The Piano (Channel 4 series)

[mojo pixy]

There's no thread on this and it may not spark a lot of discussion, but I've been watching the second series having seen the first last year. It's one of the most beautiful, heartwarming things I've ever seen on television, and I just feel like sharing that. The Final Show they put on at the end is up for streaming this week so if you ever fancy some feel-good TV, go to the Documentaries section on C4 and have a look.

That's all.

Oh, you might cry

 

[May Kasahara]

I find this show really frustrating, because I love the musicianship and the exploration of what the piano means to all these different people, but Mika and Lang Lang are terrible presenters. Well, mostly Mika tbh - he is deeply unlikeable and has an air of superiority that is at odds with the general human warmth of the show.

If they took him out and spent more time showcasing the performances to show the richness and breadth of people's musical lives, it would be much improved.

 

[mojo pixy]

That's not how he comes across to me but fair enough. Generally speaking I scorn the 'celeb' angle of any show, but it's 2024 and that crap is everywhere. Then again pretty much all TV presenters make me anyway.

But for me it is all about the players and their stories, and I zone out a lot of the commentary. Or, I think that my son and I (he's the one who really loves the show!) do our own commentary and probably miss a lot of Mika's.