Shoot the Messenger
- Thread starter DJ Bigga
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Divisive Cotton
Now I just have my toy soldiers
great drama... well worth watching
brixtonvilla
should be Oslovilla, really
Tried to bite off more than it could chew, but entertaining nevertheless.
brixtonvilla
should be Oslovilla, really
Thought it would have worked better as a series - a three parter would have explored the themes in more depth. The character's arc seemed rushed to me - teacher, wrongly accused, convicted, mental breakdown, homeless, rescued through church, new girlfriend, new job, break-up, new job again, resolution. Waaaay to much to pack into an hour and a half.
brixtonvilla said:
I agree. It did all happen at a bit like break-neck speed from teaching to begging. I would have like to see it extended to two one hour slots. I thought it dealt with a potentially very prickly subject with great tact, thoughtfulness and balance, and (importantly) plenty of humour. While pointedly not fearing to address views on "the problem with black people", from made up forenames to the legacy of slavery, it also highlighted Joe's (the lead character) flawed self-righteousness.
The acting was excellent, especially the actress who played Heather, Joe's girlfriend.
girasol
Addicted to handstands!
I missed the crucial first 15 minutes, but watched the rest of it and thought it was good. But, yes, it would have benefited from being longer, as it tried to deal with so many things - I shed a little tear at the end, of course... I thought his moment of realisation was very powerful.
golightly
economically inactive
Belushi said:
I nearly did the same, but decided that I might as well see it through to the bitter end. It did seem like a parade of cliches and stereotypes. At times it came across to me as being very American. You just knew there's be some kind of reconciliation in the end, and with some of the music I was very much reminded me of 'It's a Wonderful Life.' I thought it was ok, but it reminded me why I don't bother turning the telly on that often. Apparently, Radio 4 were waxing lyrical about it. Maybe I should have taken that as a warning.
Divisive Cotton
Now I just have my toy soldiers
Belushi said:
oh come on... the style wasn't original - the way the lead character exchanges knowing remarks to the viewer - but the subject was.
it was far, far more authentic then other black-focused dramas I've seen on tv before, which on the whole tend to be very laboured and crap.
i kept watching thinking, what else is the writer going to approach...
Orang Utan
Psychick Worrier Ov Geyoor
It lasted for less than a minute cos the acting was so bad
golightly
economically inactive
Divisive Cotton said:
Do you think? I don't know what black-focussed dramas you've seen, but this seemed pretty laboured to me. Someone mentioned earlier that it was too short, and I would tend to agree. If it were longer there'd be a chance to make the characters in to something other than a parade of black stereotypes.
Crude, cartoony and looked as if it had been written for the stage and badly adapted. don't know why so much fuss was made about it. soliloquy to camera is a copout writing wise, that way of writing is so much easier than actually taking time to give depth and subtlety to your characters and plot.
It was ok and a pleasant enough watch, even though the ending became increasingly farcical.
It was trying to do far too much. All the Eastenders-style theatricals, combined with the 2d characters, made it far too predictable. It seemed almost a scattergun parody of 'black' stereotypes rather than a serious issue-led drama.
It was trying to do far too much. All the Eastenders-style theatricals, combined with the 2d characters, made it far too predictable. It seemed almost a scattergun parody of 'black' stereotypes rather than a serious issue-led drama.
agricola
a genuine importer of owls
brixtonvilla said:
After the stick that the BBC and the writer got over this programme (much of which was without actually seeing it), i think a series - however short - might have been a bit far for the BBC to go.
It was filled with stereotypes, but then no more or no less than other programmes on tv recently, "black" or otherwise.
goldenecitrone
post tenebras lux
I enjoyed it, funny and moving.
Gavin Bl
terrible awful baaad
agricola said:
yes, but as part of him bashing through his mental illness around blackness. I thought it was pretty good overall, but the execution was clunky in places.
I think it benefitted from being a single relatively short piece - the idea of facing up to these stereotypes and issues would have become very slow and turgid over a series of episodes.
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