Cowell’s waistband to get mainstream exposure. There are rumours of a return fronted by big collared comic Harry Hill.

The face of sport on the BBC was synonymous with the much admired and well liked Grandstand for a large section of the corporation’s history. The once go to place for football scores, athletic competitions, rugby, tennis and other sport made household names out of presenters Frank Bough, Peter Dimmock, Des Lynam and others.

Being a live show it was known for the occasional blooper, including the infamous April Fool’s Day fight, and impromptu reports of tragic events such as the Hillsborough disaster, the Bradford City stadium fire and the death of Ayrton Senna. The advent of digital and internet TV saw an end to the long-running show, and even though sport is still a big part of the BBC it’s not the same without Grandstand.

“I hate it, it’s so bloody nice,” rants Vyvyan on The Young Ones, “They're nothing but a couple of reactionary stereotypes confirming the myth that everyone in England is a loveable middle-class eccentric.” A highly articulate outburst Vyv, but as 70s sitcoms go The Good Life was actually one of the better.

Okay so maybe a show where Felicity “Treacle” Kendal and Richard “Sugar Flavoured Snob” Briers gave up their jobs to become self-sufficient is a little wet on paper. However, it’s a traditional sitcom that found laughs in ordinary situations without resorting to nastiness or name-calling. In BBC poll to find the best British sitcoms this finished it finished 9th. Yes, ahead of The Young Ones.

The copyright of the article Grange Hill, Grandstand and The Good Life in British TV is owned by Steven Cookson. Permission to republish Grange Hill, Grandstand and The Good Life in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.