I’m sorry to say that Z has a bit of a rant

There seems to be a lot of critical enthusiasm for the second series of a programme called Broadchurch, which seemed to have passed me by, first time round.  Then I looked it up and realised why I didn’t watch it.  Weeza put on Facebook today that she had watched a film called Under The Skin last night, but had been unable to finish it because, well made as it was, the plot involved an abandoned child and she couldn’t take it and wished she could scour her memory.

It’s the new dramatic porn, isn’t it?  At one time it was sexual abuse of children,  or it was autobiographies of people who had been cruelly treated, usually by their parents, in childhood, which then turned to dramatisations of such awfulness.  Now, it’s abduction and murder.  Not real-life cases, however distressing, but fiction.

No, I can’t take it and I don’t want anyone to make money out of it.  I can only sympathise with those who write of personal experiences and hope that they find it cathartic, but I don’t feel able to pollute my mind with horrible things that can’t be forgotten.  I certainly can’t accept using such stuff for simply commercial purposes.

As a subject, it’s hardly new.  Look back to the New Testament and the Massacre of the Innocents, for example, though this was not reported for queasily salacious effect.  Oliver Twist.  Murder on the Orient Express.  But the plot didn’t centre on cruelty to children in these stories, as it does now.

And let’s change the subject and finish with the usual Z good cheer.  Zerlina and Gus were delightful, we had bacon and eggs for breakfast and later made cakes and did lots of good things.  Tomorrow, young Hadrian will be here, and it seems that he’s recovering, so I hope we can have fun too.  Tonight, I ate smoked trout with pasta in a cream and wine sauce and lots of vegetables.  And I’ve caught up on the washing, if not the ironing.

 

8 comments on “I’m sorry to say that Z has a bit of a rant

  1. Rog

    Quite agree. That’s why we’ve bought a boxed set of “Big Bang Theory” which is light and entertaining, er, light entertainment.

    Reply
  2. allotmentqueen

    We’ve bought the box set of Lovejoy as a joint Christmas present because we want to look at feelgood programmes (having got to nearly the end of Monarch of the Glen which we watched the first time round)

    Reply
  3. kipper

    Which is the reason I stopped, after the 2nd episode, watching the original UK Broadchurch. Have heard the US version was cancelled. Oh Lovejoy—now that was a great series! There is an American company called Acorn that sells British videos. Coworker has ALL of the Midsomer Murders series.
    Your visit with the kiddos sounds like a lot of fun, and you get to do it again tomorrow!

    Reply
  4. Mike Horner

    Around twenty years ago we decided to try and do without a television set, largely because of the rubbish that was being shown. We’ve kept to that ever since, although we do listen to the radio whilst working. It’s a bit of a conversation stopper – “Did you see…….”. “No, sorry we don’t have a T.V.set….” ; but whenever we stay with family, or in an hotel, or anywhere there’s a t.v. set, one or other of us (usually on the way home) remarks that we can’t foresee circs where we’d ever want another one.

    Reply
  5. Liz

    I don’t often watch dramas on television and crime or murder type stuff certainly does not interest me. With the exceptions of The Big Bang Theory and Strictly Come Dancing, we rarely watch anything other than quiz shows or documentaries (BBCs 2 and 4 are probably the most watched channels in the Bear household). I am planning to watch the BBC adaptation of Wolf Hall though; if it’s even half as good as the book I shall be impressed. Sir Bruin watches a lot of DVD’s, which I mostly ignore unless they are stand-up comedy ones.

    Reply
  6. amenwithat

    Guess what I am reading? It is called Broadchurch by Erin Kelly, but it goes on to say “based on the story by series creator Chris Chibnall. ” Meaning what? I just read a few pages as I got into bed, but I must read all 661 pages of Testament of Youth and I am wading through 731 pages of Alan Turing: The Enigma. I am also wheezing. I will let you know.

    Reply
  7. Z Post author

    I’ve read that it’s really well done, but I just can’t be doing with cruelty to children now, I’m ok with violence in its place, but I can’t imagine the sort of mind that comes up with deliberately hurting children, for casual evening entertainment. I’m getting more fragile about it as I get older.

    Reply

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