Phil, Tony, MIck & Helen Geake
As I’ve mentioned previously, about the only TV I watch is produced in the UK. As a public service, I thought I’d throw together a quick and dirty UK Viewing Guide. I may expand it as a semi-regular feature as I discover more programming.
First, there’s Time Team, Channel 4’s Sunday night archaelogical staple. Hosted by Tony Robinson (probably best remembered as “Baldrick” from the Blackadder series), the premise is simple; show up at a site where interesting finds have been reported, do a three-day archaeological dig, and compress the finds into an hour’s worth of television. Along with archaeologists Mick Aston, Phil Harding, Carenza Lewis, geophyicsist John Gater and historical geographer Stewart Ainsworth (and a host of others – you’re not gonna dig much up in three days with six people!), it’s lively, entertaining (especially if you’re into interdisciplinary ribbing) and enlightening. It also gives an insight into how much archaeology actually goes on “down t’pub” afterwards.
It’s remarkable to me that a weekly TV show about field archaeology is now in its seventh season of production – that just wouldn’t happen in North America. We’re lucky here in the Toronto area – Time Team is aired Monday nights at 19:00 on TVO.
D. J. Crossley’s Home on the Web 