Culture vulture

Shiny Happy People

“Are you trying to get me to admit that I’m an egomaniac?” (Frank Gehry, The Secret Life of Buildings) If only Ali G had been invited to present the final part of C4’s The Secret Life of Buildings: Leisure. No… Continue Reading →

2011/08/16

Zero Hour

“And as The Hour fails to impress its audience, can they turn things around?” That was the 2011 BBC continuity announcer talking about the fledgling news show within the 1950s-set drama. But I don’t think I’m the only viewer who… Continue Reading →

2011/07/27

The Phoney War

This time on The Apprentice: global apps, viral marketing and funny local accents. “I’m very perplexed” confessed Nick Hewer during last night’s second episode of BBC1’s The Apprentice. After the juicy squabbles of the opening task, we moved on to… Continue Reading →

2011/05/12

In the Soup

This week on The Apprentice: some juicy one-liners, a couple of pip-squeaks and a very thick skin. Less than half an hour into the latest series of BBC1’s The Apprentice, I had a severe case of déjà vu. Watching clueless… Continue Reading →

2011/05/10

Cinema Goes Underground

Do you ever feel that the big-screen experience these days is lacking a little je ne sais quoi? Last month I was lucky enough to attend the latest Secret Cinema event: a screening of Gillo Pontecorvo’s The Battle of Algiers…. Continue Reading →

2011/05/10

Taking the P

Earlier this week saw a landmark in British broadcasting history, with the advent of product placement on TV shows. Ironically, I missed seeing Nescafe’s Dolce Gusto machine taking its bow on ITV1’s Good Morning, because I was enjoying the heady… Continue Reading →

2011/03/06

Briefs Encounter

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HzkRJmdjgpI&w=640&h=390] Last year’s criminally overlong Criminal Justice finally convinced me that I’d seen enough of Maxine Peake to last me a lifetime. “Immerse yourself in silk” ad-libbed the continuity announcer before the pilot episode of BBC1’s new legal drama…. Continue Reading →

2011/02/27

Flights of Fancy

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-WYKhwiiaIA&fs=1&hl=en_GB] It seems you can’t put on a costume drama these days unless you have a septuagenarian Dame in your cast. A bird in the airing cupboard; a monkey at the breakfast table; and a trainee footman getting frisky with… Continue Reading →

2010/12/27

Sweet Smell of Success

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SomSVtItkJg&fs=1&hl=en_GB] This week on The Apprentice: a touch of alchemy from Melissa, a geometry lesson for Chris and a fairy-tale ending for Stella. In the season of goodwill, The Apprentice ditched the usual catalogue of bickering, bitching and screw-ups, to… Continue Reading →

2010/12/20

Close Encounters of the Absurd Kind

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fCOqDBbt1ak&fs=1&hl=en_GB] This week on The Apprentice: a “verbal bashing” for Chris, “mental torture” for Joanna and a third-nipple tweaking for Jamie. Who could forget the sausage-making task that kicked off this year’s series of The Apprentice? Discord, confusion and gleaming… Continue Reading →

2010/12/16

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