BBC Two 1991–2001 idents

List

Thumbnail	Title	Air dates
File:20K.jpg	Paint	16 February 1991 - 19 November 2001
Paint featured a white polystyrene '2' on a black & white background, splashed by a blob of viridian paint which hurtles in horizontally from the right side of the screen. This illusion was created by moving the '2' and the camera onto its side by 90 degrees anti-clockwise, to make it appear as though the paint was falling sideways. In this ident's soundtrack, the paint is heralded by a steady cymbal crash as it comes into view, reaching a peak upon contact with the '2', followed a two-note resonant sound, symbolic of the dripping paint. It was both the first and last in this series of idents to be broadcast. Edited in October 1997.
File:Bbc2water.jpg	Water	16 February 1991 - 19 November 2001
This ident featured an aqua-coloured '2' on a background of the same colour, half submerged in a pool of water at a 45 degree angle. Using a similar method to Paint, the '2' and camera are both at 45 degrees, giving the impression of the water flowing diagonally when the shot of the '2' is upright. Wind instruments and reverberated ethnic percussion featured in the audio, enhancing the atmosphere. One of the four original idents to be shown throughout the run of the whole series. Edited in October 1997.
File:Bbc2blade.jpg	Blade	16 February 1991 - 19 November 2001
One of the four idents to last the entire run, Blade featured a sharp, metal '2' falling into a viridian-coloured block and impaling it on its edge, standing and wobbling. Audio is a short, sharp cymbal crash with slow attack, subtlely changing tone and fading out as the '2' has pierced the block. Edited in October 1997.
File:Bbc2neon.jpg	Neon	16 February 1991 - 19 November 2001
Also known as Sign, it had a '2' on a black background with seven viridian neon lights attached to it, flashing in random sequences. The soundtrack matched the timing of the lights as they flashed on and off. It was one of the four original idents to be shown throughout the entire run. Edited in October 1997.
File:Bbc2copper.jpg	Copper Cut-Out	16 February 1991 - 19 November 2001
As the title suggests, it featured a copper cut-out of a '2' off of which sparks flew, as the figure glowed at its edges. This was punctuated with a loud, distinctive metallic clang sound in the audio, which overlaid a gentle, major chord pad. Edited in October 1997 but was withdrawn at the end of 1999 along with Silk, Firecracker, Diary and Steam.
File:Bbc2glass.jpg	Glass	16 February 1991 - 19 November 2001
Featured a glass-cut '2', which reflected light — with some noticeable viridian colour — in various directions. Soundtrack consists of a resonant bell-like chime, between lighter bells paired with breathy sounds, giving a relaxing feel. It was one of the first to be taken out of service, along with Paper Cut-Out but was played by accident once in the North West in about 1996/1997. However, this ident continued in Northern Ireland until the 1997 revamp.
File:Bbc2silk.jpg	Silk	16 February 1991 - 19 November 2001
This ident included a swathe of viridian silk literally drifting over the top of a '2' shape, as if they were ocean waves. Haunting wails and loud bell tolls to form a dramatic soundtrack, conjuring up imagery of the '2' as a sinking ship. The jingle used in Sign is also heard in the audio. Edited in October 1997 but was dropped from the line-up at the end of 1999 along with four other idents.
File:Bbc2paper.jpg	Paper Cut-Out	16 February 1991 - 19 November 2001
Paper Cut-Out featured a completely grey, paper-like foreground, with a '2'-shaped cut-out in the middle. The background behind it featured a colourful blue sky, with white clouds. The audio track is very minimal, with faint drums and a high-pitched, tweeting melody, heavy on repetition. Along with Glass it was withdrawn in 1993.
File:Bbc2b&wcopper.jpg	B&W Copper Cut-Out	16 February 1991 - 19 November 2001
Essentially the same as Copper Cut Out, but it was recoloured black-and-white with viridian sparks. It also had the same audio as Copper Cut Out. It was withdrawn from the line-up in 1997 when the BBC corporate logo was revamped along with four other idents.
File:Bbc2reflection.jpg	Water Reflection	16 February 1991 - 19 November 2001
A subtle variation on Water, the light was altered in such a way that it cast a reflection of the water line onto the top half of the '2'. It also had the same audio as Water. This was also withdrawn before the 1997 corporate logo revamp along with four other idents.
File:Bbc2garden.jpg	Garden	January 1994 - October 1997
Garden depicted a circular patch of grass in the middle, from which sprouted several white flowers that formed the shape of the '2'. Introduced as a one-off ident in 1991 for a series of gardening programmes, it was launched as a regular ident two years later, albeit with different music. The soundtrack originally had the remix of Water but had its own soundtrack with the music being quite similar to that of Car, small sound of bells to begin with and gets louder when the '2' rises from the patch. It was withdrawn from the line-up before the 1997 corporate logo revamp, however it was brought back again for the 2001 Chelsea Flower Show (albeit with the then current "BBC TWO" legend) and remained in use until the end, making it the only ident to have been reinstated.
File:Bbc2powder.jpg	Powder	26 October 1992 - 19 November 2001
This featured a birds-eye view of the '2' falling onto a bed of white powder, revealing a layer of viridian powder beneath it, left streaked around the '2' as the stray particles clear away. Red and blue lights were cast onto the figure as it fell. The audio track has a sharp, cymbal-like effect as the '2' is falling, and this culminates in a deep cymbal crash as the '2' hits the surface, along with a sustained bass note. The soundtrack continues in the aftermath of the crash, with a faint, deep texture accompanying the bass, although this would have been rarely heard, due to the track usually being faded down for continuity by this point. Edited in October 1997.
File:Bbc2optics.jpg	Optics	26 October 1992 - 19 November 2001
Optics included many optical fibers of mainly viridian and green colour, swaying from side to side, initially with great momentum but slowly and eventually settling into the shape of the '2' symbol. The slow-tempo audio was atmospheric, carried by warm melodic sounds and a deep bass note, with a high choir pad towards the end. Along with Powder, this was one of the first new idents to be added to the roster, allegedly replacing Glass and Paper Cut Out, it was to be the joint-second longest running ident and would last for the rest of the series until the 2001 rebrand. Optics was the last ident to be played out with the slanted BBC logo. Edited in October 1997.
File:Bbc2cars.jpg	Cars	October 1992 - 19 November 2001
One of a new series of idents introduced in 1993. It featured a viridian '2' with an aerial moving about on wheels in a yellow studio, in the same manner as a remote-controlled car. The car noise varies in pitch as it whizzes around at varying speeds. It's possible that this inspired the 2001-2007 series of idents. Edited in October 1997.
File:Bbc2dogs.jpg	Dogs	November 1993 - November 2001
Also known as "Fluffy Dog". This ident included a fluffy green '2' whirring, yapping and doing back flips in the manner of a toy mechanical dog. The bassline of the audio track is the same as that heard in Copper Cut Out. Edited in October 1997.