The death of Paul Daniels got me thinking – was TV more magical back then?
By Steve Downes….
I grew up with Paul Daniels. He didn’t live in my house, though he may have been there all along, hidden by one of his clever illusions. Or just crouched behind the sofa.
He was a regular on our TV on weekend evenings, on shows including The Paul Daniels Magic Show, Odd One Out and Every Second Counts.
It’s easy to forget how amazed we were by his magic tricks and illusions. And they really were amazing, groundbreaking and hugely entertaining (though I did hate the Bunko Booth).
Daniels’s death got me thinking about prime time TV when I were a lad. But I’m not about to gush about the “good old days”.
For TV wasn’t better in the past – it was different.
I loved Doctor Who with Tom Baker in the lead role, and I loved the modern revamp, particularly with Doctor David Tennant.
Old Doctor Who now looks comical, with wobbly sets and cardboard monsters. But it was amazing at the time, and it should not be compared with today’s extraordinary episodes.
Going back can ruin, not enhance, our nostalgia. I used to love the cartoon Hong Kong Phooey – until I watched an episode a few years ago and was aghast at the production quality.
I had the same experience with two series that gripped me as a young teenager – By the Sword Divided and Tripods. They were superb in the 1980s, but naff today.
I think we do ourselves a disservice when we are dogmatic about things being better in a particular era. Read more….