Continuity Announcer Fail

The King of Moo

I'm sure we all know examples of continuity announcers saying stupid things. I had a mini-rant slightly off topic in the Adverts You Despise thread earlier about the 3e announcers.

One thing in particular that always annoyed me was when they revealed that they didn't watch the programmes they were acting like they knew intimately.
I remember in the brief time I stuck with Stargate Atlantis on Sky One, the announcer would always take about the bad guys in a manner that sounded like he knew what he was talking about, but used only information that could be obtained in the info section on the tv listings.
Only he gave himself away by calling them "The Wrath" and not "The Wraith." Every. single. week.

Less than an hour ago, on Rté, I heard a particularly annoying example that inspired me to rant here. Just before Peep Show (featuring the characters Jeremy and Mark, of course) started, the announcer confidently told me that "Jimmy and Mark's fortunes are on opposite ends of the spectrum on 'The Peep Show.'" :mad: I rewound to confirm that I heard correctly.

It might sound like a trivial thing, but shouldn't they ensure that they get the basic information about the programmes right? I may be wrong, but it doesn't seem like a difficult job, and it wouldn't take too long at all to check the info is right.

iguana

A couple of months ago I heard: "And next here on 3, we join Jenna and the gang on 30 Rock"

Sure Jenna is a character on 30 Rock it's hardly Jenna and the gang. Liz and the gang, fair enough. Jack and the gang, makes sense. Tracey and the gang, I can just about see that. But Jenna....? Clearly the announcer had never seen 30 Rock in her life and had just read the synopsis which IIRC would have said something about Jenna and Kelsey Grammer scamming a cake shop.

The King of Moo

iguana wrote: »

A couple of months ago I heard: "And next here on 3, we join Jenna and the gang on 30 Rock"

Sure Jenna is a character on 30 Rock it's hardly Jenna and the gang. Liz and the gang, fair enough. Jack and the gang, makes sense. Tracey and the gang, I can just about see that. But Jenna....? Clearly the announcer had never seen 30 Rock in her life and had just read the synopsis which IIRC would have said something about Jenna and Kelsey Grammer scamming a cake shop.

They really do seem to be the worst channel for it, and they're terrible when they try to be funny.

Doodah7

The King of Moo wrote: »

It might sound like a trivial thing,

Well you got that bit right...

The King of Moo

tallpaul wrote: »

Well you got that bit right...

Thanks for your contribution. Anymore, I'll only post on issues of grave national, or indeed international, importance.

Doodah7

The King of Moo wrote: »

Thanks for your contribution. Anymore, I'll only post on issues of grave national, or indeed international, importance.

I'm sorry but you take the time to type out a fairly long rant giving out about people doing a fairly mundane job pretending to like a programme they have to introduce?? Please... go get a life...

The King of Moo

tallpaul wrote: »

I'm sorry but you take the time to type out a fairly long rant giving out about people doing a fairly mundane job pretending to like a programme they have to introduce?? Please... go get a life...

I wouldn't say it's very long. Anyway, it's something I personally find very annoying so I'm perfectly entitled to air my views.
If it's not something you're interested in that's fine, but why bother entering the thread and posting in it just to say that? If you have no interest and have nothing constructive to add don't bother.
I won't be responding any further to this argument as it's pointless and has already descended to the "get a life" stage. Let's just nip it in the bud here.

Sesudra

tallpaul wrote: »

I'm sorry but you take the time to type out a fairly long rant giving out about people doing a fairly mundane job pretending to like a programme they have to introduce?? Please... go get a life...

Or maybe stop reading the thread?after all, you took the time to read it, and reply twice...

anyways,as far as I know they record those announcements in a big block and then "attach" them to the programme (or at least thats how TV3/3e does it). but I'd rather they just say "And now, Fringe" rather than "Time for more SPOOOOOOKY goings on with the Fringe gang" like they sometimes do on Sky 1, makes it sound like Scooby Doo

The Recliner

tallpaul wrote: »

Please... go get a life...

what by posting on the internet like you :rolleyes:

Anyway, 3/3e are the worst for it and generally portray their total and utter misunderstanding of what a show is about with their announcements

The King of Moo

Sesudra wrote: »

anyways,as far as I know they record those announcements in a big block and then "attach" them to the programme (or at least thats how TV3/3e does it). but I'd rather they just say "And now, Fringe" rather than "Time for more SPOOOOOOKY goings on with the Fringe gang" like they sometimes do on Sky 1, makes it sound like Scooby Doo

I think keeping it simple like that is the way to go. I don't realistically expect them to watch every programme on the channel, but when they act like they do but give the impression/clearly show that they don't it's a lot worse than if they didn't try. It's not like anyone's every been convinced to watch a programme because of a continuity announcer anyway: "Hhm, I wasn't going to watch Fringe tonight, but he just said it's going to be spooky, so I will!"

elekid

Or how about when they practically drop spoilers for the show you're about to watch: "..and The Doctor meets a familiar face from his past now, in an all new episode of Doctor Who"

We took to muting the BBC announcers before Doctor Who and Being Human in my house because they used to ramble on for ages and say vaguely spoilery crap like that.

The King of Moo

elekid wrote: »

Or how about when they practically drop spoilers for the show you're about to watch: "..and The Doctor meets a familiar face from his past now, in an all new episode of Doctor Who"

We took to muting the BBC announcers before Doctor Who and Being Human in my house because they used to ramble on for ages and say vaguely spoilery crap like that.

Ooh, I hate that.
Also, when they ruin the end of something by coming in over the credits as soon as they come on, usually in an annoyingly cheery fashion which seems so much worse if it follows a very emotional ending.
Sky One do this every time when the show the episode of The Simpsons where Homer's reunited with his mother. The ending and music carry over into the credits, yet they won't even wait a few seconds to let the emotional ending sink in in case you change the channel, so they effectively butt in while the programme's still on and completely ruin the moment :mad:.

Sparko

I was fairly irritated watching the series finale of Caprica last night on Sky, it came back from the last ad break and the announcer started chatting about the upcoming dvd release, ruined 10-15 seconds of the closing montage.

ixoy

The King of Moo wrote: »

Also, when they ruin the end of something by coming in over the credits as soon as they come on, usually in an annoyingly cheery fashion which seems so much worse if it follows a very emotional ending.

The nadir of this was C4 over an episode of "Six Feet Under" saying "Don't get on the bus Nate!" If you know the scene I'm referring to, you should rightfully be disgusted.

The King of Moo

Sparko wrote: »

I was fairly irritated watching the series finale of Caprica last night on Sky, it came back from the last ad break and the announcer started chatting about the upcoming dvd release, ruined 10-15 seconds of the closing montage.

I loved Caprica, and now I'm glad I wasn't patient enough to wait for it to return on Sky and watched the last few episodes earlier, that would've driven me crazy!

blastman

What I hate is the constant bombardment of What's On Next. They're practically hanging on to your ankle, sobbing and pleading with you not to change channel while they show the contractually-obligated credits (usually in a postage stamp in the bottom corner of the screen) because the next programme is so, so awesome!!