Properly odd this one - there's a valid point about duty, honour and sacrifice somewhere in here, lost amongst the morase, but rammed home with the subtly of a sledgehammer.
The soul who posted the links (alcock I think); absolutely. It rather made me think of the horror stories my Aunt tells of being in the Mounted unit in the Strathclyde Police in the 1980s and the sometimes hair-raising affairs between Rangers and Celtic fans in-particular. Problem with this is that it's shorn of all symbolic meaning - it's just a local derby in a highly regulated era; it's not like this is Glasgow for example where there is a religious connotation (alive and kicking - even my home-town, Dumfries still has an active branch of the Orange Order) or a racial aspect. Touch on war fine, don't do it through football - in the end it is just a game and being a fan of the Beautiful Game myself, the match-day experience seemed forced; I started going to matches myself at about sixteen, I still go occasionally (local team, Queen of the South - like this; Scottish Championship - I still remember the pitch invasion after we were promoted to the then First Division at Alloa, happy days for my beloved Queens). I also supported Stockport County when I lived in South Manchester (I refused to support Man U or City on-principle - glory hunting not allowed). I got the bus in to see Stockport (and Sale the Rugby League side) and I never felt threatened or endangered at any point - yes it was a bit lively at times, yes there was lots of swearing and a fair bit of alcohol, but people seemed to behave themselves more when they saw a young woman on her own, even stepping out of the way or letting me go first through a turnstyle and seemed friendly enough in the stands. There were dodgy types of course and there was a fair bit of violence at one point historically (just ask Aberdeen fans). I don't know - I just don't recognise the match-day experience I've just seen as being current, even Old Firm matches are more civilised that this now-a-days and the Tartan Army always seems to get hailed for its good behaviour (and the team, which is presumably why Scotland hasn't qualified for a tournament since the 1998 World Cup and the intelligent such as myself have resigned ourselves to never qualifying again.)
I thought this was actually an analysis of white, working-class masculinity. The aggressive, nasty, unreformed type represented by the Inter City Firm's of this world. There are four versions represented here - the unreconstructed thugs i.e. the Granddad, the eventual victims i.e. the Grandsons - the older one, the dead one - Stevo (a sacrificial lamb if ever there was) and the two doomed thugs who are heading for jail, paying the price for the misdeeds of earlier generations building an eternal rivalry; the traditional vision of working-class maleness in Iain and Big Mac - dutiful, dedicated and ready to serve their country when called-upon and finally, the unlikely overperformers, the Lofty's and Matthew - the quiet men who surprise you and perform beyond all expectation. Problem with that is that it's Casualty, so they have neither the time, nor the format which allows a proper examination of this theme. Social ills quite often are a symptom of environmental pressures - the treatment of pain particularly, Stevo might well have survived had he felt it was socially acceptable to admit pain and express it - real men do cry. We are expected to see a vicious cycle being broken through the surviving Grandson, Jed I believe his name is, without any real depth - the last shot of the Grandfather, 'Parky' was it? Is that supposed to be him having some sort of emphany? Too late. To hell with you.
As a norm, the gallant are so often the men and women you least expect - the quiet one, the workaday guy, the friendly one who suddenly makes the decision to put somebody else first. The contrast between the actions of Matthew, who may or may not have been desperate, Tyler his romantic rival, Briony - the Juliet at the centre of the tale could not have been more enormous - although, if he'd taken another step before making that impressive leap onto the incendiary, it would presumably have gone into his chest, not his face and therefore the Holby City crossover to come would play-out rather differently.
The Remembrance aspect is by far the most interesting aspect here - shoe-horned in as it was. I was delighted they had a Peace-poppy in there - the white poppies, they were a lot more common in the 1960s and 70s in the aftermath of National Service and when the Second World War was in a lot more people's living memories. They are now rather more difficult to find and sum up Lofty's feelings perfectly - I was glad Iain managed to find one for him.
This summarises Lofty's rather more thoughtful response. He presumably isn't comfortable with the ritualisation of Remembrance by a culture largely un-affected by war on some level. There are record low numbers of people with close family or friends serving in the Armed Forces and we have the smallest Army in a few hundred years. The act of Remembering has become wrapped-up with other things and some people chose to refuse to observe for political reasons over and above pacifism, usually because they disapprove of the wars being fought. It's not that Lofty doesn't respect the Services, it's that it has either nothing to do with his life, or entirely too much to do with his life and we don't have enough information to decide which yet. The idea that one simply must go along with the act itself because its the done thing, the position held by Iain is actually missing the point - there is an aspect of acts not deeds here and funding things like Forces Housing, Welfare and re-training people for the civilian workforce is a low-priority in a culture where military service is not actively encouraged as a way to further one's career or to gain benefits such as money-off educational costs under the GI Bill. Put bluntly, Remembrance Sunday allows us a once-a-year opportunity to feel like we do care as a society without actually doing anything really concrete to enhance the Military Covenant because we feel collectively that the civilian, everyday services like the NHS are more important and Iain is clearly both aware of this and pissed-off by it. Presumably also, Iain's inability to go to the War Memorial for the service is a symptom of his grief at having lost a colleague and friend recently in his new professional as a paramedic, perhaps bringing up other issues from his service past (did he not have a friend with PTSD or something who held somebody hostage or something?) - which is even more layered and Big Mac's attendance is out of a sense of obligation more than anything.
BTW - interesting detail, Big Mac was a Welsh Guard - as a Foot Guard he'd be an elite within in the Line Infantry - well cool. Secondly, anybody look at his medals? Very weird - he wasn't wearing a General Service Medal - the reason this is peculiar is because they were and still are issued instead of Campaign Medals for service in Northern Ireland, Cyprus and anywhere else that doesn't yet qualify - 22 Medical Regiment going to Sierra Leone to fight Ebola will probably get issued that for 30 days service in-theatre. To be in Line Infantry in the 1980s and not to go to Northern Ireland - I mean, everybody went there - it's frankly a bit weird. Also, he was wearing a South Atlantic campaign medal - meaning Falklands and South Georgias - I presume the production staff maybe didn't spot the symbolism involved with combining a Welsh Guardsman and a story containing facial burns from an incendiary device - it was the Welsh Guards that got roasted on the RFA Sir Galahad when it was Exocet cruise-missiled in San Carlos Bay in May 1982.
Okay, enough with me overthinking things. Other observations - why was Honey there? She absolutely added nothing at all to proceedings, she was just there eating up screen-time that could have been more advantageously used. Isn't it just bloody typical that Constance's plans go to hell and a handbasket, woman can't seem to catch a break even when she isn't up to anything. Ash freezing up, very human and very much a feature of grief and guilt, I look forward to seeing how this develops. No Big Mac, don't leave, don't go anywhere but this silly team - he's such a positive feature, he just gets on with things and doesn't get hysterionic despite how he's obviously struggling with the memories of a lost comrade. And yeah, Dylan, he's going to be interesting. And Michael Spence! Yeah! He and Mrs B are always a fun combination, flirty, flirty, but never going to go anywhere, which is most atypical for her - probably because she knows he's worse than she is. That explains why he was hardly in last Tuesday's Holby City - he was too busy in Cardiff!
Points for effort - but again, it's the execution....
Just watched it - I thought it had a lot of good parts. The overall storyline was good and had a great message. Again, it was great to see Lofty have some big scenes and I just love him - it's great to see a male character not obsessed with chasing women or their career - he really cares about people.
I'm loving the cross overs that have been happening recently between Casualty and Holby. Long may it continue. Double Michael Spence in a week...woohoo!
I'm presuming Michael Spence was in today's episode because Antony Costa will be carrying on his story in Holby City.
I looked out for Michael in the credits but they forgot him...
The remembrance and poppy bits were nice, possibly the best bits of a disappointing episode. I particularly enjoyed them highlighting the White Poppy for peace. I wear a Purple Poppy alongside my Red one for animals killed at war, as well as in labs etc.
There was no Ethan so this is immediately getting a red flag. Pretty mediocre ep in general but interesting to see Michael move downstairs for a random overlap. Also I think Ethan was on the phone to Mo the other day in Holby City. Good crossover moments.
Whilst this episode had its faults, I thought it was pretty good on the whole. I was unfamiliar with Dylan, but I'm already liking him.
I thought the storyline wih Lofty and the boy was touching (especially the scene at the end, where Lofty placed the white poppy next to the boy and touched his hand). I wondered if whoever wrote that plot strand was a fan of Dad's Army, as it was reminiscent of the episode where Private Godfrey is 'outed' as a World War One Conscientious Objector and is ostricised by the platoon - only for him to then save Captain Manwaring's life by going into a smoke-filled building to rescue him.
I did wonder what had happened to the hospital security staff - they seem to have completely disappeared!
I wondered if whoever wrote that plot strand was a fan of Dad's Army, as it was reminiscent of the episode where Private Godfrey is 'outed' as a World War One Conscientious Objector and is ostricised by the platoon - only for him to then save Captain Manwaring's life by going into a smoke-filled building to rescue him
It was a bit more than that, unless I am misremembering. Godfrey wore the VC from WWI where he served as a stretcher bearer and rescued men from no man's land under enemy fire, but kept quiet about it as he wasn't one to make a fuss.
Somewhat unrealistic, yes, but it made for a good episode. The smoke bomb was a big shock and we got some good branches of story lines from that. Lofty really is one to watch.
Dylan slotted in well and it was a good decision to have him come in quietly without a big fuss.
I'm still in love with Iain, I'm so glad he returned.
I didn't find any entertainment value in last nights ep - just thought it was utterly depressing. I was struggling to keep watching the antics of the scum granddad.
Properly odd this one - there's a valid point about duty, honour and sacrifice somewhere in here, lost amongst the morase, but rammed home with the subtly of a sledgehammer.
[snippety, snip snip]
Points for effort - but again, it's the execution....
Great post, with a great deal of points to ponder on
I think it was an okay episode, I think I was more impressed with Dylan and Lofty. I guess they saw that Lofty was nothing but a background character for his first 90% on the show because they are showing alot more of him the last few weeks and developing his character finally
I think it was an okay episode, I think I was more impressed with Dylan and Lofty. I guess they saw that Lofty was nothing but a background character for his first 90% on the show because they are showing alot more of him the last few weeks and developing his character finally
I thought he was trying to get it out of the way but tripped and fell on top of it?
I thought he was trying to get it out of the way but tripped and fell on top of it?
No, he ran straight to it and tried to smoother it.
It was abit of a meh episode tonight, only relieved by Dylan's return. The way he dealt with the thug of a Granddad and stopped his other Grandson doing something stupid was brillant. Have missed his dry sense of humour to. Loved Spence visit.
Aw I enjoyed the episode. It was entirely unrealistic, and really showed up Rita's inability to act, but I liked it!
And Dylan just became my new favourite character - I want an entire episode just of him making pithy comments around the department. Make it happen, Oliver Kent.
He made a deliberate decision to smother the incendiary with his own body.
I'd say this is a classic example of what they call 'hot' courage - usually an act done in either passion or rage - in the military context often because the soldier experiencing it is done with being pent-up/trapped/under constant fire and chooses to do something about it whilst fired up by adreniline and rage at the enemy. The absolute textbook example of 'hot' courage is William Speakman VC, a National Serviceman stationed in Korea. In the non-military context it tends to be when the person is already wound-up and agitated anyway, often by outside pressures, or because the emergency operation is going tits-up and then sees a way to resolve at least some of that frustration - in the Matthew character's case, he was evidently only thinking about his fiance Briony and her safety.
For reference - the other kind is called 'cold' courage and is based on a calculated, rational decision either made in the spur of the moment when the person in involved must make a sudden decision, say jumping on a live grenade (two US Medals of Honor were awarded for that in Iraq and the George Cross in Afghanistan - Matthew Croucher GC), strategic courage - bomb disposal usually now-a-days (occasionally civilians, Barbara Jane Harrison GC was an air stewardess with British Airways) or prolonged acts, such as acts of prolonged resistance as Prisoners of War for example.
Anyway, Matthew clearly did it on-purpose, the whole episode would not have made sense contextually if he hadn't deliberately risked himself, I don't think; being that its supposed to be about ordinary people either stepping up and doing good things or choosing to do bad and stupid things.
I would however querry why did they choose football? I get that it's tribal and therefore and easy metaphor - if much less likely now, unless its a European Cup game - I lived in Manchester when the Rangers supporters rioted (about the failure of a public broadcast TV screen) in an event nicknamed 'The Battle of Piccadilly Gardens' in 2008 - the mess they made was phenomenal, it was so embarrassing to be Scottish in that city at the time. Italy and the Balkans have problems at the moment, but a lot of that seems to have racial/nationalistic overtones to it. I get that its not subtle, but wouldn't the Emergency Services on a 'shout' - the Fire Brigade perhaps or Reserve Forces on a training exercise have required less shoe-horning - yes, or even just something caused by common stupidity and an ordinary guy chooses to be a so-called 'have-a-go hero', I'd still moan about the lack of finesse, but at least you wouldn't have to twist things around in your head to understand the point of it all.
And flattery will get you everywhere my dear linlam....
I forgot in my previous post to mention that I really loved how Dylan's entry was almost a non-event, Charlie's reaction said it all - "that's Dylan Keogh, what's he doing here, oh hell, I'll ask later." Interesting that the control-freak Mrs B wasn't like all "who the hell are you?" And Rita I totally forgot to mention as well, slid in. She must know that she got the job because Ash covered for her and it was probably beyond anybody to control that - I suppose it bodes well that she is big enough to own her mistakes, but was that a little bit of subtext Robyn? Bad bosses and all, or is it just bosses that demand more from you than you perhaps believe necessary?
Somewhat unrealistic, yes, but it made for a good episode. The smoke bomb was a big shock and we got some good branches of story lines from that. Lofty really is one to watch.
Dylan slotted in well and it was a good decision to have him come in quietly without a big fuss.
I'm still in love with Iain, I'm so glad he returned.
BIB: He really is! Can't wait to see what they've got in store for him. Going by the trailer, I think there may be a storyline brewing for him over the winter.
And, I remember, a very shocking death, purely because I didn't think they'd cast somebody reasonably well-known (if only for her private life, a one-off appearance in Doctor Who and admittedly a decent turn in The Bill a few years back) and then kill her off within 2 episodes, leaving a bunch of nobodies!
Thanks for the heads up to watch the "Dylan" interview. Brilliant.
Always liked the character, wish I had his prowess with the one-liners.
Great return. Glad he is back and unchanged.
On the other hand!!!!!
I detest and do not see any point of the character of the coffee lady, cannot even be bothered to remember her name.
Dreadful actress, dreadful accent and way of speaking even tho I am from Lancashire too, I have never heard anyone speak as badly as this.
Comments
The soul who posted the links (alcock I think); absolutely. It rather made me think of the horror stories my Aunt tells of being in the Mounted unit in the Strathclyde Police in the 1980s and the sometimes hair-raising affairs between Rangers and Celtic fans in-particular. Problem with this is that it's shorn of all symbolic meaning - it's just a local derby in a highly regulated era; it's not like this is Glasgow for example where there is a religious connotation (alive and kicking - even my home-town, Dumfries still has an active branch of the Orange Order) or a racial aspect. Touch on war fine, don't do it through football - in the end it is just a game and being a fan of the Beautiful Game myself, the match-day experience seemed forced; I started going to matches myself at about sixteen, I still go occasionally (local team, Queen of the South - like this; Scottish Championship - I still remember the pitch invasion after we were promoted to the then First Division at Alloa, happy days for my beloved Queens). I also supported Stockport County when I lived in South Manchester (I refused to support Man U or City on-principle - glory hunting not allowed). I got the bus in to see Stockport (and Sale the Rugby League side) and I never felt threatened or endangered at any point - yes it was a bit lively at times, yes there was lots of swearing and a fair bit of alcohol, but people seemed to behave themselves more when they saw a young woman on her own, even stepping out of the way or letting me go first through a turnstyle and seemed friendly enough in the stands. There were dodgy types of course and there was a fair bit of violence at one point historically (just ask Aberdeen fans). I don't know - I just don't recognise the match-day experience I've just seen as being current, even Old Firm matches are more civilised that this now-a-days and the Tartan Army always seems to get hailed for its good behaviour (and the team, which is presumably why Scotland hasn't qualified for a tournament since the 1998 World Cup and the intelligent such as myself have resigned ourselves to never qualifying again.)
I thought this was actually an analysis of white, working-class masculinity. The aggressive, nasty, unreformed type represented by the Inter City Firm's of this world. There are four versions represented here - the unreconstructed thugs i.e. the Granddad, the eventual victims i.e. the Grandsons - the older one, the dead one - Stevo (a sacrificial lamb if ever there was) and the two doomed thugs who are heading for jail, paying the price for the misdeeds of earlier generations building an eternal rivalry; the traditional vision of working-class maleness in Iain and Big Mac - dutiful, dedicated and ready to serve their country when called-upon and finally, the unlikely overperformers, the Lofty's and Matthew - the quiet men who surprise you and perform beyond all expectation. Problem with that is that it's Casualty, so they have neither the time, nor the format which allows a proper examination of this theme. Social ills quite often are a symptom of environmental pressures - the treatment of pain particularly, Stevo might well have survived had he felt it was socially acceptable to admit pain and express it - real men do cry. We are expected to see a vicious cycle being broken through the surviving Grandson, Jed I believe his name is, without any real depth - the last shot of the Grandfather, 'Parky' was it? Is that supposed to be him having some sort of emphany? Too late. To hell with you.
As a norm, the gallant are so often the men and women you least expect - the quiet one, the workaday guy, the friendly one who suddenly makes the decision to put somebody else first. The contrast between the actions of Matthew, who may or may not have been desperate, Tyler his romantic rival, Briony - the Juliet at the centre of the tale could not have been more enormous - although, if he'd taken another step before making that impressive leap onto the incendiary, it would presumably have gone into his chest, not his face and therefore the Holby City crossover to come would play-out rather differently.
The Remembrance aspect is by far the most interesting aspect here - shoe-horned in as it was. I was delighted they had a Peace-poppy in there - the white poppies, they were a lot more common in the 1960s and 70s in the aftermath of National Service and when the Second World War was in a lot more people's living memories. They are now rather more difficult to find and sum up Lofty's feelings perfectly - I was glad Iain managed to find one for him.
This summarises Lofty's rather more thoughtful response. He presumably isn't comfortable with the ritualisation of Remembrance by a culture largely un-affected by war on some level. There are record low numbers of people with close family or friends serving in the Armed Forces and we have the smallest Army in a few hundred years. The act of Remembering has become wrapped-up with other things and some people chose to refuse to observe for political reasons over and above pacifism, usually because they disapprove of the wars being fought. It's not that Lofty doesn't respect the Services, it's that it has either nothing to do with his life, or entirely too much to do with his life and we don't have enough information to decide which yet. The idea that one simply must go along with the act itself because its the done thing, the position held by Iain is actually missing the point - there is an aspect of acts not deeds here and funding things like Forces Housing, Welfare and re-training people for the civilian workforce is a low-priority in a culture where military service is not actively encouraged as a way to further one's career or to gain benefits such as money-off educational costs under the GI Bill. Put bluntly, Remembrance Sunday allows us a once-a-year opportunity to feel like we do care as a society without actually doing anything really concrete to enhance the Military Covenant because we feel collectively that the civilian, everyday services like the NHS are more important and Iain is clearly both aware of this and pissed-off by it. Presumably also, Iain's inability to go to the War Memorial for the service is a symptom of his grief at having lost a colleague and friend recently in his new professional as a paramedic, perhaps bringing up other issues from his service past (did he not have a friend with PTSD or something who held somebody hostage or something?) - which is even more layered and Big Mac's attendance is out of a sense of obligation more than anything.
BTW - interesting detail, Big Mac was a Welsh Guard - as a Foot Guard he'd be an elite within in the Line Infantry - well cool. Secondly, anybody look at his medals? Very weird - he wasn't wearing a General Service Medal - the reason this is peculiar is because they were and still are issued instead of Campaign Medals for service in Northern Ireland, Cyprus and anywhere else that doesn't yet qualify - 22 Medical Regiment going to Sierra Leone to fight Ebola will probably get issued that for 30 days service in-theatre. To be in Line Infantry in the 1980s and not to go to Northern Ireland - I mean, everybody went there - it's frankly a bit weird. Also, he was wearing a South Atlantic campaign medal - meaning Falklands and South Georgias - I presume the production staff maybe didn't spot the symbolism involved with combining a Welsh Guardsman and a story containing facial burns from an incendiary device - it was the Welsh Guards that got roasted on the RFA Sir Galahad when it was Exocet cruise-missiled in San Carlos Bay in May 1982.
Okay, enough with me overthinking things. Other observations - why was Honey there? She absolutely added nothing at all to proceedings, she was just there eating up screen-time that could have been more advantageously used. Isn't it just bloody typical that Constance's plans go to hell and a handbasket, woman can't seem to catch a break even when she isn't up to anything. Ash freezing up, very human and very much a feature of grief and guilt, I look forward to seeing how this develops. No Big Mac, don't leave, don't go anywhere but this silly team - he's such a positive feature, he just gets on with things and doesn't get hysterionic despite how he's obviously struggling with the memories of a lost comrade. And yeah, Dylan, he's going to be interesting. And Michael Spence! Yeah! He and Mrs B are always a fun combination, flirty, flirty, but never going to go anywhere, which is most atypical for her - probably because she knows he's worse than she is. That explains why he was hardly in last Tuesday's Holby City - he was too busy in Cardiff!
Points for effort - but again, it's the execution....
It was also great to see Michael Spence
I'm presuming Michael Spence was in today's episode because Antony Costa will be carrying on his story in Holby City.
I looked out for Michael in the credits but they forgot him...
The remembrance and poppy bits were nice, possibly the best bits of a disappointing episode. I particularly enjoyed them highlighting the White Poppy for peace. I wear a Purple Poppy alongside my Red one for animals killed at war, as well as in labs etc.
I thought the storyline wih Lofty and the boy was touching (especially the scene at the end, where Lofty placed the white poppy next to the boy and touched his hand). I wondered if whoever wrote that plot strand was a fan of Dad's Army, as it was reminiscent of the episode where Private Godfrey is 'outed' as a World War One Conscientious Objector and is ostricised by the platoon - only for him to then save Captain Manwaring's life by going into a smoke-filled building to rescue him.
I did wonder what had happened to the hospital security staff - they seem to have completely disappeared!
It was a bit more than that, unless I am misremembering. Godfrey wore the VC from WWI where he served as a stretcher bearer and rescued men from no man's land under enemy fire, but kept quiet about it as he wasn't one to make a fuss.
LOVE him and connie together!!
Dylan slotted in well and it was a good decision to have him come in quietly without a big fuss.
I'm still in love with Iain, I'm so glad he returned.
Great post, with a great deal of points to ponder on
I think it was an okay episode, I think I was more impressed with Dylan and Lofty. I guess they saw that Lofty was nothing but a background character for his first 90% on the show because they are showing alot more of him the last few weeks and developing his character finally
I thought he was trying to get it out of the way but tripped and fell on top of it?
No, he ran straight to it and tried to smoother it.
It was abit of a meh episode tonight, only relieved by Dylan's return. The way he dealt with the thug of a Granddad and stopped his other Grandson doing something stupid was brillant. Have missed his dry sense of humour to. Loved Spence visit.
And Dylan just became my new favourite character - I want an entire episode just of him making pithy comments around the department. Make it happen, Oliver Kent.
I couldn't understand that either. He obviously did it on purpose as someone shouted out No to him as he went to do it.
I'd say this is a classic example of what they call 'hot' courage - usually an act done in either passion or rage - in the military context often because the soldier experiencing it is done with being pent-up/trapped/under constant fire and chooses to do something about it whilst fired up by adreniline and rage at the enemy. The absolute textbook example of 'hot' courage is William Speakman VC, a National Serviceman stationed in Korea. In the non-military context it tends to be when the person is already wound-up and agitated anyway, often by outside pressures, or because the emergency operation is going tits-up and then sees a way to resolve at least some of that frustration - in the Matthew character's case, he was evidently only thinking about his fiance Briony and her safety.
For reference - the other kind is called 'cold' courage and is based on a calculated, rational decision either made in the spur of the moment when the person in involved must make a sudden decision, say jumping on a live grenade (two US Medals of Honor were awarded for that in Iraq and the George Cross in Afghanistan - Matthew Croucher GC), strategic courage - bomb disposal usually now-a-days (occasionally civilians, Barbara Jane Harrison GC was an air stewardess with British Airways) or prolonged acts, such as acts of prolonged resistance as Prisoners of War for example.
Anyway, Matthew clearly did it on-purpose, the whole episode would not have made sense contextually if he hadn't deliberately risked himself, I don't think; being that its supposed to be about ordinary people either stepping up and doing good things or choosing to do bad and stupid things.
I would however querry why did they choose football? I get that it's tribal and therefore and easy metaphor - if much less likely now, unless its a European Cup game - I lived in Manchester when the Rangers supporters rioted (about the failure of a public broadcast TV screen) in an event nicknamed 'The Battle of Piccadilly Gardens' in 2008 - the mess they made was phenomenal, it was so embarrassing to be Scottish in that city at the time. Italy and the Balkans have problems at the moment, but a lot of that seems to have racial/nationalistic overtones to it. I get that its not subtle, but wouldn't the Emergency Services on a 'shout' - the Fire Brigade perhaps or Reserve Forces on a training exercise have required less shoe-horning - yes, or even just something caused by common stupidity and an ordinary guy chooses to be a so-called 'have-a-go hero', I'd still moan about the lack of finesse, but at least you wouldn't have to twist things around in your head to understand the point of it all.
And flattery will get you everywhere my dear linlam....
I forgot in my previous post to mention that I really loved how Dylan's entry was almost a non-event, Charlie's reaction said it all - "that's Dylan Keogh, what's he doing here, oh hell, I'll ask later." Interesting that the control-freak Mrs B wasn't like all "who the hell are you?" And Rita I totally forgot to mention as well, slid in. She must know that she got the job because Ash covered for her and it was probably beyond anybody to control that - I suppose it bodes well that she is big enough to own her mistakes, but was that a little bit of subtext Robyn? Bad bosses and all, or is it just bosses that demand more from you than you perhaps believe necessary?
BIB: He really is! Can't wait to see what they've got in store for him. Going by the trailer, I think there may be a storyline brewing for him over the winter.
Yeah, a very gruesome death:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nn0d62YJRDs
And, I remember, a very shocking death, purely because I didn't think they'd cast somebody reasonably well-known (if only for her private life, a one-off appearance in Doctor Who and admittedly a decent turn in The Bill a few years back) and then kill her off within 2 episodes, leaving a bunch of nobodies!
Aaah...the gorgeous Dr Trueman!😍
Always liked the character, wish I had his prowess with the one-liners.
Great return. Glad he is back and unchanged.
I detest and do not see any point of the character of the coffee lady, cannot even be bothered to remember her name.
Dreadful actress, dreadful accent and way of speaking even tho I am from Lancashire too, I have never heard anyone speak as badly as this.