The Sunday Service - Tellywood

- An Insider’s Guide To Cool Britannia…

Tellywood

Whenever I arrive in a new country, the first thing I do once settled in my new home or hotel room, is turn on the telly. It is the one thing I do without fail. I often think – rightly or wrongly – that television gives me an instant sense of a country’s culture. It may sound odd but, British television is one of the main things I miss when I’m outside of the UK. Yep, ‘The Woods’ – Bollywood & Hollywood may have film; Paris food; Milan fashion and China tea. But, if you ask me, Britain does give great television.

Now, I could spend all day espousing the virtues of British television, not to mention the shows that I have loved, but I wont. Instead, for this week's Sunday Service I’m gonna focus on a genre and channel I have enjoyed consistently.

It’s Channel 4 documentaries (click here for website). I’m pretty much addicted to the channel’s Internet television service, 4oD* (4 on Demand). It’s perfect for a web surfing insomniac like myself. Below are some of my personal favourites from the channel’s fascinating abundance of factual programmes. Be warned, these documentaries are NOT a day at the park. So, if you’re looking for laughs, comedy or light hearted hand-relief then this post is not for you. But, if you want to witness some great Channel 4 funded documentaries, then look no further than Channel 4’s Internet television service, 4oD.

The Boy Whose Skin Fell Off

The inspiring tale of one man’s triumph over adversity

Katie: My Beautiful Face

The human face of obsession

 The Millionaire and the Murder Mansion
The tragic results of one man's financial meltdown

Kenya Murder Mystery

A murder in the shadow of post-colonial Africa

Madeleine Was Here

The McCann's Story

Aileen: Life and Death of a Serial Killer

Documentary maker Nick Broomfield at his very best.

Crooked Tarts and Coronets

The intriguing tale of two female con artists.

Ghosts

The harrowing tale of ill-fated Chinese illegal workers.

Hindenburg

Original film footage, witness statements and re-enactments of what lead up to, and the probable cause of one of the world’s most famous aeronautical disasters.

Interview with a Poltergeist

A quirky British haunting.

Killer in a Small Town

The story of the Suffolk Strangler

I do have one pet peeve about 4oD. The website lists non-available documentaries alongside its available ones. It makes the site frustrating to navigate, especially if you’re someone like me who will watch documentaries back-to-back over a prolonged period. There is no doubt that the annoying website has effected 4oD's overall rating in this review.

- Channel 4 Documentaries

*If based outside the UK you will need to use a company that provides a UK VPN service to access 4oD’s content.

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