In the News — British TV Poll

Baywatch’ bombs in British TV poll

LONDON (AFP) – “Baywatch” has won the dubious honour of being the worst foreign television series ever seen in Britain, according to a poll of the nation’s broadcasting executives.
At its height in the 1990s, the series — which starred the likes of David Hasselhoff and Pamela Anderson as lifeguards on a California beach — was the world’s most popular show, seen by one billion viewers in 140 countries. But respondents to the poll — conducted by Broadcast, a trade publication — felt otherwise. “The appeal to a certain demographic of a series about a muscular lifeguard and his crew of pneumatic young helpers with raging hormones was enough to sustain this show through 12 years despite a script of mind-numbing predictability: beachgoer is saved from drowning,” Broadcast said.

Second place went to “The Anna Nicole Show,” followed by “The Dukes of Hazzard”, “Wild Palms” and “Manimal”. In sixth place was “The Jerry Springer Show” — which is not only still on the air in Britain, but inspired a hit West End musical as well. Topping the list of the best offshore TV fare ever seen in Britain was “The Simpsons,” which Broadcast called the “undisputed champion” of US imports”, followed by “MASH”, “24,” “The Larry Sanders Show” and “Hill Street Blues”.

~ by bibliophilist on Thursday, 25 November 2004.