Slow TV

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2019-10-21

Summary

TV programmes need to have more and more action and excitement these days, in order to keep people watching, right? Wrong! Learn about a TV trend that is the complete opposite, and meet its number one fan: Neil!

Transcript 

Feifei
Hi Neil. Good weekend? Do anything nice?

Neil
Hi Feifei! Actually, I stayed in and watched TV.

Feifei
Football?

Neil
No, I watched this marvellous programme from Norway.

Feifei
Oh, one of those police dramas? They’re great!

Neil
Actually, believe it or not, the entire film was just the view from the front of a train, all the way from one city to another. It was seven hours long.

Feifei
Seven hours?! And that’s all that happened? No people? No police? No nothing?

Neil
Just the view from the train. It was such a relaxing journey. They call it ‘slow TV’.

Feifei
Ahh, yes. I’ve heard of that. Wasn’t there one on a boat too? Isn’t it a bit boring?

Neil
Well, it’s not for everyone. But my life is so busy, I just like to slow down now and again.

Feifei
I’m still not convinced. Anyway, let’s hear some more examples about this slow TV. It’s our phrase on The English We Speak.

Examples
Michala’s company specialises in making slow TV. She says business is great right now!

I recently discovered slow TV. My friends think it’s really dull, but I find it helps clear my head after a stressful day.

A: What are you watching? It looks just like a fireplace with a big piece of wood burning.
B: It is! Isn’t slow TV fantastic? It takes about four hours for the wood to burn completely.

Feifei
You're listening to The English We Speak from BBC Learning English. The expression we're looking at in this programme is 'slow TV'. So Neil, is this what you’ll be doing with you free time from now on? Watching slow TV?

Neil
No, I’ve got an even better idea for this weekend. You know that oak tree I planted?

Feifei
Err, yes.

Neil
I’m going to film it. And make my very own slow TV! Then you can watch my tree grow, any time you like.

Feifei
Honestly, Neil. I don’t think so.

Neil
Maybe this will be the next big thing in slow TV. I could call it… Slow Tree V. Get it?

Feifei
I think what you need is to take a long, slow walk outside. Then you can admire all the trees you like!

Neil
Just you wait, Feifei! This will be the slowest TV ever – oak trees take around 30 years to grow.

Feifei
Good luck, Neil. See you in 30 years. I’ll stick to police dramas in the meantime.

Neil and Feifei
Bye.