A sad case

That's me - the sad case.  I'm not alone in that as the Old Bat is equally as sad a case as I.  And I very much think there is no cure for either of us.  Nor can I believe that we are alone in our affliction, although in all probability the other sufferers are much of a muchness with the two of us as far as age is concerned.

Our problem is that we find most of the humour broadcast on the mainstream television channels distinctly un-funny.  We are stuck - or perhaps I should say our sense of humour is stuck - in the golden age of British sit-coms.  Where today are the true successors of The Good Life, To the Manor Born, Steptoe and Son and Open All Hours?  Dad's Army - claimed by some, with some justification, as the greatest of them all - is still being repeated on BBC2 but otherwise it is necessary to catch the occasional repeat on BBC4, where they recently aired a few episodes of Ever Decreasing Circles, or on ITV3 during the afternoon.  Otherwise, it's the box sets.

And we have a few, including Porridge, 'Allo 'Allo and As Time Goes By.  When we are not watching ITV3's oft-repeated Midsomer Murders we are running through the near-100 episodes of As Time Goes By - for the third time at least.  And we still find them amusing.  Judi Dench and Geoffrey Palmer are absolutely made for the parts they play.

Our appetite for past TV glories is fed in part by a well-known internet retailer.  Some time last year I was seduced by them into applying for their credit card.  For every pound I spend on the card, they give me one point - and for every 1000 points, I get a £10 gift voucher.  As I use my credit card for nearly all purchases, those points tend to add up.  I've received two £10 vouchers recently and have ordered another box set (Ever Decreasing Circles this time) and a copy of a film I have not seen for ages - A Man for All Seasons - the 1966 film starring Paul Scofield that won six Oscars.

We might be sad cases to some folk, but we are happy in our sadness.