TV of 2024

[colinr0380]

This is perhaps more appropriate for the "TV of 2024" thread but the Toby Jones starring "Mr Bates vs The Post Office" series that aired last week has been having a massive impact in the UK, which I was quite surprised by as I assumed that everyone was already aware of the egregious miscarriages of justice that the series talked about where after the introduction of a computer system (in a 'modernisation' move spearheaded by Tony Blair) to replace the old style methods of accounting for the branches, that led to computer errors suggesting tens of thousands of pounds were being lost from individual Post Office accounts. Instead of, maybe you know checking their computer system unfortunately many Post Office Masters were charged for the losses by the main organisation and treated as criminals (we've just had the news this morning that there were incentives of bonuses being paid to the people finding 'wrongdoers' to blame), with some even prosecuted and jailed for their 'crimes'. This went on for over two decades (during which time some of those traduced by the system had died) before there was a concerted grass roots campaign against the Post Office led by the titular Mr Bates (first name Alan).

Since it aired last week, this has become ITV's most watched drama series in three years; more than 50 new people have come forward with their own stories of being hounded for losses incurred by the computer system; questions asked about where all the money individual Post Masters were forced to 'pay back' the Post Office for has disappeared to; the government has jumped on the bandwagon by suggesting a blanket exoneration for all of those involved (which begs the question of why the hell it took a TV series to 'make them aware' of the issue, either Conservative, Lib Dems or Labour, all of whom were in power during these events. Although it is obvious that the series shamed the government into having to act. And the Liberal Democrat leader is having to ask questions about his involvement a decade ago); the head of the Post Office (who was given a CBE by the Royals just after the situation was 'resolved' with the prosecutions) is being pressured to hand her honour back. And there is talk about compensating the victims, though of course that does not really help those who went to prison, lost their livelihoods or homes, or had family members who died thinking they were at fault for the Post Office's cock ups.

[alacal2]

Colin, I'm not surprised that you're surprised about the impact of Mr Bates and what is emerging as one of the most shameful miscarriages of justice in the UK. This has been going on for over 20 years and has a way to go yet. The power of the programme lies in its ability to highlight the cumulative effect on a group of public servants over a long period of time and its ability to 'democratise' what can often be a quite complex set of circumstances. Furthermore it 'stars' some of the cream of British TV drama (Toby Young, the wonderful Monica Dolan etc) playing 'ordinary' characters. Oh, and there's the minor matter of a General Election due in the next 12 months!
I have been watching open-mouthed at the live televised reports of the ongoing public inquiry and which is producing hours of dramatic gold which will inevitably lead to Mr Bates 2.

[MichaelB]

Apologies for the quibble, but it's Toby Jones who's the star of Mr Bates vs The Post Office and an all-round national treasure.

Toby Young very much isn't, on either count.

Interestingly, both had famous dads, although I suspect Freddie Jones has more to be posthumously proud of regarding the achievements of his offspring than poor Michael Young.

[TMDaines]

Yeah, I don’t think non-Brits will be able to appreciate the impact that this four-part drama has had. The first episode was broadcast on 1st January, with a further one each on the following three days, although the whole series could be streamed from the 1st. The story has since dominated the UK news cycle since premiering and still is on 11th January. People have pondered whether it is the most impactful TV drama since Cathy Come Home in 1966.

As an on-and-off Private Eye reader, I have been familiar with the saga for years and thought I’d never see justice prevail. The shortcomings of the system are just incredible when you read about the technical failings and what was and wasn’t possible. The Post Office then completely lost sight of doing anything but what they thought was best for, regardless of ethics and morals, essentially looking to profit from legal scaremongering of sub-postmasters.

[colinr0380]

Speaking of Private Eye, here's Ian Hislop taking a Conservative MP to task earlier today (incidentally the MP who said during the inflation last year that poor people will just tighten their pursestrings and pick up a second job or two to weather the storm, as most politicians seem to do). Although we should emphasise that all governments of all stripes and political affiliations appear to have colluded in this situation to charitably ignore, and uncharitably cover up, the issue.

It kind of has the qualities of the 2008 financial crisis about it, where the initial situation was caused by handing too much control to seemingly infallible computer systems (arguably as a way of abdicating responsibility, or perhaps more accurately taking power out of the hands of the many and 'consolidating' it into those of a few who would have already been incapable of competently handling even a fraction of that responsibility. Which may perhaps end up being the underlying theme of the our age) that was then only compounded by human behavioural failings being laid on top of that initial error. So instead of 'double the oversight' you get the worst of both worlds, as any safeguards cancel each other out.

[brundlefly]

Richard Linklater's feature-length death penalty doc "Hometown Prison" will be available on Max February 27th with works by Alex Stapleton and Iliana Sosa in the Lawrence Wright-inspired docuseries God Save Texas.

[Matt]

Apple TV’s “The New Look” starring Ben Mendelsohn as Christian Dior, Juliette Binoche as Coco Chanel, and John Malkovich as Lucien Lelong. Unfortunately not about clothing at all but about what these figures did during WWII. Unfortunately no shared scenes between Mendelsohn and Binoche until about 30 seconds at the end of the third episode. Unfortunately directed without a stitch of imagination and irritatingly shot with tight framing and handheld cameras. Typical Apple TV well-heeled and deadly dull late prestige TV production.

FX’s “Feud: Capote vs. The Swans” fares better, with Tom Hollander giving the best performance so far of the several portrayals of Capote in the last couple decades. As such a singular figure, impersonation of Capote will always be 90% of the role, but Hollander also manages to modulate the broadness of Capote into small gestures and looks more suitable to screen acting. He’s playing at exactly the right pitch for the show. His occasional scenes with Jessica Lange, playing his dead mother, are electrifying. Somewhat less so with Naomi Watts playing Babe Paley. She’s excellent, but is performing in a slightly different, more naturalistic register. The rest of the “Swans” — Chloe Sevigny, Diane Lane, Calista Flockhart, Demi Moore, Molly Ringwald, et al — range from decent to unremarkable. Gus van Sant’s direction is quite good in the first couple episodes, keeping a cool and reserved tone no unlike Todd Haynes’ in May December.

Interestingly, the third episode is entirely a documentary of the first of Capote’s famous Black and White Balls as it might have been made by the Maysles. Sadly, no one really seems to have studied how that would look because it does not resemble anything the Maysles ever made so much as a faux reality show like “Parks and Recreation” or “Abbott Elementary” with the clumsy zooms and constant reframing and refocusing of that affected style.

The show is better than most Ryan Murphy productions. The general rule of thumb is that the less he is involved with showrunning, writing, and directing, the better it is, and that is the case here. But every minute I watch these shows I curse myself for not watching something better.

[therewillbeblus]

I think the underutilization of Mendelsohn's talents since his McConaughey-era renaissance period, where he was still wedged into primarily smaller supporting parts, is one of America's most glaring flubs with actors in recent memory. I still consider his perf in the first season of Bloodline to be one of the best I've ever seen, and I was not aware that artists were capable of squeezing all life from such an organically vibrant performer until I saw Rogue One. Who casts the scariest, slimiest working actor in a villain role in a Star Wars movie in the 21st century and then says, 'hey let's just make him like every other one of these banal middle-manager villains?' (and then go out of its way to try to be 'unique' and get defended as such forever..)

[Matt]

I’m here to tell you that you can believe the hype about “Shōgun,” at least the first two available episodes. It’s well-made, well-acted, and engaging. It uses the Clavell book as a template, but is perhaps more knowledgeable and respectful of Japanese history and culture.

Cosmo Jarvis (marvelous name, born even more marvelously as Harrison Cosmo Krikoryan Jarvis), who you might remember from Lady Macbeth and who plays the English pirate Blackthorne, sounds eerily exactly like Richard Burton. The always charming Tadanobu Asano is here in a main role, as is veteran actor Hiroyuki Sanada.

[Blip Martindale]

Cosmo Jarvis (marvelous name)

[Murdoch]

I'm also really enjoying Shōgun. I've been in a dry spell lately with TV so I'm glad to have this to really dive into. I haven't read the novel but it's a fascinating counterpart to Scorsese's adaptation of Silence. I love how the series is exploring the Japanese being confronted head-on with Western colonialism, learning of the immediate threat that Europe as a whole makes up and just how many "Portuguese" there are out there vying for world dominance.

SpoilerShow

The scene in Episode 2 where Blackthorne describes how the Portuguese and Spanish divided up the world between them is the best moment of TV I've seen this year. The line "Did he really say 'belongs'?" was chilling.

[Walter Kurtz]

Apple TV’s “The New Look”... Unfortunately not about clothing at all

Actually there was quite a lot about clothing in the 70% or more of it that aired after the date you submitted your review.

[Walter Kurtz]

I think the underutilization of Mendelsohn's talents since his McConaughey-era renaissance period, where he was still wedged into primarily smaller supporting parts, is one of America's most glaring flubs with actors in recent memory.

He just gave one of my favorite performances of all time (film or tv) in The New Look. He does so much here without broadly announcing it. A subtle silent genius. Unfortunately 99% of viewers will probably miss it.

[Roger Ryan]

Since the topic of The New Look has been brought back up, I'd like to add that the series becomes much more visually coherent once creator Todd A. Kessler is removed from the director's chair (which happens following the second episode). Subsequent directors like Helen Shaver and Jeremy Podeswa demonstrate a much better skill at blocking and camera position; nothing fancy, but nothing that distracts in the way that the first two episodes did with the overuse of close-ups and the continuous breaking of the 180 degree rule.

The drama loses steam in the middle episodes following the end of WWII, but has a satisfying conclusion where the emphasis is, indeed, on the clothing.

[Matt]

Maybe I’ll give it another go once I’ve caught up on other things. Thanks for the update!

I will probably be binging “Ripley” this weekend, and I’ll be very disappointed indeed if it doesn’t live up to its promise.