Not much solace for the television – bound

Press, 30 December 1976, Page 9

Not much solace for the television - bound

By R. T. BRITTENDEN Sunburn sufferers and holiday - makers disenchanted with the sudden change in the weather probably made Tuesday night’s television audience one of the most critical of the year. It. was a challenge TV2 met rather better than its rival, although neither channel had the sort of fare to carry viewers away in a transport of delight. In the early evening, TV2 had its regular “Fun Factory,” the give-away show' with the energetic Bobby Van. This performance is

quite curious. Mr Van, almost bursting at the seams with bonhomie —if he is like that at home, he must be in danger of divorce—is not one of the world’s top singers. But he gives away $BOOO cars as if they are old socks, and makes Selwy;n Toogood seem like Ebenezer Scrooge. It is proclaimed that all the contestants in the strange little quizzes are pre-selected, but off Mr Van goes to find one, among a sea of waving, acquisitive hands.

There is another strange feature—a lot of advertisements for American products are built into the show, with far more

vigorous promotion than New Zealand television

would allow'. In all, a bizarre business; but the prospect of something for nothing has a wide appeal and so. probably, has Bobby Van. Television Two’s trump card was the Carol Burnett show. She is among the best in the business, and in Harvey Korman she has a highlyskilled and quite delightful comedian. “The Carol Burnett Show” really gives value—a litle music, but. mainly, well - presented sketches. There are more fresh ideas here than a month of other comedy shows could muster. On the same channel, there was “Barlow.” which is always well worth watching, although on this occasion we didn’t. Television One’s crime story was the weary “Hawaii Five-O,” a very lightweight piece indeed. It reflects the quantity of advertising on American television, for it comes m little segments, each designed to end in a dramatic climax of sufficient intensity to hold the audience captive through the deodorants and washing powders. So they all emote furiously, except for the hero. Jack Lord, who invariably looks as impassive as a well-preserved but rather dead flounder.

“ I he Dick Emery Show” might have been a winner, but it wasn't. He has a tremendous following, and that is understandable. But this was a repeat programme, repeated rather too soon. for Emery w'ith his mad characters has achieved' the nearimpossible in the fantasy world of television . . . his stuff is remembered. Television One’s main course was the first Beatles film, “A Hard Day’s Night.” It was interesting, especially for one who had not seen it when it was produced 12 years ago. but it would be more interesting to know what the youngsters of today thought about it The music seemed to have its old appeal—but how durable is it? The youthfullooking Beatles, complete with heavy Liverpool ac cents, were hardly recognisable, but in this zany comedy — in the style adopted and embellished by The Monkees—they showed a remarkable ease in front of the cameras. It was all very corny, of course, but that was inevitable. And it was the better for Wilfred Bramble, in familiar form.