Bit of a misleading title. This looks at the relationship between pictures and words, but also is just interesting about the brilliance of some of the best books of all time (Children’s or not): Stig of the Dump, Tom’s Midnight Garden, Swallows and Amazons.
With some particularly excellent interview material with Philip Pullman (on daemons) and David Almond (on Stig of the Dump).
Show me a height of greatness that this programme cannot high kick, and I’ll eat my laptop.
There’s been some grumbling this year about not being able to match 2007′s perfect 10 of a season, but as I keep telling the doubters it’s early days yet. Early days. I’m pretty sure my household hadn’t been rent asunder by the Matt/Alesha Divide this time last year.
Nevertheless already we’ve had tears, laughter, and unqualified, rampant judgementalism – and that’s just me on the sofa. There isn’t any other programme on telly that does this to me. I’m not quite sure what ‘this’ is, but it has to do with Good People and Good Fun and Good Will. Plus a lack of any obvious exploitation of anyone. That’s all quite unusual these days. (X Factor, on the other hand makes me feel like showering at least once afterwards, and maybe even calling the police.)
And it’s kind of a relief not to have such a bipartisan household this year. I’m pretty sure the lack of two clear, divisive front runners has brought us closer. We find ourselves united through shared fondness for Jodie Kidd, a sort of filial tenderness for the criminally voted out Cherie Lunghi, and general good cheer for all the other (on the face of it dull) contestants. (Because as I say to my mother, who remains snobbish about the whole thing, it’s not about knowing who all they all are, or being an Eastenders fan. That’s the beauty. On the whole they’re just people who end up trying really hard and caring more than they thought they would.) Even Lisa Snowden.
But anyway getting distracted with all that celebrity stuff is sort of missing the point. Any fan knows it’s all about the dancers. In fact don’t get me started on that. I want to be friends with all of them. Apart from Brendan and Anton who are terrifying.
The most I ever saw of Tribe were the ads. Which basically indicated a series of extreme escapades involving Bruce and various tribal rituals he was throwing himself into with maximum gusto. So I watched this more for the Amazon than for Bruce, but it turned out both were brilliant.
A fascinating look at an incredible feat of nature, the people who depend on it, and who it depends on. Bruce has something of the Michael Palin about him – apparently massively and immediately likeable, whoever he meets on his travels, fearless, sensitive and sweet.
Bit of nepotism here, but I like to think I’d have watched and blogged about it anyway.
Based, as the opening credits claim, on ‘many real stories’, the territory of child pornography is obviously rocky, but one that’s glaringly unexplored and un-understood. I’m glad someone’s handled this well, and in this medium.
I did though find myself wanting more of an insight into his predicament. The clue was in the title, but however fascinating and important the partner’s experience is, it’s far more guessable than the perpetrator’s. But maybe that really would be too gritty for a BBC drama.
The start of a very good looking series on BBC2. One of those bits of history that makes living in London all the more interesting. And if you don’t live in London, what’s not to love about shipwreck stories anyway?