"Ghosts," "The Story of SM:TV Live," "Victoria Wood" and "Bridgerton"
Here's some good shows to watch during the Christmas break.
Hello you,
At a time when we’re all apart, TV can really bring us together.
Netflix and countless new streaming services have changed the way we watch television, but there’s nothing like watching a show knowing that everybody else is watching it at the same time as you, especially loved ones. It’s especially true this month. So with that in mind, here’s a quick list of festive picks to tide you over:
Ghosts (BBC One, December 23rd, 8.30pm) - The best sitcom of the past few years returns with the best Christmas special on TV this year. I can’t go into details due to spoilers, but some scenes towards the end of the episode will particularly resonate with anyone not having a usual Christmas at home. It was unintentional, as it was filmed before the pandemic took hold.
The Story of SM:TV Live (ITV, Boxing Day, 9:25am) - A great documentary celebrating the iconic Saturday morning kids show from the late nineties, which also catapulted the careers of the show’s presenters: Ant & Dec and Cat Deeley. It’s a real nostalgia fest. You’ll also learn that the show was not an instant success when it started either. In fact the presenters found these episodes so embarrassing they have never watched them.
Death to 2020 (Netflix, December 27th) - There’s no Charlie Brooker ‘Wipe’ on the BBC this year, but there’s this special on Netflix instead. With editing right up to the last minute, it makes you wonder how much comedy you can make from an unbearably sad year.
Zog and the Flying Monsters (BBC One, Christmas Day, 2.40pm) - A beautiful little animation for the little ones, based on the illustrations of Julia Donaldson.
Bridgerton (Netflix, released on Christmas Day) - Many period dramas I’ve reviewed in recent years have fallen into the trap of being slow-paced and lacking in originality. This new Netflix series is the total opposite. Based on the books of Julia Quinn (and brought to television by the US TV powerhouse Shonda Rhimes), you’ll get blown away by exciting cast, interesting plots and a surprisingly modern soundtrack.
Victoria Wood’s Secret List (BBC Two, Christmas Day, 9:10pm) - You might be tired of the shows based on archive material, but what makes this show worth watching is how it celebrates Victoria Wood’s work through a list of her favourite sketches that she had written in her own personal notebook. There’s always something nice in knowing that it was approved by the creator herself.
Michael Palin’s Himalaya: Journey of a Lifetime (iPlayer) - If you watched the documentary series celebrating the work of the comedian and travel broadcaster, there’s now a 90 minute special looking back at his Himalaya series, which was filmed back in 2004. Just a nice excuse to watch a lovely bloke, really.
Mortimer and Whitehouse: Gone Fishing (iPlayer) - If you’ve missed the Christmas special hosted by Bob Mortimer and Paul Whitehouse, make sure you catch up with it. Expanded to a full 60 minutes, this special just focuses on their friendship and how Christmas reconnects us with the bad memories, as well as the good.
The Masked Singer (ITV, Boxing Day, 7pm) - Why not? It’s Christmas.
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If you want a podcast to listen to… the Must Watch Christmas Special is now available to listen to on BBC Sounds. I interviewed Cat Deeley about SM:TV Live, Hugh Skinner about Zog. Nicola Coughlan also swung by to talk about Bridgerton, whilst Ben Willbond and Simon Farnaby talked about Ghosts.
If you’re looking for some more recommendations… I’ll be on BBC Radio 5 Live on Christmas Eve at 3pm to talk about the greatest Christmas TV episodes of all time, as well as Christmas Day to talk about what is worth watching that day too. I’ll also be on BBC Breakfast on Boxing Day.
Merry Christmas.
Scotty / @scottygb