BBC Four Goes Slow

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BBC Four Goes Slow
GenreSlow television
Country of originUnited Kingdom
Original languageEnglish
No. of series1
No. of episodes8
Production
Production companies
Original release
NetworkBBC Four
Release3 May 2015 (2015-05-03) –
29 August 2016 (2016-08-29)

BBC Four Goes Slow is a series of slow television programmes made for BBC Four, each without narration or underscore. The channel's editor, Cassian Harrison, stated that the series is an "antidote ... to the conventional grammar of television in which everything gets faster and faster".[1] Similarities have been drawn between the series and the Norwegian trend of slow TV programmes.[2]

Programmes[edit]

National Gallery: A Film by Frederick Wiseman[edit]

Wiseman's film originally aired in December 2014.[3] It is a three-hour tour of London's National Gallery, with no voiceover, underscore or sound effects.[3]

Dawn Chorus: The Sounds of Spring[edit]

Dawn Chorus: The Sounds of Spring is an hour-long composite recording of birdsong at sunrise in Devon.[2] The programme was made from three consecutive days' recording in three different locations.[1] The programme has no voiceover or commentary,[4] save for a few captions of historical information.[1]

Handmade[edit]

Handmade is a three-episode part of the series,[4] and focuses on the production of three objects—Handmade: Glass documents the blowing and shaping of glass to create a jug, Handmade: Metal shows a bladesmith using a forge to make a knife, and Handmade: Wood sees a whittler create a wooden chair.[2][4]

All Aboard! The Canal Trip[edit]

All Aboard! The Canal Trip is a two-hour narrowboat journey along the Kennet and Avon Canal from Bath Top Lock (lock 13) to the Dundas Aqueduct.[5] The episode features visual information but no spoken commentary.[1]

All Aboard! The Sleigh Ride[edit]

All Aboard! The Sleigh Ride is a two-hour real-time reindeer sleigh ride with Sami people filmed in Karasjok, Norway.[6] It aired on 24 December 2015. It was repeated on 24 December 2016 and on 16 December 2017. The programme features two Sami women in traditional dress leading three reindeer, each with a sleigh, across the tundra following a traditional reindeer postal route from Karasjok north-westward to the sea, crossing frozen lakes and birch woodland, and encountering dog sleds, ice fishermen and other nomadic Sami people. The programme covers a two-hour period, over which time the light fades and the way is lit by flaming torches. The two Sami reindeer herders are Charlotte Iselin Mathisen and Anne-Louise Gaup.[7]

All Aboard! The Country Bus[edit]

A two-hour bus ride along the Swaledale valley in North Yorkshire was broadcast on the bank holiday of 29 August 2016.[8][9] The route 830 Dalesman bus operated by Arriva North East, travels from Richmond in the east to Ingleton in the west via the Yorkshire Dales National Park. In the journey the bus passes through Grinton, Reeth, Muker, Buttertubs Pass, Hawes, Ribblehead and Chapel-le-Dale.[10] This episode of the series was the most popular with nearly a million viewers watching it at its peak with an average of 800,000 viewers, overtaking Channel 5 and a Film 4 showing of The Bourne Legacy.[11]

Reception[edit]

Michael Hogan, writing for The Daily Telegraph's website, gave the series a 2/5 rating, describing it as "hypnotic", implying it is relaxing.[2] A review for The Independent said that the programmes were "oddly absorbing" and "soothing".[12] Viewers took to social media to comment on the programme, with differing opinions; some described it as "the most boring TV show ever", and others "a proper [television] programme".[13]

Programme Broadcast date Viewers (audience share)
National Gallery: A Film by Frederick Wiseman 3 May 2015 252,000 (1.3%)[14]
Dawn Chorus: The Sounds of Spring 4 May 2015 423,000 (1.8%)[14]
Handmade: Glass 4 May 2015 423,000 (1.8%)[14]
Handmade: Metal 4 May 2015 339,000 (1.4%)[14]
All Aboard! The Canal Trip 5 May 2015 599,900 (2.8%)[15]
Handmade: Wood 6 May 2015 —
All Aboard! The Sleigh Ride 24 December 2015 —
All Aboard! The Country Bus 29 August 2016 800,000[11]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c d Plunkett, John (May 2015). "Gently does it: from canal trips to birdsong, BBC4 to introduce 'slow TV'". The Guardian. Guardian News and Media. Retrieved 6 May 2015.
  2. ^ a b c d Hogan, Michael. "Slow TV, review: 'hypnotic'". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 6 May 2015.
  3. ^ a b Cumming, Laura (28 December 2014). "National Gallery review – Frederick Wiseman focuses on the minutiae". The Guardian. Guardian News and Media. Retrieved 6 May 2015.
  4. ^ a b c Farber, Alex. "BBC4 relaxes with slow season". Broadcast. Media Business Insight. Retrieved 6 May 2015.
  5. ^ "All Aboard! The Canal Trip". BBC Four. BBC. Retrieved 6 May 2015.
  6. ^ Webb, Claire (23 December 2015). "Sledging through the Arctic Circle with Sami reindeer herders". Radio Times. Retrieved 24 December 2015.
  7. ^ "TV".
  8. ^ Fullerton, Huw. "All Aboard! The Country Bus". Radio Times. Retrieved 29 August 2016.
  9. ^ Harrison, Phil (29 August 2016). "Monday's best TV: Great British Menu; All Aboard! The Country Bus; The Coopers vs the Rest". The Guardian. Retrieved 29 August 2016.
  10. ^ "Northern Dalesman Service 830: Middlesbrough - Darlington - Richmond - Reeth - Buttertubs Pass - Hawes - Ribblehead - Ingleton". Dalesbus.org. Archived from the original on 7 November 2016. Retrieved 30 August 2016.
  11. ^ a b Foster, Patrick (30 August 2016). "'Slow TV' bus tour of Yorkshire Dales drives nearly a million viewers". The Telegraph. Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 6 September 2016.
  12. ^ Jones, Ellen E (5 May 2015). "All Aboard! The Canal Trip, BBC4 – TV review: An oddly absorbing way to soothe overactive minds". The Independent. Independent Print. Retrieved 6 May 2015.
  13. ^ Battersby, Matilda. "All Aboard: The Canal Trip: BBC Four's 'most boring TV show ever' is surprise ratings hit". The Independent. Independent Print. Archived from the original on 6 May 2015. Retrieved 6 May 2015.
  14. ^ a b c d Plunkett, John (5 May 2015). "BBC4's slow TV: more than 400,000 take a leisurely look". The Guardian. Guardian News and Media. Retrieved 6 May 2015.
  15. ^ Campelli, Matthew. "No Offence locks up 2.5m". Broadcast. Media Business Insight. Retrieved 6 May 2015.
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