Small Screen Surfin'
Created | Updated Nov 4, 2004
Well 24LAS is gone and thus the reason I read the Post...
...so here's ten reasons why Awix abandoning his film post is bad for humanity...
No, this week is a composite of what I wanted to do last week but didn't because of time, brain implosions and access. The only thing I regret from missing last week 1 is not reminding people that Question Time was from Miami (Florida). Don't regularly watch it but the fact that the thorn of the Bush adminstration, Michael Moore, was on the panel alongside a former speech-writer for the Prez himself meant I did. I think it reinforced more that Moore3 is an American patriot but seemingly anti-British as well.
So onto other things.
Little Britain will, by now, have been three parts into its second series on BBC Three4. But I'm disappointed with it. They seem to be going with shock tactics as (now mysteriously back to work) Fat Fighters' Majorie Dawes rapidly becomes the weight watchers' version of The League of Gentlemen's restart officer, Pauline. The irony being that League man Mark Gatiss (Sam Kisgart for Awix) was script editor for the first series while Rob 'No I'm not Steve Coogan' Brydon edits for series two.
In fact I think the second series drifts into League territory too much without actually going anywhere with it5. The very fact that many of the first series' characters have gone by the way side is an indication that being a walking catchphrase goes stale very fast. Then again there are characters in TV series that don't need to appear anymore for the character to still be wanting a return. Monkey Dust's Paedophinder General is a great character though I doubt there are a horde of jokes to keep him fresh beyond the one episode he was in unless numerous deaths are needed like Kenny from South Park6. On a side note, Monkey Dust is having it's second series run on BBC Two, Mondays.
Is Little Britain losing its touch? No, I just think where it touches is sometimes questionable. Majorie Dawes was unliked because she was a horrible person in series one. Now she's ever so slightly rascist it's not the same. Especially when that trait is in new character, WI lady, Maggie (or is it Judy?). At least her vomit is more tastefully done than in Scary Movie 2. The series isn't bad it just isn't what I expected. Episode two certainly improved on the first which served more to introduce characters and, for me felt unnecessary, appearances of celebrity guests such as Vanessa Feltz.
I fail to see how the show's promotion to BBC One after the digital's run is having a difference audience. Yes, One, gets higher ratings7 but there aren't that many who think 'Ooh it's on BBC One it most be better8'. Afterall, BBC Two once was the channel 9 for innovative new comedies etc - Red Dwarf, The Office, The Royal Family all began their lives on Two before getting the big push to One - but that seems to have passed the torch to Three. There is the occasional fickle individual who only dabbles in the mainstream.
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Last week I also intended to look at Virtual History but I missed it. Yes I know, comedy and history programmes again. What I did catch though was The 1970s Office on Sky One. Not a documentary ala That'll Teach 'Em or The 1940s House but a game show.
Some contemporary admen and women are sent back to a 1970s advertising office to sell The Space Hopper and various other '70s products, obviously all the 21st century technology is wiped away so no computer to depend on but 'Another agency will be pitching for the same lucrative account - but they won't be working under the kind of restrictions that our guinea pigs face', says the Sky One website.
It's an average watch really although things might get interesting when the ladies find out that the men are getting paid more tonight (Thursday).
Something to watch if you're bored on a Thurday night.
And now the Small Screen Supplement!
In honour of the fallen 24LAS... and the need for a link with any of this week's content here's the Doctor Who themes from the 1970s which this source tells me is the Jon Pertwee and Tom Baker10 Doctors. Personally I can't tell the difference between the two themes. If indeed there is one.
For Awix, whose tolerance of green bubble wrap slugs in sci-fi is far greater than my own.
Keep Surfin'!
