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What annoys you most about TV programmes?

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Which? Convo regular Alfa is here to debate a new topic – TV annoyances. What winds you up about telly these days? Is it the volume of ads? What about excessive narration?

I was watching Eggheads the other evening and they have introduced an annoying background beep. That got me thinking of other TV annoyances.

Let me jog your memory

‘Earlier in the program we showed you…’ – that is probably the one thing about TV programmes I hate the most.  Sure, a brief ‘In this programme…’ introduction at the start of the programme is no problem. And even an ‘in the next programme…’ at the end can work.

But why do programme makers think we need reminding before and after every set of adverts? Can we really not remember what we saw 10 minutes ago? Do we really need another reminder of what we are about to see?

I find Border Patrol and Nothing to Declare interesting programmes but the format of splitting storylines into several parts, only to then keep reminding you what you have already seen drives me mad! Why can’t they show a whole storyline then go on to the next one?

Even Countryfile has adopted this annoying format and I can’t be bothered to watch it anymore. I might actually watch more programmes right to the end if the repetition stopped.

Can you hear me at the back?

Then there’s the annoyance of filling most of the screen with what’s on next or worse, an announcement before the current programme has even finished – this completely ruins the end of a programme. Plus, sometimes I like to read the credits but they are unreadable when squashed on one side of the screen to make room for what’s next.

Having to turn the volume down when the adverts come on used to be a big problem.  This was greatly improved a few years ago but seems to be sneaking back again.

I also think the BBC are very bad at running programmes late and not adjusting their timings so the end of recordings are missing. I once wrote to the BBC when they ran a series finale late. I had recorded it on Sky and the climax was missing even though the extra 2 minutes were added to the end of the recording; their reply was a bit of an anti-climax.

Arrgghh, coming next…it’s over to you!

So, are you like Alfa – are you getting annoyed by TV? What are your top annoyances and do you have any tips to get around them?

This is a guest post from Which? Conversation community member, Alfa. 

Comments
273
malcolm r says:
23 July 2015

I get irritated when people who should know better speak of “nucular” instead of nuclear. How often now do you hear “would of” or “could of” instead of “… have”. Eyerag and Eyeran – why? Surely Iraq and Iran? Oh, and those who, in reply to question in an interview, begin their answer with “So……”. I suppose it supplants “Er…”. “Umm…” and “Well” but it so irritates me.

But life is too short to get upset (it is getting longer however as each day passes) and I’ll calm down in the workshop by hanging a new door.

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Ian Colley says:
31 July 2015

@ Malcom….Couldn’t agree with you more, but you missed out the latest prevalent start to an answer: “I mean”….sometimes “Well, I mean”….which indicates the clarification of a previous statement, but just replaces an ‘umm’ or an ‘er’.

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John Ward says:
31 July 2015

I can’t stand the modern abbreviation ‘uni’ for university but I suppose ‘varsity’ sounds a bit stilted these days.

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JP poncin says:
2 April 2016

Excellent documentaries all round, but why have irritating music over the voices can hardly hear interesting information. .Which is what informative programs are about…furious I wish I could pull the plug on musos in these shows.I often have to switch to nonsence programes..Angry and frustrated by this.. Jon

(Edited by moderators: We have edited your comment as it was all written in
capital letters. Please read our commenting guidelines for more information).

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User 66219 says:
2 April 2016

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Rosie Lake says:
28 September 2016

Why oh why are we given stage directions on so many programmes. It is getting to the stage where I am seriously thinking of stopping viewing of some of my favourite programmes. Doctors, Corrie are now totally spoiled for me with comments like ”Todd is looking over his shoulder” or on Michael Portillo’s train journey through Switzerland ”Michael is getting onto the train” —YES I can see that, thankyou!!
Is this for the use by the partially sighted or blind viewers?
Does anyone else find this an annoying intrusion

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User 66219 says:
28 September 2016

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alfa says:
28 September 2016

Running commentaries annoy me too.

Watching the Olympics gymnastics routines to music was completely ruined by commentators. Do we really care if they are doing a double toe…..whateveryoucallit? We can see if they do a bad landing, do they really need to tell us?

BBC had a channel on Sky that showed the Olympics opening ceremony without commentary… what a relief to just enjoy the spectacle without the usual inane ramblings. Wish they would do that more often.

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User 66219 says:
28 September 2016

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Rob North says:
29 September 2016

Well said Duncan, I think that you got it spot – on.
On the subject of old old films I feel that something like “Hobsons Choice” might be a bit of a mystery to young people, more’s the pity.

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User 66219 says:
29 September 2016

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Rob North says:
29 September 2016

Greed TV- it’s now on all day and night. Buy some tat for twenty pence in a charity shop having noticed that it has “Tiffany” stamped into the base and “Flog It” for two GRAND (i’m sure the presenters like Paul Martin the king of tautology are encouraged to use this awful term as part of the hype) or buy a house at auction for a BARGAIN price, throw a few tins of whitewash over it and sell it three weeks later for a profit of forty two and a half GRAND (even the lady presenters are now trained in the use of this term)
The “antique” shows are bad enough (the BBC admits to having 29 antique type shows on I player) but the whole business of the crafty buying and selling of STUFF and the often shamelessly rigged results is designed to appeal to people’s greed. This rubbish is expanding rapidly across all channels and now includes Steptoe characters out foraging in their vans, which after a few series have morphed from old bangers into the latest models, no doubt placed by Ford and Mercedes. The other dayI found myself watching a programme about two American!! ragmen at work……
I fear we are only a step away from showing real criminals at work as entertainment with the thrill of a pickpocket opening stolen wallets on camera and the presenter saying “you must have nearly a GRAND in there!”

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User 66219 says:
29 September 2016

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John Ward says:
29 September 2016

I tend to agree that the craze of trying to get something for nothing, striking a bargain, and haggling over prices is being fed by silly TV programmes – but they are not compulsory viewing and I see them as entertainment. It is unfortunate if an antique dealer is brow-beaten to sell at a loss, but that is quite a rare occurrence I would say; the price at auction will be the judge of that anyway.

The curious thing is that these tendencies can’t be linked to the recession or austerity because the articles in question are not essentials by any stretch of the imagination. I suppose society has always had its scavengers, and TV is now one of them – making rubbish viewing out of others’ discards.

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Michael says:
22 April 2020

Happy to find this blog.On BGT you see more of Ant &Dec faces than d performances. I stopped watching.I won’t be treated like a moron.

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alfa says:
22 April 2020

I think it was the cringe-factor that did it for me – years ago.

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alfa says:
22 April 2020

I have a new gripe . . . Box Sets on Sky.

I have lost count of the number of series we have started watching on box sets only to find they have been removed and have to pay extra if we want to watch the rest of the episodes.

The last one wanted another £17.99 to watch what was included in our viewing package a few days before. So another series we will have to wait until the repeats reappear as we refuse to pay twice.

I check the availability before we start watching so they must move the dates.

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Chris Graver says:
31 January 2021

BBC Bargain hunt. The amount of times a I have asked the BBC (on Twitter) To be truthful, the contestants dont have 1 hour to pick items – it is all day. Also they cant pick 3 items, 2 are already chosen by the “expert” and the contestants can pick 1. Also the auction is not the same day as the contestants choose the items. I know this as a work mates sister in law was a contestant and because of the fakery, they did not go to the auction. Tim Wonnacott gave the excuse that they missed the train! How to get this information out to the wider audience so they know what is going on I dont know. Its wasting licence fee money.

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John Ward says:
31 January 2021

Yes, Chris, but as programmes go it’s just a bit of light-hearted froth that gives a few people something to look at with their afternoon tea and biscuits.

The ‘experts’, who are actually genuine antique(s) specialists or auctioneers and presumably not short of a shilling but will do anything to keep the pot boiling, are sometimes not so knowledgeable about the market price of things as they would like to think and only pick items to examine that they know something about. They seem to be there more to display their plumage than anything else. A member of the public turning up with three different objects would probably need to see three different experts for reliable valuation estimates.

If you think Bargain Hunt is antiques rubbish, watch Celebrity Antiques Roadshow, or any of the other silly antiques-based programmes gratifying the public’s curiosity over the value of old artefacts.

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