bbc – Page 2 – Rob Mansfield: writing, telling stories and content strategy

When TV does get social issues right

This week saw the transmission of the three-part drama on the BBC called Exile. It was an excellent piece that featured superb acting from John Simm, Olivia Colman (who you’ll know from Peep Show and Rev) and the ever-brilliant Jim Broadbent.

The BBC’s description of the programme is thus: ‘Psychological thriller that tells a story of prodigal redemption, as a son returns to his hometown to reconnect with his father and learn the truth about what happened between them years before.’

What made this drama different was the portrayal of social issues, in this case Alzheimer’s and the burden of caring for a loved one.

This drama was ostensibly about a father/son relationship, but the treatment of Jim Broadbent’s character’s Alzheimer’s was truly heartening to see and his performance, in particular, was mesmerising.

In addition, Olivia Colman’s lot as a put-upon single carer was a matter-of-fact part of the plot, rather than the reason for the entire drama.

Even down to the small things, such as the mention of Carer’s Allowance and the way Power of Attorney is decided, made it seem very real.

The distinction here is a fine one, but normally a disability or ‘social issue’ is the fundamental building block of a plot, but with Exile, that wasn’t the case. For that reason, along with the fine writing, acting and directing, we should applaud Exile and the BBC for commissioning it.

David Tennant saturation…

You just might have noticed that there are a couple of Doctor Who episodes showing on BBC1 during this festive period.

What’s more, they are the last appearances as the Doctor by David Tennant – a role he has played for the past four years.

It’s generally accepted that Tennant has played a blinder as the time-travelling Gallifreyan, something no-one thought possible when he took over from Christopher Eccleston, back in 2005.

I’m a big fan and have already watched the Christmas Day episode and am looking forward to the final throw of Tennant’s (and Russell T Davies’) dice on New Year’s Day.

What I do object to, though, is the utter Doctor Who – and of David Tennant, in particular – saturation across the BBC in the last couple of weeks.

He alone is apparently making 75 appearances on the BBC over Christmas and New Year.

I’ve seen him presenting Never Mind the Buzzcocks, as a panellist on QI and a guest on Alan Carr’s Chatty Man. I’ve also heard him on radio being interviewed by Kirsty Young for Desert Island Discs, co-presenting the Jonathan Ross Saturday morning R2 slot with Catherine Tate, interviewing Dr Who collaborator Russell T Davies on R2 for a show called Who on Who and at least one other appearance I can’t remember.

Surely, this is total overkill? Most of us understand the need to plug important shows, but there’s a limit to the amount of exposure one show/man can expect.

Worst of all, it doesn’t even seem to have worked that well. Christmas Day viewing figures showed that, although 10 million people tuned in to see Tennant in action, it was only the 3rd most watched programme behind EastEnders and the Royle Family, and down on both of the previous two years’ audiences.

The Tennant exposure is not the first time that the BBC has been accused of overfilling schedules this year. When U2 released their new album back in February, the BBC came in for flak for heavily plugging the launch of No Line On The Horizon on Radio 1, 2, 4 and BBC2.

On the one hand, this shows how popular the BBC is and how many external outlets desperately want to be linked to its important shows, but it also gives weight to those naysayers who are trying to reduce the BBC’s power and influence.

Let’s just hope the New Year’s Day episode of Doctor Who does well, because otherwise poor David Tennant’s efforts will be sorely in vain.

Bruce Forsyth proves why it’s time to quit Strictly

How ironic that something someone else had done has highlighted why it’s time for Bruce Forsyth to hang up his Strictly Come Dancing hat.

The furore over Anton Du Beke’s use of the word ‘paki’ towards his dancing partner Laila Rouass had all but died down, when Bruce entered the fray earlier today.

The Daily Mail reported this morning that Bruce had said that Du Beke’s comments were no worse than Americans calling us ‘limeys’ and he effectively criticised the culture of political correctness that exists in the UK.

But less than 12 hours later, Bruce seems to have backtracked and now says that ‘Du Beke was wrong’.

Bruce Forsyth may have been a wonderful entertainer in his day and have delighted audiences, but it’s clear that the BBC might have to wave goodbye to his multitude of talents after this faux pas.

Equally, the powers-that-be will be wondering what to do about Du Beke. There had been whispers that he was in line to succeed Brucie and his latest gig on Hole In The Wall seemed to endorse that fact, but this is likely to put a dent in that ambition.

Privately, the BBC is still backing Bu Beke, but the rumours that Terry Wogan is a candidate to take over Strictly next year will become much stronger after this latest furore.

Sadly, it seems that even the slightest of tongue-slips can dent the loftiest of ambitions and it’s not always the older generations, such as Forsyth and Ron Atkinson, who are prone to gaffes.