Sorry but I need to vent! Another skipped ep due to sport?

Yup, that's why I used "literally" after, ha.

There is "losing the plot" in the slang sense. But in this case the BBC actually managed to do it...for real? :-))))

Another point, having realised the one week break I set my Sky planner to record the final episode for next Friday and for anyone else doing the same please be wary of pressing the info button on your remote (which should give spoiler-free info) but reveals an albeit minor plot point which you may rather wait to find out.

"Stop listening to music made by poofs - Stick on some Elton John".

Yes! And it goes back to putting a star series on a Friday--which everybody knows is the worst night to try to air a series.

Though, ITV managed it with "Mr. Selfridge" without having to take breaks throughout the airing.

Isn't there a new head of drama in the past few months for BBC?

Maybe she'll have the clout to stop programming nonsense like this. Hopefully, this was a one-off...

They easily could have waited until "Call the Midwife" was finished, etc. Or even "Happy Valley."

Who knows what goes on in the latte-addled minds of the increasingly irrational denizens of W1A. Too many extortionate expense account lunches at The Langham, no doubt...

It's not actually about catching up with a missed series episode...

It was about how the BBC pre-empted "Shetland" twice during its 6-episode run, extending over 8 weeks--in order to show a sporting event in its place. Twice.

So, after 8 weeks, we'll finally see episode 6 on Friday...

Too true.

I actually took the time to watch episode 5 again right before episode 6, just to refresh after two weeks. (Okay the memory isn't what it used to be...) :-)

Given the very last episode ever of "Shetland" vibe it made me wonder if the BBC knew it would be the end when they scheduled it, so didn't care if they lost ratings as it went on with the unfortunate dual interruptions for sport?

Given the heavy focus on ratings used by the network suits in order to decide on a renewal, maybe this time it just didn't matter if it was not going to be renewed anyway?

I can't get into the minds of distributors and bean counters at the Beeb, but maybe they just didn't care--IF it was the end of "Shetland."

They've got 4 series in the bag now, and it will make a tasty DVD marketing package. Maybe that's all they were going for.

It seems more and more and more actual airing of shows just doesn't matter much to the networks, even when ratings DO still matter, even on the Beeb with no adverts to sell.

I noticed this "live airings no longer much matter" when U.S. networks started throwing up new series as taster samples only to pull them after 2 or 3 poor ratings airings and getting them right up and running on their pay-to-view online network sites to rake in the cash (CBS and ABC and NBC I'm lookin' at you.)

Oh well, guess I'm still trying to find some twisted logic why the BBC would make such a beautiful, expensive and well done popular series and then just crap it away on a Friday night with two sports breaks.