I've been watching a couple of 00s shows recently and the content/premise of some of them would not be aired today! I've started with a few examples (sure to add more) and I think most of them aired on Channel 4 which was very daring itself compared to other channels.

 

Balls of Steel

The show that inspired this thread. This aired on Channel 4 in the mid 00s and featured various daredevil acts competing each week from sh*ggers in public to an annoying devil causing havoc on the public. There's a lot of content that just would not be green-lit today and if so would probably have a backlash lol. Such as this clip:

 

 

 

Playing It Straight

Basically featuring a bachelorette who has to work out who among the guys are gay and eliminate them. It definitely played on gay stereotypes in the challenges but it was entertaining to watch since the audience didn't know who was gay or straight until they were eliminated. I doubt it would return today. Even returning back in 2012 seemed a bit out of place.

 

 

 

Ladette to Lady

Basically a school for "laddish" women who liked to party, have sex and get drunk. The concept seems very dated for today and fed gender stereotypes but nonetheless it was funny to watch!

 

 

 

 

There's Something About Miriam

Another bachelorette-style show but this time the bachelorette is a trans woman who doesn't reveal this to the contestants until she's chosen the winner. Never actually seen this as I can't find it anywhere to watch but watched a clip of the reveal at the end and it was awful to watch! The finalists were ****holes but for the producers to even allow the show to happen was truly scummy. Thankfully this would never be made today.

 

 

 

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Would love to hear all of your thoughts/suggestions!

Oh definitely Little Britain, and it was removed from everywhere some years ago when it was deemed too inappropriate for the current generation. That said, some of the sketches, including Andy and Lou, were quite iconic and I do miss not being able to see these ones.

 

Oh of course! I think it's on BBC iPlayer still as I was watching it the other week. :lol: An updated version of Little Britain would be interesting ngl. :kink:

Oh of course! I think it's on BBC iPlayer still as I was watching it the other week. :lol: An updated version of Little Britain would be interesting ngl. :kink:

It is. Some sketches were removed, but I think it’s only the ones with blackface. So you can still get your Lou & Andy fix, Wardy! :lol:

 

They actually did a new episode for radio in 2020-21 ish with some of the less offensive characters, it was quite good.

Bo' Selecta! would be one. Another one that was removed from Channel 4's streaming service due to use of blackface.

 

Generally those sorts of sketch shows that poke fun at celebs really don't feel like they have a place anymore?

Ladette to Lady

Basically a school for "laddish" women who liked to party, have sex and get drunk. The concept seems very dated for today and fed gender stereotypes but nonetheless it was funny to watch!

 

Rosemary Shrager is iconic though.

Fat Families is technically just missing the 2000s, but I feel it certainly is emblematic of the sort of insensitive jeering a lot of shows did to people that clearly needed professional help, the host is just savage (also, please pay no attention to the uploader of this video x)

 

 

I think the X Factor is the big one, it lasted longer, but it fell dramatically in relevance since 2010. A lot of auditionees in particular were very clearly taken the mick out of without them knowing, it'd raise some serious mental health concerns these days.

Bo' Selecta! would be one. Another one that was removed from Channel 4's streaming service due to use of blackface.

 

Generally those sorts of sketch shows that poke fun at celebs really don't feel like they have a place anymore?

We had a revival of Spitting Image a few years ago but it didn't really work.

 

I thought the material was weak and it's difficult to poke fun at politicians these days...

 

Does anyone remember watching Supernanny? Now I'm older, I do question how many of the kids featured in that show were undiagnosed autistic/ADHD etc.

Supernanny (in various different forms) existed in America right up until 2020, interestingly. I guess COVID put a stop to it, I wouldn't be surprised if it's back at some point.

Most Haunted maybe? Probably not a good example though lol. Bo Selecta is a good shout though.

 

 

Australia’s Funniest Home Videos was a fave of mine as a kid, I imagine UK had something similar

couldn’t get made today as it’s be pointless now that social media is a thing (I see it ended in 2014 though I left the country long before then)

It might not come under the same category, but for anyone whose watched Impractical Jokers, the four main guys have become very famous and easily identifiable now, so most of their practical jokes wouldn’t really work as they did before, which is a shame as they were some of the funniest pranks I’ve ever seen on TV! :lol:

 

Enjoy watching them. The movie however wasn't good oops.

Australia’s Funniest Home Videos was a fave of mine as a kid, I imagine UK had something similar

couldn’t get made today as it’s be pointless now that social media is a thing (I see it ended in 2014 though I left the country long before then)

You would think so, but America's Funniest Home Videos is still airing new episodes!

It might not come under the same category, but for anyone whose watched Impractical Jokers, the four main guys have become very famous and easily identifiable now, so most of their practical jokes wouldn’t really work as they did before, which is a shame as they were some of the funniest pranks I’ve ever seen on TV! :lol:

 

It’s still in production and still very funny! They film in tourist areas, so there’s still lots of people who don’t recognise them. And if they do, they just don’t show it. :lol:

 

It probably helps that while it’s a popular show, it’s only on TruTV and not *massive*. So for a country of 350 million people, there will be lots who have never seen it.

With Playing it Straight, I get the reason it wouldn't be made now, but back then I thought it was a very good show for calling out people who saw characteristics and immediately thought it meant the guy was gay or straight.

 

I'm pretty sure in both seasons the girl immediately got rid of multiple straight guys, because they care about their appearance.....

Supernanny (in various different forms) existed in America right up until 2020, interestingly. I guess COVID put a stop to it, I wouldn't be surprised if it's back at some point.

 

Jo Frost was an icon

With Playing it Straight, I get the reason it wouldn't be made now, but back then I thought it was a very good show for calling out people who saw characteristics and immediately thought it meant the guy was gay or straight.

 

I'm pretty sure in both seasons the girl immediately got rid of multiple straight guys, because they care about their appearance.....

 

So true! I wonder if a 2024-friendly version could work today. Though tbf the whole premise of the gay guys being the deceitful ones probably wouldn’t work today. :lol:

 

Re: Supernanny - totally forgot about that one! Used to love it. But agree with the post about how a lot of the kids were probably neurodiverse.

 

Speaking of Channel 4 shows, would Wife Swap be made today? :thinking:

I think even The Inbetweeners wouldn't get passed today. It was probably the last big show that pushed the boundaries.

 

Also The Office would have no chance. Ricky Gervais even said in an interview recently there's no chance it'd pass nowadays.

Was going to say Inbetweeners but thought cause it was so popular that it wouldn't be a good suggestion lol.