BBC "Who Do You Think You Are?" Frank Gardner (WDYTYA Series 12 Episode 7)

[Marne]

best episode so far.

[AnneMc]

I also must agree it is the best show so far... Really enjoyed it.  But wonder who looked after the grandfather while the mum was in the hosptial...

Cheers

Anne

[Finley 1]

Loved it


it was as  I like the prog to be..  full of dead rellies....   and interesting moments.


xin

[loobylooayr]

Watched it on Iplayer......Thanks for the Scottish TV info Wred but I just couldn't wait till Monday.

Loved it and loved Frank.
Enjoyed the research tracing Frank's maternal line back from Victorian to Georgian to Tudor to Medieval. He seemed genuinely interested and astonished and didn't talk or laugh over the experts when they were talking (unlike Anne R). This has to be my favourite episode of this series so far. It was like the WDYTYA of old.

Looby

[ThrelfallYorky]

I agree it was the most engaging one this series - and I also thought, when "one of those scrolls" came out, that it was going to gallop straight back to William the C. - I think actually it may not have been the exact same document as the Pincet one, the design /layout looked a bit different to me - how envious all those of us who have never managed any "important" ancestors are of those who have the early family well documented.
(I've also found ancestors in Ticknall in Derbyshire - but alas not with well-connected names)
A really good programme, I only got to watch it last night, OH had recorded it for me, but also watched it in real time , and said "You'll like this one..." - and I did!
Congratulations to the WDYTYA? lot for at last getting it really right.

[Barnes612]

I think getting it 'really right' is down to a number of factors, many of which can't be controlled. For instance, the researchers may get an interesting line of inquiry, but combine it with a celebrity who doesn't do the information justice then it won't work as well as with one who does. The three that have worked especially well for me this series are Derek Jacobi, Jane Seymour and Frank Gardner.

Jerry Hall and Gareth Malone's programmes had rather a lot of filler in them to pad out the interesting part that didn't fill an entire show. Jerry Hall's was also let down in my opinion by her lack of engagement other than to be wowed and amazed and the less said about the quite bizarre behaviour of Anne Reid the better...

It's wonderful when everything comes together but when the programme makers approach a celebrity to make the show can they really back out if they're part way through making it and it seems it's not gelling together. I think they must work hard then to try and provide something half decent!

[hdw]

You're all lucky to have seen the Frank Gardner programme at the right time. Here in Scotland a networked BBC TV programme is often replaced by some dross for local consumption only, like a minor football match, and the programme which the rest of Britain has been watching is shown the following week at some stupid time. I gather that the Frank Gardner programme is being shown one night next week at 10.35 p.m., so I'll be sitting watching it in my jim-jams, clutching my teddy. I look forward to it and I'm not going to read all the posts on this thread as I don't want to spoil the surprise.

Harry

[loobylooayr]

You're all lucky to have seen the Frank Gardner programme at the right time. Here in Scotland a networked BBC TV programme is often replaced by some dross for local consumption only, like a minor football match, and the programme which the rest of Britain has been watching is shown the following week at some stupid time. I gather that the Frank Gardner programme is being shown one night next week at 10.35 p.m., so I'll be sitting watching it in my jim-jams, clutching my teddy. I look forward to it and I'm not going to read all the posts on this thread as I don't want to spoil the surprise.

Harry

Harry, I was disappointed too to switch on my TV and find WDYTYA postponed and New Tricks on (which had been moved because of football, I believe). But I watched the episode on BBC i-Player on my laptop. Couldn't wait till next week

Looby

[KitCarson]

Sat down with a mug of coffee and a choccy biscuit to enjoy this one......
But it turns out us Scots were denied seeing Frank Gardner . There was a new New Tricks episode instead ( which is absolutely not a patch on the old New Tricks....but that should be another thread).

So not knowing when BBC Scotland will show it , I'm going to watch iPlayer later.
I really like and admire Frank Gardner, so I'm looking forward to it.

Looby

Ah, now I know why it didn't record!  Had to go and find another showing of it via the Sky box.  If you have one you can find the episode 'on demand' and download it.

Kit