There have been countless great UK TV shows over a hundred years of programming that have come and gone. Some pop up and vanish again in a matter of years or even months, but some have created a long-lasting impression on our modern view of media. Here are just a few examples of classic shows that are still influencing entertainment even today.
Game Shows
The annals of British TV are packed with game shows of all kinds, from quiz shows like Blockbusters or The Weakest Link to more luck-based shows like Deal or No Deal. There have been more than a few unique gimmick shows as well like the quirky Big Break, but all of them share a flare for presentation and a charismatic host to tie it together.
Apart from modern incarnations, the concept has spilt over into other areas like online casinos, where some of the biggest casino sites in the UK have clearly taken inspiration. Live casino games have that classic game show feel, and collections like the Paddy Power live casino game shows are full of titles with that similar presentation, right down to the charming hosts often in full formal wear or glitzy outfits.
Crime Dramas
We're not sure what it says about the British public that one of our most enduringly popular genres of TV is centred around murder and scandal, but it's a fact either way. Whether it's the grumpy, gritty approach from Inspector Morse, the old-time sensibilities of Miss Marple, or the more unique versions found in Lovejoy or Jonathan Creek, there's quite the selection to choose from.
It has left a whole generation of TV viewers constantly looking for the twist or the surprise reveal. Apart from keeping the crime drama genre going still, that aspect has also inspired more unusual and mysterious productions, not least of which the thought-provoking Black Mirror, which upended many of the tropes and expectations previously set in murder mysteries.
Talk Shows
While not as classic as other genres in the sense that they haven't been around quite as long, talk shows are nevertheless a core part of the fabric of British TV. Iconic names like Terry Wogan are entrenched in the minds of older viewers, as well as newer iterations of the same idea like The Paul O'Grady Show which is still running today.
These shows, and their international counterparts like Oprah in the US, set the stage for a relatively new kind of entertainment in the form of podcasts. These online productions are fundamentally just talk shows but without the set, and some like Off Menu hosted by comedians Ed Gamble and James Acaster are proving able to bring in 'viewing' numbers approaching those of many long-established TV versions. The big appeal in podcasts, however, is that they are open to all levels of expertise, which allows for so much innovation at the amateur level.
With online streaming now taking over as the dominant medium, TV as we know it will soon look very different. However, we're confident that the traditions and inspirations above will live on in whatever form our entertainment takes next.
