Boring Bess

Family man

Given the title of the show and the current high profile of star Rik Mayall, I’d expected All About George to be, well, all about George. Thankfully this wasn’t the case and what we got was another ensemble piece from Mike Bullen graced by quality performances from the likes of Gemma Jones and the mighty Jack Shepherd.

It all seemed so very nice though, somehow twee and very middle England. Certainly not the sort of fare I’d been expecting from Mayall particularly after having had the unfortunate experience of reading the self-indulgent egofest that’s currently masquerading (barely) as his autobiography this week.

Fortunately Edna Dore was on hand to stop the piece becoming as sweet as treacle with a marvellous performance as the scheming great granny.

Indeed it is exactly this sort of niceness that Rik and his pals had railed against a quarter of a century ago (nearly) in The Young Ones during the classic Good Life pastiche.

The show’s viewing figures were undoubtedly aided by the plodding nature of Elizabeth I over on Channel 4, which began about as interestingly as a school history lesson.

Despite looking very expensive and boasting some of our finest acting talent, they somehow managed to make a fascinating period of history incredibly dull and the gruesome execution scenes sat uneasily alongside the dryness of virtually every other scene.

Part of the problem is that we’ve seen this tale done so many other times and so much better than this effort. I was chuffed when Jeremy Irons' dreary Earl of Leicester breathed his last, hoping against hope that things will liven up in the second instalment.

It did lead me to dig out the DVD of the Cate Blanchett movie, which is a real treat.


Do I Like That

Many of the jokes are telegraphed and there’s enough corn to supply a Kellogg’s factory but somehow Mike Bassett – Manager really works. Even the “Wirral Rubbish??? gag made me laugh.

What makes the difference here is the superb central performance from Ricky Tomlinson and it’s a pity that Bradley Walsh wasn’t available to reprise his role as Doddsy from the movie version.

Fortunately the ever-classy Amanda Redman is on hand to provide some heart to the show and this could prove to be a big hit.


Shaking the world

I find it odd that ITV chose to show the top ten from The Shot that Shook the World when many avid newshounds would be tucked up in bed. For those of us that stopped up the whole top fifty was covered at such a breakneck pace that it was easy to blink and miss whole items.

Surely this important part of the ITV50 celebrations could have been allowed more airtime. Channel 4 and five are much better at these countdown type shows. Even an extended version on ITV2 would have been welcome.

As for the number one, I agreed with the choice of 9/11 but Liverpool winning the European Cup this year in the top ten? They are having a laugh surely?

Thank goodness we’ve moved on…

Occasionally a clip in one of those countdown shows has the power to shock. During five’s Greatest TV Talent Show Moments jaws were dropping at the outrageous racist material that Gary Wilmot was shown performing in a clip from 1978. All the more shocking was the realisation that this sort of material was pretty much par for the course and considered acceptable in those days though it has to be said that the contributions of Gary and Lenny Henry, who was also featured in the show, have surely played their part over the years in turning those attitudes around.

Also shocking was the truly woeful performance from an infant Malandra Burrows on New Faces. She must wince when she sees that now. The rest of us certainly do.
There was also a bit of quality on the show and it was great to see Rowetta’s X Factor audition again.

Unfortunately when covering the appearance of Tony Holland, the musical muscleman from Opportunity Knocks, they included footage of Tony performing his routine as he is now and he must be at least in his seventies. As he was rolling his wrinkly torso, the sound of churning stomachs could be heard across the nation.

And wasn’t it nice to see Bonnie Langford and Nina Myskow back on the box again? Answers on a postcard.

…or have we?

Funtime Frankie

Are the glamour girls on The Frank Skinner Show really an example of postmodern irony or is our Frank gradually mutating into Kenny Everett or Benny Hill?

With a white musician blacked up, Frank’s rather sexist interview with Tatu and the fact that his hair style was giving him a look of Noddy Holder, the whole thing had a distinct seventies air about it.

As for Frank’s gag about the Muslim doll, well that wouldn’t have been out of place in a Bernard Manning set.

Plodding on

Rumours of Trudie Goodwin’s departure from The Bill proved to be unfounded but surely our June Ackland must be one of the oldest coppers in the Met by now. She must be giving Dixon of Dock Green a run for his money. Don’t they have a retirement policy? Presumably not given that the height requirement was waived years ago if we are to believe David Jason can be a telly detective.

Grassed off

I was having a curry with my dad on Friday night and I mentioned my disappointment with John Sullivan’s latest effort The Green Green Grass. As it turns out, my dad loves the show. When I pressed as to why he found what I regard as a bunch of tired clichés amusing, he pointed out that some of the one-liners are really funny.

He’s right about that but having sat through another episode I’m still struggling with it, despite the occasional laugh out loud moment.

Scary stuff

Bodies is gripping stuff alright and all the more scary because it’s worringly believable.

Patrick Baladi is great as the dodgy consultant trying to cover his tracks while Keith Allen is charming and chilling at the same time as the unscrupulous Whitman.

It’s not for the faint hearted this one with some particularly graphic scenes to contend with. I certainly wouldn’t recommend it if you’re facing a spell in hospital.

On target

It was a fitting tribute to the memory of The Golden Shot that Ant and Dec’s version was both live and littered with cock-ups. I’m sure Bob Monkhouse would have been looking down and smiling.

My major problem with their homage to the game show is the celebrity contestants. It would be much more fun if hapless members of the public had been chosen. It was in handling the bewildered that Bruce Forsyth really came into his own. They must get him on before he run concludes.

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