Channel 4 - 4 Later: Shadow People

Advantages: Does show some good drama - if you can find it/stay awake long enough to catch it!
Disadvantages: Uncaring of viewer preferences. Garbage TV for the most part

...Channel Four used to be the channel of choice for discerning viewers who were fed up with the same-old, same-old garbage coming out of BBC and ITV. It was innovative, catered for a wide variety of tastes, showcased some grounnd-breaking UK comedy and was the first to get some of the best US drama around, such as ER, NYPD Blue, Northern Exposure and so on. It also had the grittiest soap around, Brookside But what's happened to it in recent years? Brookside is a shadow of its former self, seeking after sensationalism instead of genuinely good storylines. And where's all the good, gritty drama gone? Queer as Folk was the lasst genuinely good home-grown drama on C4, and the channel turned down the spin-off series it was offered by Red and Russel T Davies. Now, C4 only appears interested in downmarket TV and repeats - why on earth Big... Read review

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Advantages: Another free channel that could be good
Disadvantages: Never complain when it's free

...E4 is the new channel from the makers of channel 4. It is available on satallite, cable and digital T.V. (For Sky digital viewers it is number 205.) The channel was launched yesterday by Ali G. Aiii! The first 2 programs ever to be shown on it were both Friends episodes. This was followed by ER and Eurotrash and other repeats of programs already shown on channel 4. Other programs that will be shown later are Ally McBeal, Frasier etc. Channel 4, who already run Filmfour, a really great film channel, have made a channel 4 version of ITV2, but ITV2 isn't even avaliable on sky digital. This channel (E4) will offer much more than ITV2. At the moment it is only broadcasting in the evening, like channel 5 when it was released, but I am sure it will be running 24/7 soon. There's not too much that can be said about E4 at the moment. It's a case... Read review

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Advantages: Good telly. Many American imports. First Look at shows before they get to Channel4
Disadvantages: Quite a lot of the same repeats

...E4 was launched way back in 2001. It was one of the first of Channel4's sister channels to be found on satellite/cable as a subscription service. E stands for Entertainment and that is exactly what this channel claims to do, Entertain. In 2004, E4 joined the subscription service 'Top UP TV' and then a year later in 2005, it became free, joining 'Freeview'. It's full of American TV shows, mainly from US giants 'NBC' and 'ABC'. If you like 'FRIENDS', you can find it on there almost everyday. Other shows that can be found there are 'Scrubs', 'Desperate Housewives', 'My Name is Earl', 'Smallville', 'Ugly Betty', the list goes on...It is also the home to the 'trendy' Channel4 (UK) shows such as 'Skins' and 'Hollyoaks'. If you don't know any of these shows, you will not know that they (and the channel as a whole) are aimed at teenagers... Read review

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