The curse of the 'bonus programme' lurks around every corner. From X-Factor with its Xtra Factor on ITV 2, to Big Brother with Little Brother and Big Mouth on E4, it seems no programme can escape the desire of the schedulers to squeeze every last broadcast hour out of a concept by giving it a spin off.
I'm a Celebrity does it, Dancing on Ice does it, Strictly Come Dancing does it, and now add to that list ... Question Time.
Yes, I'm serious. David Dimbleby is now reduced, at the end of each show on BBC 1, to announcing that Question Time Extra (oh the hard thought which must have gone into that title) over on BBC News 24.
Now most bonus programmes work by offering more of the same from the main programme - 'unseen' clips etc, etc, but they tend to keep the level of quality at the same level, normally even more flash-hungry celebrities talking waffle and acting in odd ways.
But Question Time Extra doesn't even achieve that. After all, Question Time itself is an institution, based on the premise of bringing together serious political hitters to discuss the issues of the week in front of an intelligent audience.
Admittedly, the recent inclusion of the likes of Kirstie Allsopp (yes, the pioneer of dreadful relocation programmes on Channel 4) and Daily Mail columnist Allison Pearson (quote: "I bet Douglas Alexander feels like looking for a canoe now!") have hardly helped the programme maintain its position as bedrock of the BBC's high-level output, but it's still a stimulating, informative programme which puts politicians on the spot.
Contrast that to the poor offering at 11.30pm on BBC News 24. It's presented by Chris Eakin, a decent enough sort of newsreader, who hosts the news on 24 until about 12.30am. He is sat in what appears to be the the rest room area of the main News 24 studio (rest room as in break room, not as in the American term for rest room) with two people who are typical New 24 guest fodder. Unknown to anyone but their mother and father, and very opinionated.
Chris Eakin then has to wade through emails and texts from 'Rog from Tamworth' and 'Shaun from Lichfield' who come up with wonderfully insightful comments, like: 'MPs are paid too much' and 'I'm bored of Diana' and ask the two guests - one of whom turns out to a prospective parliamentary candidate in the next general election - for their opinions too.
It's awful. It's the exact opposite of what Question Time is. At least on Question Time the vast majority of the panel are MPs - on Question Time Extra the standard has dropped so far as to allow someone who wants to be an MP to be one of just two guests.
The one saving grace is that it spares viewers the worst interview programme in the world - Hard Talk, effectively a casting couch for any journalist after their own programme - for at least one night a week.
Question Time returns in January. Let's hope Question Time Extra doesn't.
- Post to:
del.icio.us
Digg
Newsvine
Nowpublic
Reddit
« Previous | Home | Next »