Do Not Adjust Your Set

[Ron Mallett]

Just saw the new Do Not Adjust Your Set DVD down at the local Kmart. The cover explained that the package included 9 recently discovered episodes.

Could anyone fill me in on where they were found, when and how?

I'm actually thinking about buying this one, is the show any good?

[helpful hartley]

Well Ron where do we start?

First of all you have to remember that this was a children's TV programme, the later grown up version is Monty Python's flying circus ...probably?

Most of the Python team are in it with a couple of exceptions - David Jason and Denise Coffey - who have their own mini series within it as funny cartoon type characters called Captain Fantastic and the 'wicked ' Mrs Black .
There is also musical accompaniment by the 'Bonzo Dog Doo Dah Band' with some very eccentric but witty little numbers .

This may have been lost because it was first produced by the long defunct Rediffusion Televison and finding their shows is like finding rocking horse droppings.

If your a fan of Python and want to see its roots so to speak , then you will enjoy this, But just remember its a very old programme, so try to see the comedy and not the production itself which younger people might find a bit creaky?

[Stephen Doran]

i bought this and the 1948 show and loved ;Dit

[ronmallett]

Well Ron where do we start?

First of all you have to remember that this was a children's TV programme, the later grown up version is Monty Python's flying circus ...probably?

Most of the Python team are in it with a couple of exceptions - David Jason and Denise Coffey - who have their own mini series within it as funny cartoon type characters called Captain Fantastic and the 'wicked ' Mrs Black .
There is also musical accompaniment by the 'Bonzo Dog Doo Dah Band' with some very eccentric but witty little numbers .

This may have been lost because it was first produced by the long defunct Rediffusion Televison and finding their shows is like finding rocking horse droppings.

If your a fan of Python and want to see its roots so to speak , then you will enjoy this, But just remember its a very old programme, so try to see the comedy and not the production itself which younger people might find a bit creaky?

Thanks Hartley,

I am mainly interested in the story behind where and how the episodes were found. I think I will at least hire it at some stage to have a look. I'm a big Palin/Jones and Idle fan myself.

[Matthew K Sharp]

They've been known to exist since at least 1995, so the claim that these are recently discovered episodes is not entirely correct.

(As is also the case with the so-called "recently dicovered" 1948 Show episodes, which actually surfaced in 1991 in Sweden.)

[Laurence Piper]

The Do Not Adjust Your Set episodes (the 9 Rediffusion ones on that DVD, that is) seem to have been existing all along; they are listed in the BFI's holdings book, "Keeping Television Alive", published in the mid '80s. I suspect they are part of the group of Rediffusion remnants that the NFA took when the last of their library was offered to them (whebever that was). Wonder what happened to the missing 4 though?

[Geoff Sear]

Yes, as long as I've known about such things, which is a while, they have never been lost. As to the other 4...well, I must say, it's a blessing we have even these, I have no idea why these 9 shows are still with us given the state of the A-R archive. And I gather that there is some confusion as to whether the first episode shown (separate from the main series) was meant to be a Xmas show...as I understand it the wrong episode was put on, and the ad-break didn't tie in...which does lead to question if whether there are 5 shows missing from the A-R run. There was a one-off show on A-R only in the Summer of '68, but I assume that was a "best of" thing, not this possibly missing Xmas show...though if it was a new show we're up to 6 missing A-R shows.
As to the Thames run, I have heard lots of rumours that more than the known 2 programmes exist, but no concrete evidence is forthcoming, sadly.

[RWels]

matthewksharp said:

(As is also the case with the so-called "recently dicovered" 1948 Show episodes, which actually surfaced in 1991 in Sweden.)

But wasn't the audio to that discovered seperately? I sent you a message by the way, maybe you did not notice, if you'd be so kind?

[Matthew K Sharp]

spinynorman said:

matthewksharp said:

(As is also the case with the so-called "recently dicovered" 1948 Show episodes, which actually surfaced in 1991 in Sweden.)

But wasn't the audio to that discovered seperately?

There were audio tapes of the complete UK TX versions found, but even that was a fair while back and quite a bit of that was already known to exist years before anyway.

I've heard theories that the material on the DVDs has had the sound re-synced from the off-air tapes, but I'm really not convinced - if for no other reason than I don't think the company concerned would go to the bother.

[Martin Dunne]

matthewksharp said:

I've heard theories that the material on the DVDs has had the sound re-synced from the off-air tapes, but I'm really not convinced - if for no other reason than I don't think the company concerned would go to the bother.

I havn't seen the At Last the 1948 Show release yet, but the extras and even the booklet/poster insert in the Do Not Adjust Your Set DVD/box appear to be common to both products--is this the case?

[Charles Roberts]

Yeah the same booklet and info, the "special features" on both discs are also identical...the same adverts, and the same interviews with Brooke-Taylor and Jones. Really lazy job that.

[Matthew K Sharp]

But don't let us put you off getting them - they are excellent value for money, especially in Australia where they're A$25 each. I honestly never thought I'd see the day when I could walk into my local video store and buy the 1948 Show or DNYAS, so it's little sort of a miracle, despite the slight shortcomings in the actual content.

BTW, the other reason to opt for the Aussie versions is that they're PAL, whereas the UK release is NTSC.

[Martin Dunne]

Not to (deliberately) offend anyone, but I found Do Not Adjust Your Set disappointing.
The talent got better. I like the Bonzos, but there's only so many novelty tracks you can take! Their best performance was when they apparently back Eric Idle on the Captain Fantastic song.
Next 1948, looking forward to that!

[Lance M]

That's funny, because I prefer DNAYS to ALT1948S.