Airport TV Programming Suggestions

Airport TV Programming - Some Suggestions

I'm half way through a big old round trip that will see me pass through 8 airports in 4 countries, currently between Assen Netherlands and Silverstone UK, I'm at Amsterdam Schiphol waiting to go on to London Heathrow and with all due respect to CNN, SKY TV, The Weather Channel, and a bunch of other folks who funnel fondant through airport TV cable systems (for a cost, I imagine), I think it might be time for a little programming rethink.

I'm getting a little bored of watching heads (pretty and handsome heads I hasten to add) reading words I can't hear tell me stories about blips of pictures that I feel the need to know a little more about.

So, still a little jet lagged, sunburned after 2 days out in a Dutch field watching some of the best motorcycle racing on the planet, and broke after an hour in the Casino Bar here, I set out to make a few suggestions that might liven up the waiting, and perhaps even get a few international conversations and cross-cultural friendships going.

Back in time
Before I left home I had the chance to watch the Batman and Robin Serial from 1949 (available in a 2 part DVD package from Netflix) and I was thinking even then that you didn't need to hear anything to know what was going on in this little gem. I know at least one of the 6 folks who'll read this is thinking, "that ain't TV, that's cinema" and God bless you lonely one, but perhaps because it is cinema, it would mean more in more languages. Now I say Cinema, which is a far cry from what's been done with the poor old Caped Crusader lately, by that Shoebaker guy (No, I didn't spell his name wrong. Think about it). Still, I'd love to see it on a boarding gate screen sometime soon. Here's part of the first episode I found at YouTube:





You can find part 2 of the first episode here. And more stuff along this line you can check the Fan of Bats YouTube Page. got the pic from Josh Nunn's collection at flickr (follow link to see more)

Here's another Deux ou Trois Choses I'd like to see
...and, travelers who can still afford to fly, might enjoy, during their time at the terminal:

The Banana Splits:
You don't need to speak any language, and would probably do better coming from Mars anyway, to get the most out of the Banana Splits Show (Wiki,) this gem from Television's past. Again, visual, stories in pictures, getting my drift....





The Thunderbirds TV Series:
Ok, Airports could use their discretion about showing the falling plane airport emergency episode ("Episode 1 Trapped in the Sky") But you could watch Gary Anderson's Thunderbirds from 1965-66 with the sound turned down. And while you'd be missing a wonderful score and some great 60s pop tunes you'd still understand every dramatic heartbeat. Which is different from the absolute horse $**+ the latest Movie version turned out to be. Time would fly and the entire exit gate could play "supermarionation marionettes" with your friendly flight crew... ....Here's the Thunderbirds TV Series Wiki entry for more FAB stuff and here's the unforgettable into to the show from YouTube...





And if it's too hard to bear, I'd be happy to have the big name pulp providers offer an update crawl under this great stuff. Stuff like, "It's gonna snow for another 2 days... get comfy" or "Ivy League Law School Syllabus Amended - Winner will now pay Loser's debts instead of putting money into a new health system for growing numbers of Disenfranchised and Unemployed.". Besides, think of the marketing posibilities, with episodic content, people would want to come back to that boarding gate again and again to see further installments of thier faves. You could have Friday midnight flight "Thunderbirds" clubs at the terminals... but I digress.

More Current Stuff
They say a culture is as good as it's latest product, so I guess we find ourselves, yeah, you too Mister, knee deep in Bones, Nemo The Messenger Dog (see if you caught that reference), and The Singing Office (God Help Us All!). But there are moments from recent TV that could be shown between episodes of the wonderful programming listed above. Like when the wannabe TV chef woman from Mid West India cemented her reputation for the rest of her life throwing away a whole fish (while people starve) or the scene from Top Chef 2 when grown up reality show competitors got drunk and tried to shave the foam guy's head or when the tattooed guy from that clothes designing show was accused of cheating with his pleating, or, you know, stuff people who stayed home saw and will invariably want to talk to you about before they want to know about your trip away.

Concourse Muzak:
Oh yeah, and for concourse music, including the moving walkway at Chicago O'hare they could do a lot worse than using, my last.fm playlist

Opinions and Suggestions Encouraged.
Welcome to my newest blog. Above is my opinion, what's yours? Let me know about what you think should be on Airport TV. But I warn you, comments will be moderated.