S11 Contemporary TV

[Jonno]

Let's see what the most popular TV shows were as S11 was getting underway, with the Top 20 for December 1973 - figures are in millions of households, not viewers.

1) The Benny Hill Show - 8.2m
2) Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em - 7.8m
3) Coronation Street - 7.7m
4) This Is Your Life - 7.5m
5) The Generation Game - 7.5m
6) Opportunity Knocks - 7.3m
7) Helen, A Woman of Today - 7.3m
8) My Good Woman - 7.2m
9) Coronation Street - 7.0m
10) Crossroads - 7.0m
11) Crossroads - 6.9m
12) Crossroads - 6.8m
13) Nine O'Clock News (BBC) - 6.7m
14) Sunday Night Palladium - 6.5m
15) Crossroads - 6.4m
16) News At Ten - 6.3m
17) Upstairs Downstairs - 6.3m
18) Harry Secombe Show - 6.2m
19) Heaven Knows Mr Allison - 6.1m
20) Billy Liar - 6.0m

ITV dominate with 15 entries to the Beeb's 5. This was the year that Trevor McDonald joined News at Ten, and ITV's teletext service Oracle launched (Ceefax followed in 1974).

[Rob McCow]

Pratfalls and knockabout, seaside-postcard comedy, closely followed by soaps and talent shows? It's the very essence of British TV!

[Stuart Wallis]

Very little has changed!

[Jonno]

The Top 20 for January 1974 as Sontarans gave way to Dinosaurs :

1) This Is Your Life - 8.8m homes
2) Opportunity Knocks - 8.3m
3) Val Doonican Show - 8.0m
4) Till Death Us Do Part - 7.8m
5) Coronation Street - 7.6m
6) Love Thy Neighbour - 7.5m
7) Beryl's Lot - 7.4m
8) Man About The House - 7.3m
9) Upstairs Downstairs - 7.3m
10) Crossroads - 7.2m
11) Crossroads - 7.2m
12) Coronation Street - 7.2m
13) Generation Game - 7.1m
14) Nine O'Clock News - 7.0m
15) Crossroads - 7.0m
16) Love Story - 6.9m
17) Crossroads - 6.8m
18) Billy Liar - 6.7m
19) Within These Walls - 6.6m
20) Candid Camera - 6.4m

Only 3 shows for the Beeb this month.

[Stuart Wallis]

Other way round now - that haschanged!

[Ralph]

Let's see what the most popular TV shows were as S11 was getting underway, with the Top 20 for December 1973 - figures are in millions of households, not viewers.

1) The Benny Hill Show - 8.2m
2) Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em - 7.8m
3) Coronation Street - 7.7m
4) This Is Your Life - 7.5m
5) The Generation Game - 7.5m
6) Opportunity Knocks - 7.3m
7) Helen, A Woman of Today - 7.3m
8) My Good Woman - 7.2m
9) Coronation Street - 7.0m
10) Crossroads - 7.0m
11) Crossroads - 6.9m
12) Crossroads - 6.8m
13) Nine O'Clock News (BBC) - 6.7m
14) Sunday Night Palladium - 6.5m
15) Crossroads - 6.4m
16) News At Ten - 6.3m
17) Upstairs Downstairs - 6.3m
18) Harry Secombe Show - 6.2m
19) Heaven Knows Mr Allison - 6.1m
20) Billy Liar - 6.0m

ITV dominate with 15 entries to the Beeb's 5. This was the year that Trevor McDonald joined News at Ten, and ITV's teletext service Oracle launched (Ceefax followed in 1974).

Interesting - I would have probably watched 2&5 but the rest I would have given a miss - I'd be more interested to see what was 20-40...

most of that list was visual wallpaper... and most of it was on ITV which had most of the crap

[Jonno]

So the golden era for Who was not a golden era for other British TV then, Ralph?!

[Jason Thompson]

Another late entry, but this year also saw another series for The Two Ronnies and Morecambe and Wise, and although it didn't start until after season 11 had finished, this year also saw the start of what, even before the advent of digital TV endless repeats, was the most repeated television show ever: Porridge.

Most notably, running almost entirely alongside season 11, ITV was showing what is still held to be a landmark in television documentary series: The World At War.