I’m easing myself gently into Boxing Day with Sherlock Holmes and the Baskerville Curse. An animated version of The Hound of the Baskervilles with Peter O’Toole as the world’s greatest detective sounds appealing, even though visually it’s a bit on the basic side.
There’s a Comedy Classic (i.e. repeat) of Open All Hours at 5.15 pm on BBC1. It’s S2E6, first broadcast on the 5th of April 1981, which seems a little too recent to be regarded as a classic. But as it features Stuart Fell as a motorcyclist (I sense there must be a stunt) and Patsy Smart it’s on the list.
Bob’s Christmas Full House and The Paul Daniels Magic Christmas Show will both help to move me into the early evening. Bob’s Full House is probably my favourite Monkhouse quiz show (“in bingo lingo clickity click, it’s time to take your pick of the six”) and The Paul Daniels Magic Show has always appealed. Although hand on heart, this wasn’t his strongest Christmas show as a little too much time was spent on the Snow White finale (which was a showcase for the lovely Debbie McGee and rather light on magic). Still, it’s nice to see Sooty make an appearance.
Next up is ‘Allo ‘Allo! It’s the one featuring the pill in the till (and the candle with the handle on the gateaux from the chateaux). Late night I’ll tape Strangers on a Train, so all in all that’s a pretty full BBC1 lineup.
Over on ITV, I’ll tape Coronation Street – The First Twenty Five Years. It’s a decent enough doco, although since it only runs for an hour it can only scratch the surface of the series (and I could have done without the various talking heads picking their favourite moments and characters). ITV also has a big movie premiere – Who Dares Wins – which will also be going on the VCR.
Archive Television Musings 
8.30pm BBC1 was the Christmas Special of ‘In Sickness & In Health’ – Alf Garnett had only recently returned to our screens after a few years TV absence.
This Christmas episode of ‘In Sickness…’ was sadly to mark the last appearance of Dandy Nicholls who passed away not long after it was broadcasted.
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Not a series I find very appealing these days, although I may revisit it in the future.
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I had a friend who was a fan of Till Death Us Do Part (and West Ham United), and when Dandy Nicholls died in early 1986 he said that the series couldn’t possibly continue without her. It did, and it was dreadful, especially the Australian episodes.
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The only thing that I can remember seeing that day was ‘In Sickness & In Health’ (I was out at my grandparents during the day). That episodes is one of my favourite Christmas specials, even though it recycles some ‘Till Death’ material and Dandy Nichols is obviously at death’s door. Only being the usual half-hour gives the story a particular concision that is very effective.
My father’s diary records, “Watched very good dramatic film of La Traviata (Zefferelli).”
If I were watching now my schedule would be; Crossroads, EastEnders, In Sickness & In Health, Tenko Reunion and video ‘Coronation Street – The First 25 Years’.
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I didn’t watch any tv on Boxing Day 1985 because I was ill in bed.
I think in those days the BBC Christmas ident was only used on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and Boxing Day, and they went back to the normal globe on the 27th, whereas these days they run it for the whole of December.
Disney Time included a clip from The Black Cauldron, one of the less well remembered Disney cartoons. I saw it at the Prince Charles a couple of years ago. The storyline was mediocre and the animation was patchy. Four years later Little Mermaid was released.
The Orson Welles season continues with A Touch of Evil which some people regard as a second best film, and others regard as his best film, and the Hitchcock season kicked off with Strangers on the Train which is still the best film based on a Patricia Highsmith novel.
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Somebody complained to TV Times that Who Dares Wins was unsuitable for Christmas viewing. Shortly after someone else wrote in saying that the SAS should be praised for fighting terrorism, and called the terrorists “peace thugs”. I hate it when newspapers and magazines print letters from cranks.
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