Filed under: Arts, creativity, humour, life, tv | Tags: C4, E4, Glee, shameless, skins
Two new series kicked off last night with one (Skins) to come that are hot news in Chez Gorman.
First off; Glee.
A great series opener.
The take by the Glee Kids on Empire State of Mind was more than acceptable and for me the quality of writing has improved overall. The new titchy Asian girl has some voice on her. Good start.
Shameless, on the other hand was passable and no more.
It really has lost the bite that Paul Abbott injected into its early series’.
It wasn’t as slapstick as it has been, thank God, which actually stopped me watching for a while, so that may be a good thing. I used to adore Shameless and now I can barely take it and there is only one reason. The writing. This has been where Skins has absolutely kicked Shameless’ ass over the past few years.
Skins has a new cast for this series but if the writing remains as high quality it should matter not.
But I do hope Shameless improves because it’s on for a 22 week run.
Filed under: Arts, creativity, politics | Tags: C4, england, englandshire, shane meadows, this is england, This is england 86
Shane Meadows’ very poignant film set in 1983 was a cracker.
Even blacker than that is the follow up TV series which I was not expecting and has thus become a sudden and unexpected comedy delight.
Part Shameless (sorry, but it has to be said) part Boys from the Black Stuff.
It’s just harsh.
And it’s unforgiving.
Show any of the characters a chink of light and merciless slagging ensues and that makes it feel real. Because that’s the stuff of life is it not? Ripping the piss out of your nearest and dearest. Mercilessly.
The acting is bloody top notch.
It’s not easy looking shite on screen, but most of the cast carry it off with ease.
Special mention has to go to Vicky McLure so far in the Tomboy central love role.
Ace.
This might turn out to be a classic. It certainly has trapped well.
Filed under: humour, life, politics, Rants | Tags: C4, calss, channel 4, class warfare, double barreled names, queen of macedonia, teens and tiaras
Actually. She was Ok.
Jeana and I watched this absurd celebration of Britain’s upper classes wherein two toff bitches taught a bunch of mostly toff, but some merely bewildered snobs, how to get married to rich, landed wanks.
It was pure magic.
The toff bitches (Jennie and Patricia) were the best double act since Morecombe and Wise. Trouble is, they were deadly serious.
Someone was actually called Araminta. Araminta? Arabloodyminta! What sort of a name is that?
There were more double barrels than the Olympic shooting qualifiers.
Twat after twat moment cascaded from our screens; arsehole after arsehole. But mainly Pat and Jen. (They must be quietly seething that Mater and pater didn’t name them Arabella and Helena, so they could hold their heads higher amongst their so distinguished prodigies.)
It was a potpourri of upper class absurdity.
Sweetly, one of them was shy. Shy? She was totally overwhelmed by the pressure of having to be an international symbol of toffness and didn’t want to do it.
We met the Queen of Macedonia. An ugly English ex-debutante. The king sensibly declined.
We might as well have met the queen of fucking la la land.
Not only did the programme position the upper classes as tossers (in extremis) but the poor wee lassies who were being set up as debutante toff whores were actually aware of it and somewhat defensive.
I almost felt sorry for the poor rich bitches.
Filed under: business, life, politics, secret millionaire, stories, tv | Tags: C4, channel 4, charitable giving, charity, James Benamore, The Richmond Group, The secret millionaire
James Benamore. £136k light of his £77 million fortune.
The 30 year old MD of The Richmond Group, James Benamore, was the latest millionaire to grace the screens of this wonderful programme.
Into its third series I can’t help thinking that some of the potential beneficiaries are pitching to the producers which loses some of its spontaneity.
Nevertheless, the sheer emotion that the programme generates can be overwhelming.
He was a good guy, was James Benamore. An ex-wild child he went to Mosside in Manchester and found real and realistic charities to support. A very likeable and genuine man.
Good on ya Jamesey.
Filed under: life, tv | Tags: Bafta, british tv, C4, channel 4, documentary, The secret millionaire
It is difficult to imagine how C4 could make two series of this poignant and (although at times a little staged) naturalistic documentary series. And yet they did. Perhaps the fact that it is not a BBC production has saved it, because its magic ingredient is surprise.
Tabloid treatment would kill it.
This is TV at its best and I have failed to last an episode without shedding copious tears. It really is very moving documentary and I recommend it unreservedly.
