Is Saturday night television a thing of the past?

Lucy Lillystone weighs in on whether Saturday night TV is a thing of the past.

Lucy Lillystone
9th March 2020
Credit; IMDb
With the return of Ant and Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway, it's interesting to wonder if Saturday night television is still a thing.

Do viewers at home sit down with their Dominos or their Indians and stick the TV on? Or rather, are we in a new age in which Netflix, Amazon Prime and Apple TV are much more entertaining than the supposed 'crap' on BBC and ITV on a Saturday?

It's likely, for some, that Saturday night TV is a thing of the past. Why would I watch Ant and Dec when I could finish binging The Stranger? It's the same for the recent decline in cinemas, as people can now watch films from the comfort of their homes. For me, though, Saturday night TV is still very much something I look forward to. In my house, we always have a home-made Parmo, sit down with the blankets and the cushions and the snacks and stick on what is on that particular Saturday.

Casualty is a show that has been going for years and will have its hardcore fans turning up at 9pm on the dot

Most often than not, this is Casualty. Airing on BBC 1 at 9pm, this is the one of the best family medical dramas, dealing with the crazies that have fallen off their bike after taking some drugs or somewhat and need medical assistance from Connie and the team at Holby City Hospital. Now on Series 34, this is a show that has been going for years and will have its hardcore fans turning up at 9pm on the dot to watch the team work their magic. Actors and characters come and go, but it's still one of the most gripping and dramatic shows I've ever watched on a Saturday night.

Credit; BBC; IMDb

Saturday night TV is also the time when all the competition shows air, from Strictly Come Dancing to Dancing on Ice. Recently, there's also been The Greatest Dancer, hosted by Alesha Dixon and Jordan Banjo with panellists Cheryl Cole, Oti Mabuse and more. Differently from X Factor and Britain's Got Talent, The Greatest Dancer is a show that removes all the crappy, entertainment-value acts and has quality dancers from start to finish. This year in particular, the show has had me on edge with the quality and the hard-hitting nature of the some of the dances.

Strictly Come Dancing, hosted by Tess Daley and Claudia Winkleman always provides laughter on a Saturday evening. Whether this is by the brutal comments from judge Craig Revel Horwood or from contestants like Mike Bushell who, despite going far in the competition this year, was one of the worst competitors. He was definitely entertaining though. Strictly Come Dancing, like Casualty is a family show that gets you all together for one night to watch something light, easy and entertaining.

The thing about Saturday night TV is that it's entertaining and light

The thing about Saturday night TV is that it's not gripping in the way the dramas throughout the week are, it's not binge worthy like much of the stuff on Netflix - it's entertaining and light. It's a time when me and my family get together after stuffing our faces or after being out shopping all day and can laugh at some of the contestants on these game shows, can cry at the deaths on Casualty or can simply enjoy the entertainment value that shows like Ant and Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway embody.

As a whole, Saturday night TV is for the old audiences or young audiences who don't have a social life and are out getting pissed but just simply want something easy and funny to watch on TV for the night.

Credit; YouTube
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AUTHOR: Lucy Lillystone
English Language and Literature graduate, writer and Film Editor 2019/20. Passionate about film, TV and books. 99.9% of my articles are me crying, emotional over my love for my favourite characters. Twitter: @lucylillystone_

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