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brokentv.uk
Mark GJ
@brokentv.uk
1.5K followers 980 following 3.9K posts
#RetroTV #Comedy #UKTV #Film #PopMusic #RetroGaming #RetroTech #PopCulture Current project: Auntie's Favourites - The stories behind the BBC's 200, um, 250 Most-Broadcast Programmes. Current progress: Glacial https://brokentv.uk/
brokentv.uk
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Reposted by Mark GJ
dirtyfeed.org
John J. Hoare @dirtyfeed.org · 2h
Brand new on Dirty Feed: what was special about the Fawlty Towers episode "Basil the Rat"?

Short version: it had two days in the studio, while every other episode only had one.

Long version: www.dirtyfeed.org/2025/10/tc8-...
Fawlty Towers, "Basil the Rat": the Major spots the offending creature in the bar.
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brokentv.uk
Mark GJ @brokentv.uk · 1d
Despite minor user inconvenience, it'd be handy if it required a BBC.co.uk login to access, and maybe a CAPTCHA every few pages of results. Though I'm not naive enough to expect the Beeb to have spare resource to put all that in place. (PROVE ME WRONG, TIM DAVIE.)
BBC - Home
The best of the BBC, with the latest news and sport headlines, weather, TV & radio highlights and much more from across the whole of BBC Online.
BBC.co.uk
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brokentv.uk
Mark GJ @brokentv.uk · 1d
Going by @feelinglistless.bsky.social it's apparently under siege by AI scrapers much of the time, which means having to hope your timing is lucky. I had a few hours of uninterrupted Genome use the other day (letting me finish something I'm working on), until it started giving JSON errors.
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brokentv.uk
Mark GJ @brokentv.uk · 1d
Even for a curmudgeon like me, it's a treat. A genuinely funny, watchable new sitcom that can air in a pre-watershed slot. (And so good, the UK version even got an airing on NBC in That America during a writers strike.)
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brokentv.uk
Mark GJ @brokentv.uk · 1d
5. Fawlty
4. Army
3. Dibley
2. Blackaddery
1. Jubbly
Full list here: www.comedy.co.uk/tv/top/
Yes Minister finished sixth, which is commendable for something like that. I'd like to see the same effort expended on a modern-day poll. Peep Show and Ghosts maybe getting into the top ten?
Top 50 TV Sitcoms - British Comedy Guide
A list of the best British comedy Sitcoms on TV.
www.comedy.co.uk
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brokentv.uk
Mark GJ @brokentv.uk · 1d
Same, though in fairness it's not as if I'm allowed to pile up 75 tabs of thing I'll never get around to reading or watching on there.
brokentv.uk
Mark GJ @brokentv.uk · 1d
If you're anything like me, between tabs and top-of-window favicon shortcuts, you've not gone into your 'main' bookmarks drop-down for years.
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brokentv.uk
Mark GJ @brokentv.uk · 1d
Given the state of Tesla FSD, it'll be hilarious to watch.
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brokentv.uk
Mark GJ @brokentv.uk · 1d
From today's YouGov survey. How can anyone cope with just having two or three browser tabs open?
Q. When you use a web browser on desktop/laptop, how many tabs do you have open? 1: 6% 2-3: 29% 4-5: 26% 11-15: 5% Results continue: 16-20: 3% 21-30: 2% More than 30 (THE CORRECT AND ONLY SANE ANSWER): 4%
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brokentv.uk
Mark GJ @brokentv.uk · 2d
Link to video: www.youtube.com/watch?v=TBtK...
"Britain's Best Sitcom" - Yes minister (1/4)
YouTube video by Humphrey Appleby
www.youtube.com
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brokentv.uk
Mark GJ @brokentv.uk · 2d
Been watching Armando Iannucci's hour-long 2004 campaign to vote Yes Minister as Britain's Best Sitcom. A pity the nature of it - getting people to take part in a phone vote - makes it hard to repeat now, but at least (a) it's on YouTube, and (b) it means I could grab this potential reaction meme.
Jim Hacker pulling a funny face in an outtake.
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brokentv.uk
Mark GJ @brokentv.uk · 2d
"Sod this. What else have they made? Oh. 'Rebuild Castle Wolfenstein'."
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brokentv.uk
Mark GJ @brokentv.uk · 2d
"Fash Bandicoot."
everyfilmnow.bsky.social
Every Film Now @everyfilmnow.bsky.social · 3d
Elon Musk announces xAI game studio will release a great AI-generated game before end of 2026.

Powered by Grok, the studio aims to revolutionize gaming with dynamic, photo-realistic experiences.

#xAI #Grok #AIGaming
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brokentv.uk
Mark GJ @brokentv.uk · 2d
(I say this in the hushed tone of someone trying to let their family know there's a badger in their garden. Don't make any loud sudden noises, or it'll go away again.)
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brokentv.uk
Mark GJ @brokentv.uk · 2d
Psst. Genome's working right now.
brokentv.uk
Mark GJ @brokentv.uk · 4d
"Damn." / "Ooh, hang on." / "Damn."
A 502 error on trying to connect to Genome. Image of the Wayback Machine search screen. Message saying the BBC Genome page I want isn't on archive.org
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Reposted by Mark GJ
pipmadeley.bsky.social
Pip @pipmadeley.bsky.social · 2d
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brokentv.uk
Mark GJ @brokentv.uk · 2d
"We're making a sequel to Se7en, called... no, I've got Se8en written down here."
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Reposted by Mark GJ
thespoilist.bsky.social
Andrew | TheSpoilist @thespoilist.bsky.social · 2d
Help fund indie magazine @fromthesublime.bsky.social. Just 12 days left to make it happen. You can read lots of lovely stuff from very talented writers... and also me.
From The Sublime - Issue Four
We're back. And it's about time. (And a bunch of other stuff...) | Check out 'From The Sublime - Issue Four' on Indiegogo.
www.indiegogo.com
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brokentv.uk
Mark GJ @brokentv.uk · 2d
How long til we get news of "The Usualer Suspects"?
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brokentv.uk
Mark GJ @brokentv.uk · 3d
Definitely this. Having recently looked at some of the annuals from 2000 to 2010ish, where at one point they had a low-quality strip "having a go at chavs" it's a relief it made the change to just being really, really good. Hurrah, eh chums?
brokentv.uk
Mark GJ @brokentv.uk · 3d
My eldest has been getting into the Beano over the past few years, and it's a delight to see how good it still is. Given how all the IPC titles degenerated into collections of reprints (and, thankfully, new J Edward Oliver stuff), it's genuinely heartwarming to see it still thriving.
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brokentv.uk
Mark GJ @brokentv.uk · 3d
Whilst the Proper Dennis the Menace is still legit funny today.
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brokentv.uk
Mark GJ @brokentv.uk · 3d
America has GONE TOO FAR this time.
Post on Bluesky (user name redacted): "OK, I an American, have a question. Did anyone in the UK ever think anything in the Beano was funny? Was there just a weird national eye-rolling contest going on?"
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Reposted by Mark GJ
goonpod.bsky.social
Goon Pod @goonpod.bsky.social · 3d
Love this picture of Harry Secombe enjoying chow with a couple of Munsters in 1965. Harry was doing Pickwick in the States at this time.

Herman enjoyed Pickwick but said when it came to Dickens he preferred Zombie & Son, while Grandpa was fond of Our Mutual Fiend
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brokentv.uk
Mark GJ @brokentv.uk · 3d
Obviously, there's no way such a system could prevail now. But, the 1991 franchise round was a thrilling time for young TV nerds like me, and it's unfair that the subsequent generation of same didn't get to enjoy their own.
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