All Seasons

Season 1

  • SPECIAL 0x1 Pilot: Episode 1

    • March 2, 2006
    • BBC Four

    Brooker talks about the actual cost of making simple TV and how TV companies claw the money back from phone in shows. He also discusses the different types of TV presenters as well as reviewing The Jeremy Kyle Show and The Apprentice. Robert Popper talks about his dislike for the TV show Star Quality.

  • SPECIAL 0x2 Pilot: Episode 2

    • March 9, 2006
    • BBC Four

    Brooker talks about the process of actually getting an idea onto TV. He reviews 24, Deal or No Deal and breakfast TV and he discusses TV giving itself a pat on the back. Dr Ben Goldacre discusses "bad" science on television.

  • SPECIAL 0x3 Pilot: Episode 3

    • March 16, 2006
    • BBC Four

    Brooker discusses TV scaremongering thanks to 24-hour news and reconstruction programmes. He reviews Music channels and TV makeover shows. Simon Farnaby talks about Last of the Summer Wine.

  • S01E01 Episode 1

    • July 20, 2006
    • BBC Four

    Brooker talks about how difficult it is to actually make the smallest bit of TV. Brooker reviews the morning slots on television, Doctor Who, EastEnders and aspirational TV. Jamie Whyte talks about advertising on TV.

  • S01E02 Episode 2

    • July 27, 2006
    • BBC Four

    Brooker discusses why some people want to be famous and will do anything to get on TV. He reviews psychic and medium programmes, Big Brother and Love Island. David Quantick discusses his gripes with "list" shows.

  • S01E03 Episode 3

    • August 3, 2006
    • BBC Four

    Brooker looks into sex on television. He reviews where TV is heading in the future and where it is now, Emmerdale, cookery shows and Deadwood. Catherine Townsend talks about unrealistic sex on television.

  • S01E04 Episode 4

    • August 10, 2006
    • BBC Four

    Brooker goes in depth into how you can get an idea on TV. He reviews TV consumer shows, Hollyoaks and Dragons' Den. A spoof voice commentary from the director of The Mint is supplied (by Adam Buxton).

  • S01E05 Screenwipe USA

    • August 17, 2006
    • BBC Two

    Screenwipe USA. In this USA special, Brooker goes in depth into American TV and compares the main differences between British and American Television. He reviews American soap operas, American reality crime shows, To Catch a Predator and The Wire. Lewis Black talks about his experiences with television.

  • SPECIAL 0x4 A Very Screenwipe Christmas

    • December 21, 2006

    A Very Screenwipe Christmas. In this Christmas special, Brooker talks about Christmas television from past to present. He reviews Noel Edmonds' Christmas shows, Christmas EastEnders and primetime Christmas Day TV. Rhys Thomas talks about The Box of Delights.

  • SPECIAL 0x5 Review of the Year 2006

    • December 31, 2006

    Review of the Year 2006. In this end of year special, Brooker looks back at TV from the year gone by. He reviews shows that tell us how to live, broadcasting landmarks, reality TV and TV comebacks. Grace Dent reviews Britain's soap operas. Mark Gatiss talks about Nigel Kneale who died during the year.

Season 2

  • S02E01 Episode 1

    • February 5, 2007
    • BBC Four

    Brooker talks about the guidelines that TV has to adhere to. He reviews Celebrity Big Brother 5, Psychic Private Eyes and Battlestar Galactica. Doug Stanhope gives his views on television.

  • S02E02 Episode 2

    • February 12, 2007
    • BBC Four

    Brooker discusses what TV ratings are and how they work. He reviews 24, video games not getting as much respect as television and Fortune: Million Pound Giveaway. Gia Milinovich talks about video on the web.

  • S02E03 Episode 3

    • February 19, 2007
    • BBC Four

    Brooker discusses what it's like to be the "talent" on a TV show. He reviews shows aimed at men; Ross Kemp on Gangs, Top Gear and Britain's Hardest. He also reviews courtroom reality show The Verdict. Reginald D Hunter talks about British TV from an American perspective.

  • S02E04 Episode 4

    • February 26, 2007
    • BBC Four

    Brooker talks about how video and editing techniques and technology have improved over time. He reviews Primeval and The Sex Inspectors. Stewart Lee talks about how the perception of teenagers on TV has changed over the years. Grace Dent talks about love storylines in soap operas.

Season 3

  • SPECIAL 0x6 The Screenwipe Guide to TV

    • September 18, 2007
    • BBC Four

    'How to' compilation show. In this Compilation show Brooker looks back at the actual cost of making television, how to get your ideas on TV, how the smallest piece of TV is difficult to make, what it's like being the "talent" on a TV show and how videoing and editing techniques have improved over time

  • S03E01 Episode 1

    • September 25, 2007
    • BBC Four

    Brooker looks into the lies TV tells us. He reviews Heroes, Have I Been Here Before? and The X Factor. Nicholas Parsons talks about Saturday night entertainment.

  • S03E02 Episode 2

    • October 2, 2007
    • BBC Four

    Brooker talks about the decline of the ending credits on TV programmes. He reviews Ann Widdecombe Versus Prostitution, Secret Diary of a Call Girl and Street Doctor. Richard Herring talks about Big Cook, Little Cook.

  • S03E03 Television News

    • October 9, 2007
    • BBC Four

    In this television news special, Brooker talks about the need to entertain on the news and also the rise of 24-hour news. Adam Curtis talks about the rise and fall of the television journalist.

  • S03E04 Episode 4

    • October 16, 2007
    • BBC Four

    Brooker talks about television that is aimed at today's youth. He reviews My Super Sweet 16, America's Next Top Model and The Tudors. Matt Berry about television theme tunes, especially those of Ronnie Hazelhurst.

  • S03E05 Episode 5

    • October 23, 2007
    • BBC Two

    Brooker looks into TV elimination shows and he creates his own to demonstrate how they can be edited to distort the truth. He reviews Pete's P.A. and Any Dream Will Do.

  • SPECIAL 0x7 Review of the Year 2007

    • December 19, 2007

    Review of the year 2007. In this end of year special, Brooker looks back at TV from the year gone by. He reviews show highlights from the year month by month. Grace Dent reviews Britain's soap operas.

Season 4

  • S04E01 Episode 1

    • November 18, 2008
    • BBC Four

    Brooker discusses the notion of people complaining about television. He reviews Britannia High, Paul Ross's Big Black Book of Horror. Liza Tarbuck talks about Tales of the Riverbank.

  • S04E02 TV Advertising

    • November 25, 2008
    • BBC Four

    Brooker talks about television advertising; the guidelines, its history and how they work. He reviews Mad Men. Tim Key recites another poem.

  • S04E03 TV Writing

    • December 2, 2008
    • BBC Four

    In this slightly extended episode, Brooker is joined by some of the best TV writers in the business today. They talk about how they started out and how they go about writing a television show. Featured in this episode are; Russell T Davies, Paul Abbott, Jesse Armstrong, Sam Bain, Graham Linehan and Tony Jordan.

  • S04E04 Documentaries

    • December 9, 2008
    • BBC Four

    Brooker talks about the change in direction that modern day documentaries have taken. He launches his own mission documentary; "Konnie's Great British Wee", fronted by Konnie Huq. He reviews Miss Naked Beauty and Jamie's Ministry of Food.

  • S04E05 Children's Television

    • December 16, 2008
    • BBC Four

    Brooker focuses on children's television from past to present, and even has a go at being a children's TV presenter on Toonattik. He reviews Johnny Ball Games, In The Night Garden, Yo Gabba Gabba! and LazyTown. Kirsten O'Brien talks about ChuckleVision and Andy Nyman talks about The Junior Christian Science Bible Lesson. The end of the episode includes a tribute to Bagpuss creator Oliver Postgate who had died the previous week.

  • SPECIAL 0x8 Review of the Year 2008

    • December 24, 2008

    Charlie Brooker celebrates Christmas by taking a look back at all that's happened in TV land over the past year, including reviews of the very best and worst shows to grace our screens in 2008 and reflections on all the big issues.

  • SPECIAL 0x20 Review of the Year 2009

    • December 22, 2009

    Month by month, Charlie Brooker analyses and mocks television shows from 2009. Among the many programmes reviewed are Noel's HQ, Britain's Got Talent, Extreme Male Beauty, Big Brother, Torchwood: Children of Earth, Inside Nature's Giants, Live From Studio Five, Fearne and... Peaches Geldof, The Execution of Gary Glitter, I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here! and The X Factor. He also shows a montage of people fainting on television and discusses coverage of the death of Michael Jackson; Barry Shitpeas talks about Nick Griffin's appearance on Question Time.

  • SPECIAL 0x21 2010 Wipe

    • October 27, 2010

    Since you've probably already forgotten what happened this year, Charlie Brooker's 2010 Wipe is here to fill in the blanks. From the Chilean miners to the General Election, from Sherlock to The Only Way is Essex, Brooker unhelpfully points a finger and laughs. With contributors including Doug Stanhope, Grace Dent and Nick Davies and poetry from Tim Key you'd be a fool to miss it, which is why you won't.

  • SPECIAL 0x22 2011 Wipe

    • December 30, 2011

    Charlie Brooker takes a comedic look back at the hectic events of 2011 - a mad year of royal weddings, Gypsy Weddings, riots, phone-hacking and Desperate Scousewives. With contributions from Doug Stanhope, Adam Curtis and Brian Limond.

  • SPECIAL 0x23 2012 Wipe

    • January 1, 2013

    Charlie Brooker takes an irreverent look back at 2012. It was a busy year crammed full of Olympian events, including the jubilee, some elections, pussy riots, exposed regal flesh, The Valleys and also some actual Olympian events. With added extras from Doug Stanhope.

Additional Specials

  • SPECIAL 0x24 2013 Wipe

    • December 28, 2013
    • BBC Two

    Charlie Brooker's 2013 Wipe is a high-octane glance back at the year in which almost nothing happened, apart from meteors, edible horses, cyclists on steroids, insurgents in Mali, fake space monkeys, Splash, Oscar Pistorius, the Pope resigning, a new Pope, Christopher Dormer, The One Show, Chris Huhne, Gogglebox, Bedtime Live, Thatcher's death, a Beiber backlash, Miley Cyrus, twerking, Dogging Tales, the Castro kidnappings. Snooping, Snowden, a Royal baby, Your Face Sounds Familiar, Egypt, Godfrey Bloom, the Damian McBride diaries, Diana... the film, GTA5, Sex Box, hurricanes, storms, Russell Brand on Newsnight and an American Government shutdown.