15 Best British TV Shows Of The Decade
2. Gogglebox
It’s not often that the TV industry comes up with something genuinely brand new. Everyone’s influenced by everything else, and much of what’s produced is generated by what’s popular. Gogglebox was a bolt from the blue in that respect. Its premise - watching people watching telly - sounds incredibly simple (which it is), and potentially dreadful (which it isn’t). But through the basic understanding that we enjoy poking around in other folks’ lives, they’ve hit on TV gold.
This is aspirational television at its finest. The pundits are from all walks of life, and you wouldn’t necessarily want to swap homes with most of them. But who can honestly say they’ve never watched Gogglebox and thought “I wouldn’t mind a crack at that”? It takes a special type of person to make a good Goggleboxer. You need the moxie to allow cameras into your gaff, but to be grounded enough not to get overambitious (Londoner Sandra flew too close to the sun, and the jury’s yet out on Scarlett Moffat).
You need the banter, naturally, but the confidence that you won’t say anything dreadfully outrageous. Word is the stars are paid £1,500 a month plus snacks and TV subscriptions comped. No great fortune, but Gogglebox isn’t about that. It’s all about the mouthpiece, of having people choose to watch you gob off for an hour every week.
Gogglebox proves the continued relevance of TV as a medium: the same people who’d turn their noses up at the idea of watching a YouTuber will cheerfully listen to Giles from Wiltshire as he drones on about the latest episode of Dr Foster. It’s an infinite loop of content and commentary, the TV industry feeding itself - and it’s brilliant.