Best TV of 2006?

[Marc Peters]

There's been one mini-series that's stuck out for me in 2006: How Music Works by Howard Goodall.

The man's passionate about music and his exuberance for the subject matter draws you in to what could have been a rather uninteresting documentary. He explains the world of music in both a non-technical and above all non-patronising manor. The four part series explored the seperate components that make up music, and I really don't think the show could have been any better.

Much like Grand Designs, the presenter's skills are married to top notch production values which create an enthralling documentary. Both Howard Goodall and Kevin McCloud are passionate, articulate chaps and although this acts as the underpin for their respective show the editing of each of the programmes sets them apart from much of the dross displayed on our TVs.

Anyone else have a TV highlight for the year?

[The Guru]

Simon Scharma's Power of Art,

Like Mr Goodall, Simon is rivitting to watch and his passion for the subject is enthralling.

[Marc Peters]

Didn't catch that.

Heads and shoulders above all other dramas this year for me was Sinchronicity. Amazing soundtrack and superb story line kept me itching for me right 'till the end.

[LukeD]

Postman pat

[Mark W]

I know it's shite fly on the wall but I found wife swap gripping at times, honestly.

[yeebsy]

X Factor..................................... na only joking. The Planet Earth series was fantastic and I loved the fact is that at the end of the program they showed 10 mins or so on how they filmed it.

[Marc Peters]

Seriously Mark? That surprises me. To be honest I find one episode hard to distinguish from another. But then this is coming from the guy with "Bring It On" in his DVD collection, which precludes me from having any kind of opinion.

[Mark W]

Marc, it suprises me too, it's shite but it pushes my buttons even it is arguably a bit unethical (for me at least) at times, maybe that is why i like it.

Yeesby - I agree about the 'how we filmed it' bit on planet earth, best bit for me.

[The Guru]

I must admit that a couple of these reality TV programs got me. The one about the kids from Northolt High forming a choir was particularly good, as was the asbo lot learning ballet.

[Marc Peters]

Reality TV seems to be a ubiquitos new term for anything filmed in a 'fly on the wall' style. Whilst I admit there's a place for reality TV (the TV companies merely give the audience what they want), it really doesn't compare to thought provoking documentaries such as those you've described. It's a shame the likes of Celebrity Love Island appear lumped in the same genre of film making.

I admit to watching Big Brother. The naivity of the first show's been replaced by media savy, attention seeking twenty somethings. And whilst it's lost its orginal charm, it's become a macabre pantomime; it's interesting to see exactly how far people will go to be famous. In fact my favourite part of the show was the 1 hour weekly episode where behavoural experts would analyse the actions of the contestants. It's telling to see that this was axed in the last series and the human experiment side of the show has certainly been lost. All that remains is a beauty parade. In fact people on the show are so acutely aware of how they're being presented, they end up conforming to the very stereo types the producers want to see: pantomime dames desperate for attention.

The contestants are now less an indicator of human behavour than the audience themselves. You can analyse the Great British public by the comments in newspaper and online forums about the show without watching one episode. People's prejudices are shown to the world in how they react to the contestants. And it's interesting that despite so many people claiming never to watch it, approximately a fifth of the population did exactly that.

Maybe that says more about us that we'd care to admit?