Tuesday, February 06, 2007
Old comedies that should be on
Got a great dvd for Christmas (cheers John) of Joking Apart which was a sitcom in the 90s and is very funny.
Only problem is that the BBC didn't think so and stopped it after two series, never even repeating the second series despite the fact it could show it for free.
It also never released it as a dvd and a fan and tv producer had to go and do it so that the series could see the light of day
Have now just looked up another sitcom that I thought was brilliant. 'If you see God tell him' starred Richard Briers and Ade Edmondson and was hilarious. It only had four episodes of 45 minutes length and was a very dark comedy. I remember the BBC getting loads of critcisms for portraying the police as racist - it was actually a throwaway remark and - of course - the BBC has refused to show the series since. It's also not out on dvd.
ALl of this is such a shame because there are other series that are fantastic and don't see the light of day, yet the BBC see fit to come up with all sorts of crap and release them on dvd and repeat them endlessly (My Family immediately springs to mind).
Anyway, if anyone else remembers If you See God Tell Him', email the bbc and get them told.
Only problem is that the BBC didn't think so and stopped it after two series, never even repeating the second series despite the fact it could show it for free.
It also never released it as a dvd and a fan and tv producer had to go and do it so that the series could see the light of day
Have now just looked up another sitcom that I thought was brilliant. 'If you see God tell him' starred Richard Briers and Ade Edmondson and was hilarious. It only had four episodes of 45 minutes length and was a very dark comedy. I remember the BBC getting loads of critcisms for portraying the police as racist - it was actually a throwaway remark and - of course - the BBC has refused to show the series since. It's also not out on dvd.
ALl of this is such a shame because there are other series that are fantastic and don't see the light of day, yet the BBC see fit to come up with all sorts of crap and release them on dvd and repeat them endlessly (My Family immediately springs to mind).
Anyway, if anyone else remembers If you See God Tell Him', email the bbc and get them told.
Thursday, February 01, 2007
Dead strange
Went to my uncle's funeral on Tuesday, which was very strange.
Hadn't seen my unclde for 16 years, despite him living pretty close. Therefore, I actually only knew three other people at the funeral - my mum, dad and my aunty, and my mum had to point out my uncle's wife and his children - my cousins.
Felt like a stranger, not helped by the fact that only three of us seemed to making the responses during the service, which was held at the crematorium.
It's the second time I've been to a crematorium and I realise I don't like them. Obviously, I don't think many people will vote for them as their favourite outing but they seem too impersonal and sanitary.
In trying to make the death a more comforting process, they've taken away the mystery of it all and the earthiness. I believe in the idea of ashes to ashes, dust to dust, which lowering someone into the ground signifies. All that happens at a crem is that a curtain goes round the room containing the coffin and, that's it. There's no finality to that.
It all seems a bit processed as well. You go in one entrance, someone says a few words and then we nip out of another exit so as not to bump into the next lot of mourners. There's no real rememberance, celebration of a life, mourning of a death. It's all artificial, intended to dull the senses and lessen the impact, rather than allowing grief to run its course.
The thing about a crem as well is that's its all about death. A church is where baptisms, marriages, celebrations occur. There's life in a church, whereas crematoria seem soulless places.
Anyway, back to work...
Hadn't seen my unclde for 16 years, despite him living pretty close. Therefore, I actually only knew three other people at the funeral - my mum, dad and my aunty, and my mum had to point out my uncle's wife and his children - my cousins.
Felt like a stranger, not helped by the fact that only three of us seemed to making the responses during the service, which was held at the crematorium.
It's the second time I've been to a crematorium and I realise I don't like them. Obviously, I don't think many people will vote for them as their favourite outing but they seem too impersonal and sanitary.
In trying to make the death a more comforting process, they've taken away the mystery of it all and the earthiness. I believe in the idea of ashes to ashes, dust to dust, which lowering someone into the ground signifies. All that happens at a crem is that a curtain goes round the room containing the coffin and, that's it. There's no finality to that.
It all seems a bit processed as well. You go in one entrance, someone says a few words and then we nip out of another exit so as not to bump into the next lot of mourners. There's no real rememberance, celebration of a life, mourning of a death. It's all artificial, intended to dull the senses and lessen the impact, rather than allowing grief to run its course.
The thing about a crem as well is that's its all about death. A church is where baptisms, marriages, celebrations occur. There's life in a church, whereas crematoria seem soulless places.
Anyway, back to work...
