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Post by RitaLittlewood on Jul 3, 2007 11:49:57 GMT
If only real-life ones were like those at the Mill. Instant appointments day or night, coming out when it's not their turn, even accompanying patients to hospital and visiting them. As if.
Patsy
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Post by gingercat on Jul 3, 2007 12:01:04 GMT
I enjoy Doctors, sounds as if I'm in the minority here. ;D No me too Sootycat..I love it..I dont know why others dont like it....I think its more of a drama than a soap. In fact I note that in the Inside Soap awards its in the Best Drama catagory. |
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Post by RitaLittlewood on Jul 3, 2007 12:05:08 GMT
I don't like it simply because it's not true to life. They spend all that time with just one patient sorting out even personal problems in their home. It's rubbish.
Patsy
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Post by gingercat on Jul 3, 2007 17:38:19 GMT
I know what you mean Patsy..I always think that I wish I could get an appointment as quick as that & a home visit as well...but they do have some very good storylines & its a nice little drama during the day.
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Post by sallywebster on Jul 3, 2007 18:20:30 GMT
I totally agree Patsy. I dont watch but from what ive heard from other people its so unrealistic its untrue!
It seems a bit random whether its a soap or not really. I think its not. But its included in some of the tv mags soap sections, and at the soap awards, but thats probabaly to make up the numbers. All About Soap and Soaplife dont include it though and they are soap mags.
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Post by RitaLittlewood on Jul 3, 2007 18:35:12 GMT
You're not kidding, Jez. When I was seriously ill in 2004 and in complete agony, the doctor refused a home visit. I had to go there. I'd had no sleep at all and could barely get around. And when those nice doctors at A&E finally admitted me on the 3rd trip (by which time I was in a really bad way and collapsed waiting for tests) my GP didn't come over and visit. No one's did in that ward. It's all rubbish.
Patsy
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Post by sallywebster on Jul 3, 2007 19:28:47 GMT
At our GP's you have to ring the surgery between 8am-9am to book an appointment to be seen that day. You can have an appointment if a) you can get through b) the appointments havent all been taken by the time you get through.
Yeah you are better off going straight to Casualty if you are really ill or phoning NHS direct.
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Post by RitaLittlewood on Jul 3, 2007 20:10:29 GMT
NHS Direct was bullshit when I was ill which is why I ended up getting an ambulance instead. The 3rd time I didn't even try them, just dialled 999.
Patsy
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Post by gingercat on Jul 11, 2007 18:39:43 GMT
Media Guardian
The BBC is looking to create a new version of peak time drama Waterloo Road or use Scottish show River City as a replacement for BBC1 daytime soap Neighbours.
These ideas are among options being looked at by BBC1 controller Peter Fincham to fill the twice-daily 25-minute slots, at lunchtime and teatime, that will be left empty when the Australian soap moves to Channel Five in March next year.
A number of independent drama production companies are also understood to have been approached about putting together a proposal, including Spooks creator Kudos, Hollyoaks producer Lime Productions and Brookside co-creator Colin McKeown's company LA Productions.
It is understood Waterloo Road's producer Shed Productions has been asked to look at creating a long-running 30-minute version of the peak time school drama, which currently airs in an 8pm slot.
Two series of the drama, set in a comprehensive school in Rochdale, have broadcast on BBC1 - eight episodes for the first run and a 12-part second outing.
A 20-part third series of Waterloo Road, in its existing one-hour format, is expected to air as early as this autumn on BBC1.
If chosen for a daytime slot, Waterloo Road would have to tone down some of its subject matter, which has previously included a stabbing, a miscarriage and a suicide.
In its existing peak time incarnation Waterloo Road contains moderately strong language and sexual references before the 9pm watershed.
Mr Fincham's second main option is thought to involve running successful BBC Scotland soap River City in the Neighbours slots.
It is not yet clear whether English BBC1 viewers would get the soap from the beginning or whether it would transfer wholesale from its current run on BBC1 in Scotland, where it often attracts around 600,000 viewers.
The series, set in the fictional Glasgow suburb of Shieldinch, was first broadcast in September 2002 and is produced and broadcast by BBC Scotland.
Two episodes are currently shown north of the border every week, with an omnibus edition on Sundays.
It is also thought Lime Productions is looking at putting together a proposal for a Neighbours replacement, while LA Productions has plans for a soap shot on location in Kirkdale in the north-west.
Kudos is thought to have been asked to consider pitching for the Neighbours slots, but declined because it is too busy with other projects.
Sources have said the BBC is only offering up to £90,000 for each 30-minute episode for the new daytime soap - compared with up to £135,000 it costs to make each similar instalment of Channel 4's Hollyoaks.
It is thought the BBC only wants an initial run of 40 episodes to air over eight weeks, but producers have said that an order of at least 100 would be needed to make the show cost effective at that budget level.
"They don't want it to be any more expensive than Neighbours," one source said. "It is a tall order for whoever does it."
Sources have said no final decision on what will replace Neighbours has been made, although one is expected soon.
It is also understood the BBC wants the replacement show ready for as soon as Neighbours departs, but sources have said it would be "nigh on impossible" to have a new series ready in time.
"Something like creating a new soap takes such an enormous amount of skill," one senior source said.
"It would not be possible to create a new soap in time for March. That is really too soon."
The BBC is in the process of filling the vacant controller of daytime role, and the new appointment would want a say in what will be one of their biggest ongoing shows.
The Channel 4 controller of daytime, Adam Macdonald, and his ITV counterpart, Liam Keelan, are seen as the front runners for the job. Both are former BBC1 schedulers.
A BBC spokeswoman had not returned calls before publication.
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Post by RitaLittlewood on Jul 11, 2007 19:05:17 GMT
March will be here before they know it so anything brand new will have to get into production soon. I'm guessing they'll go for River City as it's already being made.
Patsy
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Post by eithne on Jul 11, 2007 20:45:12 GMT
None of these options sound brilliant do they?
If River City gets the nod then the makers will have to build it up enough to be able to run 5 nights a week as it would need more staff, characters and sets to do this. Doubt they would be able to do that between now and next March. So they would have to run it from the beginning/midway through its run. But if the episodes are from 2002 will they do that?
If I had to put money on it I would say that the Waterloo Road option will be most likely. Shed Productions are eager for expansion at the moment, and have 2 new series in production for ITV, Waterloo Road series 3 for the Beeb and 2/3 new series for the US market. And looking at the demographic of Neighbours I would say it is viewed mainly by teenagers (and those young at heart!), a fact which will be taken into account when the commissioners are doing their job. So a soap with quite a few teenage characters would be a likely option.
But at the same time I can't see it being Waterloo Road per se - a spinoff from it is more likely featuring a few WR characters, as it does well in primetime and I can't see them wanting to move it. Also I doubt many of the cast would want to stick with it if it was made all year around. And spin off series are especially popular at the moment, looking at Casualty and Heartbeat which have both spawned two.
As for the other contenders it would be very difficult to get everything sorted out in time. March is probably when Neighbours is going off BBC1, so that would mean that production would have to start in January which leaves six months to do sets, casting, scripts etc. And with only £90,000 per episode it would be even harder as the budget would always be a problem.
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Post by RitaLittlewood on Jul 11, 2007 20:49:34 GMT
Maybe they can buy some old ITV half hour shows. Cost less and fit nicely into that slot.  Patsy |
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Post by eithne on Jul 11, 2007 21:32:41 GMT
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Post by RitaLittlewood on Jul 11, 2007 22:04:57 GMT
LOL! Oh no more BBC then? Patsy |
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Post by sootycat on Jul 12, 2007 11:28:15 GMT
I watched the odd episode of River City and quite enjoyed it.
The actor who plays Paul Robinson in Neighbours was in it. !!
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Post by RitaLittlewood on Jul 12, 2007 12:03:59 GMT
Really? Blimey now he's back in Neighbours. Small world.
Patsy
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Post by sootycat on Sept 19, 2007 11:21:25 GMT
I wonder if they are any nearer to making a decision on what to show in it's place yet.?
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Post by RitaLittlewood on Sept 19, 2007 14:27:15 GMT
I hope so but I don't know if I'll watch anything. Someone said on Teletext they should put on Pobol Y Cym (sp).
Patsy
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Post by sallywebster on Sept 19, 2007 19:18:22 GMT
I read that too. Cant imagine that every happening with it being in Welsh LOL! A lot of people wouldnt bother with subtitles so wouldnt watch. Mind you Pobol Y Cwm did get shown on BBC2 nationwide for a period in the mid 1990s.
I am wondering if the BBC will replace it with a new soap - it would be a gamble as new soaps often flop these days.
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Post by RitaLittlewood on Sept 20, 2007 11:46:29 GMT
Maybe they could put some repeats on. They show enough already but they're mainly modern things, apart from the SAME comedies. Some classic dramas and comedies would be nice.
Patsy
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Post by sallywebster on Sept 20, 2007 19:11:48 GMT
Yes especially as there are already far too many soaps and episodes of soaps.
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Post by CG Wendy on Oct 11, 2007 10:35:29 GMT
From what I`ve seen of Waterloo Road series 3 I`m not impressed.
I bet the BBC don`t even know themselves what to put in the Neighbours slot. What I would love to see in its place is old dramas from the 60`s and 70`s..... Poldark, the Onedien Line, The Forsyte Saga etc.
They could gain a whole new region of fans.
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Post by RitaLittlewood on Oct 11, 2007 12:04:06 GMT
Oh definitely. I got into Poldark when it was on UK Gold after the furore over the HTV one not having the main cast so decided to see what the fuss was about. The HTV one was crap.
Patsy
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Post by sallywebster on Oct 11, 2007 19:08:24 GMT
Ive never seen it but wont here a word against HTV! LOL
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Post by RitaLittlewood on Oct 11, 2007 20:39:37 GMT
LOL! It was crap. It had John Bowe as Ross and Mel Martin as Demelza. There was just no chemistry between them. I bought the books after I got into it and it wasn't a patch on them. Although the BBC completely screwed up the first 4 which made Winston Graham pissed off but they were more accurate with the next 3 before it ended.
Patsy
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