IT is surprising that there have not been complaints, none that I have seen, on social media or in print. Considering the hefty price consumers pay for DSTV, one would think that the offerings would consist of a lot more than reruns and rescreenings of 1980s and 90s preteen heroes and dysfunctional families. Add to that ancient movies with youthful stars and one would be forgiven for thinking that one was caught in a time warp.
It is hard to believe how something as puerile as Dallas, had us all glued to our TV screens every Tuesday night as old JR thought up more and more ghastly schemes and plots, and we all loved it. In fact the question ‘Who shot JR?’ was a popular topic of discussion at social gatherings and was so addictive that restaurants and cinemas were empty on Tuesday nights when Dallas hit our sitting rooms. Restaurateurs were relieved when the series came to an end.
I don’t want to watch it again. Besides being dated, there is something really off about the colour and quality of the picture which leaves the viewer in no doubt that this is an offering dragged out of the archives of the best forgotten.
Besides Dallas, we have Charlies Angels, Airwolf, Knight Rider with a really wooden David Hasselhof, NYPD Blues, Texas Ranger, and others, which entertained our teens decades ago. The only things of interest in this look back in time are the clothes we wore – shoulder pads – and big hair.
I assume that the reason we have these dinosaurs foisted on us is because they are cheaper than some newer offerings. But considering that we pay top dollar, we should be demanding newer programmes. Things we have not seen before.
Besides the rescreenings, the reruns are truly irritating. I enjoy watching the general knowledge programme, Who Wants To Be a Millionaire. Any fly on the wall would think I was a real boffin because I know most of the answers.
However the reason is that they have shown the same contestants dozens, yes, dozens, of times. There is no fun in watching someone win a million pounds when you know from the minute he sits down that that is what is about to happen. This series was televised in Britain at the turn of the millennium and has run its course, if there is not another series, please stop showing the old ones continuously. Time to hit the off button.
One of the programmes that is up to the minute is sport, but even here there is a catch.
When in DSTV’s offices recently as they tried to sort out our decoder problem, I had time to peruse a poster listing all the “bouquets” on offer. As I was on a cost cutting exercise in my home I had a look at the bundles which had less programmes but were a lot cheaper than the premier offering.
Guess what? Not a single one offered rugby. All the sports programmes on the limited bouquets screened soccer, but only the most expensive, fully inclusive, showed live rugby. I stand to be corrected on this, but I did ask the consultant and she assured me that the poster was correct.
So books have now come to the fore in my home and what a pleasure reading is, and only the very best and much loved is given a re-read. But that too can be different, as imaginations varies the enjoyment of the treasurers nestled between book covers.
