How TV Ruined Your Life is a six-episode BBC Two television series written and presented by Charlie Brooker

Charlie Brooker

Charlton "Charlie" Brooker is a British journalist, comic writer and broadcaster. His style of humour is savage and profane, with surreal elements and a consistent satirical pessimism...

. Charlie Brooker, whose earlier TV-related programmes include How to Watch Television, Charlie Brooker's Screenwipe

Charlie Brooker's Screenwipe

Charlie Brooker's Screenwipe is a British television review programme broadcast on BBC Four by Charlie Brooker. The programme contains reviews of current shows, as well as stories and commentary on how television is produced.-Format:...

and You Have Been Watching

You Have Been Watching

You Have Been Watching is a British comedy panel game presented by Charlie Brooker, produced by Zeppotron for Channel 4 and filmed at BBC Television Centre and Riverside Studios in London. It first aired on Tuesday 7 July 2009, for a weekly eight-episode run...

, examines how the medium has bent reality to fit its own ends. Produced by Zeppotron

Zeppotron

Zeppotron is a television and online comedy production company. It was formed in 2000 from several of the writers of Channel 4's The 11 O'Clock Show: Charlie Brooker, Ben Caudell, Peter Holmes, Neil Webster...

, the series aired its first episode in January 2011.

Reception

The series was reviewed mildly positively, with some criticism of the series' topic (criticism of television), some positive remarks about specific segments, and some abuse in jest from Brooker's colleagues at The Guardian: "Ha! I mean, boo! I hate him." In the Scotsman, it was noted that "though so far Brooker hasn't been pulling any punches", some of Brooker's topics were deemed too broad, some of his targets were called "too familiar", like his mockery of 1970s public service safety announcements, and Brooker himself "may be heading towards one of those programmes he has so savagely parodied." The Metro enjoyed Brooker's making "merrily sardonic hay", and found his skewering of some TV fearmongering "spot on", but found his targets pretty easy, "nicking TV news (‘like looking directly in the face of terror’) with flesh-wounds when once upon a time he would have gone for the heart", and described the show as "cobbled together."

Episode list

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