The Boat That Guy Built

[WotEver]

I think most of the disappointment with the programme could be put down to cr*ppy editing, and trying to squeeze to much into the time.

I think most of the dissapoinment came from folk who had unrealistic expectations of the content of a prime-time BBC1 programme.

 

It's about a man who's proud to be British, who laments the loss of much of our proud heritage, and who's pottering about on a narrowboat whilst exploring this heritage. At the same time it includes much lush scenery and scenic shots of canal locations (apart from the episode which was shot in January, which includes much ice).

 

Tony

[andywatson]

I had no problem with his sense of humour, nor indeed his accent (I'm amazed that people worried about that), I think most of the disappointment with the programme could be put down to cr*ppy editing, and trying to squeeze to much into the time.

 

Tim

 

My comment about tuning into his sense of humour was not being sarcastic about him.

Given it was his first programme, viewers will take time to get used to his style which is quite different to most other TV presenters.

I have no problem with his accent. Mine is similar as I was raised a few miles away in Doncaster.

[canaldrifter]

If this is the basis of your argument, then fair play for still being at it...

 

 

Tone

[gaggle]

Gaggle,

 

you may have gleaned from my previous posts on the forum, that I've travelled the length and breadth of this old country of ours, in the course of my business of manufacturing and installing security shutters. As you can imagine, in areas where there's a need for such protection, there's also the odd scally or three waiting to have a go.

 

In my time particularly in the inner cities of Manchester and Liverpool, I have learned to be vigilant and 'street wise' to say the least. Please don't suggest that I overestimated, or, overstated the situation, I'm too long in the tooth for all of that!

 

Mike

 

 

Sorry but that is exactly how it reads to me , someone asked if you had ciggerette papers to spare , one of three approached you to do the asking and nothing you said indicated it was in any way done in a threatening manner.

 

As you are in the business of security may i suggest it has been in your interest to paint a less than rose tinted picture of the world we live in , what alarm salesman is going to go around telling people no threats exist , bogey men everywhere waiting to pounce is exactly what they want people to believe or they would never sell the alarms.

 

The three lads , label hoody ,scally , why , the description all but says BEWARE and they have done nothing wrong , your view of what happened is a lot different than mine and in my opinion portrays a wrong image of that canal location.

Right next to the bridge i have seen about twenty men each with a couple of children in thier care more than likely giving time ,effort and the use of what looked to be a whole array of fishing equipment to teach them how to enjoy fishing , and no doubt how to interact with boaters and other canal users , in other words i seen a community that shows some care and not the place you paint your bleak picture of , .

Someone has built the huge shopping centre just further along , i have moored there overnight ,left the boat empty there during the day and do you know what happened , nothing at all , no trouble whatsoever.

Roll on the next episode of show anyway.

[muddywaters]

I think most of the dissapoinment came from folk who had unrealistic expectations of the content of a prime-time BBC1 programme.

 

It's about a man who's proud to be British, who laments the loss of much of our proud heritage, and who's pottering about on a narrowboat whilst exploring this heritage. At the same time it includes much lush scenery and scenic shots of canal locations (apart from the episode which was shot in January, which includes much ice).

 

Tony

Well maybe it should have been called Guys how industry was built or something like that.

Then people who watched it for the boating connection in the title would not have been disappointed

Edited March 4, 2011 by muddywaters

[Chertsey]

 

WRT "Misleading the general public", which part of:

 

wasn't in the show?

 

It might have too many commas, but I don't see where it's misleading.

 

Tony

If you go back to my first post, you'll see that I was actually quite positive about the programme. My subsequent comments were aimed at posts that seemed to suggest that accuracy was less important because the programme was aimed at the general public rather than at us canal anoraks. I'm not even saying that there *were* inaccuracies - only that if there had been, the nature of the target audience shouldn't be used to excuse them.

 

Djwenda, Canaldrifter - it's fascinating to see how defensive you can get about a bit of TV light entertainment!

Edited March 4, 2011 by Chertsey

[Mick and Maggie]

I enjoyed the program, it was entertaining without challenging my limited knowledge. Being a biker, Guy is not an unknown quantity and he is well known for a very dry streak of humour. I remember him being interviewed on Manx radio during the TT where he corpsed the intervewer. If you have listened to the Brian Johnson clip (which has now become cricketing lore) "The bowler is Holding the batsmans Willey" you will know what I am on about.

 

Allthough some of the comments from the anal retentive folk on this forum did make me laugh.

Canalworld reminds me of a retirement home sometimes, all bickering and pointless indignation.

 

Reading through the "critical comments" reminds me more of the retired meerkat home in Meerkovo.

 

A list of forum types.

 

Mick -n- Mags

[canaldrifter]

Well maybe it should have been called Guys how industry was built or something like that.

Then people who watched it for the boating connection in the title would not have been disappointed

 

I watched it for the boating connection title, and I wasn't disappointed.

 

Tone

 

 

 

Djwenda, Canaldrifter - it's fascinating to see how defensive you can get about a bit of TV light entertainment!

 

....especially when it's being misjudged by a much loved bunch of pedants on here!

 

Actually I don't watch live telly. I watch selected programmes on t'puter, and this is one of my selected progs. I thought it was great. So did most of the watching public apparently.

 

Going orf on another tack. Did it do any harm to the boating world???????

 

Tone

[alan_fincher]

Going orf on another tack. Did it do any harm to the boating world???????

I guess it's wait and see time to see how many future hire boaters decide it's the thing to do to light up a barbecue on the boat roof.

Edited March 4, 2011 by alan_fincher

[Water Rat.]

I am reserving judgement on this program. I would have liked to have seen a bit more of the boat really. But, at least Guy is pleasing on the eye, a nice change from the usual crusty old souls we usually see on canal related programs. And - I just loved the way he says 'watter' plus his side burns take me right back to the 70's and the days my when my brother used to hobnob with Barry Sheen ( ) and all blokes would have been proud of facial hair like that.

 

Probably a female perspective...

 

By the way am I the only one who has never actually seen Rosie and Jim or even heard of Joshua Jones? My kids must be the wrong age.

Edited March 4, 2011 by Water Rat.

[canaldrifter]

Nobody should be judging this series on one episode. That would be like judging a boat by its bow fender.... though looking at mine, that might be quite accurate!

 

Tone

[GUMPY]

Reading through the "critical comments" reminds me more of the retired meerkat home in Meerkovo.

 

A list of forum types.

 

I have found a few forum members here

[Mick and Maggie]

I have found a few forum members here

 

That's a very good listing of Forum "Flame Warriors" I have just started reading the A's and Androids certainly abound on here.

 

M-n-M

[Dominic M]

No objection to the accent, I just thought he hammed it up and was speaking Mummerset.

 

I thought the programme was disappointing; others liked it. Jack Spratt etc.

 

I can't subscribe to the idea that BBC1's early evening audience can't be expected to absorb something a little more demanding on the intellect though. If that really was the view of the schedulers, which I doubt, how patronising.

 

Building a brick furnace to make a kettle was a bit too "The Good Life" for me, with the humour and Felicity Kendall's posterior noticeable by their absence.

[Tillerman]

A couple of thoughts:

 

1: It's not a "light entertainment" programme, its classed as a factual programme. For that reason it should, at least, try not to mislead and be factually correct in its content and the way it presents the content. The three locations used were all in different parts of the country and the impression was that Guy and Reckless travelled to each of these locations - for time, we don't need to see the journey in full, but we do need to be made aware of it - which they did.

2: If it's aimed at "the general public/mass audience" then who are we on here? Just because we have an interest in the canals and boating does not exclude us from being a part of the audience that this series was made for.

3: The title is "The Boat That Guy Built" - about a narrowboat renovation project. Where, in programme 1 did we see any narrowboat renovation? WE saw a blast furnace and the Wedgewood factory and some tea tasting. Perhaps the actual renovation process doesn't start until programme 2 - either way, the description of the series was misleading.

 

I don't want to appear like a pedant but for a BBC factual programme I expected more and I think it crammed too much in. It didn't set up anything about the boats history other than a couple of throw away lines and we didn't hear what plans were instore - is it going to be a modern fit out? Fully traditional?

It's a fusion of several things - part boat restoration, part canal history, part industrial heritage and part travelogue.

A lot to cram into a 29 minute programme

 

Lets hope programme 2 delivers a little more "meat!"

[canaldrifter]

A couple of thoughts:

 

1: It's not a "light entertainment" programme, its classed as a factual programme. For that reason it should, at least, try not to mislead and be factually correct in its content and the way it presents the content. The three locations used were all in different parts of the country and the impression was that Guy and Reckless travelled to each of these locations - for time, we don't need to see the journey in full, but we do need to be made aware of it - which they did.

2: If it's aimed at "the general public/mass audience" then who are we on here? Just because we have an interest in the canals and boating does not exclude us from being a part of the audience that this series was made for.

3: The title is "The Boat That Guy Built" - about a narrowboat renovation project. Where, in programme 1 did we see any narrowboat renovation? WE saw a blast furnace and the Wedgewood factory and some tea tasting. Perhaps the actual renovation process doesn't start until programme 2 - either way, the description of the series was misleading.

 

I don't want to appear like a pedant but for a BBC factual programme I expected more and I think it crammed too much in. It didn't set up anything about the boats history other than a couple of throw away lines and we didn't hear what plans were instore - is it going to be a modern fit out? Fully traditional?

It's a fusion of several things - part boat restoration, part canal history, part industrial heritage and part travelogue.

A lot to cram into a 29 minute programme

 

Lets hope programme 2 delivers a little more "meat!"

 

I think you should watch the Discovery channel. not BBC 1.

 

Do you really think the programme does any harm to the boating world?

 

Tone

[Tillerman]

I think you should watch the Discovery channel. not BBC 1.

 

Do you really think the programme does any harm to the boating world?

 

Tone

 

BBC1 commission factual programmes in the same way Discovery and Nat Geo does.

 

Where did I say that it would do any harm to the boating world?

[canaldrifter]

BBC1 commission factual programmes in the same way Discovery and Nat Geo does.

 

Where did I say that it would do any harm to the boating world?

 

You didn't, but your implication was that it failed in some way.

 

I know reaction to this series is split amongst boaters, but early signs are that it might be popular with the GP. That can't be bad if it does no harm to the system.... which, so far, it hasn't.

 

You really can't expect a factual boat re-fitting prog on prime time telly.... can you?

 

Tone

Edited March 5, 2011 by canaldrifter

[Graham Davis]

Well the 3 4x4 Forums plus the 2 general car forums I also frequent all thought it was a brilliant programme with not one negative response, so I don't think Tillerman gets a lot of support.

[Tillerman]

You didn't, but your implication was that it failed in some way.

 

I said it tried to cram too much into the first programme and what was promised didn't deliver.

I know reaction to this series is split amongst boaters, but early signs are that it might be popular with the GP. That can't be bad if it does no harm to the system.... which, so far, it hasn't.

That can only be a good thing, I agree entirely.

 

You really can't expect a factual boat re-fitting prog on prime time telly.... can you?

Then don't call it The Boat That Guy Built and list it as a boat renovation series!

As I said, it is trying to be several genres all at once, part history, science, travelogue and so it sometimes misses the point.

That said, I am quite prepared to give it a couple of episodes to sort itself out. I suspect that programme 1 was more about introducing us to Guy than anything else and I think he came across as a very enthusiastic presenter. As everyone keeps saying, if this is aimed at a "mass audience" then there are many people who won't know who he is, so its important his character comes across early on in the series.

[canaldrifter]

Well the 3 4x4 Forums plus the 2 general car forums I also frequent all thought it was a brilliant programme with not one negative response, so I don't think Tillerman gets a lot of support.

 

There does seem to be a huge 'poo-pooing cos we know better' element on this forum.

 

Maybe that's cos they have nothing better to do. My excuse is that I'm 'puter bound much of the time. What's theirs?

 

Tone

[Tillerman]

Well the 3 4x4 Forums plus the 2 general car forums I also frequent all thought it was a brilliant programme with not one negative response, so I don't think Tillerman gets a lot of support.

 

I wasn't after any support, just making my own oberservations.

 

Each to their own.

[tigster]

Well I thought it was hysterical, A bit of light hearted entertainment, and I can't wait for the stupid questions I am going to be asked by my friends and family, and non boaters on the towpath! if it continues on the same vain I'm going to be having a right laugh perpetuating the myths created by this program! I might start some new ones!!!!

[Wiggins]

Gosh, imagine if it were something really important, not just a tv show.

It's like those people getting het up about so-called historical movies (Amadeus? - sp); most people neither know nor care it's all wrong, you're never going to change it, if it upsets you that much maybe go & do something else, if only for the sake of those around you.

Mind you, have yet to practise this much...

 

edited with an e

Edited March 5, 2011 by Wiggins

[Guest]

I think a few people on here could do to lighten up a bit (aimed at no particular individual.)

Edited March 5, 2011 by Guest