Who remembers the Late Show?

I was going to preface this by saying “At the risk of being boring…” but let’s not worry about that and see how it goes. From 1989-1995 on BBC2 weeknights after Newsnight there was a programme called The Late Show and it was magnificent. You want a 40 minute programme about French philosopher Michel Foucault, director Josef von Sternberg or US crime writer Elmore Leonard? No problem (these are ones I’ve picked more or less at random from the BFI listing). There’s no point making an arts programme if you’re going to be self-conscious about it or worry about coming across as pretentious and among the memorable there were some less than successful episodes. There’s very little on TV nowadays now that takes an in-depth approach allied with an ability to engage the viewer in unlikely subject matter. This intriguing Culture Show special on rockers Metallica is as close as you’re likely to get.