It was an omnibus edition of wokery. There was no redeeming feature.

There was a portrayal of a man who was a totally ridiculous caricature
of a racist, but it turned out his son had a secret black granny, so he
got sickle cell. This was to show the irrationality of Dad's beliefs. He
was thoroughly exposed and dragged through the coals. His wife made a
long speech decrying racism. Is this what they call entertainment? Even
though the cause is right it seemed more like very heavy-handed
brainwashing to me. I don't like being preached at when I watch what
should be a light-hearted drama.

Then there was a meeting called by a senior partner, in which she held
up cards of different colours. Apparently each colour represents a
particular sexual preference. There was a long drawn out discussion
about the meanings of (made up) words like bisexual, pansexual, and
polysexual, Everyone in the practice was told they had to learn these
colours. Then a lecture about how people with abnormal sexuality (of
course that's not how they put it) should be treated. The answer seemed
to be, 'Better than anyone else'. This all went on for ages; far longer
than had any dramatic credence. Drone drone drone. I should think people
turned off in droves.

Next there was a round-table discussion about what pronouns to use when
assembling a sports team.

Then the Asian doctor made a fairly hackneyed speech to the idiot
receptionist about how she just wanted to be judged as a person and not
by the colour of her skin.

Since the doctors and nurses and receptionists spent almost the whole
programme sitting around talking about gayness and pronouns and
'diversity' I hope it wasn't meant to be realistic, because I thought
the idea of a GP practice was to see patients now and then.

Bill

On 16/09/2021 04:40 pm, williamwright wrote:

> It was an omnibus edition of wokery. There was no redeeming feature.
>
> There was a portrayal of a man who was a totally ridiculous caricature
> of a racist, but it turned out his son had a secret black granny, so he
> got sickle cell. This was to show the irrationality of Dad's beliefs. He
> was thoroughly exposed and dragged through the coals. His wife made a
> long speech decrying racism. Is this what they call entertainment? Even
> though the cause is right it seemed more like very heavy-handed
> brainwashing to me. I don't like being preached at when I watch what
> should be a light-hearted drama.
>
> Then there was a meeting called by a senior partner, in which she held
> up cards of different colours. Apparently each colour represents a
> particular sexual preference.  There was a long drawn out discussion
> about the meanings of (made up) words like bisexual, pansexual, and
> polysexual,  Everyone in the practice was told they had to learn these
> colours. Then a lecture about how people with abnormal sexuality (of
> course that's not how they put it) should be treated. The answer seemed
> to be, 'Better than anyone else'. This all went on for ages; far longer
> than had any dramatic credence. Drone drone drone. I should think people
> turned off in droves.
>
> Next there was a round-table discussion about what pronouns to use when
> assembling a sports team.
>
> Then the Asian doctor made a fairly hackneyed speech to the idiot
> receptionist about how she just wanted to be judged as a person and not
> by the colour of her skin.
>
> Since the doctors and nurses and receptionists spent almost the whole
> programme sitting around talking about gayness and pronouns and
> 'diversity' I hope it wasn't meant to be realistic, because I thought
> the idea of a GP practice was to see patients now and then.

I take it that this is a BBC programme?

It is just how every BBC medical "drama" has been for thirty years (or
more), albeit with focus shifting from trendy obsession to trendy obsession.

On 16/09/2021 16:40, williamwright wrote:
> It was an omnibus edition of wokery. There was no redeeming feature.
>
> There was a portrayal of a man who was a totally ridiculous caricature
> of a racist, but it turned out his son had a secret black granny, so he
> got sickle cell. This was to show the irrationality of Dad's beliefs. He
> was thoroughly exposed and dragged through the coals. His wife made a
> long speech decrying racism. Is this what they call entertainment? Even
> though the cause is right it seemed more like very heavy-handed
> brainwashing to me. I don't like being preached at when I watch what
> should be a light-hearted drama.
>
> Then there was a meeting called by a senior partner, in which she held
> up cards of different colours. Apparently each colour represents a
> particular sexual preference.  There was a long drawn out discussion
> about the meanings of (made up) words like bisexual, pansexual, and
> polysexual,  Everyone in the practice was told they had to learn these
> colours. Then a lecture about how people with abnormal sexuality (of
> course that's not how they put it) should be treated. The answer seemed
> to be, 'Better than anyone else'. This all went on for ages; far longer
> than had any dramatic credence. Drone drone drone. I should think people
> turned off in droves.

It gets good viewing figures for daytime TV, which is why it is still
running after more than 20 years. It has also won awards for tackling
difficult issues.

> Next there was a round-table discussion about what pronouns to use when
> assembling a sports team.
>
> Then the Asian doctor made a fairly hackneyed speech to the idiot
> receptionist about how she just wanted to be judged as a person and not
> by the colour of her skin.
>
> Since the doctors and nurses and receptionists spent almost the whole
> programme sitting around talking about gayness and pronouns and
> 'diversity' I hope it wasn't meant to be realistic, because I thought
> the idea of a GP practice was to see patients now and then.

It is a soap opera. A realistic soap opera would be far too boring for
anybody to watch.

--
Colin Bignell

On 16/09/2021 17:57, nightjar wrote:
>
> On 16/09/2021 16:40, williamwright wrote:
>>
>> [Skip Bill's needle stuck in groove]
>
> It gets good viewing figures for daytime TV, which is why it is still
> running after more than 20 years. It has also won awards for tackling
> difficult issues.
>
>> [Skip Bill's needle stuck in groove]
>
> It is a soap opera. A realistic soap opera would be far too boring for
> anybody to watch.

Which is why I don't watch them anyway.

--

Fake news kills!

I may be contacted via the contact address given on my website:
www.macfh.co.uk

On Thu, 16 Sep 2021 16:40:24 +0100, williamwright
<wrightsaerials@f2s.com> wrote:
>It was an omnibus edition of wokery. There was no redeeming feature.
>
>There was a portrayal of a man who was a totally ridiculous caricature
>of a racist, but it turned out his son had a secret black granny, so he
>got sickle cell. This was to show the irrationality of Dad's beliefs. He
>was thoroughly exposed and dragged through the coals. His wife made a
>long speech decrying racism. Is this what they call entertainment? Even
>though the cause is right it seemed more like very heavy-handed
>brainwashing to me. I don't like being preached at when I watch what
>should be a light-hearted drama.
>
>Then there was a meeting called by a senior partner, in which she held
>up cards of different colours. Apparently each colour represents a
>particular sexual preference. There was a long drawn out discussion
>about the meanings of (made up) words like bisexual, pansexual, and
>polysexual, Everyone in the practice was told they had to learn these
>colours. Then a lecture about how people with abnormal sexuality (of
>course that's not how they put it) should be treated. The answer seemed
>to be, 'Better than anyone else'. This all went on for ages; far longer
>than had any dramatic credence. Drone drone drone. I should think people
>turned off in droves.
>
>Next there was a round-table discussion about what pronouns to use when
>assembling a sports team.
>
>Then the Asian doctor made a fairly hackneyed speech to the idiot
>receptionist about how she just wanted to be judged as a person and not
>by the colour of her skin.
>
>Since the doctors and nurses and receptionists spent almost the whole
>programme sitting around talking about gayness and pronouns and
>'diversity' I hope it wasn't meant to be realistic, because I thought
>the idea of a GP practice was to see patients now and then.
>
>Bill
I happened to catch the bit with coloured cards - yes it was dire.
Especially the supercilious attitude of the woman holding them up. She
seemed to think her audience was cretinous.
--
Dave W

On 16/09/2021 17:57, nightjar wrote:
> It is a soap opera. A realistic soap opera would be far too boring for
> anybody to watch.

You are deliberately missing the point.

Bill

On 16/09/2021 16:40, williamwright wrote:
> It was an omnibus edition of wokery. There was no redeeming feature.
>

I used to watch Doctors when it was a programme dealing with medical
matters. About 3 years ago the script writers decided to focus a lot
more on their characters' personal circumstances, and they lost me as a
viewer.

A similar thing happened with Silent Witness. It used to be interesting
watching a jigsaw puzzle of forensic discoveries come together to a
final conclusion. Then they started inventing personal dilemmas to
colour the behaviour of the main characters, and I abandoned that series
too.

I now have a Youview box that lets me watch past broadcasts up to a week
before, and I wait for the critics' analysis of any new series and then
decide if it is going to be watchable or not. Most of them fall into
the "or not" category these days, unfortunately.

Jim

I never saw it, but some of those well meaning programmes tend to be to
within an inch of their lives and the whole thing becomes bland to the point
of laughability.
I find some of the more recent USA series are even worse than what you
describe.

Still nobody forced you to watch it.
Brian

--

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Note this Signature is meaningless.!
"williamwright" <wrightsaerials@f2s.com> wrote in message
news:iqh6r8F7or1U1@mid.individual.net...
> It was an omnibus edition of wokery. There was no redeeming feature.
>
> There was a portrayal of a man who was a totally ridiculous caricature of
> a racist, but it turned out his son had a secret black granny, so he got
> sickle cell. This was to show the irrationality of Dad's beliefs. He was
> thoroughly exposed and dragged through the coals. His wife made a long
> speech decrying racism. Is this what they call entertainment? Even though
> the cause is right it seemed more like very heavy-handed brainwashing to
> me. I don't like being preached at when I watch what should be a
> light-hearted drama.
>
> Then there was a meeting called by a senior partner, in which she held up
> cards of different colours. Apparently each colour represents a particular
> sexual preference. There was a long drawn out discussion about the
> meanings of (made up) words like bisexual, pansexual, and polysexual,
> Everyone in the practice was told they had to learn these colours. Then a
> lecture about how people with abnormal sexuality (of course that's not how
> they put it) should be treated. The answer seemed to be, 'Better than
> anyone else'. This all went on for ages; far longer than had any dramatic
> credence. Drone drone drone. I should think people turned off in droves.
>
> Next there was a round-table discussion about what pronouns to use when
> assembling a sports team.
>
> Then the Asian doctor made a fairly hackneyed speech to the idiot
> receptionist about how she just wanted to be judged as a person and not by
> the colour of her skin.
>
> Since the doctors and nurses and receptionists spent almost the whole
> programme sitting around talking about gayness and pronouns and
> 'diversity' I hope it wasn't meant to be realistic, because I thought the
> idea of a GP practice was to see patients now and then.
>
> Bill

That part is obviously true of course, most real lives are pretty boring
most of the time. Incidentally, you missed out autosexual.

If I lived in many of the soap operas districts, I'd need to have been paid
danger money, a bit like the number of murders in Midsummer Murders.
Brian

--

This newsgroup posting comes to you directly from...
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Note this Signature is meaningless.!
"nightjar" <cpb@bignell.me.uk> wrote in message
news:j9KdndW758UX6t78nZ2dnUU78QXNnZ2d@giganews.com...
> On 16/09/2021 16:40, williamwright wrote:
>> It was an omnibus edition of wokery. There was no redeeming feature.
>>
>> There was a portrayal of a man who was a totally ridiculous caricature of
>> a racist, but it turned out his son had a secret black granny, so he got
>> sickle cell. This was to show the irrationality of Dad's beliefs. He was
>> thoroughly exposed and dragged through the coals. His wife made a long
>> speech decrying racism. Is this what they call entertainment? Even though
>> the cause is right it seemed more like very heavy-handed brainwashing to
>> me. I don't like being preached at when I watch what should be a
>> light-hearted drama.
>>
>> Then there was a meeting called by a senior partner, in which she held up
>> cards of different colours. Apparently each colour represents a
>> particular sexual preference. There was a long drawn out discussion about
>> the meanings of (made up) words like bisexual, pansexual, and polysexual,
>> Everyone in the practice was told they had to learn these colours. Then a
>> lecture about how people with abnormal sexuality (of course that's not
>> how they put it) should be treated. The answer seemed to be, 'Better than
>> anyone else'. This all went on for ages; far longer than had any dramatic
>> credence. Drone drone drone. I should think people turned off in droves.
>
> It gets good viewing figures for daytime TV, which is why it is still
> running after more than 20 years. It has also won awards for tackling
> difficult issues.
>
>> Next there was a round-table discussion about what pronouns to use when
>> assembling a sports team.
>>
>> Then the Asian doctor made a fairly hackneyed speech to the idiot
>> receptionist about how she just wanted to be judged as a person and not
>> by the colour of her skin.
>>
>> Since the doctors and nurses and receptionists spent almost the whole
>> programme sitting around talking about gayness and pronouns and
>> 'diversity' I hope it wasn't meant to be realistic, because I thought the
>> idea of a GP practice was to see patients now and then.
>
> It is a soap opera. A realistic soap opera would be far too boring for
> anybody to watch.
>
>
> --
> Colin Bignell

On 17/09/2021 08:34, Brian Gaff (Sofa) wrote:
> I never saw it, but some of those well meaning programmes tend to be to
> within an inch of their lives and the whole thing becomes bland to the point
> of laughability.
> I find some of the more recent USA series are even worse than what you
> describe.
>
> Still nobody forced you to watch it.
> Brian
>

Blake's 7 is back on the box (Forces TV). Another high quality program
rescued from the past ;)

Bad acting, plot line so full of holes that you could drive a bus
through, strange editing that misses out how the plot gets from A to B
but strangely includes pointless scenes to add drama (or not), bad sets
where you can seen the sticky tape holding together the pretend metal
plates etc.

It's so bad its almost worth watching ;)

In the dim and distant past I seem to remember that they had a box that
was meant to be some kind of super computer but so obviously made from
random parts from the Radio Spares catalogue (in the days before they
rebranded themselves as RS).

--
mailto : news {at} admac {dot} myzen {dot} co {dot} uk

On 17/09/2021 09:18, alan_m wrote:
> In the dim and distant past I seem to remember that they had a box that
> was meant to be some kind of super computer but so obviously made from
> random parts from the Radio Spares catalogue (in the days before they
> rebranded themselves as RS).

There was a series many years ago set in some anonymous country
(Balkans?) and featured the local British embassy involvement in various
bits of skulduggery.

One had a military satellite coming down in the country and the various
military attachés trying to get to it first. I was at university in
North Wales at the time and a friend recognised the "satellite" as the
old chassis of a TV set that he found in a quarry and taken home to
strip off some components.

Yes I remember that. Orac looked like a Perspex box with leds flashing on it
if I recall. Most of the series was without blake of course as he had a
better offer to act elsewhere but came back neear the end so he could hget
blown away with most of the others and many of the bad guys as well in a
very naff laser gun fight.
Brian

--

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Note this Signature is meaningless.!
"alan_m" <junk@admac.myzen.co.uk> wrote in message
news:iqj1alFibc8U1@mid.individual.net...
> On 17/09/2021 08:34, Brian Gaff (Sofa) wrote:
>> I never saw it, but some of those well meaning programmes tend to be to
>> within an inch of their lives and the whole thing becomes bland to the
>> point
>> of laughability.
>> I find some of the more recent USA series are even worse than what you
>> describe.
>>
>> Still nobody forced you to watch it.
>> Brian
>>
>
>
> Blake's 7 is back on the box (Forces TV). Another high quality program
> rescued from the past ;)
>
> Bad acting, plot line so full of holes that you could drive a bus through,
> strange editing that misses out how the plot gets from A to B but
> strangely includes pointless scenes to add drama (or not), bad sets where
> you can seen the sticky tape holding together the pretend metal plates
> etc.
>
> It's so bad its almost worth watching ;)
>
> In the dim and distant past I seem to remember that they had a box that
> was meant to be some kind of super computer but so obviously made from
> random parts from the Radio Spares catalogue (in the days before they
> rebranded themselves as RS).
>
>
> --
> mailto : news {at} admac {dot} myzen {dot} co {dot} uk

Another Sat in a series was apparently made from polystyrene which had been
cut from a block by a hot wire and painted.
Brian

--

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Blind user, so no pictures please
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"MB" <MB@nospam.net> wrote in message news:si1ke3$h35$1@dont-email.me...
> On 17/09/2021 09:18, alan_m wrote:
>> In the dim and distant past I seem to remember that they had a box that
>> was meant to be some kind of super computer but so obviously made from
>> random parts from the Radio Spares catalogue (in the days before they
>> rebranded themselves as RS).
>
> There was a series many years ago set in some anonymous country (Balkans?)
> and featured the local British embassy involvement in various bits of
> skulduggery.
>
> One had a military satellite coming down in the country and the various
> military attach�s trying to get to it first. I was at university in North
> Wales at the time and a friend recognised the "satellite" as the old
> chassis of a TV set that he found in a quarry and taken home to strip off
> some components.
>
>

On 17/09/2021 09:18, alan_m wrote:
>
> In the dim and distant past I seem to remember that they had a box that
> was meant to be some kind of super computer but so obviously made from
> random parts from the Radio Spares catalogue (in the days before they
> rebranded themselves as RS).
>
Super computer? Pah! As Ensor (Orac's creator) said, Orac is a /brain/ -
and one with great (if strangely intermittently used) abilities
(broadcasting included).

--
Robin
reply-to address is (intended to be) valid

On 17/09/2021 09:18 am, alan_m wrote:
> On 17/09/2021 08:34, Brian Gaff (Sofa) wrote:
>> I never saw it, but some of those well meaning programmes tend to be to
>> within an inch of their lives and the whole thing becomes bland to the
>> point
>> of laughability.
>>   I find some of the more recent USA series are even worse than what you
>> describe.
>>
>> Still nobody forced you to watch it.
>>   Brian
>>
>
>
> Blake's 7 is back on the box (Forces TV). Another high quality program
> rescued from the past ;)
>
> Bad acting, plot line so full of holes that you could drive a bus
> through, strange editing that misses out how the plot gets from A to B
> but strangely includes pointless scenes to add drama (or not), bad sets
> where you can seen the sticky tape holding together the pretend metal
> plates etc.

Is Forces TV showing the episodes in full without trimming for the slot
plus advert breaks?

> It's so bad its almost worth watching ;)

I bought the DVD box-set some years ago. The whole fifty-two episodes
are also currently available (uncut) on Britbox.
>
> In the dim and distant past I seem to remember that they had a box that
> was meant to be some kind of super computer but so obviously made from
> random parts from the Radio Spares catalogue (in the days before they
> rebranded themselves as RS).

Orac. Not until the end of Season 1.

On 17/09/2021 09:43 am, MB wrote:
> On 17/09/2021 09:18, alan_m wrote:
>> In the dim and distant past I seem to remember that they had a box that
>> was meant to be some kind of super computer but so obviously made from
>> random parts from the Radio Spares catalogue (in the days before they
>> rebranded themselves as RS).
>
> There was a series many years ago set in some anonymous country
> (Balkans?) and featured the local British embassy involvement in various
> bits of skulduggery.
>
> One had a military satellite coming down in the country and the various
>  military attachés trying to get to it first.  I was at university in
> North Wales at the time and a friend recognised the "satellite" as the
> old chassis of a TV set that he found in a quarry and taken home to
> strip off some components.

The controls of the Teleport system in Liberator include the case of a
1970s Ronson hand-held hair-dryer. I had one at the time (don't need it
so much these days).

One like this: <https://imgur.com/oEt4yEf>

On 17/09/2021 10:21 am, Brian Gaff (Sofa) wrote:

> Yes I remember that. Orac looked like a Perspex box with leds flashing on it
> if I recall. Most of the series was without blake of course as he had a
> better offer to act elsewhere but came back neear the end so he could hget
> blown away with most of the others and many of the bad guys as well in a
> very naff laser gun fight.
> Brian

Gareth Thomas played Blake in the first two seasons (1978 and 1979,
January to March) and returned for the last episodes of Seasons 3 and 4.
He was thus in 28 of the 52 episodes made.

He joined the RSC for the 1979 season at Stratford, much to the
annoyance of B7 writer Chris Boucher, who had to change the plotlines
and introduce new characters.

I saw GT playing Montano in "Othello" at the RST that year. Others in
the production included John McEnery as Rodrigo and Donald Sinden as the
title character.

One evening, we were in a Stratford Chinese restaurant when Gareth
Thomas and Ben Kingsley (not as famous then as he later became) came in
and sat at a nearby table. Gareth was wearing one of those over the
shoulder "man bags" (so fashionable among some at the time).

JNugent wrote:

> Is Forces TV showing the episodes in full without trimming for the slot
> plus advert breaks?

They've all been on youtube or years ...

On 17/09/2021 01:45, williamwright wrote:
>
> On 16/09/2021 17:57, nightjar wrote:
>>
>> It is a soap opera. A realistic soap opera would be far too boring for
>> anybody to watch.
>
> You are deliberately missing the point.

So are you.

--

Fake news kills!

I may be contacted via the contact address given on my website:
www.macfh.co.uk

In article <si1dhs$86p$1@dont-email.me>,
Indy Jess John <jimwarren@blueyonder.co.uk> wrote:

>matters. About 3 years ago the script writers decided to focus a lot
>more on their characters' personal circumstances, and they lost me as a
>viewer.
>
>A similar thing happened with Silent Witness.

They broke "The Bill" in the same way. Individual, self contained
(or 2-3 parter) episodes, focussed on the crime and police bit, which
could be shown in almost any order -- they often had to reshuffle them
due to similarity to a current-affairs item.

Then, it changed. It became a soap. Sorry, "continuing drama". With
more peering into people's personal lives outside of work etc. etc. which
worked for a bit.

And then they finally broke it because it was decided that every storyline
had to be an *issue*, with one of those "Wheel Of Fortune" style selectors
being spun by the script writers marked with "Ethnic Community Racial Issue"
or "Homosexuality Discrimination Issue" or "Child Sexual Abuse Issue" or
"Alcoholic Character Issue" ...

From Sunhill to Downhill ... they totally lost the ethos of the
programme as it was ... along with many viewers.

"New director/producer sweeps in and trashes successful format" (although
they probably don't put it in those words on their CV).

--
--------------------------------------+------------------------------------
Mike Brown: mjb[-at-]signal11.org.uk | http://www.signal11.org.uk

On Thursday, 16 September 2021 at 16:40:26 UTC+1, wrightsaerials@aol.com wrote:
> It was an omnibus edition of wokery. There was no redeeming feature.
>

Terrible, but still not as bad as Drossroads...

On 17/09/2021 01:45, williamwright wrote:
> On 16/09/2021 17:57, nightjar wrote:
>> It is a soap opera. A realistic soap opera would be far too boring for
>> anybody to watch.
>
> You are deliberately missing the point.

What? That the programme has been praised for tackling difficult and
even taboo subjects?

--
Colin Bignell

On 17/09/2021 09:18, alan_m wrote:
> On 17/09/2021 08:34, Brian Gaff (Sofa) wrote:
>> I never saw it, but some of those well meaning programmes tend to be to
>> within an inch of their lives and the whole thing becomes bland to the
>> point
>> of laughability.
>>   I find some of the more recent USA series are even worse than what you
>> describe.
>>
>> Still nobody forced you to watch it.
>>   Brian
>>
>
>
> Blake's 7 is back on the box (Forces TV). Another high quality program
> rescued from the past ;)
>
> Bad acting, plot line so full of holes that you could drive a bus
> through, strange editing that misses out how the plot gets from A to B
> but strangely includes pointless scenes to add drama (or not), bad sets
> where you can seen the sticky tape holding together the pretend metal
> plates etc.

It was written by Terry Nation, inventor of the universe's least
probable aliens, the Daleks.

> It's so bad its almost worth watching ;)

I watched it for Servelan :-)

> In the dim and distant past I seem to remember that they had a box that
> was meant to be some kind of super computer but so obviously made from
> random parts from the Radio Spares catalogue (in the days before they
> rebranded themselves as RS).

https://blakes7.fandom.com/wiki/Orac

--
Colin Bignell

On 17/09/2021 11:52, nightjar wrote:
> On 17/09/2021 01:45, williamwright wrote:
>> On 16/09/2021 17:57, nightjar wrote:
>>> It is a soap opera. A realistic soap opera would be far too boring
>>> for anybody to watch.
>>
>> You are deliberately missing the point.
>
>
> What? That the programme has been praised for tackling difficult and
> even taboo subjects?
>
No the fact that they overdo it to the extent that they spoil it, and
that it is always a woke message.

Bill

On 17/09/2021 08:34, Brian Gaff (Sofa) wrote:
> Still nobody forced you to watch it.

No but they forced me to pay for it.

Bill