Rated/Slated – May 09

1066: The Battle for Middle Earth was the most appreciated programme on Channel 4 last month, while the lack of live feed continued to upset some Big Brother fans ahead of this week’s BB10 launch.

Channel 4’s viewer enquiries team handled a total of 12,435 contacts (phone calls and emails) from viewers in May. Each query was logged and the appropriate people at Channel 4 notified. Of these contacts, 1,159 criticised the channel and its shows, while 430 complimented the programmes broadcast.

Top 10 programmes most appreciated by people who contacted Viewer Enquiries in May 2009 (quote is an example of viewer comment):

1. 1066: The Battle for Middle Earth (21contacts)
   Thank you for 1066 – a stunning innovation in historical drama/documentary. My pulse raced and I cried in turns. I have never seen history documented so evocatively.
2. Kirstie’s Homemade Home (18)
   What a lovely programme this is – very down to earth, informative and inspiring and presented with Kirstie’s enthusiasm it makes you want to try the skills featured. A refreshing change.
3. Endgame (16)
   Suburb, enthralling, brilliantly made and acted. One of the best pieces of television drama that I have ever had the pleasure to watch; absolutely gripping from start to finish. Congratulations, well done and thank-you to all of those involved in its production.
4. Dispatches: Britain’s Bankers: Still Cashing In (13)
   Please pass on my appreciation to Jane Moore and the team. Another cracking piece of TV shock journalism as I call it. Once again Dispatches gets to the core of another national scandal. PS. You might need to warn viewers with high blood pressure, prior to a follow-up show on this latest scandal.
5. Shameless (13)
   Last night’s shameless – WOW. From light to dark and back again before you notice. I held my breath, with goosebumps on my arms.
6. Gok’s Fashion Fix (13)
   Gok Wan rocks! What a superb show. As a TV expert (that sounds awful, sorry) myself I just wanted to praise Gok for his beautiful mentoring heart. It comes through everything he does on this show. I’ve never seen him on screen till this series but I totally get why he is so loved. Whatta guy! I also love the way he’s prepared to share the glory with the other stylist, this is such a good example and sends out positive messages that go way beyond self image. Thank you.
7. The Unloved (12)
   It was the most powerful TV drama I have ever seen – so much so that I had to watch it in two halves as I could not cope with it all at once. Molly Windsor didn’t say much, but she spoke volumes – an outstanding young actress.
8. The Operation: Surgery Live (11)
   Fantastic programme! Excellent idea! I have nothing to do with surgery/nursing and found this fascinating, informative and reassuring. Thanks for such a wonderful series of programmes! Well done Channel 4!
9. Born To Be Different (9)
   What an absolutely fantastic documentary. I have watched every one over the years and have felt for all the families in the difficult decisions/situations that they have had to deal with. The conclusion to the programme felt very final and I’d hoped to hear that we would catch up with them all in another couple of years. PLEASE PLEASE will there be another series?
10. Dispatches: Lost In Care (9)
    Thank you so much for your programme, it has made me realise that as a family we are going to pursue this and not give up. There are children out there that need our family!
11. The Secret Millionaire (9)
    Brilliant! Another fantastic episode which has put Channel 4 right at the top so far as teaching and education is concerned. This factual exposure of real poverty should be done more on television as television is such a powerful medium. If we had politicians who really cared for everyone in society, these problems wouldn’t exist. Once again, Well Done!

Top 10 programmes most criticised by people who contacted Viewer Enquiries in May 2009 (quote is an example of viewer comment):

1. Big Brother (streaming) (99 contacts)
   I think it is an utter disgrace that BB10 is lacking live feed. It is what makes the show so interesting for a lot of the viewers. By taking away live feed yours are essentially taking away the core fans of Big Brother.
2. The Secret Millionaire (52)
   Channel 4 portrayal of Barrow-in-Furness was appalling, that was not the Barrow I grew to love. I was curate on Barrow Island for 4 years a great place and lots of lovely parts which they never showed. So the rich kid gave away his money, drop in the ocean to someone with £8 million, I found the whole programme condescending.
3. Born Survivor: Bear Grylls (39)
   Bear strikes again! I do appreciate that he needs to discuss and demonstrate survival techniques in his programme, however it is the inhumane way that he kills his meals that I have problems with – the way that the boa constrictor was killed was cruel and unnecessary – it’s not like he is not travelling without rations, supplies and a support crew.
4. Gok’s Fashion Fix (33)
   The first series was absolutely fabulous, and we were sad to see it finish, however eagerly awaited the second series. Unfortunately as we started watching the new series in 2009, we soon came to realise that the format of the show had completely changed… for the worse.
5. Cutting Edge: Madeleine Was Here (27)
   I would like to make a complaint about the biased approach that the programme makers adopted in the creation of the Madeline McCann edition of Cutting Edge. Programme-makers must never reconstruct, re-enact or otherwise FAKE any scenes of actuality and pass them off to viewers or to Channel 4 as the real thing.
6. Superbikes World Championship 2009 (23)
   My Radio Times said you were showing highlights of the Monza WSB round in the wee small hours last night at 01.35, so I set my video. What do I get? Sailing. I don’t see the point in covering WSB or any sport in such a shabby way, and it is very annoying when it turns out you don’t keep to the advertised scheduling anyway.
7. The Operation: Surgery Live (24)
   Very angry that transmission of this excellent programme was curtailed before the procedure was complete. It was already over-running so more time could have been allowed. Especially annoying as the following programme was a repeat.
8. Embarrassing Bodies (20)
   I am outraged at the content of the television programme and believe that these graphic images should not be displayed till after 9pm. I am very distressed at what I have seen and I do not want my children watching this programme. There is no place for nudity on my television and I believe that many people feel the same, I put forward that the programme should be moved to 9pm where people expect to see these images so no offence is caused.
9. The Unloved (16)
   Once again TV producers have turned what should have been a serious and thought provoking drama into an excuse to have an 11-year-old girl listening to plainly what can only be explained as gratuitous violence and disgusting language… It is of no wonder that standards of decency are being corrupted in the name of freedom of expression. What next, an actual murder to take place because the audience will not realise the potential of the drama without seeing it?
10. Extreme Male Beauty (15)
    I felt the quality of the presenter extremely poor. This programme seemed to be neither a documentary nor a comedy. If it was meant to be a comedy I found it to be unfunny and at times pathetic the way the presenter was offering so little. He kept referring to his penis as his “winkle” which was so extremely immature and actually very boring

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