Cycling Related

Lunatics: It's a series by Australian, Chris Lilley. His "Summer Heights High" was brilliant. Without artifice, he played (in his 30s) a teenage girl. A hot teenage girl. Who was also a Queen Bee. And I was convinced despite him looking like a middle aged man. My brother reports when he used that character on talk back radio, angry callers complained about the entitled school girl. But I got halfway through the first episode of Lunatics, and bailed.

At that point I googled for reviews to find out if my impression was right. I found a guardian review which backed up my initial impression, but just now googling found two more recent reviews that I agree with even more.

You should probably keep an eye out for Summer Heights High, but is probably not as good as I remember.

Ugh. "Probably".

I've just watched the pilot of Dead To Me. It is (or seems to be) the story of two grieving women who feel alone until they become friends. I was moved and loved the ups and downs. I was ready recommend it, but

(mild spoiler) It stars Christina Applegate, Linda Cardenelli and featured - bizarrely - Ed Asner, who was old before I was born.

Current watches...

Bodies
GOT
Series 2 of Killing Eve (illegal stream)

I just accidentally saw a bit of the Eurovision semifinals - Australia's entry featured three women balancing on bendy sticks, it was hilarious.

I think Australians have a special love for Eurovision, partly because they watch it Sunday lunchtime. How mad is that?

Haven't caught up with this year's entries.

I've just binged Lucifer, season 4. It is easily the stupidest premise ever: the prince of darkness moves to Los Angeles, and helps the LAPD solve crimes. It's like a joke**. But boy, I really love it......Lucifer is played by Tom Ellis, you may recognise him as Gary, Miranda's hot boyfriend. He is unbelievably charming and charismatic (something I didn't recognise on Miranda). He is also much more (and sorry, but I can't think of a better word) swole.

It's taken the Judeo-Christian Pantheon, and Wagnerfied it into a high concept soap opera. The Ring Cycle on Premium Cable (I don't think it's on premium cable, but that sounds catchier).

I suspect I would be the only fan amongst us, but as soon as I finished the last episode, I immediately googled to see if they are planning season 5. Looking good.

**it doesn't just look like a joke, it's a close mirror to something 30 Rock did, when Jack was trying to tank NBC (the executive character was making awful programs to ruin the network for some reason I don't remember). It wasn't Lucifer solving crimes, but God, played by Alec Baldwin (of course).

God Cop

I misread that...

Joan wrote: ↑

5 years ago

I've just banged Lucifer, ...

I was wondering what a monotheistic pantheon would look like. But then I've got an annoyingly literal and pedantic mind at times

Regulator wrote: ↑

5 years ago

I misread that...

Well, I would obviously ...

Iris wrote: ↑

5 years ago

I was wondering what a monotheistic pantheon would look like. But then I've got an annoyingly literal and pedantic mind at times

Ah. I can see your confusion. It's based on a comic by Neil Gaiman so it's not exactly scriptural. I'd put God more as a Jupiter/Zeus type. The angels are more like lesser gods, and then of course there is Mrs God, the mother of all creation, aka mum. You remember reading about her, right? As Isaac Asimov said about universes, two is not a logical number. I'm sure it is equally true about gods.

So, no more Jeremy Kyle show. I wonder what he will be doing next, giving that ITV say they will still be 'working with him' in the future?

Rutabaga wrote: ↑

5 years ago

So, no more Jeremy Kyle show. I wonder what he will be doing next, giving that ITV say they will still be 'working with him' in the future?

An Insider's Guide to UKIP and the Brexit Party? He could use the same participants and audience... they'd only need to change the titles and scenery.

I've never seen JK, but this snippet is horrifying. Polygraphs are little better than a coin toss, they only measure emotional arousal and it's quite clear this man was very agitated. I am not surprised he "failed" the test.

I wonder how many other lives they have ruined by "proving" them to be liars with this junk science? In fact, I wonder how many have met early deaths before this unambiguous tragedy occurred? The decline that ends with someone drinking themselves to death on the streets often starts with a relationship breakdown.

I think it's right they haven't made JK an escape goat™. The producers and the executives at ITV knew what the show was about. They are as guilty as he is.



PS: You can embed anything!!

Am glad its now off air, could never stand to watch it, car crash of a show goading and exploiting the vulnerable. Apparently guests were put up in 5 star hotels the night before, all expenses paid and therapy / support was provided afterwards. So what? It was purely for "entertainment" no altruism involved. I cant quite hate the man himself he was merely playing a part but then I got thinking about Louis Theroux, who kind of does the same, but with sympathy and without the baiting. Hopefully (for JK) they give him a proper job now so he can shake off the bullying schtick.

Regulator wrote: ↑

5 years ago

An Insider's Guide to UKIP and the Brexit Party? He could use the same participants and audience... they'd only need to change the titles and scenery.

I realise that you have a huge amount of scorn for anyone who supports UKIP and Brexit (and, to a certain extent, so do I), but I think your remarks about the Kyle Show participants and audience are wide of the mark.

However incredulous we might be about this, it seems that people volunteered to be in either one of those groups in the sadly vain hope of getting help for their life problems, often if not always problems based in poor mental health. Then they were baited, manipulated, deceived, and closely edited to fit a production agenda that has justifiably been described as a 'theatre of cruelty'.

Reading this article, from 2008 (a mere three years after the programme first aired) it's clear that, from the start, many people saw the phenomenon for what it was, yet it continued and became more extreme over the following eleven years. https://www.theguardian.com/media/2008/ ... television

Perhaps Kyle is pitching a new fly-on-the-wall show called Bedlam, there are strong historical precedents after all.

Greg wrote: ↑

5 years ago

Am glad its now off air, could never stand to watch it, car crash of a show goading and exploiting the vulnerable. Apparently guests were put up in 5 star hotels the night before, all expenses paid and therapy / support was provided afterwards. So what? It was purely for "entertainment" no altruism involved. I cant quite hate the man himself he was merely playing a part but then I got thinking about Louis Theroux, who kind of does the same, but with sympathy and without the baiting. Hopefully (for JK) they give him a proper job now so he can shake off the bullying schtick.

I reckon he's made a very good living out of bullying and manipulation, over the years. He doesn't seem to have any moral compass at all, and I hope they decide not to employ him again.