THIS is how to make an arts show
I was griping with someone earlier about how dry The View is - the only regular arts programme on RTE television, and not worth staying up for - and how BBC2’s Late Review has become of a caricature of itself. And I was reminded of how fresh and ambitious the BBC’s Culture Show can be, and specifically how this piece on skiffle music, by Mark Kermode, was one of the best packages I’ve seen on television over the last couple of years.
Top moment: Kermode giving a piece to camera while playing double bass with his skiffle band.
Shame about Lauren Laverne, though, isn’t it?
Comment by Neill | May 1, 2008 at 4:36 pmMark Kermode - eminently watchable and readable in any of his guises.
He did a great series a few years back on C4, on films that had been previously banned by the censors.
It was on at a ridiculous hour of the night but he presented the film in such a way that you felt compelled to watch the whole thing.
Comment by cw | May 1, 2008 at 4:46 pmJust caught the end of John Kelly’s interview with Sebastian Barry a few nights ago and found it interesting.
Comment by Macey | May 1, 2008 at 5:03 pmMark Kermode, along with being eminently watchable and readable, is also fun to listen to on Radio 5. His film reviews are one of the podcasts I never miss.
I was so utterly disappointed with the View’s tratment of Fairytale of Kathmandu, when there was obviously so much tension for a good quarrel to develop. Instead there was a kids gloves approach that didn’t shed have enough light. Kelly should have recused himself and let someone else coax a proper discussion out of the material.
Comment by Major Alfonso | May 1, 2008 at 6:21 pmKermode’s the man and Neill: Laverne is a good broadcaster. What’s the issue with her then?
Comment by 73man | May 2, 2008 at 8:43 amAh yes, the Good Doctor’s film reviews on BBC FiveLive are always worth listenting to. He’s wonderfully opinionated, and anyone who hates Pirates of the Caribbean that much can’t be all bad.
Comment by Adrian | May 2, 2008 at 10:38 amI think Lauren Laverne’s good at it too.
the culture show gets thrown all over the place on the timetable though, i recall it being on at 7pm on night and 3am the week after.
Comment by B'dum B'dum | May 2, 2008 at 11:21 amJohn Kelly’s a really decent presenter, but you get the feeling he’s marking time on The View - it could be expanded to have features and indepth profiles a la the Culture Show, but you feel RTE are more comfortable running it on a shoestring: with a heavy emphasis on discussions of three cultural items, occasional filmed insert, musical guest at the close of the show. It’s Late Review, circa 1990, and is solely dependent on argument amongst the panellists, something which rarely, if ever, happens.
Comment by Karl | May 2, 2008 at 1:36 pmJohn Kelly used to do a radio show called the Mystery Train which was, in my opinion, absolutely fantastic.
Comment by B'dum B'dum | May 2, 2008 at 3:23 pmDone an entire show featuring only songs about potatoes once.
Considering how often your boss appears on The View, are you looking for a new job…
Agree with the comments about Mark Kermode. For a man that finds television “trivial” he makes some great tv programmes.
Comment by Sean | May 6, 2008 at 3:28 pmSean - I was on it once, and I was rubbish. I’m still working through those issues.
Comment by Shane | May 6, 2008 at 3:42 pm