“It’s A Sin” and nostalgia on television

It’s not like I’ve been a big fan of Russel T. Davies but his body of work is fast growing into something I’m leaning towards obsessing over. The episodes he wrote for Doctor Who were some of my favourite and the series, Years and Years, blew my mind. This fast jump cut scenes, the use of music, the epic monologues, they were just delectable mind food for me.

So when Olly Alexander, lead singer of the band Years and Years, announced that he was starring in an upcoming TV series about the gay nightclub scene in London in the 80s, I was looking forward to it. I find Olly an enormously enigmatic performer. I’ve loved his music and got to see him live on stage at a music festival in Gibraltar a few years ago. The music takes me back to my love of 80s synth pop music. It seems a perfect choice to have Olly feature in this role, with music by some of my faves, Pet Shop Boys, Erasure et al. The playlist on Spotify for this show is brilliant, definitely worth a listen!

So yes, the show was wonderful. I loved the energy of the first show. The joy of being young, and free and wild. I loved the diversity of the show too though I doubt most friendship groups back then were this diverse but that’s ok. I’ve noticed a decent range of ethnicity, body types and people look a lot less bland on tv days and that is a GOOD thing!

I don’t want to give too much of a plot away but this series is a massive tearjerker. The AIDS epidemic seems to have been forgotten by most people today but make no mistake, it was devastating. It was covered a lot in Pose recently but the hammy acting sort of took away from the plot a little. Olly Alexander is an INCREDIBLE actor. His range of acting for the character of Ritchie was just what was needed. His best friend Jill, played by Lydia West who was also in the tv series Years and Years and definitely on par with her previous work. The two characters weaved through their story line with such an earnest sincerity, and naivety as they endured the pain and loss that the virus hit them with. I cried heavy tears and sobbed at the end of the five episodes.

A huge takeaway from this show was the way in which the public dealt with what was quite a devastating epidemic. Rumours, falsehoods, and a lack of trust in government had the same implications as it does today with our current pandemic. The worst part of it all is the gay community being made to feel guilty about how the disease was transmitted, as though it were some sort of punishment for their non-hetero-normative choices. And this sort of nonsense was spread around the news out of fear, homophobia and by pure ignorance. It makes me so mad to think that this horrible virus could be turned against a community who just want the freedom to love whom they want. This is the same sort of nonsense that causes xenophobia in today’s pandemic and it just disgusts and saddens me.

So nostalgia was a huge part of the wonder of Its A Sin, and I love that. We’ve also been watching the first few episodes of WandaVision and wow, another trip down memory lane for all the American sitcoms I grew up watching as a child. I guess as I’m in my 40s now, most creators and producers are my age now so the 80s is probably the current golden age. And right now we all want to savour the past when we didn’t have to worry about social distancing and an invisible virus that keeps us all apart right. In the “before time” as my colleague Phil likes to call it, we didn’t have to worry about being together. So nostalgia right now is a place of comfort like no other. I think it will be a long time before we can live the way we used to.

The nightclub and house party scenes in Its A Sin, the joy of getting hi on music, people and love, the memory of what it used to be like will just live on TV now for a while. And as with Wanda in the Marvel universe, television is a safe place for us to hang up our hat (or face mask) and live in a little bit of fantasy world, while the world out side the Hex lives in chaos and sadness. Enjoy the nostalgia for now, and when things get a little safer, we can live up the roaring 2020s, 30s and 40s and really max it out.

But is it Staged?

I put off watching this odd series on BBC One starring Michael Sheen and David Tennant. Or is it David Tennant and Michael Sheen? Hehe. I had not noticed their chemistry in the two episodes of Good Omens I started watching. I had lots of friends recommend Good Omens but the humour just didn’t strike a chord with me. However, after watching Staged I’m really willing to give it another go.

Michael and David just have a wonderful friendship. The first series sees the two of them trying to rehearse for a play during the uncertainty of the first lockdown in 2020. I wasn’t ready to watch it back then. I was too devastated from the cancellation of a play I was about to perform in at the time. I had just had my costume picked out by the wardrobe mistresses, I finally had all my lines down and it was a small part but the cast were a delightful group of mature women whom I had grown really fond of. I was in awe of these wonderful human beings who had been in theatre for almost 50 years or so. Just before we were cancelled they had prepared a gift for the director showing old photos of all their performances. It was beautiful. We were only amateurs but theatre creates this sense of belonging, respect and love like no other between people.

So at the time, I wasn’t in the mood to watch two professional actors whine about their play over what looked like a zoom session. It was a bit too real, I was doing that with my own friends. I didn’t need the telly, my source of pure escapism to be mirroring my own life in quite such a realistic way. Months later, we’ve adjusted and watched almost everything else on Netflix and all. I’d heard about the second season of Staged starting and friends were raving about it again.

We had a bit of time to spare before going to bed one evening and my husband and I switched it on. It’s only 15 minutes long and we thought, why not? Well. It was just really funny. The pair bickered back and forth and complained endlessly about their respective situations. Both with their wives and children and unable to perform professionally. Sometimes the pace was quick and witty and sometimes it was long and drawn out, reflecting our own situation. Lockdown sometimes seems endless, especially right now. Those hours spent looking out the window, observing the quietness of the world outside whilst dealing with the chaos of family life inside. It’s utterly devastating some days.

Yet these two individuals make the time to try and work towards their project but also occasionally asking each other very poignant questions, personal ones and sometimes just very silly ones. They argue, they shout, they laugh and sometimes, it looks like they will almost cry. It becomes a symbiotic relationship. They soon begin to look forward to seeing each other. And in the end it becomes the bromance that reminds you that as people, we need each other and friendship and love are what makes us so human. Despite the circumstances their connection is unbreakable. And their descent into madness is just funny and relatable.

The second series follows the pair talking about the first series as though it had all been, well, staged! I love it! This sort of meta play within a play concept was wonderful. Not to mention all the cameos! My favourites have to be Judy Dench and Phoebe Waller-Bridge. The first series had been a success. The teleplay of them rehearsing for a play via video conferencing becomes a series sold to the Americans for a version of their own. We’ve seen this all happen before, but behind the scenes they give away what might be a few industry secrets. And the wives of these two actors are an utter delight! I find myself wanting to know everything about Georgia Tennant now.

What I love is how actors, professional or amateur like myself are all the same. Bruised egos, lost opportunities, bitterness between rivals- it’s all there. At the end of both series I am reminded why I love the theatre just so much. For me though, it’s not my livelihood but a hobby on the side of my day job. For these professionals, during lockdown to be stuck in situations beyond their control, that even money can’t resolve, well, it’s pretty devastating.

In the early days of lockdown my heart broke with the idea that it could be years before we could perform again. And I also fretted that television and film would suffer so much we would have very little content. Yes that’s happened, but Staged somehow gives a little light at the end of the tunnel. They succeeded despite all obstacles to create a work of art that reminds us exactly whats important right now – human connections.

It didn’t take long to finish watching the series but it left me wanting more. We’ve put Good Omens back on our watch list. We’ve also been enjoying as a family, watching the entire Marvel Universe films, and now we look forward to watching the new Disney series, Wandavision. We watched Wonder Woman 1984 last night. I desperately wanted to enjoy but it was one of the most ridiculous fantastical movies I’ve seen in a long time. I just don’t think it was for audiences like us, mature and less wide eyed and innocent? Perhaps for young girls. The 8 year old fan inside me loved it though. Just for the simple love of a character who defined female strength and integrity. Meh, you can’t take the fangirl out of this critic entirely!

The Beauty of Bridgerton

I am a television obsessive. I want to watch anything and everything, especially if everyone is talking about it. There is so much to watch so I rarely ever watch anything twice! But Bridgerton… oh my goodness… as soon as I finished binge watching it with my family (er yes, I did!) I had the compulsion to watch it all over again. I’m about half way through and there is so much I didn’t notice!

So it came out on Christmas day, perfect, especially while everyone was at home, in lockdown in my town, no family and no friends to see. It was exactly what we needed to cheer ourselves up. It felt like we got to be a part of this incredibly rich, diverse and entertaining television series. Of course, it’s targeted at women I suppose, adapted from the novels by Julia Quinn (which I’ve started reading too)! It didn’t matter to be honest, myself and my two teenage daughters usually outvote my husband on what to watch and actually, I think he secretly enjoyed it too!

I’d heard an inkling about a show that Shonda Rhimes was working on but this was unlike anything I’ve seen her do before. In fact, I’ve also been trying to watch How To Get Away With Murder which I actually found confusing and a little depressing. I’ve loved Grey’s Anatomy, Private Practice, and Scandal. She’s brilliant at feminist, diverse and topical work. She covers romance, careers, and strong independent women feature heavily. How could I not enjoy her work.

So for a new show set in England, I was surprised, especially with it being set in the Regency period. How do you get a powerful, diverse range of independent women set in a period of time in our history where women have little say in what happens in their lives, especially women of colour? Well… you don’t! You take modern values and you create a fantasy and mix it with a bit of historical fashion and fancy. Why not??

The books don’t have any of this diversity of race. The Duke, Simon Basset is meant to be blonde with piercing eyes and “black reputation” – yep, I winced at that too when I read the book. It was written a while ago so I can forgive the lack of understanding that this writer might not have had about historic negative connotations of colour. If you don’t know what I’m talking about please read Why I’m No Longer Talking to White People About Race by Reni Eddo-Lodge. I don’t have time to explain this to you.

So this very interesting concept of a colour blind cast really blew me away. How do they do this? They don’t ignore it entirely, there’s one line delivered by the gorgeous Adjoa Andoh who plays the awesome character of Lady Danbury, “We were two separate societies divided by color until a king fell in love with one of us. Look at everything it is doing for us, allowing us to become. Love, Your Grace, conquers all.”

And that’s it, with this single line, the fantasy is justified with a little twist in history! What if?? We have plenty of other television shows based on a single “what if” concept. And it’s so beautifully done. I have a few problems with yet another diverse show with a blonde white traditionally beautiful girl as the central character, “The Good Place” anyone??? It’s great that diversity is being addressed but having a beautiful blonde petite and slim woman paired with a tall dark black actor just feels a bit overused. Wouldn’t it have been amazing to have the entire Bridgerton family played by black actors?

However, they more than make up for that with the incredible Golda Rosheuvel playing Queen Charlotte! Ahhh she is just perfection, her diction is gorgeous, and her movements and mannerism just stunning. Between her and Lady Danbury, this show has everything I expect from Shonda Rhimes. And I’ve seen Adjoa perform live in a show once at the Royal Albert Hall, she is utterly captivating! I’m obsessed with her!

I also have to say how much I admired the characters of Eloise and Penelope. Eloise for her sharp wit and her feminist views and Penelope for her sweet nature and generosity that an underdog always captivates her audience with. I’m following Nicola Coughlan on Instagram, she’s just adorable and I loved her in Derry Girls.

There were so many things I loved about this show! The costumes were so detailed! Colours were bright and beautiful and I spotted what looked very much like the detailed embroidery you would only get from the workmanship done in India, and I’m lucky enough to own a few very much like them. The other thing I noticed was the FOOD, the food was so beautiful! The little tiny sandwiches and cakes in soft pastels and pretty pinks, I was salivating!

Finally, the setting which apparently was set around Bath. I adore Bath, I’ve been three times and it’s one of my favourite cities in England. It’s just so gorgeous and so much has been maintained to keep that old world look with grand and detailed decor literally everywhere.

So yes, it’s quite unrealistic, it’s a total fantasy, and its the antidote to the times we’re living in right now. We’re all going through some tough stuff at the moment. We can’t get out, we can’t see our families, we can’t see our friends, we can’t go to parties, or go shopping, or eat out, or go to the theatre and this show has elements of all things social we are missing so desperately now, dusted with sugary, pretty, details and gorgeous actors to salivate over. OMG so much gaze on beautiful people.

Yes it’s a bit sexy too, and ahem, a little uncomfortable to watch with my children, but you can tell they worked hard with some specialist intimacy coordinators because the sex is consensual and healthy and everything I would hope young women would see as something to enjoy and not be ashamed of. Growing up in a culture of shame around sex and bodies, this is something I love to see, even if I had to fast forward while watching with my teenage daughters. I really don’t mind if they watch this on their own either, it’s perfectly natural and beautiful, and aren’t we all a bit tired of seeing sex on screen the way MEN think it ought to look like?

So if you haven’t seen Bridgerton yet, what are you waiting for? I’ve just watched this scene where Daphne enters the ballroom from the top of the stairs in this beautiful white dress and it’s definitely a tribute to Audrey Hepburn in My Fair Lady. The references to pop culture are unmissable, especially the music! What’s not to love about this show? – I dare you to ask yourself!

So I’m back and blogging again and I have so many other shows I’m enjoying at the moment – The Masked Singer, Cobra Kai, Selena, The Queen’s Gambit and This Is Us. I don’t know about you but food and television are joys that this pandemic can’t take away from me.

Hell hath no fury… ‘Little Fires Everywhere’

My attention was brought to this book written by Celeste Ng a couple of years ago by a friend who insisted it was a must-read and a real page turner. The TV series on Amazon Prime, as it turns out is the equivalent of a page turner. What would you call it? Something along the lines of ‘unputdownable’? The kind of TV show you linger at night watching until you’re bleary eyed and hungry but you just don’t want to stop. You even click the play next episode button before the timer runs out!

I started reading the book back then, a few years ago and actually, I must confess, I didn’t get very far. I used to be an avid reader of all popular fiction. I’ve read thousands of books in my lifetime but reached a point where film and television took over my life whilst studying a Masters Degree and thrust into academic reading, I sort of fell out of love with reading fiction. However, I’m still obsessed with adaptations (wrote many essays on them and always looked at the original books too). A lack of time and a dwindling attention span means I’ve only read a handful of books over the last five years.

In the mean time, my readings on film, television, feminism and privilege have expanded. I now listen to podcasts and read plenty of articles and papers on the subjects, not just because it’s fascinating but because they are pertinent to my own existence as woman of colour and plenty of privilege. This television show has somehow managed to capture all of these hot topics and rolled it into one perfect mini-series. Well I hope it’s a mini-series, I really wouldn’t want it to roll out into more seasons. It’s just right the way it is.

Reese Witherspoon is the sort of contemporary actress my age (literally a month younger than I) who is embracing the power she has as a relatable female figure with plenty of money to invest into liberal, political and moving dramas that connect with the late Generation X’ers like me. But she’s on to something because she’s made a series of impeccable choices with what she produces and chooses to star in. She finally has the star power to choose roles that don’t always fit with the all American wholesome image she was always thrust in. But as the demise of the all American woman falls amongst the world, the cracks are beginning to show and her character in Little Fires is exactly the result. What we see at first is a finely cultivated image of the American working mother. Almost always dressed in red, white and blue, Elena Richardson has it all, the house, the husband, the figure, the children and the career that all balance perfectly together… or so it seems.

Along comes Kerry Washington as Mia Warren with her daughter Pearl that disrupts the perfect all American world in this little town of Shaker Heights, Ohio. Kerry too has formed an admirable reputation in her role as Olivia Pope in Scandal followed by a few more movie roles to add to her CV. While I loved her character for portraying a black woman that was educated, privileged and not always a liberal, she still represented women in an incredibly positive way. Olivia had principles and didn’t always follow the letter of the law, nor did she do things just to be liked. Her character in Little Fires whilst also incredibly strong and not always likeable, has come from a life of much less privilege. Without money, people of colour have an even harder fight first being judged solely on the colour of the skin. The character of Mia has none of Olivia Pope’s privilege but she has had the same fight in order to survive and many of the same disadvantages of being a woman.

The 6th episode entitled Seventy Cents was probably the most carefully crafted analogy for white privilege I have ever seen on television. It is worth every excruciating moment of angst to get to this episode in the series. What women have to do to simply survive is costly and painful, what it takes to succeed is insurmountable. I watched some of this series with mu daughter and she saw my sad expression and asked, which of these women do you feel sorry for? All of them, I answered. They all have incredibly difficult lives and have all had to make such hard decisions that cost them dearly. If you can’t understand why any of these women did these things, then I think you need to check your empathy, because all the women around you, all the people around you all come from very different backgrounds, and none of them have had it easy. Remember before you judge, be kind. Don’t ask too many questions, unless you’re willing to share too, what you’ve done to just get by in this world.

I strongly recommend this television series and not just for the stunning performances from the cast, but the way in which each subject is tackled with raw honesty. I’m certainly impressed, because women are finally being portrayed not as good, homely characters, but as real and flawed and desperately human.

Bank holiday binge watch

So you have three days, what can you watch? Have you checked out Amazon Prime yet? Because there are some extraordinary shows that have been out lately. The new show Upload has been a bit of a delight! I’ve always loved a good sci-fi, philosophical thought experiment kind of show. So what if in the near future, we could upload our brains into a virtual world? So when our bodies can no longer function, but we didn’t get to finish things we started, then we could upload our brains into a virtual retirement home, and carry on with our projects, our relationships and the rest of our lives? During this pandemic, this idea seems a bit of a dream, particularly because we live our lives virtually through our laptops but with the harsh reality of it’s limitations.

Ignore the stupid image, it’s actually a really decent show!

The virtual reality idea has been a concept played around for a very long time, since the holodeck days of the Star Trek Enterprise. It’s also very much originally the brain in the vat concept studied in undergrad philosophical studies. There are heaps of ethical considerations to make and Upload certainly toys around with many of the questionable situations that might arise should a fantasy like this ever become a reality! The show has some fantastic special effects and there’s sprinkles of sex and nudity that made our kids cringe and run away, but the humour is light, the plot is mysterious, and the acting is actually not that bad. The casting is somewhat diverse. The main character, Nathan is one of those all American types who seems to fly by in life with the usual white privilege, but he is challenged by his very wealthy and beautiful model like girlfriend, Ingrid and their economical differences often come between them. In death, Nora comes along, an ‘Angel’ behind a help-desk that guides Nathan through his new world. A love triangle somehow ensues but I can’t help thinking the racial differences are obvious and stereotyped in this show. Nora, clearly mixed race is working class and lacking in so many of the privileges that Nathan has, despite them coming from nothing. It’s a little uncomfortable and not necessarily addressed but privilege is definitely a main theme running through the show. Definitely worth watching to pick apart all the what if scenarios in such a fantasy.

I’m really looking forward to more Amazon shows that have come out, such as Little Fires Everywhere, and the new season of Homecoming. But over on Netflix there are definitely a few shows not to miss. The second season of Dead To Me was well worth bingeing all week! Christina Applegate and Linda Cardellini play unlikely friends, Jen and Judy. This may not be the most diverse cast but the bizarre friendship between the women is simply sublime. Jen has lost her husband in a hit and run accident, and Judy meets her at a grief counselling group. Judy’s mysterious past leads to a very extraordinary circumstance but without giving too much away, the second season provides many twists and turns and the coincidences keep on coming but to the most endearing moments of friendship I have ever seen as screen. In true Thelma and Louise style, these two women go through so much together that pushes them closer and inevitably makes them stronger. I have much to admire about Christina Applegate, particularly in bringing her experiences with breast cancer and her double mastectomy to the story line, giving some very passionate and edgy performances to the show.

“I love you more than wine.”

Finally, I’m a few weeks late writing up about Never Have I Ever, but Mindy Kaling’s production about a young Indian American girl going though her teen years with the loss of her father and her burgeoning sexuality is definitely worth watching. Breaking stereotypes everywhere, I truly enjoyed every moment of this show. Might not be for all of you but if you want to have your expectations about young teen romance and what it’s like to be an immigrant in the US, then watch this, if only to broaden your mind a little.

I wish I’d been this cool at school.

I’ve also enjoyed Working Moms, and I’m tempted to move to Canada because of it. One more mention has to go to Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist which I absolutely adored. When Zoey has an accident she is screened at her hospital and a magical MRI machine gives her the power to hear people sing what she calls heartsongs. Basically, if something is troubling someone she senses it by seeing them sing great big song and dance numbers that express how they are feeling deep down inside. It makes you think about how much people keep too much inside. Though we usually see this sort of thing happen in musicals without thinking it odd, in this, the reality clashes very hard but somehow the show works and we see some really moving scenes as Zoey deals with her dad’s degenerative disease and how her family come together to deal with their very difficult situation. It’s an incredibly moving show with some epic singing and performances.

OMG it’s Lorelei Gilmore (don’t tell anyone, but she’s a terrible singer!)

So plenty of suggestions from me on what to watch. Have a lovely long weekend and do tell me what you’ve been watching!

Lockdown TV – Time to binge watch EVERYTHING!

It’s been a while since my last post, and it’s taken time for me to adjust to lockdown life and not knowing whether it will ever end. It’s been painfully sad to see theatres around the world closing down, shows ending, and particularly seeing all the local amateur theatres pausing for who knows how long. I pray that it’s not the end of theatre, but social distancing seems an impossible challenge to get past, especially in the performance industries. Though it may not have occurred to most people, television and film is on the precipice of change too, we just won’t really see the full effect of COVID-19 for a few months still. So while we can, let’s watch everything! And I mean, EVERYTHING!

As I write this I am watching Andrew Lloyd Webber’s “Cats” on YouTube! What an amazing privilege this is! If you’ve been able to see this in the theatres when it was on, how lucky you are! Not all of us have been exposed to the theatre as children and some of us have come into it late in life! Not everyone has a keen parent to take them, not everyone lives near cities with big theatres and not everyone can afford it. Before lockdown, I was regularly getting cheap tickets off TodayTix and taking the train to see all the latest shows I could squeeze in between my own rehearsals for shows. So far, I’ve watched “Twelfth Night”, “Phantom of The Opera”, “One Man, Two Guvnors”, “Everyone’s Talking About Jamie” – all of which have been fantastic productions to behold. It’s not quite the same as watching them in the theatres but it certainly makes up for the fact that we can’t go. The biggest news to come out is that “Hamilton” will be showing on Disney + on July 3rd. I am fortunate to be able to afford a subscription, so its a shame it won’t be aired for free, but it really is quite the show. Possibly, the most stunning and impactful muscial I’ve ever had the pleasure to see from the front row. I’ve already written about it before.

So theatre on television is a miracle right now, I never thought I’d get a chance to see some of these classics, but there’s plenty of television shows that I have delved right into with no social life or evening activities to tear me away from my beloved LCD screen! Let me take you through some of the shows I’ve been watching.

I had quite a few friends mention the series”Normal People” to me which is currently playing on BBC3 on the iPlayer. A book adaptation, the series follows characters, Marianne and Connell, as they hesitate through childhood romance, into young adulthood, and the socio-economic barriers that divide them during their college days in Dublin and their torrid love affair. It’s beautifully captured on camera with lingering shots of the intimacy between them, never failing to get as close as possible to their faces and bodies through steamy sex and raw, emotional scenes.

It’s utterly sad watching this couple struggle to communicate with each other, often acting on assumptions and insecurities. If only they could say what they felt right from the beginning. This isn’t a millennial problem, even though I think mobile phone technology has a lot to answer for. Young people have always struggled with this problem, so it’s a hugely relatable story. Normal people really describes who these two characters are to SOME extent. My biggest criticism of this show is that they are just too darn beautiful. I mean, it’s very hard to believe that Marianne really thinks that she’s so ugly as a teenager because she’s utterly gorgeous. And the lad playing Connell, well… let’s just say it was nice to have shots appreciating the male body and not just the female as we are so used to seeing. The gaze here was just as much female as it was male which I really enjoyed though I wish it felt a bit more consensual!

My other problem with them being so beautiful is that if this is supposed to be about a relatable couple, then I wish they didn’t have such bodies that are the usual type we are so used to seeing on screen. Paul Mescal who plays Connell is fit, hairless, exceptionally tall with a strong jawline.  And Daisy Edgar-Jones is petite, small-breasted and slim, very Audrey Hepburn like. And her wardrobe is gorgeous, with strappy dresses fitted to her shape, and very high end looking, though she is meant to be wealthy. It just gives such unrealistic expectations for young girls who might watch this. The series also never goes into why she seeks abusive men and BDSM relationships, and I think this can be quite dangerous. Overall, it’s a very aesthetically pleasing show about two tormented but beautiful people.

I also had quite a few people tell me I ought to watch Hollywood on Netflix, the latest Ryan Murphy television series. Another impossibly glossy show from the fantasy obsessed creator. And this show is exactly that, a glorious fantasy that applies all the modern liberated views during the golden age of cinema. Representation is a subject I am absolutely passionate about and I loved seeing this idea of what if a gay black man could write a script featuring a black actress and her white lover and the female lead studio would let it all happen, ignoring the potential violent backlash from the general public. It’s lovely but it’s also… ridiculous. I think I enjoyed it but it also made me sad, as if tolerance is like a magical thing we can cast over people. It did have some wonderful points to make about representation which I think is really important to watch. So applying that lens of modern tolerance to a drama set during a very intolerant period is pure television escapism.

So I’ve already rambled on too much and I didn’t even get a chance to talk about “Upload” on Amazon Prime, or “Never Have I Ever” on Netflix. I think I really need to write more regularly or else I’ll never be able to squeeze it all in! Until next time, then!

Unorthodox on Netflix

A friend of mine mentioned Unorthodox on a Facebook post and it immediately came up as a recommendation for me on Netflix. Set in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, NYC I knew I had to watch this. Not only have I lived in NYC but I’ve also been around orthodox Jewish communities both there and in Gibraltar. In Gibraltar, there were many Jewish girls at my school and we quickly became friends, with so many similarities between their culture and my own Sindhi culture. My people too were displaced from their country as a result of war and politics; many lives were lost but nowhere near as many as the Jewish communities. Their community fascinated me and I was privileged to learn about some of the cultural traditions but this miniseries on Netflix gave a far deeper insight behind the closed doors of these huge families and their private lives.

 

It felt a little uncomfortable as there is a reason why this community keeps to themselves and I’ve always respected their privacy. However, their reasons for carrying on such traditions have started to reach a point where it no longer serves a pious purpose and also enforces a very patriarchal attitude towards women. The series revolves around Esty, a 19-year-old girl who frees herself and escapes the tightly knit Hasidic Jewish/ Satmar Hungarian community. Their lives revolve around the principles of returning to strict traditions to protect them from the demise of the Holocaust again and to repopulate their community with the six million lives that were lost. While this seems understandable, they also very much limit the opportunities for women and also forbid their sons too from learning too much about the outside world.

While my understanding of the culture and their ways grew, I could also see why it was unacceptable to limit personal freedoms and choices of young people in this world in the way that they do. What was beautifully done through this series was watching Esty tear herself away from this protective community without showing any anger or bitter resentment.

The series was entirely filmed in Berlin. I’d encourage watching the making of the programme too which follows the end of the series. It is quite extraordinary how scenes of NY streets and apartments were replicated in Berlin.

The Yiddish language too was also beautifully present throughout the scenes in NY. Something that reminded me how extraordinary the city is in that the use of the English language is so uncommon. My experience of growing up in Queens is one that is drastically diverse in comparison to my living now in Hertfordshire in England.

In Berlin, however, German was rarely spoken and Esty and the young students she encounters all speak in English. I loved this about the series. To have a representation of the communities that are rarely observed gives me a little hope that maybe representation of my own people would be more evident in Western television programming. I’m sure there are some writers out there who are ready to tell the story of my people, and I look forward to watching it.

So do watch this miniseries, it is well worth it.

I’m back… no really, I am!

Blogging is hard. You have to be consistent and keep coming back to it. You have to have time to dedicate to it and you have to keep your readers interested. Well, I stopped blogging because I got a job. Not just any job, a dream job, running social media accounts and writing marketing emails for a local company just a ten-minute drive away. And then… the bloody coronavirus hit and work have been massively affected, as is any other business, as well as our daily lives, and everyone is home more than ever in lockdown until the tidal wave of infection passes over us all and we’re allowed to go back to whatever normal after a pandemic is.

In the meantime, I’m watching a lot of television again. And my, there is so much to watch. I watch a wide variety of television and I think I have some suggestions for whatever you might be in to. So I’ll go through what I’ve been watching and who I watch it with.

So… the easy one… what I’m watching with my teenage daughters… Friday Night Dinners…

My husband and I have never watched it, not sure why but watching it with my teenagers is epic, we howl with laughter and shout at the telly every time Jackie lets Jim in the house as he “accidentally” falls over and drools. It’s not even that bad with the language and suggestive talk so there are no really cringey moments that you’d hate watching with your kids. We’ve already binged the first two seasons and I’m sure we’ll catch up next week.

What I’m watching with the husband: aside from ever so boring episodes of The Walking Dead and Westworld, and I’ve done blogs about those… I’m not sure why I keep watching them but we are also watching The Good Doctor which is like a poor man’s House. I’m much more excited about Grey’s Anatomy coming back to our screens tomorrow!

For films, we watched Rocketman and it was again, ok, but I have to say Bohemian Rhapsody was a much better biopic. We also watched Midsommar on Amazon Prime and that was pretty mind-blowingly horrific even in comparison to its predecessor, Hereditary. I wouldn’t watch it if you are sensitive to violence and body horror, it’s quite graphic.

On my own, I’ve been watching way too much but I’ll give a brief description of everything I’ve watched so far:

Belgravia – ok but not as good as Downton, quite bleak as Tamsin Grieg and Paul Ritter are both in this but miserable as sin. Also, the whole plot seems to revolve around the shame of an unwed mother and her abandoned child which all seems so old fashioned and such a tired storyline. 

Liar – ok but not as exciting as the first season but Joanne Froggatt from Downton is in it and I’m obsessed and she’s a fab actress (amazing line up of British actresses, actually!)

Sunnyside – Kal Penn’s new comedy series which is based it my old home town in Queens… so far so funny, I want more!

Then I need to talk about Amazon Prime… what a novelty. While Netflix seems to show endless episodes of Riverdale with some of the worst acting and storylines I have ever seen… Amazon Prime has some winners, along with StarzPlay which I have avoided adding because of the extra charge.

On the main channel, Picard has been absolutely epic. My husband and I fell in love over our fondness for Star Trek so this has been a beautiful return to one of our favourites with many of the old cast returning.

The opening credits are stunning and cinematic and the show is everything I have been craving for in Star Trek. Discovery was great but far too complicated. The plot in this is filled with nostalgia and the ever-present philosophical quandaries that the old Captain (now Admiral) finds himself in. It’s an absolute must for Trekkies.

Then there’s Outlander which I’ve been obsessed with for some time and the latest season has been fairly good.

I finally switched over to StarzPlay on the promise of three months for only 99p a month and during Lockdown I have plenty of time to enjoy this.

I’ve already binge-watched and obsessed over Four Weddings and a Funeral which at first, the glossy good looking actors with mediocre acting skills put me off, but the writing from British Asian comedienne Bisha K Ali was absolutely fantastic! A spot-on representation of BAME characters.

I am also a few episodes into The Spanish Princess which I’m also loving after having read the books many years ago.

So… overall… there’s plenty to watch at the moment and I’ll be regularly posting on my Facebook page where you can comment and feedback or give me suggestions for things to watch and review!

Can I also just ask, if you’re watching these shows, do try and pay and subscribe for it because the artists involved in these shows don’t work for free and right now they need the money more than ever. Most productions and theatre have come to a full halt and for people to continue pirating film and television is just not ok. Artists need to be paid, or else, what else will you watch on tv without them????

 

I’m baaaaaaaaaaaaack!: Fleabag and Feminism

It’s time for me to bite the bullet and come back. I finished my Masters Degree two months ago now and since then I’ve been watching a lot of television. However, since writing my dissertation I’ve had a totally different perspective, that of a “Guilty Feminist”. If you haven’t heard of Deborah Frances-White and her podcast, “The Guilty Feminist” then you are missing something that’s about to become a global phenomenon. DFW’s modern take on feminism has changed the way I think about the world, about patriarchy and misogyny.

 

The media and television have a huge influence over our lives and we just don’t think about it as much. Take for instance how we perceive women on screen: in a piece written by men, women are often framed beautifully, but there is a peeping tom quality when we see a woman naked on screen, or in any sort of vulnerable position. She is there for the “visual pleasure” (see Laura Mulvey’s work on that topic!) of a predominantly male audience.

However, times are changing. Writers like Phoebe Waller-Bridge want to show you what women are really like from their perspective. The only way you’ll get a true insight or perspective of a woman is from a writer who actually identifies as a modern woman with insecurities and opinions that female audiences can identify with.

Fleabag changes the camera’s relationship with women to one that’s consensual. This was the premise of my dissertation: the character of Fleabag played by Waller-Bridge herself breaks the fourth wall to invite an audience to see her side of the story, to watch her enjoying (or not enjoying) sex, to watch her break down and expose her human nature. However, everything you see is on her terms! It is consensual, she knows you’re watching and she’s OK with it. She is not a pleasant character, she’s not that likeable, she can be a shitty character, but her admitting her awfulness is endearing. What woman do you know is perfect? It’s the patriarchy that dictates that women should be some sort of mysterious, ethereal vision of perfection. I know plenty of men AND women who cannot bear to see the realness of women on television and that’s simply the influence of patriarchy over what we enjoy watching. Feminism is supposed to make you feel uncomfortable because it’s about changing the way you think.

We need more television like this, one that reveals the darker, more human nature of women. Representation is key. Women are always trying to live up to some ridiculous notion of what the media tells us to do. Men don’t go around trying to be perfect, a lot of them have heroes in the form of violent rebels like Pacino, De Niro and James Dean to look up to. Why can’t a women aspire to be like Fleabag: she says what she thinks, she does what she likes, she ultimately feels terribly guilty about it but that’s ok, we’re just like her in many ways.

If this sounds interesting to you, then do watch Fleabag, the entire series is available on BBC iPlayer and Amazon Prime. And if you can get to the cinema to watch an Encore of her National Theatre Live performance, go do it, it’s incredible!

Anyway, I’d love to write more on this but I’m going to try and write more posts about the television I’m currently watching. Follow me on twitter or Facebook for some more of my ramblings about what I’m watching. I may start a new instagram account just for TV, but I’m not sure yet, let me know your thoughts!

 

When Jane Fonda uses the F-word it gives me life!

Let me just say, when I first came across Grace and Frankie I was like meh, old people whining doesn’t really do it for me. I left it for ages and then Lily Tomlin won a Golden Globe for Best Actress on TV in 2016 and then it got to season 5 and I’m like, wow, and then finally my cousin tells me how much the show makes her laugh and I finally gave it a second chance.

My addiction to the show became so evident that my kids asked me why when they got home from school I was still watching it. I binge watched all 5 seasons in the space of 3 weeks! I just couldn’t get enough. I just didn’t want to even write this blog. I literally went from my last review of Titans to watching this every day for a couple of hours. It really did keep me going.

So why is it so good? Are two pensioners in their 70s relatable? Of course they are because we are all going to get old one day! The way they handle it is beautiful, real and peppered with outbursts of “fuck it!”, the show is just so fun. So many laugh out loud moments.

I’m not going to tell you what it’s about, you’ll get that in the first episode. It’s not just about Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin, who are absolutely brilliant, funny, warm and represent such different personalities the way women can. The rest of the ensemble are brilliant, including Martin Sheen who plays community theatre luvvie which I adore. Grace’s daughter Brianna is probably my favourite: dark, sarcastic, modern, fashionable, and she bloody well knows what she wants.

I have to recommend this show to anyone who loves a good sitcom that’s light hearted but still makes you think. I might not relate to the characters but I think I have some empathy now for the older generation. I love how they deal with getting older, and we should all be more positive and energetic about life the way Grace and Frankie are.

What else I’m watching and loving:

• Sex Education
• Russian Doll
• Grey’s Anatomy
• Busy Tonight
• Grantchester
• Crazy Ex-Girlfriend
• Star Trek: Discovery