Ticket No. 30 - My Question Time Experience Part 1...

It's a programme which politicos love and hate - probably in roughly equal measure. Each week, the Question Time roadshow rolls into a new town and the hot topics of the week are debated. Sometimes, the mix of guests leads to a constructive debate and some light being thrown on the subjects considered. More often than not, there is more heat than light, the balance of the debate is skewed, your point of view is not adequately represented and you end up frustrated and irritable. But yet, you find yourself drawn back again and again...

This week, the circus arrives in Bristol and your correspondent has a ticket. Having filled in the online application a week and a half ago, I got a phone call yesterday confirming some more details, asking what current issues I was interested in, my views on them, and requesting I e-mail the first of my potential questions. A card will be provided on Thursday for a second question.

I've opted to raised Equal Marriage as my first question and, after some consideration, decided on the following form of words to raise it:

"Does the panel agree with the Minister for Woman and Equality that "the Government should not stop people getting married unless there's very good reason and being gay isn't one of them"?"

From my understanding of the panelists confirmed so far, three would agree with the statement and one - the Secretary for State for Defence, Philip Hammond - doesn't.

The other issue I've mentioned that I'm interested in is the Justice and Security Bill - an issue which the member of the production team I spoke to seemed unaware of. That is a) worrying and b) possibly an indication that a question on the topic may not be a flyer. This news regarding the Data Communication Bill could be fertile ground though - I'll have to see if it is in the main news by Thursday, having been charged to "monitor the news".*

The ticket advises that I should be "ready to participate" - unfortunately I don't think this will include the exasperated shouting that Question Time so often engenders. Let's hope I can behave! I'll probably be watching the show and tweeting along when I get back from the recording and will hopefully blog about my experience on Friday.

Andrew

*Although giving I'm spending three hours of Thursday itself in the cinema to see The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, I'll not be monitoring as much as I should!

The Voice UK Final

Regular readers will know I've been enjoying The Voice UK - and up until last week I hadn't thought any of the decisions (on the live shows at least) as to who should leave each week were drastically wrong.

Last week in the semi-final, though, the public voted and that changed. My favourite contestant and tip to win the show was voted off. It was an unbelievable result as her competition in Sir Tom Jones' team was (imho) nowhere near as gifted.

This was my initial reaction:

Fellow Lib Dem blogger Jennie was a little more forthright, in her own inimitable style. Sir Thomas Jones Woodward KBE was also stunned (livid?), when the result was announced - he also pledged to everything he could to support Ruth in her career.

If you're settling down to watch the final - do enjoy. But be aware of what you're missing:

Andrew

The Voice UK

People who know me (or follow my Twitter stream) will be aware that I get sucked into watching various talent shows. Last year, despite my protestations that I really didn't want to commit to 3 months worth of The X Factor, I ended up following it all the way through - and was a particular champion of Misha B.

But The X Factor is a circus with a variety of acts, some of which are designed merely to amuse, some of which are cruelly taunted. For every Misha B, there's a Jedward or Ceri Reeves*. As TV singing contests go, though, it has limited competition.

A couple of years ago, Sky had a go with Must Be The Music (won by Emma's Imagination). This was a different type of show: open to singer-songwriters and bands in all genres and judged by credible musicians (a route The X Factor has subsequently gone down to some extent). Unfortunately, Sky axed it after just one series.

Now, the Beeb has got in on the act with The Voice UK and I'm hooked. The format is simple but effective: The initial audition stages are blind with the Judges' chairs turned away from the performers. Over the course of the auditions, each judge builds up a team of 10 singers - choosing whether they want to work with an act based on what they hear. Should more than one judge turn round, the act has the choice over who to work with.

There are importantly differences with The X Factor - firstly, all the acts can actually sing. The format simply wouldn't work with novelty acts so contestants have been pre-screened/scouted to provide a certain level of talent/interest. This means that the tone of the judges feedback is more constructive & positive and less crtitical or abusive than some of the unfortunates on The X Factor are subjected to.

Secondly, the line up of judges can, fairly, be described as stellar - Sir Tom Jones (no description necessary!), Jessie J (singer-songwriter, Brit School Alumni and very "current"), will.i.am (Songwriter, Producer and star of Black Eyed Peas) and Danny O'Donoghue (singer-songwriter and lead singer in Irish band The Script). The X Factor may have been able to boast a line up of artists (plus Louis Walsh) last year, but this was a first for them.

Thirdly, the judges all genuinely seem to get on. There may be occasional skirmishes (and possibly more as the show moves towards its latter stages) but in the audition rounds, they were encouraging each other to turn round to see acts - either once they had turned round themselves or if they thought an act better suited to another judge's skills or team.

Fourth, the dynamics between the judges changed over the course of the audition shows as they gradually filled up their teams of ten and became more focused on finding acts that differed from the ones they already had. A typical exchange would be: "Turn round!" "I can't, I've already got two that are similar to him - you should, though"

Finally, although the audition shows were more chronologically linear than those on The X Factor, the judges all wore the same for each show - meaning you weren't distracted by changing hairstyles and outfits and (subconsciously?) reinforcing the impression that this was about the acts not the judges.

Tonight the show moves to its next stage - Battles. Each judge will have their acts reduced from 10 to 5 through a series of Vocal Duets. It's another innovation and looks intriguing.

It's fair to say I'm a fan of the show and it's format. Even with Reggie Yates and Holly Willoughby, neither of whom I'm a particular fan of. (So far, their on screen presence has been minimal and their voiceovers haven't been too excitable).

For all its novelty, The Voice is a back to basics Talent show. By which I mean it's actually about Talent, as well as Show.

Andrew

I had intended this post as the first of four today featuring each of the judges - I seem to have wittered on, so two more posts will follow later, with two tomorrow!

*This link is to The Sun

Got To Dance: and the winner is...

Tonight saw the final of the third series of Sky's flagship talent show, Got To Dance. The show is open to all styles of dance from solo contemporary acts, to street dance crews, to tap, to ballet, to ballroom. 

Pitching unashamedly for a family audience and presented by the irrepressible Davina McCall, Sky hit upon a winning format when they developed the show. The appeal is aided by a stable panel of judges: Ashley Banjo, Kimberly Wyatt and Adam Garcia.

This years competition, all hyperbole aside, at a higher standard than ever - and the winning act really brought something new and different this year. Here are Prodijig with their final performance:

Andrew

Dexter, my new found telly love

I am one of the most squeamish people I know and the older I get, the more squeamish I've become. 

I can't watch Horror films - although I do like a good thriller and am alright with a little bit of gratuitous violence now and again. I can't do out and out graphic violence, I can't watch real life medical shows, I can barely watch Casualty for that matter! 

Now, readers of this blog could be forgiven for being slightly confused, as I've previously posted about my love of TrueBlood. After all, there's plenty of blood and gore in that, isn't there?

This was the view of one of my friends who was so convinced I would like Dexter, she bought me the first series for my birthday. I was still very apprehensive about watching it - TrueBlood involves suspending disbelieve and embracing a world of Vampires, Werewolves and Fairies but Serial Killers are real. Creatures of the night are fictional, killers in the night are all too real.

The show is built around the eponymous Dexter, a Blood Splatter analyst within the Miami PD. But Dexter is also a serial killer who has managed to control his instincts, thanks to the advice and support of his late Father. Well, I say control... he applies a strict rule of only killing those who truly deserve it. The arc storyline involves the police force (for whom his sister is an officer) investigating a serial killer. But the killer in question seems to be engaging in his own mind games, teasing Dexter at every turn...

I finally started watching it at the beginning of this year and I was soon hooked! The series is intelligent, witty, well scripted, acted and directed. As the show is on the Showcase subscription channel, the episodes are made to be viewed without adverts and the pacing isn't timed to provide cliffhangers every ten minutes. This allows each episode to unfold in a more unnatural fashion, adding greatly to my enjoyment. 

Yes, there are some gory moments, but for the most part the violence is stylised and/or suggested. There's an underlying menace at times but there are also moments of pathos and tenderness as well as drama, tension and intrigue. 

It won't be for everyone but if you think you've got the stomach for it, I'd thoroughly recommend it.

Here are a couple of videos to give you a flavour:

Enjoy!

Andrew

I'll Have a P please, Bob...

For people of a certain generation (and probably, truth be told, people of a certain class or intellectual bent), Blockbusters was THE gameshow. The concept was simple - choose a letter from the board and answer the question relating to it. Get it right and you gain a hexagon in your attempt to cross the board. Win, and you got to attempt the Gold Run.

The Show was presented for a decade by Bob Holness who has died today, aged 83. Of course he did many other things in his life including playing Bond on the wireless and several years presenting Call My Bluff. But it is Blockbusters for which he is most renowned. Well, that and performing the Saxophone solo on Gerry Rafferty's Baker Street...

Here are three videos from You Tube. First, one fan's tribute to the opening sequence of the show, only posted in in July last year:

Next, we have a round of the game, to illustrate the format to those of you (if there can be any) unfamiliar with the format.

And finally, here is the audience doing the traditional Hand Jive along with the closing credits:

Enjoy. 

Andrew

Waiting Sucks...

For American fans, the wait is almost over... for us Brits, it's barely began. I refer, of course, to True Blood series 4 which airs from June 26th stateside. Meanwhile we Brits will have to make do with the various trailers and clips that have been released as promotion. Of course, we could always rewatch the previous series/ That is, if anyone wants to get me them from my Amazon Wishlist! ;-)

Anyway, here's one trailer:

And for those of you who are fans of Eric (and there's a lot of us) here's he is in own teaser trailer - billed as a topless blond man!:

Andrew

I want one!

Recently I've enjoyed the Channel 4 comedy Campus (available on the 4OD YouTube page until the 9th June). Made by the folks behind Green Wing, and set in a University, it mixed faux-fly-on-the-wall documentary style with moments of surreal flights of fancy. By turns funny, crass, wacky, crude and poignant, it was a real gem of a show of which Channel 4 can be proud - if you never caught it, I urge you to give it a try.

I was delighted to discover earlier this week that it is now possible to purchase a Kirke University Netball Team vest, as modelled here by Flatpack from the show:

How cool is that? I, for one, really want one! If you're unfamiliar with the Kirke and it's staff and students, you can find out more on the University website and the facebook page.

Andrew

Stewart Lee's Comedy Vehicle

One of the things I'm enjoying on the tellybox just now is Stewart Lee's Comedy Vehicle.

The format of the show is a themed stand-up gig by Lee, in a small-ish venue. His act is cut with asides to the camera and the television audience as well as segments of a behind the scenes interview with Comedy God Armando Iannucci. This combinations effectively deconstructs the traditional stand-up set. The show finishes with a sketch or film referring back to some element of the gig's material.

Actually, I say "enjoying" I'm enjoying it but that's not necessarily the right word. Lee's material isn't laugh a minute. Indeed, much of it is designed to make the audience uncomfortable and to question commonly held views and assumptions. The script editor is Chris Morris (Four Lions, Brass Eye, The Day Today) and his influence can be clearly seen. Indeed, if Morris' shtick isn't your thing, then this show is unlikely to be for you. If, however, you like your comedy edgy, subversive and occasionally surreal, dive in.

This subversive approach to the genre is where the programme excels. Lee is at his best when feeding off the nervous energy he can create in a room, milking for every awkward laugh he can achieve whilst subverting the normal aim of genre - getting as many laughs as quickly as possible. He is also a master of comic timing, which the format utilises effectively with his asides to camera. (Speaking of these, the direction and editing of the show is also excellently done.)

For whatever reason I never saw the first series of this show - although can remember seeing bits of it - but this time round I'm hooked. Here's a taster from last week's episode. As it happens, this clip is more conventional stand up as Lee discusses getting his kids into the best local school:

Andrew

Lets do the timewarp again...

Last week, the UK got to see the Rocky Horror Glee Show, which aired at Halloween in the states. It was, quite simply, brilliant. It has also left me with various tunes from the show running round my head and wanting to see the film again.

Until I get a chance too, however, I guess I'll have to make do with the Bunny Parody:

Andrew

Fast and Loose

Once upon a time there was a Radio 4 comedy called "Whose Line is it Anyway?" Due to a monumental failure of vision on the part of BBC Television, the TV rights were bought by Channel 4. After a stuttering start while they adapted to the visual medium (and a less high-brow audience) it became a tremendous success and helped launch the careers of Paul Merton, Josie Lawrence, Tony Slattery as well as introduce the UK to some great North American talents.

The show was the brainchild of Dan Patterson and Mark Leveson and went on to spawn a US version. They subsequently created the satirical news quiz "Mock The Week" for the BBC.

Dan Patterson's latest project is "Fast and Loose" which is pretty much a return to "Whose Line...?". The first episode wasn't great but subsequent episodes have been better - the show certainly has potential, although there may need to be some tweaks to the format. It's biggest problem is comparison to it's forebear and, presumably, a need for legal and artistic reasons to try to be sufficiently different from it.

The best feature so far has been David Armand's "Interpretive Dance" in which he mimes to song and a couple of the players have to guess what song he has been miming too.

Here he is, as Austria's foremost interpretive dance artiste, performing to The Killers' "Human":

But Armand has been doing it for years, here he is at The Secret Policeman's Ball in 2006 performing to "Torn"... with a special guest.

Enjoy!

Andrew

5, 4, 3, 2, 1...

Thunderbirds Are Go!

Enjoy!

Andrew

Halloween Costumes...

...for dogs. Yes, it really is a mad, mad world (or maybe it's just USA, but I wouldn't want to assert that - madness happens everywhere!)

Catching up on Have I Got News For You this evening, they featured this picture of a dog that had been dressed up for Halloween:

I found it rather amusing but while looking for it online discovered that this is far from a one off. There are hoards of costumes available for your pooch. Here's a selection of the best (worst?)

Andrew

Big Brother 2000 - 2010 R.I.P

So this is it, the end of Big Brother in the UK. Or, more likely, the end of Big Brother on Channel 4.

I've watched most of the series over the years and I even applied once (in 2002) and now my summers are to be bereft of the show which went from gameshow in the guise of social experiment to an out and out spectacle.

By turns funny, outrageous and controversial, Big Brother changed the face of UK television reality shows, a subject I've blogged on previously.

This year the producers pulled out all the stops to make Big Brother 11 a suiting finale to the show. They upped the production values, made subtle and not-so-subtle references to previous years and tasks and still managed to introduce new features. In some ways they rejuvenated the show and, ironically, saw audiences rise from last year's lows.

But Big Brother 11 was merely a warm up to the show's final final hurrah - Ultimate Big Brother. Unashamedly self-indulgent, Ultimate Big Brother has crammed in old tasks, brought back as many old housemates as were available (and that's a lot!) and even re-instated the infamous Bedsit from Big Brother 5. Davina has gone in, Marcus Bentley (the show's narrator) has gone in) and a mock funeral has been held, complete with wake.

Of course, Big Brother may live on. Channel 5 look set to buy the rights. But one has to think that any resurrected show will be different in look and feel to the existing format. One of the biggest lessons that Channel 4 learnt is that the show needed regular twists - not least as contestants became increasingly able to second guess the intentions of the producers. A new channel will provide an opportunity to bring something fresh to the viewer and surprise the contestants.

But that's all potentially in the future. For Channel 4, and for now, tonight is the end. It'll be a sad occasion, not least for Davina who has fronted all 11 series and for which the show has been her life. There'll not be a dry eye in the house by the time the final curtain comes down. 

Ladies and Gentlemen, charge your glasses and join with me in a toast: To Big Brother.

Andrew

To read my post from the start of this series, click here.

Something to get your teeth into...

One of the things that has surprised me most in the past year or so was how much I enjoyed True Blood, which is coming up to the finale of its third series in the States.

My love of The Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter aside, I've never really been interested in books or films in the Fantasy genre. I've still not read Dracula or seen any adaptations of it and, aside from a screening of Nosferatu, the only other vampire related thing I'd seen, until a couple of years ago, was Ultraviolet. This was a Channel 4 drama series from 1998 starring Jack Davenport. Aside from being a fantastic drama, the attraction was its modern and unconventional take on the vampire myth.

In the past couple of years, however, I've found vampires, werewolves and other supernatural beings have featured more heavily in my tellybox viewing. First came BBC 3's excellent Being Human, set here in Bristol, and then came True Blood.

Made by HBO, so not dependent on attracting advertisers, True Blood can afford to push the creative envelope. As such, it isn't afraid to shy away issues of sexuality and drug use or violence and nudity. Based on the Sookie Stackhouse novels by Charlaine Harris, the series has been created by Alan Ball, who wrote American Beauty and was the executive producer of Six Feet Under. 

Set in the deep south where vampires have come into the open and synthetic blood is sold in bars, the programme tells the story of Sookie - who can hear people's thoughts - and her relationship with Bill, a vampire who has forsworn real blood. It's not long , however, before Vampire politics asset themselves and Sookie finds herself being sucked into a world which still remains largely underground (no puns intended). 

Brilliantly evoking small town mores in the Deep South of the US, and the varying degrees of suspicion, hatred and acceptance which the Vampires (which could be considered proxies for Blacks or Homosexuals) are treated, True Blood features great performances from the newly married Stephen Moyer and Anna Paquin and a great supporting cast.

And speaking of Mr and Mrs Moyer, here's the main reason for this post, from the cover of Rolling Stone magazine:

Andrew

Must be the Music

As most people know, I'm a bit of a fan of reality TV shows, although I don't watch them indiscriminately. With most, a healthy dose of cynicism is required. There's always an element of pantomime in such shows, and hyperbole is rife.

Last night, Sky's new talent show "Must be the Music" started. Heavily billed (as was Five's lacklustre "Don't Stop Believing") as being a different type of talent show which was less about the judges and all about the acts, it had a lot of it's own hype to live up to. Did it succeed?

Yes, I think it did. The programme's unique selling point is that it is open to Singer-Songwriters, Bands and  Musicians irrespective of age or genre. Artists can perform a cover version or their own material. In fact, unlike singing contests such as The X Factor, original material is positively encouraged. After the acts perform the votes judges' decisions are announced before with the feedback following rather than having a long drawn out section during which the judges comment and then vote.

The biggest difference, though, is that although the show isn't about the judges in a sense it is. All the publicity material has featured pictures of the three judges - Dizzee Rascal, Jamie Cullum and Sharleen Spiteri. All three have reached the top as Singer-Songwriters and Performance and been rewarded with both commercial and critical success - including (variously) the Mercury prize, Brits and Ivor Novello awards. As such, their feedback carries more weight than it would if they were, say, a pop artist and is more empathetic than that of a producer who is interested in the commercial potential.

Having high profile judges is also a reason to watch the show. Without the involvement of Spiteri, I think this would have passed me by. As it happens I'm glad I didn't. Earlier this year Sky has a big success with Got to Dance - with Must be the Music they've done it again.

Andrew

P.S. Don't get me wrong, when The X Factor recommences next Saturday, I'll be cheering and booing along with the best of them!

A first - and last* - word on Big Brother

A week today the last series of Big Brother will begin on British television. And I, for one, will be glued to my TV set.

Few shows have divided opinion as much as Big Brother, but whatever you think of it, there's no denying that it made an impact on British Television in the 2000's.

Before BB, reality shows were in the mould of Driving School and Airport. Serial documentaries with a handful of characters grabbing the limelight. Big Brother opened the door to a world where these characters had to compete for attention in an environment where they weren't, even nominally, in control.

No longer was it enough to be a wheel-clamper who could make bitchy remarks to the camera. Now you had to compete for the affection of the public while keeping enough of your fellow contestants onside in order to avoid nomination. And the cameras didn't get turned off at the end of your shift - they stayed on all through the night.

And so a new generation of reality shows was born, from Castaway to Survivor to Shipwrecked, ordinary members of the public could, if they were lucky, launch a career in television. A sub-genre, of which I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here is the most notable was also spawned, in which forgotten stars of yesterday could relaunch their careers.

Although I've always been a fan, although I've not watched every series - in particular Big Brothers 6 and 7 passed me by. I personally enjoyed the first couple of series when the contestants weren't there specifically to launch careers, although both of the first two winners did, of course. These early shows were part gameshow, part social experiment.

These were followed by a stage in which contestants were, for the most part, fame-seekers. Subseqently, there was a phase in which housemates were chosen for weirdness and conflict. The beauty of Big Brother has always been it's ability to re-invent itself year after year - and the golden rule: Big Brother reserves the right to change the rules at any moment.

So I'm looking forward to this year and seeing what's in store. As ever there is a lot of rumour but not a lot of confirmed fact. One thing is for sure, though: the producers will be determined to make the most of it and let the show go out with a bang.

Andrew

P.S. Where next for reality shows? Well, I suspect the template for this decade may have been laid down by the recent Pineapple Dance Studios on Sky 1. Ostensibly an old-fashioned reality show, it featured regular set-pieces and deliberate interventions by members of the "cast" and production crew. And, in a stroke of genius, had Michael Buerk delivering the voice over in a wonderful dead pan style. Not easy when describing the auditions for Priscilla, Queen of the Dessert as "separating the men from the ladyboys"

*It may not be the last but I do promise not to blog endlessly about it!

A new leaf... and a new logo

...Well, after yesterday's v-log, and 5 on the 5th entry, I'm determined to get back in the saddle with regular blogs!

Today's topic is something of a departure for The Widow's World - namely, the new Doctor Who logo! Now, I'm not a natural fan of DW, but have been drawn into the fringes of it's Universe by some very good friends. I am, however, very interested in branding and logos.

Doctor Who is a brand that has been around for over 40 years. As such, it forms part of the backdrop of British life. Few other television programmes have this kind of heritage. News at Ten has had many different looks over the years, but while different logos and presenters may evoke memories of different television ages, a news programme is never going to induce an emotional response. Many people do respond emotionally to Coronation Street, but the look and feel of that has changed little over the decades, at least from a branding point of view.

The nearest equivalent to Doctor Who, in television terms, is probably Top of the Pops, although that is no longer broadcast - at least as far as being a regular programme is concerned. Few other shows have evolved and changed over the decades in the way these have. It is said you never forget your first Doctor, just as for many people, TOTP is bound up with memories of the rosta of Radio 1 DJs and kids telly stars who presented it when they were young.

Both shows have iconic theme tunes and logos which have changed with time - reflecting changing times, styles, Doctors or, of course, producers.

The logo and and the stars are bound up together in the identity of the show. Together they tell the story of its evolution, and provide a marker for each new generation. Those kids who have been fans of the recent series' with Ecclestone and Tennant will reminisce about the current logo in 30 years time, just as those adults who grew up with Tom Baker feel an attachment to the show's branding from that time.

So, what of the new logo? Well, there actually appears to be two! Firstly, the two words arranged one on top of each other, so that taken together they are in the form of a square. For the fans who remember some of the earlier logos, this is, in part, a return to the past. It ties in with a natural nostalgia and sense of ownership along with acknowledging the heritage and history of the Brand. It's a bold look which makes a break with the recent look which the show has had since its re-launch.

The second logo is the letters DW, arranged to resemble the Tardis. This shorthand version gives a new fresh feel to the show, particularly compared with the previous logo, and has obviously been designed to be very marketing and licensing friendly. This time next year, the shops will be full of merchandise bearing this logo!

Both will elicit a response - often strong and emotive - not just amongst the fans but amongst the general public. Just as the re-branding of BT with the pan logo or replacing the Bisto kids with a family can create countless column inches, so too does the arrival of a new look along with a new Doctor. So while I may not be the biggest fan, the show is so iconic, and it's place in the national psyche is so strong, that it is impossible to ignore.