Saturday, 27 August 2022

The Transformers / The Larkins


It's early mornings and late nights this week on The Peggy Mount Calamity Hour, as our hosts test the theory that the greatest things arrive at either end of a day's scheduling.

The first stop on today's televisual trek comes hiding in plain sight, as TVAM's premiere episode of The Transformers comes in for some arch reminiscence and critical scrutiny. And later, what better way to round off a long week than with Peggy Mount boldly waving the flag for sitcoms still to come, as we meet The Larkins?

Have we voyaged far enough across the galaxy for a being shaped remarkably like a re-arranged Freightliner FL86 to finally fit in? Have we travelled far enough back in time to find A Farce™ that Doctor Velvet can stomach? And how far do we have to go before the most literal lavatorial humour ceases to be the easiest way to derail a pair of childish podcast hosts?

If you're absolutely sure your electronic device is really what it purports to be, then go ahead and press Play to find out...



You can download a special sheet to print out then safely collate your Peggy Mount Calamity Hour Quiz answers each week, here.:



WE HAVE BEEN WATCHING:


Programme:
The Transformers
Broadcast: '1985'
Production/Channel: Marvel / Sunbow / Toei Animation, ITV
Writer: George Arthur Bloom, Henry Orenstein
Music: Johnny Douglas
Producer/Director: Nelson Shin, John Gibbs
Starring: Peter Cullen, Corey Burton, Scatman Crothers, Christopher Collins, Casey Kasem, Don Messick, Frank Welker, John Stephenson

Programme:
The Larkins
Broadcast: Friday 19 September 1958, 22:15
Production/Channel: Associated Television, ITV
Writer: Fred Robinson
Music: Jackie Brown
Producer/Director: Bill Ward
Starring: Peggy Mount, David Kossoff, Ronan O'Casey, Frank Williams, Shaun O'Riordan, Ruth Trouncer





You can Subscribe, Like, Follow, Rate and Review on:



The Peggy Mount Calamity Hour is a free podcast from iPorle Media, which holds production copyright. Opinions and recollections expressed are not to be taken as fact. The title and credit music is by Doctor Velvet, with additional live accompaniments by Ozzy Bognops. Audio segments from television programmes are presented for review and informational purposes only under fair use, and no ownership of these is claimed or implied by this show. Email enquiries to PeggyMountPod@gmail.com

Friday, 19 August 2022

Swap Shop / CHiPs


The heat is on as the weekend arrives for The Peggy Mount Calamity Hour at long last, and what better way to burst into the best two days than with some high-sugar cereal, high-profile casting and high-energy televisual nonsense?

Our hosts find themselves huddling around the gogglebox for the grand finalé of BBC's Multi-Coloured Swap Shop, following which there's just enough time to strap on eight wheels and fire up the funk to become an absolute health-and-safety liability for the grand finalé of the CHiPs's Roller Disco evening...

What does it say about children's British live TV programming that there's not a single guest in Television Centre under the age of 40, apart from the one boy that usually hangs around outside? What does it say about American policing that two people on high-powered motorcycles can't catch three people on roller skates but one person in a car can, and she wasn't even trying? And what does it say about impressionability that Doctor Velvet and Blackout are now actively considering buying Heelys?

Join the party, press Play and find out...



You can download a special sheet to print out then safely collate your Peggy Mount Calamity Hour Quiz answers each week, here.:



WE HAVE BEEN WATCHING:


Programme:
Swap Shop
Broadcast: Saturday 27 March 1982, 09:30
Production/Channel: BBC One
Music: B.A. Robertson
Producer: Chris Bellinger
Starring: Noel Edmonds, Keith Chegwin, Maggie Philbin, John Craven, Delia Smith, Barry Took, David Bellamy

Programme:
CHiPs
Broadcast: Saturday 10 May 1980, 18:30
Production/Channel: MGM / NBC, ITV
Writer: Rudolph Borchert
Music: Alan Silvestri
Producer/Director: Cy Chermak / Don Weis
Starring: Erik Estrada, Larry Wilcox, Robert Pine, Fred Williamson, Leif Garrett





You can Subscribe, Like, Follow, Rate and Review on:



The Peggy Mount Calamity Hour is a free podcast from iPorle Media, which holds production copyright. Opinions and recollections expressed are not to be taken as fact. The title and credit music is by Doctor Velvet, with additional live accompaniments by Ozzy Bognops. Audio segments from television programmes are presented for review and informational purposes only under fair use, and no ownership of these is claimed or implied by this show. Email enquiries to PeggyMountPod@gmail.com ----- Labels: Peggy Mount, Swap Shop, CHiPs, Noel Edmonds, Keith Chegwin, Maggie Philbin, John Craven, Delia Smith, Barry Took, David Bellamy, Erik Estrada, Larry Wilcox, Robert Pine, Fred Williamson, Leif Garrett

Saturday, 13 August 2022

Press Gang / Gambit


As regular listeners will surely attest, the presenters of The Peggy Mount Calamity Hour are not renowned for idling, time wasting or messing about, and it's this sleeves-up / down-to-business approach which has made them a leading light in the Vintage Television Podcasting Community. Those are the words Producer Ken wrote for this introduction after he went on that seminar last week, anyway. So that was money well spent.

But it is indeed time to hit the ground running and grab some huge scoops, as Doctor Velvet and Blackout find themselves part of the Press Gang, juggling journalism, school lessons and life-lessons to boot! And speaking of things to be learned, 'Do Not Cross Fred Dineage' should be top of the list if you dare take the Gambit in Anglia Studios...

Where can you find the coolest discotheque outside of Miami? Where can you find the most expensive cutlery outside of Buckingham Palace? And where's the best place to hide when Dineage has got that look of pure temper in his eye? (clue: outside)

Take a twist and find out...



You can download a special sheet to print out then safely collate your Peggy Mount Calamity Hour Quiz answers each week, here.:



WE HAVE BEEN WATCHING:


Programme:
Press Gang
Broadcast: Monday 16 January 1989, 16:45
Production/Channel: Central Television, ITV
Writer: Steven Moffatt
Music: Peter Davis, John Mealing, John G Perry
Producer/Director: Sandra C Hastie, Colin Nutley
Starring: Julia Sawalha, Dexter Fletcher, Lee Ross, Paul Reynolds, Kelda Holmes, Charlie Creed-Miles, Lucy Benjamin, Angela Bruce, Roger Sloman

Programme:
Gambit
Broadcast: Monday 05 April 1982, 17:15
Production/Channel: Anglia Television, ITV
Writer: David Self (questions)
Music: Peter Fenn
Producer/Director: Peter Townley
Starring: Fred Dineage, Michelle Lambourne, Peter Fenn, John Benson





You can Subscribe, Like, Follow, Rate and Review on:



The Peggy Mount Calamity Hour is a free podcast from iPorle Media, which holds production copyright. Opinions and recollections expressed are not to be taken as fact. The title and credit music is by Doctor Velvet, with additional live accompaniments by Ozzy Bognops. Audio segments from television programmes are presented for review and informational purposes only under fair use, and no ownership of these is claimed or implied by this show. Email enquiries to PeggyMountPod@gmail.com

Friday, 5 August 2022

Grange Hill / The Gaffer


Ever keen to show willing and set a tentative foot outside of what their therapist tag-team refers to as a 'comfort zone', the hosts of The Peggy Mount Calamity Hour bite the bullet and wade into the unmitigated squalor of vintage televisual entertainment, pegs on noses and smelling salts at hand.

The first stop on this week's voyage of absolute judgement is Grange Hill comprehensive, where the curriculum appears to be taking second place to evening-jobs, underage drinking and non-sterile medical facilities (yes, it's THAT episode). Then it's a foray into grotty working life under the auspices of Wilberforce Maynard as The Gaffer, at which point it appears that alienating friends and developing a near-lethal narcotics habit actually had more laughs after all...

How many other podcasts start laying into sitcom continuity before the programme has even started properly? How many other presenters eschew All The Issues to fixate on Greater London bus routes of 30+ years ago and moshing to Status Quo? How many times does one have to Just Say No?

There's one way to find out, and it involves Just Pressing Play...



You can download a special sheet to print out then safely collate your Peggy Mount Calamity Hour Quiz answers each week, here.:



WE HAVE BEEN WATCHING:


Programme:
Grange Hill
Broadcast: Friday 21 February 1986, 17:10
Production/Channel: Children's BBC, BBC One
Writer: Margaret Simpson, Anthony Minghella / Norma Flint
Music: Alan Hawkshaw
Producer/Director: Ronald Smedley, David Bell
Starring: Lee Macdonald, Erkan Mustafa, Fiona Mogridge, Sara McGlasson

Programme:
The Gaffer
Broadcast: Friday 09 January 1981, 20:30
Production/Channel: Yorkshire Television, ITV
Writer: Graham White
Music: Brian Wade, Maureen Darbyshire, Nick Sherriff
Producer/Director: Alan Tarrant
Starring: Bill Maynard, Pat Ashton, Russell Hunter




You can Subscribe, Like, Follow, Rate and Review on:



The Peggy Mount Calamity Hour is a free podcast from iPorle Media, which holds production copyright. Opinions and recollections expressed are not to be taken as fact. The title and credit music is by Doctor Velvet, with additional live accompaniments by Ozzy Bognops. Audio segments from television programmes are presented for review and informational purposes only under fair use, and no ownership of these is claimed or implied by this show. Email enquiries to PeggyMountPod@gmail.com

Murder She Wrote

Ah, the haunting season seems to arrive earlier every year, and what better way to avoid the hustle and bustle of shoppers laden with ab...