The Den

Zhane

i was off sick from school today, and was in bed bored, so i turned on the telly and just watched abit of the den cos i never watch it anymore cos i grew out of it and cos iv Sky Digital. but is it just me or does anybody else despise the new presenter...i think hes just a fat not so funny wannabe Greame Norton. okay rant over....

Ragamuffin

Yeah he is pretty cr@p. He's not funny at all and he's not interesting. And he doesn't do the panda thing (you know where the panda jumps in and trys to attack him) that was good. I remember that when I was small:)

Okie

Ah yes. Ted.

God that was funny. Ray D' Arcy used to have long running battles with that Panda.

Maybe the whole thing about The Den not being as good as it was, is something to do with us growing up? Or maybe it is actually rubbish. I prefer to remember it when it was funny and entertaining with Zig and Zag, Ray, Podge, Zuppy, Dustin (in small doses!)

I remember taping a special programme a few years a ago, called "The Den Is Ten" to celebrate ten years on TV. Must dig it out soon.

weemcd

the new guy is actually really rubbish, because i havnt stopped watchin the den and ive watched it for as long as i can remember. oh how the mighty have fallen

ford fiesta

Mommy Ray

Ragamuffin

Originally posted by Okie
Ah yes. Ted.

God that was funny. Ray D' Arcy used to have long running battles with that Panda.

Maybe the whole thing about The Den not being as good as it was, is something to do with us growing up? Or maybe it is actually rubbish. I prefer to remember it when it was funny and entertaining with Zig and Zag, Ray, Podge, Zuppy, Dustin (in small doses!)

I remember taping a special programme a few years a ago, called "The Den Is Ten" to celebrate ten years on TV. Must dig it out soon.

TED! That's his name! I can't believe I forgot. Ray D'Arcy put up pretty good fights with good old Ted:) Then that Damien lad didn't even try to put on an act for the telly when he was fighting Ted, and NOW they don't even include Ted in the whole yolk!!! Yeah, and Zuppy doesn't appear on the Den either!!! What are they doing with my beloved characters????!!!!!!!!!!!!!:(

Elmo

Yeah I always like the den don't get to see it much. But then most Childrens TV is the best think on during the day.

I have only see some of the new presenter, never understood why Emma Ledden didn't take over when Ray Darcy left. Like Ray, Emma could present the Den and nothing else. (Note her demise on MTV, Spin FM and we'll just have to see if she lasts on Q102).

Anyway I think Geri May is on her way out at this stage (So much better then Ireland AM in the morning) Socky can be very funny in an innocent Childish way.

Anyone remember the Rotten Apple Club and A bedtime fairy tale read by Zag and interperted by Zig. God those where the days.


And Ray and Geri are engage (are the married yet?)

Note not a joke about the engagement thing or the marriage think.

Right don't beleive me so. but its true.

Jim

Googling for a pic of Ted has turned up nothing
Anyone got a pic??

[Was on the Den site, and they called the "Downloads" section "Denloads". Thought it was worth mentioning ]

the_syco

Originally posted by http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/alabaster/A206470#ZigandZag
Zig is a beigy-fawn-cream colour and Zag is mostly purple/red with green spots. Zig tends to be the more infantile of the pair. They were a tremendous hit with the kids, but especially with college students, who would regularly miss afternoon lectures just to watch them do their stuff. Actually the puppet masters were themselves students at the time.

BuffyBot

TBH It's time the show was pulled. The whole thing has been milked into oblivion now.

Okie

Originally posted by Elmo

Anyone remember the Rotten Apple Club and A bedtime fairy tale read by Zag and interperted by Zig. God those where the days.


And Ray and Geri are engage (are the married yet?)

Note not a joke about the engagement thing or the marriage think.

Right don't beleive me so. but its true.

Yeah, I remeber the Rotten Apple Club. It used to always have that guy (Ronan, I think) on keyboards and Zag singing just before the show finished at six o'colck!

As for Ray and Geri. Did they not split up? I was sure I heard something about their engagement breaking down. Could be wrong tho.

I do remember Ray gettin' slagged about his (alledged) marriage to Ann Cassin from The News. Along with pictures of married couples with Ray and Ann's head super-imposed onto the bodies. T'was funny!

Jim

Originally posted by Okie
Yeah, I remeber the Rotten Apple Club. It used to always have that guy (Ronan, I think) on keyboards and Zag singing just before the show finished at six o'colck!

As for Ray and Geri. Did they not split up? I was sure I heard something about their engagement breaking down. Could be wrong tho.

Aye, I've heard Ray mention his single status a few times on the radio.
Didn't they all do some sort of Christmas feature everyyear?
But one year it was made into a big thing, where Podge stole the presents and they all blamed it on Zag? That was deadly, eps Podge.

zAbbo

Geri Maye and her untameable eyebrows, didnt know Darcy was shafting her, somehow those Dustin jokes make sense now

Spunog UIE

the presenter looks like a puppet on some other science program on the den.

daveJAM

Originally posted by BuffyBot
TBH It's time the show was pulled. The whole thing has been milked into oblivion now.

Looks like its going the other way. Was flicking through NTL Digital the other day and there was a channel called "N2 The Den". And guess what was on this channel! Of course it could just be there so that they can group all the childrens TV together. But I thought it was a bit odd.

celticfc

Originally posted by daveJAM
Looks like its going the other way. Was flicking through NTL Digital the other day and there was a channel called "N2 The Den". And guess what was on this channel! Of course it could just be there so that they can group all the childrens TV together. But I thought it was a bit odd.

Bit odd orite, see here for more on it.

Cork

Originally posted by Jimeatsmenu
Aye, I've heard Ray mention his single status a few times on the radio.
Didn't they all do some sort of Christmas feature everyyear?
But one year it was made into a big thing, where Podge stole the presents and they all blamed it on Zag? That was deadly, eps Podge.

Ray D'arcy was king. The christmas specials were great.

It has really gone downhill. Shame.

Zhane

i think its about time children here stop being patronised. Dustin(or not, cos i think hes really funny outside of the den) and Socky(esp. Socky) should just do the morning show. and then have a CBBC or Citv live studio show in the afternoon for the older kids. just my opinion

Elmo

i think its about time children here stop being patronised.

When It started out I don't think the den every patronised/ talked down to children. Zig and Zag where cabable of being at the level of a child as did Ian Dempsey and Ray D'arsy. Certainly some of the jokes on the den were seen as a little too adult for Kids and on several occasions Zig and Zag were taken of the air because of this.

Socky was brought into calm Dustin down.

I agree with you when you say

and then have a CBBC or Citv live studio show in the afternoon for the older kids. just my opinion

Dustin and Socky would and could support a family Big Breakfast like show. Presented by Geri Maye.

Of Course RTE could have plans for The Den Channel like CBBC.

I find Nick to be soooo patronising, and they keep interupting the shows for adds and have the presenters in the studio introducing the adds and the next part of the show.

exiot

I heard they broke up? Who knows..

Ah I miss those fights, strangely enough I was sick off school today but I end up watching All Saints on TV3.
The fat guy is just annoying, they all just shout at each other and you cant listen to them because they all talk at the same time.

That new program on saturdays will probably take over

DMT

Fuck the Den....
Where the hell is Sesame Street?!?!?!?

Draupnir

How can you say that about the den, you sir, are a joke. Remember when Podge was meant to be building an extension to the den years ago, they didnt know the builder was Podge dressed up as one, and he wrecked the place and legged it with the cash.

Or when there were actually Zig and Zag annuals and comics and Ted was evil and hunted Ray, poppin up in the back window of the Den and then disappear before anyone noticed.

Or actually, when Socky first arrived and he was childish at all. My my, how times have changed. I must get my Zig and Zag annuals out of the attic. It truly is the greatest thing RTE have ever made all by themselves, or at least was.

By the way, has anyone seen Bronx Bunny, the lads who do that did Zig and Zag

Sarky

Ah, memories...

Darcy was God in my childhood. Zig&Zag were hilariously funny in a clever way, Ted fighting Ray, Zag taking up pro-wrestling, Ventriliquism, and singing (Remember Zaggamuffin?) The Rotten Apple Clup with Mr. Comedy (Was Zig called Guy Smiley or something for that?), Captain Joke (weren't there a pair of villains called the French Ticklers or something too?), Captain Pillowcase, Captain U-Boat, Captain Underpants, the 46A bus, Uncle Fred and Cousin Nigel, Dustin's taxi-rank and fast food joint, Zig's Soother and subsequent sore throat, Zuppy's house-training...And who could possibly forget Ray's Raves? Man I feel old now...

Elmo

Network 2 is the Number 2 for showing the most cartoons on a free to air network.
BBC 2 is in eight place

They didn't mention TG4 which I am sure show just as many cartoons.

www.iftn.ie

ogy

just had a listen to never mind the zogabongs tape, classic album

Jim

Now that I think about it....I can remember when Socky "grew".

Wasn't it a pile of dirty socks that Dustin was supposed to clean but never did. Then after weeks the pile would start to breath every now and again, then one day it disappeared?

I miss it all. My goldfish were called Zig & Zag. They to, are long dead

DrunkLeprachaun

It's definately not a patch on what it used to be. That new guy is an unfunny, talentless loser, who should not be on any station other than that ntl link thing. Anyone remember S.O.L.D.? I felt so betrayed when they started getting line dancing lessons...

Elmo

Yeah when the made 2Phat that was a semi return to the old days, pity about the quiz show part of that. Some of the funnest sketches were on that show.

2phat the best off could have been a brillant Sketch show.

Esp the two DJ on the pirate station coming from cabinteely.

Ragamuffin

Originally posted by Elmo
Yeah when the made 2Phat that was a semi return to the old days, pity about the quiz show part of that. Some of the funnest sketches were on that show.

2phat the best off could have been a brillant Sketch show.

Esp the two DJ on the pirate station coming from cabinteely.

Yeah I thought 2phat was pretty good:D and it was so funny and the end when they got crap prizes:) he he hee:)

smoke.me.a.kipper

i remember S.O.L.D.!! also, TedWatch. i wanted those stickers!!

jill_valentine

Anyone remember S.O.L.D.? I felt so betrayed when they started getting line dancing lessons...

I too, was a disillusioned revolutionary. I'd started my own anti-linedancing group that nearly tore our family apart. Ah, Ray darcy, my first love...

I think the problem with the current Den is that its so sterile. It is really patronising to kids and the presenters have had personalitectomies. Where are the puppets gone? Where are the vaguely rude jokes? How funny was it when Dustin made fun of Ray about his lovelife? Where is that gone? I miss Zig and Zag...however I love Podge and Rodge...And Fester and Ailin'

aidan_walsh

Originally posted by jill_valentine
however I love Podge and Rodge...And Fester and Ailin'

Ah yes...

Originally sung by Fester and Ailin'
No you should never shove a banger up your arse at Hallowe'en
Its not clever, its not funny
Some think its quite obscene
You should never shove a banger up your arse on Hallowe'en
Cause you'll only blow your hole to smithereens.

Classic stuff... The newer series are kinda disappointing when compared to the earlier works though...

projectmayhem

Originally posted by Elmo
Yeah when the made 2Phat that was a semi return to the old days, pity about the quiz show part of that. Some of the funnest sketches were on that show.

2phat the best off could have been a brillant Sketch show.

Esp the two DJ on the pirate station coming from cabinteely.

that was brilliant. i'll never forget the ray darcy sketch when he does the skit of that fatboy slim video that spike jonze did in the movie theatre...

jill_valentine

Don't suppose anybody knows any good fan sites for Podge and Rodge, or anywhere I could get the lyrics for Fester and Ailin?

aidan_walsh

http://www.mjs.ca/contentz/tv/podgerodge/pandr.html

Probably the best of a bad lot...

parasite

hehe
i love the "shagging the brother's wife on the sly" song, or something like that

Elmo

Okay just to conclud (or not) From a children's TV show/channel the creaters of two of some of the most loved childrens characters have also created

1. Rodge and Podge (Two double antrand (sp?) evil twins for late night TV)
and
2. The Bronx Bunny Show (Well now!)

In any other country this would be weird.



bet Jim Henson is sorry he never went into the adult puppet market

DéiseGirl

Sarky wrote:

Ah, memories...

Darcy was God in my childhood. Zig&Zag were hilariously funny in a clever way, Ted fighting Ray, Zag taking up pro-wrestling, Ventriliquism, and singing (Remember Zaggamuffin?) The Rotten Apple Clup with Mr. Comedy (Was Zig called Guy Smiley or something for that?), Captain Joke (weren't there a pair of villains called the French Ticklers or something too?), Captain Pillowcase, Captain U-Boat, Captain Underpants, the 46A bus, Uncle Fred and Cousin Nigel, Dustin's taxi-rank and fast food joint, Zig's Soother and subsequent sore throat, Zuppy's house-training...And who could possibly forget Ray's Raves? Man I feel old now...

I was looking for something else but ended up finding this gem of a post.....all those classic moments came flooding back...I loved all the Captains...though Captain Joke was kind of cack.

Sonny Daze was in the Rotten Apple Club IIRC, that was kind of bizarre.

Or Dustin Springsteen...Born in Little Bray, I was born in Little Bray.:D

Loved the Christmas special when they went to Moscow as well.

My all time favourite was when Zag started playing golf and started hanging out with Ronan Collins and talking like a pretentious git. I think that actually led to Dustin joining the Den because Zag won a turkey in the golf club for Christmas......or is my mind playing tricks on me!

The Den was so good once upon a time that my brothers and I used to get really mad when the cartoons (especially really sh1te ones like James Bond Jr) came on because the bits in between were so great...we even used to tape them

DéiseGirl

ogy wrote:

just had a listen to never mind the zogabongs tape, classic album

Hey did you twig, Ted Danson's wig.
Ted Danson, Ted Danson, Ted Danson's wig.

He plays Sam on Cheers, and he's got big ears.
He likes to roam with a mop on his dome.

Oh dear

Elmo

We have had the best of Bosco and the best of Wanderly Wagon.

Time for the Best of The Den.

Volume One: Dempsey's Den
Volume Two: The Den (Ray D'arcy, Zig and Zag)
Volume Three: Den TV (Ray D'arcy, Dustin and Socky)

danbhala

i was cleaning out my room recently and i found something behind my desk.........

A TED FREE ZONE STICKER!!!!

i lashed it on my drum kit!

i'll take a picture later when im home from college for us all to reminisce

Ruskie4Rent

Elmo wrote:

Yeah when the made 2Phat that was a semi return to the old days, pity about the quiz show part of that. Some of the funnest sketches were on that show.

2phat the best off could have been a brillant Sketch show.

Esp the two DJ on the pirate station coming from cabinteely.

They were great. The only other thing I remember was the skits of the Levis and Fanta ads. I also remember hating the contestants who tried to be funny.
Yes a Den DVD would be great but I'd buy a 2phat one too.

DéiseGirl

Elmo wrote:

We have had the best of Bosco and the best of Wanderly Wagon.

Time for the Best of The Den.

Volume One: Dempsey's Den
Volume Two: The Den (Ray D'arcy, Zig and Zag)
Volume Three: Den TV (Ray D'arcy, Dustin and Socky)

Aye!

I just thought of other sketches I loved - The "football analysis" ones with Zig as "Amoan Grumpy" and Zag as Johnny Styles (which was pretty cat) that used to be on after Ireland played afternoon matches, usually on a Wednesday IIRC. Mysteriously those sketches stopped after the "real" Eamon Dunphy turned up at the studio one day. Not sure if that was all staged or what, "oh look, it's my cousin Arthur"

branie

Remember the talking sofa?

5starpool

Random zombie thread bump there.

Go Harvey Go

This thread was created in 2004, the last post before Branie's was in 2006, and The Den was replaced by TRTE and RTEjr in 2010.

So shouldn't this thread be locked?

Elmo

Go Harvey Go wrote: »

This thread was created in 2004, the last post before Branie's was in 2006, and The Den was replaced by TRTE and RTEjr in 2010.

So shouldn't this thread be locked?

I never really understand closing thread's why can't you comment on something a number of years old, people search the web for something and the come across a 9 year old discussion and want to "join the conversation".

BTW I don't remember the talking sofa. <<<< but back in '06 I said

We have had the best of Bosco and the best of Wanderly Wagon.

Time for the Best of The Den.

Volume One: Dempsey's Den
Volume Two: The Den (Ray D'arcy, Zig and Zag)
Volume Three: Den TV (Ray D'arcy, Dustin and Socky)

And we got Way Back DEN the best of the Den.

briany

Elmo wrote: »

I never really understand closing thread's why can't you comment on something a number of years old, people search the web for something and the come across a 9 year old discussion and want to "join the conversation".

Some threads I can understand closing like, say, one that's discussing something current. That's one that'll eventually have run it's course and the view might change, given time, so you can see a line of demarcation where one thread would end and another would begin down the line, if ever. On the other hand, a thread that's already discussing something already historical at the time of writing is usually much more evergreen. I don't see the need for such a thread to be shutdown after an arbitrary amount of time. I think maybe people are subconsciously afraid that they could be replying to posts left by dead people. That's my little theory anyway.

brian_t

Go Harvey Go

Elmo wrote: »

I never really understand closing thread's why can't you comment on something a number of years old, people search the web for something and the come across a 9 year old discussion and want to "join the conversation".

briany wrote: »

Some threads I can understand closing like, say, one that's discussing something current. That's one that'll eventually have run it's course and the view might change, given time, so you can see a line of demarcation where one thread would end and another would begin down the line, if ever. On the other hand, a thread that's already discussing something already historical at the time of writing is usually much more evergreen. I don't see the need for such a thread to be shutdown after an arbitrary amount of time. I think maybe people are subconsciously afraid that they could be replying to posts left by dead people. That's my little theory anyway.

Well, this thread was created while The Den was still very much alive - and went into its seven-year hibernation when The Den was still very much alive, too. (Indeed, Dustin was doing his now-all-but-forgotten Daily News, his Eurovision adventure still two years away.)

And it had been revived some three years after The Den's death and replacement by two unimaginatively-named strands that are not only a fair bit different presentation-wise, but have also spawned their own TV channels.

In a situation where a TV show or strand has been dead for several years and someone wants to talk about it, I'd favour the creation of a new thread - in this case, one called "Memories of The Den" or something like that - over the digging up of one that was active while the show was still alive. (And that is said without any disrespect intended towards Branie or anyone else, BTW. )

briany

Go Harvey Go wrote: »

(And that is said without any disrespect intended towards Branie or anyone else, BTW. )