Mark GJ

Mark GJ

@brokentv.uk

It takes a village of dozens to hold me back - Current project: Auntie's Favourites - The stories behind the BBC's 250 Most-Broadcast Programmes. Current progress: Finding all the bad bits in first draft https://brokentv.uk/

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Mark GJ
@brokentv.uk

BLOG UPDATE: According to Discogs, there have been 6,997 albums released in the UK with "Greatest Hits" in the title. But which of those use the term most tenuously? I've been through the lot of uncover the 20 Least Great Greatest Hits in UK Chart History. brokentv.uk/2026/08/26/t...

brokentv.ukThe 20 Least Accurate Greatest Hits Albums EverA few days ago, there was a thread doing the rounds on BlueSky asking for nominations on the greatest Greatest Hits album of all time. As could reasonably be expected, that basically just became a …
Mark GJ
@brokentv.uk

Got around to watching the recording of this earlier, and it's... a curious film. It presupposes your knowledge that lead character Conquest is a PI and that he's seen as a nuisance by Superintendent Williams (Sidney James), so much so that we assumed it's one of a series of films.

Talking Pictures TV@talkingpicturestv.bsky.social

A hotel room... a date with a blonde... and up to his neck in murder! 8:10am PARK PLAZA 605 (1953) #TomConway #EvaBartok #JoyShelton #SidJames crime drama #TPTVsubtitles

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Mark GJ
@brokentv.uk

Then, a bunch of events happen (that I won't spoil), all wrapping up with a passing reference to Conquest's first name which is Norman. Which in a kitschy PI romp is a fun twist. Undone by "Norman Conquest" being the US title for the film. Feels like an attempt to start a film series it didn't get.

Mark GJ
@brokentv.uk

All of this not helped by Tom Conway putting in a performance as the titular private detective that just made me think "he's the Robert Mitchum we have in the freezer at home".

Mark GJ
@brokentv.uk

Got around to watching the recording of this earlier, and it's... a curious film. It presupposes your knowledge that lead character Conquest is a PI and that he's seen as a nuisance by Superintendent Williams (Sidney James), so much so that we assumed it's one of a series of films.

Talking Pictures TV@talkingpicturestv.bsky.social

A hotel room... a date with a blonde... and up to his neck in murder! 8:10am PARK PLAZA 605 (1953) #TomConway #EvaBartok #JoyShelton #SidJames crime drama #TPTVsubtitles

Mark GJ
@brokentv.uk

But: no. It's a one-off that starts with some guy's golf shot hitting a carrier pigeon carrying a message about a mysterious hotel room meeting, so he goes along to it and tries to bluff his way through the encounter with a gun-toting woman. "What an odd thing for this random bloke to decide to do."

Mark GJ
@brokentv.uk

An advert for Microsoft Word that mentions Crossroads, there. Yes, *that* Crossroads.

OldTechAdverts@oldtechadverts.bsky.social

Practical Computing 1984 November #retrocomputing #vintagecomputing

Mark GJ
@brokentv.uk

I'm aware that "BBC" doesn't necessarily mean "British Broadcasting Corporation" on the internet, but the colour scheme on this top means it could apply for either of the two main definitions.

Mark GJ
@brokentv.uk

Oh no! Due to that PHP vulnerability hackers have got into my Wordpress page and added a load of spelling mistakes that definitely weren't there before.

Mark GJ
@brokentv.uk

Maybe United should just appoint one of their sacked stewards as next manager and at least save a bit of money.

Mark GJ
@brokentv.uk
The Pres Desk@thepresdesk.co.uk

Reform UK has reported ITV to the police following an undercover investigation that exposed racist remarks made by members of the party, with the party also threatening legal action against the broadcaster, its journalists and its board of directors.

thepresdesk.co.ukReform UK Reports ITV to Police Over Undercover Investigation Into Racist RemarksReform UK has reported ITV to the police following an undercover investigation that exposed racist remarks made by members of the party, with the party also threatening legal action against the broadcaster, its journalists and its board of directors.
Mark GJ
@brokentv.uk

Hopefully, finally in the final stretch of finishing off my book on the history of the BBC. Will I have it available to buy for BBC Television's 90th birthday on 2 November? Getting a bit close, isn't it?

Mark GJ
@brokentv.uk

Florian Wirtz plays much better against European opposition. And that's why we must reverse Brexit immediately. #LIVVIL

Mark GJ reposted

Neil Norman And His Cosmic Orchestra
@fubsyshabaroon.bsky.social

I wrote a piece about Holy Flying Circus for @setthetape.bsky.social in 2019:

setthetape.comPython @ 50 – Holy Flying Circus – Movie Rewind“Most of what you are about to see never actually happened. It’s largely made up. Like The Bible.” You’d think a real-life tale about potential blasphemy and religious indignation would be dramatic…
TVARK@tvark.bsky.social

Holy Flying Circus Comedy BBC Four (TalkBack Thames/Hillbilly TV) 19 October 2011 Cast includes: Darren Boyd Charles Edwards Steve Punt Rufus Jones Tom Fisher Phil Nichol Michael Cochrane Roy Marsden Tom Price Simon Greenall Paul Chahidi Jason Thorpe Mark Heap

Mark GJ
@brokentv.uk

Fiver well spent at the charity shop. Nice change from the usual box sets you see there.

Mark GJ
@brokentv.uk

(The Sack Race was, of course, to be filed alongside Double Take under "BBC2 Comedy Zone shows that you didn't need to watch a second episode of".)

Mark GJ
@brokentv.uk

It's Richard Blackwood off Channel 4's "100 Worst Pop Records", who turned up as a talking head to slag off the terrible records on their list, unaware that this was at no 29. #TOTP

Mark GJ
@brokentv.uk

FEATURE REQUEST FOR BLUESKY: Typing a reply containing "So you agree that" automatically drops a 14 ton weight on your head.

Mark GJ reposted

Rhodri Marsden
@rhodri.biz

This is SO clever. Read down the thread (and follow the link) for a better sense of how clever it is…

This post is unavailable.

Mark GJ reposted

The Onion
@theonion.com

“The music is an essential part of any Grand Theft Auto game, and fans are going to love robbing banks and dodging cop cars while blasting classic pop songs like ‘Short People’ and ‘Political Science.’” — Caleb Grothoff, lead developer

theonion.comRockstar Announces 'GTA VI' Soundtrack Contains 10,000 Songs By Randy NewmanEDINBURGH, SCOTLAND—Fanning hype for its upcoming open-world sandbox game by teasing a copious collection of tracks from the legendary singer-songwriter and film composer, Rockstar Games announced in ...
Mark GJ
@brokentv.uk

Elect me as Head of UEFA and I'll ensure any "World Cup Qualification Play-Offs" are actual standalone playoffs, not a semi-final you get excited about winning, only to get clobbered by a bigger team a week later.

Mark GJ
@brokentv.uk

TFW you keep repeating what you need from the supermarket inside your head until it becomes a theme tune.

Mark GJ
@brokentv.uk

REAL TELEVISION PROGRAMMES THAT SOUND LIKE DAVEY JONES STRIPS FOR VIZ: 1. Kilroy in the Holy Land (Sun 26th Mar 1989, 22:40 on BBC One)

Mark GJ
@brokentv.uk

The iPlayer live stream now contains bookmarks for individual chapters within a programme. It's kind of embarrassing how much better iPlayer is compared to the other broadcaster live feeds, isn't it? Unless it's changed very recently, you can't even rewind the live feed on ITVX.

Mark GJ reposted

waltydunlop
@waltydunlop.bsky.social

Should hopefully be small dog later running out of a butcher's shop with a string of sausages in his mouth while a fat man in a stripy apron stands in the doorway waving a cleaver and shouting "GRRRRR" after him.

Mark GJ@brokentv.uk

Saw a dog chasing a cat on the school run. Now on the lookout for a pie cooling on a windowsill and a tramp wearing a broken top hat floating towards the aroma of it.

Mark GJ
@brokentv.uk

Saw a dog chasing a cat on the school run. Now on the lookout for a pie cooling on a windowsill and a tramp wearing a broken top hat floating towards the aroma of it.

Mark GJ
@brokentv.uk

Hoping the initial cinema release is full of dogy CGI, people floating through the air, crowd scenes where everyone has the same face etc, then the BluRay release is just fine.

Reuters@reuters.com

Paramount to develop Cyberpunk 2077 film, lifting CD Projekt RED's shares reut.rs/4s1rFCw

reut.rsParamount to develop Cyberpunk 2077 film, lifting CD Projekt RED's sharesParamount Pictures is developing a live-action film set in the universe of CD ​Projekt RED's video game "Cyberpunk 2077" alongside ‌producer Lorenzo di Bonaventura, entertainment outlet Deadline reported on Thursday, which sent the Polish game developer's ​shares 3% higher in early Friday ​trading.
Mark GJ
@brokentv.uk

The operatic opening of Left To My Own Devices being aaaaaa aaaa aaa aaa aaa aaaa aaaaaaaaaarse.

Sophia_Nyx 🐰@sophianyx.bsky.social

Name a song lyric you've misheard.