Interesting commentary on ABC’s brand-new hit shows for 2008 in the American TV Week:

Buzz projects: Game show “Opportunity Knocks,” which takes the game show out of the studio and into contestants’ front yards, is gaining steam. An adaptation of British crime drama “Life on Mars” is virtually on the air, although producer David E. Kelley’s involvement is in doubt.

   We know Life on Mars is a remake, but Opportunity Knocks? Talk about reviving something very, very old.
   It began on BBC Radio in 1949 and the Hughie Green TV version on ITV began in 1960 in the UK.
   While this version sounds a bit different (‘contestants’ front yards’?) I can’t help but think it’s somehow the same show—it certainly sounds like a talent show with everyday contestants, as with the original.
   The original was infamous for having a young Su Pollard beaten by a dog and some dude called Gerry Dorsey (Engelbert Humperdinck to most of us) getting rejected at auditions. But it was a solid ratings’ hit for ITV and Thames in its day.
   It was so famous that Benny Hill did a parody of it in 1971, pretending it was on German television:

Benny hill-opportunity knocks

   Again, I shall be interested to see what transpires, and I mean that most sincerely, folks.

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benny hill - gangsters

Among his later shows, Benny Hill claimed that he was inspired by other acts which he adapted to his programme, which probably led to his many parodies. This one, however, was considered to be fully original, so much so that the day they shot it, the cast and crew celebrated.

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Benny Hill - Hospital

As we head toward the 15th anniversary of Alf ‘Benny’ Hill’s passing on April 20, here’s a little sketch from his show, with the whole regular cast of Benny Hill, Jackie Wright, Bob Todd and Henry McGee, sadly all deceased. At least they are all reunited, doing the same sketches in Heaven.
   By today’s standards, most of these sketches are tame and not politically incorrect—though sadly, Hill remains less loved in his home country than, say, in the United States.
   The bed-bath scene in the above video is a classic. My own favourite was his Australian-filmed Ned Kelly sketch, albeit without his usual supporting cast. The Dave Allen spoof below is rather good, too.

Benny Hill's Answer to the Rabid Politically Correct

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