What to say if you liked it

A comedy nostalgia quiz that’s good enough for primetime.

What to say if you disliked it

It’s a little smug and a lot cheap. But then, so is everything else on daytime TV.

What was good about it?

• The Sweet’s Blockbuster is used as the theme

• Host Clive Anderson’s script has some good gags eg “Welcome to the show that remembers the past five decades; the good, the bad and the David Mellor.” And, following footage of a strike at Harrods, he said: “The industrial action featured the chant ‘What do we want?’ ‘More pay.’ ‘When do we want it?’ ‘Home delivered by midday tomorrow. Go round the back and leave it with the maid if we’re out’.”

• A good mix of guests – Linda Smith, Chris Langham, Simon Greenall and Hugh Dennis on show one – who all contributed to the Have I Got News For You-type fun.

Clips of ChiChi (of …And Ann-Ann fame), John Wayne punching a Womble’s head and posh reporters of the 1950s.

• The format is simple – guess the year, spot the connection etc

What was bad about it?

• It’s afternoon slot means that it won’t reach the audience it deserves. It’s certainly better than the Johnny Vegas and Jimmy Carr shows that are in glittery primetime slots.

• Some of the questions were a little easy. When the contestants were shown footage of barcodes and parking meters being unveiled, it wasn’t too hard for them to work out what the mystery news story was.

• Some of the questions were a little hard. Even we struggled to spot the connection between It Aint Half Hot, Mum, Heartbeat, The Young Ones, Minder and Birds Of A Feather. (Answer: the cast sings the theme tune)

• It features one of those annoying phone-in quizzes to make money from morons. What song was number one for Lonnie Donegan in 1957? Credibility Gap, Watford Gap or Cumberland Gap?