It’s not as ambitious as Isobel McArthur’s sly, Olivier Award-winning Pride and Prejudice (Sort Of) but The Other Bennet Sister, a new adaptation of the story by Jane Hadlow, with screenplay by Sarah Quintrell and Maddie Dai,does have something in common: it focuses on the overlooked character, bookish and plain Miss Bennet, Mary. Sure, thereContinue reading “TV Review: The Other Bennet Sister”
Category Archives: Television
It’s War!!!
The French have a saying: “Plus ca change, plus c’est la meme”, which translates as “the more things change, the more they stay the same”. So it is with politics. Armando Iannucci and Chris Morris remain two of my favourite satirists and their classic 90s news parody The Day Today still holds up well, asContinue reading “It’s War!!!”
TV Review: Only Child
Writer and director Bryce Hart’s sitcom Only Child is fairly generic on paper: prodigal son returns to small town to reconnect with ageing parent. But it’s the minutiae and pathos that make this sitcom so binge worthy, and, ultimately, truly affecting. Greg McHugh portrays Richard Pritchard, a mid-level actor returning to the small northern townContinue reading “TV Review: Only Child”
The End Of The End Of The Pier, As We Knew It
Noel Edmonds and Mr Blobby: nightmare fuel Jokes which don’t land, surprises which are deeply humiliating to all involved, rubbish ventriloquism with cheap puppets, hellish Saturday night quiz shows, the Brian Rogers Connection and Robin Askwith… Welcome to television in the UK, circa 78- 95. This, readers, was the not- so golden era of lightContinue reading “The End Of The End Of The Pier, As We Knew It”
TV Review: Small Prophets
Michael Sleep (Pearce Quigley) is a man living life on pause. His girlfriend Clea went missing on Christmas Eve seven years ago, and never returned. He’s unable to move on and stuck in a literal dead end (a suburban Manchester cul-de-sac). Working in a DIY store, where he cracks wise with his one friend KaseyContinue reading “TV Review: Small Prophets”
The Lolita Problem
Kidcore; Jenna Ortega as ‘Wednesday’, ‘St Trinians’, ‘Pretty Baby’, Jodie Foster in ‘Taxi Driver ‘, a young Britney Spears, Natalie Portman’s early roles, Kawaii, groupie tales, sexy young models, schoolgirl strippers, Page 3 and of course, the book from which the fetish arose- these are all massive cultural touchstones for many fans of pop culture.Continue reading “The Lolita Problem”
The Gentle Subversion of ‘It’s A Wonderful Life’
People often misunderstand Frank Capra’s classic Christmas film It’s A Wonderful Life. Released in 1946, it didn’t do very well initially in the United States. People found it too dark. Nowadays, many people find it too sentimental. I think both of these appraisals are a little wide of the mark. It’s both dark and sentimental,Continue reading “The Gentle Subversion of ‘It’s A Wonderful Life’”
Alan Partridge Is A Prophet
I realise that it’s officially silly season, and that Andy Warhol beat Alan Partridge to the curve with his assertion that “in the future, everyone will be famous for fifteen minutes”, but it seems that the fictional broadcasting dickhead also came up with some prophetic words. Okay, sure, his most recent TV series, ‘How AreContinue reading “Alan Partridge Is A Prophet”
TV Film Review: Kenneth Williams: Fantabulosa!
A writhing paradox of squeamishness and self -regard, Kenneth Williams was one of the UK ‘s most bankable comic actors in the 1960s. Having cut his teeth in theatre, he quickly established himself as a radio hit on ‘Hancock’s Half Hpur’, playing camp oddballs, to the chagrin of titular star Tony Hancock. This drama, directedContinue reading “TV Film Review: Kenneth Williams: Fantabulosa!”
The Wit Of Ozzy
Ozzy Osbourne, who has passed away at seventy six, refuted his ‘national treasure ‘ status- he was far too rebellious for that. The Brummie rock legend was most recently known for his warped reality show The Osbournes but he’ll first and foremost always be the game changing frontman of Black Sabbath, heavy metal band andContinue reading “The Wit Of Ozzy”
Hit The North 