Maybe, for a certain age range, but can you say, without qualification, that it is a better children's programme than, say, Grange Hill?

I think what I'm saying is that children's tv is too big a genre to have one definitive best programme.

I agree. It's too subjective.

And it's "Fingerbobs" anyway.

Fingerbobs - surely the best children's tv programme ever to feature Fingermouse?

Actually, with regard to the original question, is it a question of what we, as (presumably) adults find the best now, or what we liked when we were in the target audience for such shows? Maybe we'd need to ask some children?

Memory is a funny thing - I have fond memories of Rainbow, but hardly any memories of Pipkins, yet I can still remember the feeling of disappointment on realising that the former was on instead of the latter.

I think the fact that the 'classics' seem to change completely every five years underlines your point, Nik.

"Pipkins" laughed at "Rainbow" from a towering height. Hartley Hare was such an inspirational figure, and given my enthusiasm for him as a youngster, it's hardly surprising to consider that I grew up to become a lover of wilfully uncommercial music and extreme comedy...

I don't doubt it about Pipkins and Rainbow. I think I only have more memories of Rainbow because it carried on so much longer. I must have only been four or five when Pipkins was replaced with Let's Pretend, which, for me, was in the Rainbow "not that keen on it but watched it anyway" category.

I always felt cheated by the demise fo "Pipkins"... I can still remember how sad I felt when Hartley Hare said that the last episode was indeed the last one ever, and that next week there would be "a new programme with new people".

Personally, I'm glad that "Let's Pretend" is now indeed "at an end". It had a good theme tune, but nothing else.

The rule is: BBC children's programmes good, ITV children's programmes bad.

Except Marmalade Atkins.

>I always felt cheated by the demise fo "Pipkins"... I can still remember how sad I felt when Hartley Hare said that the last episode was indeed the last one ever, and that next week there would be "a new programme with new people".
>
Pipkins was replaced by Let's Pretend when ATV became Central. It's strange because grown ups were allowed to carry on watching Crossroads and Family Foruntes, but the little people had to have their lives disrupted.

>The rule is: BBC children's programmes good, ITV children's programmes bad.
>
>Except Marmalade Atkins.

Much as I hate this TV-Cremesque bollocks, can I just jog your memory.

DANGER-FUCKING-MOUSE!

Thank you.

To which I would have to add
Jamie and the Magic Torch
Chorlton and the Wheelies
Tiswas (does that count?)
Press Gang

And what about The Tomorrow People? Pure quality.

What about Codename Icarus?

More importantly, what about Ivor The Engine? Those fools on "Stop That Laughing At The Back" once mocked it, but where are they now, eh?

I always found the start and end credits of Bagpuss a bit eerie, actually. No I think of it, I still do.

>>The rule is: BBC children's programmes good, ITV children's programmes bad.
>>
Apparently, during the 1980 franchise round Lady Plowden favoured TVS over Southern because they (TVS) had hired the BBC's Anna Home as Director of Children's Programmes. Within a couple of years she was back at the Beeb.

ahem!

"Tarot cards, Tarot the diamond man, Tarot guards wherever he can..."

Piss off to TV Cream, retro-heads! Now let's start a SERIOUS discusion as to how we can get Brass Ete released on Video and DVD!

Piss off to TV Cream, retro-heads! Now let's start a SERIOUS discusion as to how we can get Brass Ete released on Video and DVD!

Just a minute sunshine... NO-ONE has been more active than I in trying to provoke discussion about the reappearance of "Brass Eye".

And it's over four years old now, and therefore, in your standards, 'retro'...

Now, let's be fair and give Anonymous a chance - I've made a new thread just for him/her. I await the SERIOUS discussion with fervent anticipation.