I thought National Anthem brought up interesting ideas regarding civic duty, public peer pressure, social media bullying, propaganda, public idols being adored for what they represent rather than who the they are and also celebrity degradation for public entertainment.
I did find it a case of life imitating art when Nadine Dorries decided to volunteer for a contest on TV where you eat wild boar testicles and kangaroo anuses considering the show was about a political figure humiliating themselves to earn public favour even at the cost of their professional dignity and personal pride and the stigma such acts can have on your real personal relationship.
What I got mainly from National Anthem was an exploration of the twisted logic that our leaders are responsible for the actions of others if they don't do whatever is required to stop them. The PM was forced to follow through with the act after the public said they would blame him for the Princess's death if he didn't.
It made me think about how this happens in today's society; with some arguments made about how we are responsible for Islamic terrorism because we treat their countries badly. Or how during the riots last year the government was accused for being 'responsible' because of it's policies.
The old saying of be careful what you wish for! Just imagine having a relationship with someone composed of online personal material of the kind found on facebook and twitter - yuk. Nice having an always ready, never tiring shag on tap though. Once she twigged that you can't replicate a nuanced human relationship with an android, she became all hissy and prissy - like a lot of women who discover that the man they're shacked up isn't anything like they hoped he would be
The series isn't perfect but compared to other crap on telly, I love it. It's well written but most importantly it's ambitious. Not everyone will like it but it's made to divide people, that's what good television should be.
As for Be Right Back, I really liked the concept. To me it was about how we are putting ourselves on to the internet more and more and in a sense there can be a version of us that will continue to exist on there even after we are dead. As for the clone business, that was mainly about technology and business exploiting grief and it was horrific, imagine losing someone and them being replaced, and even if they are hollow, and empty and a poor imitation, could you really let go?
What I got mainly from National Anthem was an exploration of the twisted logic that our leaders are responsible for the actions of others if they don't do whatever is required to stop them. The PM was forced to follow through with the act after the public said they would blame him for the Princess's death if he didn't.
It made me think about how this happens in today's society; with some arguments made about how we are responsible for Islamic terrorism because we treat their countries badly. Or how during the riots last year the government was accused for being 'responsible' because of it's policies.
Actually the final straw, if I recall, was his aide telling him they couldn't guarantee his safety of that of his family if he didn't commit the act in question with the irony being the princess was released hours earlier and they had not get the DNA test result back indicating it was the artist's finger, not one of the princess's digits. So it was a case of not enough of the right information but just enough of the wrong kind to make an elected official do a disgusting act in order to save others and appease the public's demands. Also the fact that it all could have been avoided had their been fewer people following the news coverage in pubs, hospitals and in their homes and had instead been outside and seen the princess wandering for the several hours she was free but drugged, stumbling through empty streets because the focus had went from finding her to making sure he fulfilled his part of the deal with the pig.
Just finished watching "Be Right Back" and found it really interesting.
I like how he couldn't show any emotion, but when she told him to jump off the cliff and beg for his life, he could. Maybe he tried getting in contact with someone in his final moments after the car crash.
Looking forward to seeing the second episode. Maybe it's a game concept taken too far? It looks like they're all trying to kill her, if you survive you win? Can't wait!
Just finished watching "Be Right Back" and found it really interesting. I like how he couldn't show any emotion, but when she told him to jump off the cliff and beg for his life, he could. Maybe he tried getting in contact with someone in his final moments after the car crash.
Looking forward to seeing the second episode. Maybe it's a game concept taken too far? It looks like they're all trying to kill her, if you survive you win? Can't wait!
He was responding to her command and then accessed the relevant files/video. That was why she snapped and started screaming because she realised he couldn't ever possibly be the independent, quirky man she know with real thoughts and feelings, only an automaton with old experiences it could simulate on command.
......because she realised he couldn't ever possibly be the independent, quirky man she know with real thoughts and feelings, only an automaton with old experiences it could simulate on command.
Which is ironic because in my vast and worldly experience the last thing many women want is an “independent, quirky man” when really all they desire is a blindly obedient robot who responds to commands and pays for everything!
Make that show Brooker - Truth in place of satire!
is this his take on the way people always get their mobiles out and send the footage to sky news when anything bad happens, rather than trying to help?
is this his take on the way people always get their mobiles out and send the footage to sky news when anything bad happens, rather than trying to help?
I was thinking along the same lines, that maybe it was Charlie's way of saying how much mobile phones have encroached on our lives with someone always ready to take a photo on their phone.
I was thinking along the same lines, that maybe it was Charlie's way of saying how much mobile phones have encroached on our lives with someone always ready to take a photo on their phone.
Comments
I was making the point that it's nice to see a critic who actually creates something too, and in Brooker's case is quite good at it.
Nice work if you can get it, watching films and gabbling on about them. But ultimately it's rather empty as a career compared to creating something.
What I got mainly from National Anthem was an exploration of the twisted logic that our leaders are responsible for the actions of others if they don't do whatever is required to stop them. The PM was forced to follow through with the act after the public said they would blame him for the Princess's death if he didn't.
It made me think about how this happens in today's society; with some arguments made about how we are responsible for Islamic terrorism because we treat their countries badly. Or how during the riots last year the government was accused for being 'responsible' because of it's policies.
As for Be Right Back, I really liked the concept. To me it was about how we are putting ourselves on to the internet more and more and in a sense there can be a version of us that will continue to exist on there even after we are dead. As for the clone business, that was mainly about technology and business exploiting grief and it was horrific, imagine losing someone and them being replaced, and even if they are hollow, and empty and a poor imitation, could you really let go?
And it was nothing like Wake Wood at all.
Actually the final straw, if I recall, was his aide telling him they couldn't guarantee his safety of that of his family if he didn't commit the act in question with the irony being the princess was released hours earlier and they had not get the DNA test result back indicating it was the artist's finger, not one of the princess's digits. So it was a case of not enough of the right information but just enough of the wrong kind to make an elected official do a disgusting act in order to save others and appease the public's demands. Also the fact that it all could have been avoided had their been fewer people following the news coverage in pubs, hospitals and in their homes and had instead been outside and seen the princess wandering for the several hours she was free but drugged, stumbling through empty streets because the focus had went from finding her to making sure he fulfilled his part of the deal with the pig.
Enjoyed (sort of) last week's episode, in that it was thought provoking, and at the same time uncomfortable.
Looking forward to the rest of the series, though Hayley Atwell was brilliant as ever and will be a hard act to follow:)
They're all on 4OD, but I've never found HD versions of anything on there.
I like how he couldn't show any emotion, but when she told him to jump off the cliff and beg for his life, he could. Maybe he tried getting in contact with someone in his final moments after the car crash.
Looking forward to seeing the second episode. Maybe it's a game concept taken too far? It looks like they're all trying to kill her, if you survive you win? Can't wait!
He was responding to her command and then accessed the relevant files/video. That was why she snapped and started screaming because she realised he couldn't ever possibly be the independent, quirky man she know with real thoughts and feelings, only an automaton with old experiences it could simulate on command.
Which is ironic because in my vast and worldly experience the last thing many women want is an “independent, quirky man” when really all they desire is a blindly obedient robot who responds to commands and pays for everything!
Make that show Brooker - Truth in place of satire!
I have heard the first series is better so I need to watch that at some point.
I was thinking along the same lines, that maybe it was Charlie's way of saying how much mobile phones have encroached on our lives with someone always ready to take a photo on their phone.
Good analogy:D