When good TV goes bad: Goodnight Sweetheart

At the start the sitcom was a compelling comment on male insecurity, but it soon descended into cartoonish plotlinesThe 1990s were an innocent time. Tony Blair was a god, Donald Trump was a joke and the world felt hopeful. It really did seem as though things could only get better. In 1992, the political scientist Francis Fukuyama went so far as to publish a book called The End of History and the Last Man arguing that the triumph of liberal democracy marked a new age of stable government and sunlit uplands. The only real worry was whether you preferred Blur or Oasis. So it was perhaps inevitable that into this comfortable stupor popped Gary Sparrow, a time-travelling bigamist TV repair engineer from Cricklewood.Gary, played by the affable Nicholas Lyndhurst, was the protagonist of Goodnight Sweetheart, one of the most successful sitcoms of that halcyon decade. In it, Gary is a man behaving boringly who is unsure about his role in this confusing modern world where women like his wife Yvonne have the temerity to study psychology instead of cook his dinner. Luckily, he discovers that he can leave this hellish peace and equality behind and travel back to the more exciting East End of the early 40s, where men were men and innocent people died by the thousand. He then does what any of us would do if we’d just discovered the secret of time travel, and shags the first person he sees. This person is Phoebe, a pub landlord’s daughter, who becomes Gary’s other wife. And so begins his... Continue reading at 'The Guardian'

[ The Guardian | 2019-07-01 12:00:23 UTC ]
News tagged with: #travel back #time travel #high concept

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Prolific TV creator Shonda Rhimes will write 'part memoir, part inspiration' book

Shonda Rhimes is the creator of the TV shows 'Grey's Anatomy,' 'Private Practice,' and 'Scandal.' Continue reading at The Christian Science Monitor

[ The Christian Science Monitor | 2013-11-22 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #part memoir #part inspiration #shonda rhimes #tv shows #private practice


TV Fears 'Race to the Bottom' With Real-Time Bidding

Programmatic buying might be common for digital publishers, but for TV networks, shaking up legacy media buying won't happen easily.Interpublic Group of Cos. announced in August a consortium that includes A&E Networks, Cablevision, Clear Channel and Tribune to build and test an automated... Continue reading at Advertising Age

[ Advertising Age | 2013-11-19 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #real-time bidding #programmatic buying #digital publishers #interpublic group


Short ebooks: don't let one bad experience ruin a literary phenomenon

Penelope Lively's recent short ebook for Penguin drew criticism for its brevity – but readers should not be put off the genre as a whole"Overpriced", "ridiculous", I feel cheated". Amazon reviewers haven't been wholly positive about a digital short Penelope Lively has written for Penguin... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2013-11-17 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Is an X Factor for novelists a good idea?

A literary talent show is about to be aired in Italy, but is television the right place to nurture literary talent?Jonny Geller, agent and joint CEO, Curtis BrownAn X Factor for books is about to launch on Italian TV – it had to be Italian, didn't it? – and you can imagine the literati running... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2013-11-16 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #vice versa


Good Housekeeping Gets New Editor-in-Chief

Hearst Magazines president David Carey announced the hire of Toronto-based Chatelaine editor-in-chief Jane Francisco as editor-in-chief at company flagship Good Housekeeping. Per  Continue reading at Folio Magazine

[ Folio Magazine | 2013-11-13 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #good housekeeping


Jane Francisco Named Editor-in-Chief of Good Housekeeping

Hearst Magazines named Jane Francisco the editor-in-chief of Good Housekeeping magazine, the company said Monday, succeeding longtime editor Rosemary Ellis. Ms. Francisco is editor-in-chief of Chatelaine, a women's lifestyle magazine based in Canada. She begins her new job Dec. 2.Ms. Ellis,... Continue reading at Advertising Age

[ Advertising Age | 2013-11-12 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #good housekeeping #david carey #digital revamp #cosmopolitan magazine


AUDIO: Topsy and Tim on TV after 50 years

Cressida Cowell, author of the How to Train Your Dragon book series, and Greg Childs, former executive producer for CBBC & Cbeebies, discuss the re-introduction of classic children's TV. Continue reading at BBC News

[ BBC News | 2013-11-11 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #cressida cowell #executive producer #classic children


Lenovo Miix 10 review: A good tablet with an (optional) killer keyboard

Lenovo is known for building notebooks with exquisite keyboards, but the company is also no stranger to the tablet game. It has also introduced pioneering convertibles, such as the Yoga 11s and the newer Flex 14. The Miix 10 should be the culmination of that experience, but this hybrid falls... Continue reading at PC World

[ PC World | 2013-11-05 00:00:00 UTC ]
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You Talked About These New TV Shows, but Did You Watch? Mostly, Yes

In a series of September and October posts (the most recent one right here), Ad Age has been taking a broad view of the "social buzz" surrounding the fall TV season's new shows. We worked with the Keller Fay Group, a market-research firm that specializes in tracking "real world" conversations --... Continue reading at Advertising Age

[ Advertising Age | 2013-11-01 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Eyetracking And The Neuroscience Of Good Web Design

Fabian Stelzer, EyeQuant's CEO, believes there's a science to how we view the Web. Whether on desktops or on mobile, whether we're male or female, young or old, our eyes will be drawn to certain common elements of web design–– a combination of contrasts, locations, contours and colors. Stelzer's... Continue reading at Fast Company

[ Fast Company | 2013-10-18 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #tech world #email address


Kobo removes all self-published titles. Is this censorship, an overreaction, or just good sense?

Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Kobo removed self-published pornographic titles from their sites and Kobo stopped sales of self-published titles altogether. Continue reading at The Christian Science Monitor

[ The Christian Science Monitor | 2013-10-16 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #self-published titles #good sense #barnes noble


Is Peer Review A Big Bad Joke?

Is something rotten in the world of academic publishing? Yes, if you read a blockbuster piece in the latest issue of Science magazine showing how many open–access journals have little or no quality control, and apparently put hard cash (in the shape of author contributor fees) before... Continue reading at Fast Company

[ Fast Company | 2013-10-10 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Frankfurt 2013: CONTEC Opens 'Good Mood' Frankfurt Book Fair

The popular Tools of Change is no more, but in its place a more intimate digital conference--CONTEC--kicked off what Frankfurt v-p of conferences and entertainment & media Holger Volland said was going to be “a good mood” Frankfurt Book Fair. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2013-10-08 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Big date coming up? Try reading a good book before you go

A recent study done by New York's New School for Social Research found that, after reading literary fiction, participants displayed more social perception and empathy. Continue reading at The Christian Science Monitor

[ The Christian Science Monitor | 2013-10-05 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Reader’s Digest Partners With HMN, Turns to TV

CEO Robert Guth's plan to bring RDA Holding Co. back from insolvency called for a drastic rate base reduction for it's flagship magazine, Reader's Digest. Continue reading at Folio Magazine

[ Folio Magazine | 2013-10-04 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Hearst's Dr. Oz Magazine Takes Shape as 'The Good Life,' Pitches Buyers

Hearst is likely to call its forthcoming Dr. Mehmet Oz magazine "The Good Life," according to two people familiar with the matter. The title will likely also include the celebrity physician's name, though it's unclear precisely how that will be presented.A Hearst spokeswoman declined to... Continue reading at Advertising Age

[ Advertising Age | 2013-09-28 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Comic Book Artist Turns Breaking Bad</em> Episodes Into Killer Posters

If you're not already in a state of advanced excitement over the Breaking Bad finale, Francesco Francavilla's episodic images will put you over the edge.     Continue reading at Wired

[ Wired | 2013-09-28 00:00:00 UTC ]
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New Kindle Fire tablets receive good response from reviewers

The tech community seems especially impressed by a feature called Mayday, which calls up an Amazon tech support employee via video chat to help with tablet issues. Continue reading at The Christian Science Monitor

[ The Christian Science Monitor | 2013-09-26 00:00:00 UTC ]
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'The Good Lord Bird' is a twisted take on an abolitionist's story

James McBride takes liberties as he visits the story of white abolitionist John Brown through the eyes of a young slave in 'The Good Lord Bird.'John Brown, the white abolitionist who sought to free black slaves with the barrel of a gun, is a recurring character in American literature. He's one... Continue reading at Los Angeles Times

[ Los Angeles Times | 2013-08-31 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Morning TV Show “Today” Launches a New Book Club

The Today Show's monthly book club gives publishers new hope for Oprah-like success and features interactive elements like Twitter chats. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2013-08-20 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #book club #today show