I was watching a documentary about Hiroshima on Netflix, It was a BBC production and I am very

[Pat Vegas]

disappointed with it.

It was 2 parts each 1 hour long. Rather than be an interesting documentary it was a long winded strung out boring re-creation which resembled a low budget movie.

This is not what I want in a documentary. I want more information. I want to see real articles relating to actual events.

I have a similar problem with the Auschwitz documentary they made too. I think it's 6 parts but again suffers from the poor crime watch reconstruction style acting.

It's like history for morons.

[Berni]

respect whatsoever for their viewers' intelligence is on BBC4 or repeats of old documentaries on satellite.

At some point - about ten years ago - the beeb decided that its audience could not possibly understand or empathise with any historical situation or figure without some third-rate actors in costumes mouthing p*sspoor and anachronistic dialogue.

Basically, the last really good mainstream documentary series the beeb made was Simon Schama's History of Britain. And even that was a bit populist in places.

Oh, for the good old days of 'Civilisation' or 'The Ascent of Man' in which clever men who actually knew their subject told us stuff.

[Harry Balls]

[Pat Vegas]

[Harry Balls]

Nobody needs to sit through several hours when they can get the facts off wikipedia and a highlights reel off of YouTube. It's called freedom of information, not what the BBC can package up to sell DVDs, or commercial stations can anticipate being able to sell over-priced advertising against.

Persil Ad Director "What is it, again"

ITV rep "It's a 4-hr programming piece on war"

Persil Ad Director "Have you tailored it specifically around taking breaks just before the really interesting 'reveals' of the documentary?"

ITV rep "Yes, we've done the audience up like Kippers"

Persil Ad Director "Marvellous. I'll take 3 slots later on, after 9pm, when my white background-based commercials, designed to create an association with cleanliness, will burn our logo into the retinas of the viewer at large. The dull imagery of the documentary and the light off in the living room suit our marketing campaign perfectly".

ITV rep "Er, yeah. That's 2 Million quid, then"

Persil Ad Director "Cheap at half the price"

Evil chuckles abound.

[Pat Vegas]

And I saw one about a bloke who likes f**king his car (I think this was on C4 but not 100% sure)

But they never go to the depths that I would like. They have to be sensitive to the freak they are interviewing.

But I want to know how this man f**ks his car. Not just him polishing the car and telling us how he's cheated on it with another car.

[Berni]

its public service remit) and, more damagingly, a result of the lefty bias of the Corporation, which dictates that a didactic, instructive approach to documentary making is elitist, old-fashioned and in danger of making the ignorant feel uncomfortable about being ignorant.

As a result, no-one actually learns anything.

[Pat Vegas]

I find it very interesting. Even if they don't have video footage for the whole show and have to put in some photos here and there. It works they keep it flowing well.

I really enjoy this programme. It was a bit sad whilst on holiday I would try to make sure I was back a the hotel by a certain time to watch it Even in Vegas I suspiciously said ok let's go to the hotel for a while and chill out and go back out later. 'Oh look American Greed is on'

[Pat Vegas]

is a recap of part 1

[Luis Anaconda]