What’s on the BOX

Rewatching old childhood favourites can be a mixed blessing – they often don’t stand the test of time, or require you to suspend your powers of disbelief.

But a letter from Graham Budd, of Cheshunt, Herts, had me on YouTube watching old episodes of the brilliant Catweazle, a whiskery medieval Merlin whose flying spell sends him to the 1970s where he discovers people talking into the “telling bone” and “electrikery”.

Graham wrote: “Your article about old TV shows reminded me of my Sunday lunchtime viewing when I was an impressionable age.

“Just before tucking into a tasty roast, the schedule consisted of Catweazle, Police 5 with Shaw ‘Keep ‘em peeled’ Taylor and The Smurfs. A mixture of comedy, crime and cartoons – just what every child needs.”

TV buff Graham also has a classic film recommendation – the Back To

The Future trilogy. He says:“It’s the greatest box set ever made – especially the second film which is as gripping and complicated for adults as it is for the younger viewers. Marrrrrtttty!” Although I still don’t understand why they had to take Marty’s clothes off when he had a head injury in the famous Calvin Klein underpants scene. There’s nothing like curling up on the sofa on a rainy day and watching an old Technicolor musical. “My favourite film is The Student Prince,” writes Glenice Francis in Sydenham, South East London. “The songs are so beautiful and I am in heaven when I hear the music.” Screwball comedies are a big hit with Gillian Porthouse in Ashington, Northumberland, who writes: “My sister (older so her word’s law) got me into watching old black and white films and I love them. “Best ones were Some Like It Hot with Marilyn Monroe, and Bringing up Baby with Cary Grant. My sister also made me watch Game of Thrones, and she’s still right – it’s amazing.”

As a fellow GoT fan, I have to say Gillian’s sister is clearly a woman of great taste.

■ Got a telly recommendation or a golden oldie that makes you happy? Email me at siobhan.mcnally@mirror.co.uk