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Channel 4 adds TV archive to 4oD

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  • Posted at 5:15pm
  • 23 June 2009
  • by WilliamGallagher-RT
  • 7 comments

You will never go out again. Not even to work. Certainly not to the DVD store. From Friday 3 July, Channel 4 is opening its archives online: initially 4,000 hours of some of the finest British television ever made will be yours for the price of watching it on your computer.

All you've got to do is choose what to watch. It's going to get harder as Channel 4 keeps adding more and more material but Radio Times picks out the greatest, the most controversial and the funniest. All of this, every minute of every episode, will be available from Friday 3 July on www.channel4.com/4od.

Shackleton (2002)

The story of the explorer's legendary survival in the Antarctic in 1914. Kenneth Branagh is superb as Sir Ernest Shackleton, getting his crew to safety after their ship is destroyed and they are stranded in the ice.

Sex Traffic (2004)

Personal human drama on a global scale: John Simm is a charity researcher investigating enforced prostitution. Director David Yates went on to Hollywood and the Harry Potter films.

Longford (2006)

Brave portrayal of the controversial peer by a superb Jim Broadbent. From Peter Morgan, writer of The Queen and Frost/Nixon. Lord Longford campaigns for the parole of Moors murderer Myra Hindley.

The Devil's Whore (2008)

John Simm is full of menace alongside the up-and-coming Andrea Riseborough in Peter Flannery's richly textured English Civil War epic.

The Comic Strip Presents (1982-2005)

Start with Five Go Mad in Dorset, the very first Comic Strip Presents…and a glorious Enid Blyton spoof that was shown on Channel 4's opening night in 1982. Then go on to Strike! (1988) with "Al Pacino" playing Arthur Scargill.

Father Ted (1995)

Graham Linehan and Arthur Mathew's bonkers sitcom about three priests still feels fresh and original. And it's still impossible to believe it started so long ago.

Green Wing (2004-2006)

The hospital comedy with not a patient in sight: deliciously, ridiculously funny and a gifted cast on top form. Tamsin Greig is the new doctor, Julian Rhind-Tutt is the old hand and you will long for them to get together.

Vic Reeves Big Night Out (1990-91)

Nearly 20 years on, it's still funny - and the Vic Reeves style was already fully formed. This was the first appearance for both Vic and Bob Mortimer.

Da Ali G Show (2000)

Sacha Baron Cohen started in The 11 o'Clock Show (1998) but what's he done since? See the earliest, raw Ali G before his feature-film success.

Black Books (2000-2004)

Dylan Moran is the drunken, horrible, angry and impossibly charming owner of a book shop staffed by Bill Bailey and troubled by next door's Tamsin Greig. Easily C4's first sitcom jewel of the 21st century. The first two series are the best but if you only try one, see The Blackout: Manny (Bill Bailey) does a Life on Mars. He's been up all night watching The Sweeney, drinking espresso and coming to believe he's a 1970s cop.

Red Riding (2009)

The Yorkshire Ripper case is the backdrop for three feature-length dramas exploring overwhelming corruption within the police force. An all-star cast includes Mark Addy and Sean Bean.

Queer as Folk (1999)

Six years before he reignited Doctor Who, writer Russell T Davies brought us the joyous, vibrant, loud and funny drama about gorgeous Stuart (Aidan Gillen) and the friend who has a crush on him, poor Vince (Craig Kelly). Treat the second two-part series as a completely separate style of drama and you'll love them both.

Jake's Progress (1995)

Boys from the Blackstuff creator Alan Bleasdale wrote this for stars Robert Lindsay and Julie Walters : it's an epic tale of parenthood, fate and the dangers of reality blurring into fantasy, dreams into real life.

The Camomile Lawn (1992)

You must remember the house, the scary run around the grounds and, well, yes, Jennifer Ehle's lack of a costume at times. A present-day funeral brings back memories of sexual freedom on the eve of the Second World War.

The Deal (2003)

It was fascinating then, it's riveting now: the deal is the pact allegedly made where Gordon Brown stood aside for Tony Blair in the race for the leadership of the Labour party. Michael Sheen plays Tony Blair, a role he'd return to in The Queen.

Elizabeth I (2005)

The year before she was The Queen, Helen Mirren was Elizabeth I in a strong, biting mix of glamorous costumes and bleak, vicious politics.

Teachers (2001-2004)

Sharp, smart and funny drama where the teachers are new to the job and barely an hour older than the pupils they have to control. Often surreal, always addictive.

Drop the Dead Donkey (1990)

It's surely the only topical comedy that remains funny nearly two decades on. It was always filmed at the last moment so that its newsroom characters had extraordinarily up-to-the-minute jokes but it wasn't a newsy, media comedy: it was a comedy set in an office. And it so superbly captures office characters that it's irresistible.

The Government Inspector (2005)

Writer/director Peter Kosminsky dramatises the life of Dr David Kelly as a route in to the topic of Britain and the Iraq war. Mark Rylance stars.

**

What are you looking forward to watching when Channel 4 opens up its archives online? Post a comment below and let us know. And don't forget to check out our Downloads section, where we round up the best of the past week's TV and radio shows to catch up with online.

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Comments

  • Posted on 08 October 2009
  • at 8:13pm
  • by DavePatto

Any chance of getting Chance in a Million with Simon Callow onto 4od?

  • Posted on 10 August 2009
  • at 10:34pm
  • by jwaters

looking for a film made in ireland around 1982 abouy irish country music one of the film crews name was kevin barker thanks

  • Posted on 06 July 2009
  • at 11:54am
  • by WilliamGallagher-RT

NYPD Blue is not currently available on Channel 4's new archive 4oD service. It's unlikely that US drama will ever be included in any great volume on the service simply because of the complexity of the rights: primarily because Channel 4 will usually have no contractual right to screen non-UK series. There are also competing services being planned for the UK, including the USA's successful Hulu service, which already negotiates directly with the American networks.

That said, it's not completely impossible for US TV drama to make it onto 4oD: even in this initial batch of 4,000 hours there is an almost complete run of St Elsewhere.

William

  • Posted on 04 July 2009
  • at 10:15am
  • by Dale Thomas

Please re-show NYPD Blue (the whole series, 7 I think).

  • Posted on 30 June 2009
  • at 1:44pm
  • by WilliamGallagher-RT

FAO Mike - we've spoken to Channel 4, and while they can't confirm everything that will ultimately be added to the new 4oD archive service, Chance in a Million will unfortunately not be in the first 4,000 hours released on Friday 3 July.

The series has previously been released on VHS video: it's no longer on sale but used copies can periodically be found on eBay and Amazon Marketplace.

William

  • Posted on 27 June 2009
  • at 11:24pm
  • by kencoll

I am looking forward to this new venture - good luck with it.

  • Posted on 23 June 2009
  • at 8:36pm
  • by Mike

Where is "Chance In a Million"? this brilliant series of coincidence should be made available.

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