This programme was part of the Back to the... series of documentary clip show and countdown shows, in a celebration of the four decades Channel 4 has been broadcasting, reminiscing its most memorable and iconic television shows. The first episode, presented by Sir Lenny Henry, celebrated the best TV shows, including dramaa, comedies, documentaries, children's TV, gameshows, music TV, chat shows, reality TV, sports, soap operas, and lots more broadcast on Channel 4 during the 1980s. This was a countdown of the 20 most popular shows, as voted by the viewing public. These 20 shows were: P'tang, Yang, Kipperbang (1982) (TV movie), Network 7 (1987-1988), My Beautiful Laundrette (1985) (made by Channel Four Films), A Very British Coup (1988), After Dark (1987-2003), The Max Headroom Show (1985-1986) / Max Headroom (1987-1988), A Woman of Substance (1984), Star Test (1989-1991), Who Dares Wins (1983-1988), The Tube (1982-1987), The Last Resort with Jonathan Ross (1987-1988), Brookside (1982-2003), Desmond's (1989-1994), The Comic Strip Presents... Five Go Mad in Dorset (1982) / Bad News Tour (1983) / A Fistful of Travellers Cheques (1984) / The Supergrass (1985) / The Strike (1988) / The Beat Generation (1983) / Mr. Jolly Lives Next Door (1988), Fifteen to One (1988-2003 and 2014-present), Treasure Hunt (1982-1989), The Snowman (1982), Whose Line Is It Anyway? (1988-1998), Saturday Live (1986-1987) / Friday Night Live (1988), and number one was Countdown (1982-present), the first show to be broadcast on Channel 4, and its longest lasting programme. Other programmes mentioned during the show were: Channel 4 Racing with John McCririck, Trans World Sport (including yak polo), Sumo, Channel 4 News, Beneath the Veil, Right to Reply, The Wonder Years, Thirtysomething, Hill Street Blues, Roseanne, The Golden Girls, and Cheers. This was a really interesting programme, where I could look back on all the great shows I remember and find out about those I may not have heard of before. With contributions from Stephen K. Amos, Leslie Ash, Howard Blake (composer, The Snowman), Gyles Brandreth, Kéllé Bryan (actress and singer), Adrian Chiles, Susie Dent, Vanessa Feltz, Stephen Frears (director, My Beautiful Laundrette), Caroline Frost (presenter), Malcolm Gerrie (TV producer), Andy Hamilton (comedy writer), Nick Hewer,Charlie Higson, Julia Hills (actress, Who Dares Wins), Jools Holland, Guy Jenkin (writer, Who Dares Wins), Dom Joly, Hanif Kureishi (writer, My Beautiful Laundrette), Josie Lawrence (comedian and actress), Iain Lee, Zoe Lyons, Tracy MacLeod (presenter, Network 7), Scarlett Moffatt, Carmen Munroe (Desmond's), Kara Noble (voice of Star Test), Charlie Parsons (presenter and producer, Network 7), Daniel Peacock (Five Go Mad in Dorset), David Quantick, Anneka Rice, Rachel Riley, Paul Ross, Sunetra Sarker, Janet Street-Porter, Claire Sweeney, Gordon Warnecke (My Beautiful Laundrette), and Joe Wilkinson. Very good!
2 Reviews
80s with Lenny Henry
Prismark1027 October 2022
Channel 4 started broadcasting in November 1982. Lenny Henry gives a countdown of the most popular 20 shows in his countdown.
It is a typical show of its kind. Where celebrities discuss the show with a few people who were actually involved in making them.
There is always the suspicion that the celebrities have never seen the shows they have been discussing. If they did watch them, it was a few minutes before the camera rolled.
Some of the countdown was a cheat. P'tang, Yang, Kipperbang and My Beautiful Launderette were actually movies part funded by Channel 4.
One of the shows in the Top 20 was Countdown, the first programme broadcast on launch night. Another was the gritty Brookside also show on the launch night.
There was the controversial music programme The Tube. Two hours on a friday evening and sometimes a bit too amateurish. Clip shows always rely on the good bits and Madonna appearing on it.
A lot of it was not much of a surprise. It was a time when the channel at least tried to be novel.
It is a typical show of its kind. Where celebrities discuss the show with a few people who were actually involved in making them.
There is always the suspicion that the celebrities have never seen the shows they have been discussing. If they did watch them, it was a few minutes before the camera rolled.
Some of the countdown was a cheat. P'tang, Yang, Kipperbang and My Beautiful Launderette were actually movies part funded by Channel 4.
One of the shows in the Top 20 was Countdown, the first programme broadcast on launch night. Another was the gritty Brookside also show on the launch night.
There was the controversial music programme The Tube. Two hours on a friday evening and sometimes a bit too amateurish. Clip shows always rely on the good bits and Madonna appearing on it.
A lot of it was not much of a surprise. It was a time when the channel at least tried to be novel.
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