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Rules of the game, BBC1

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Arborbridge
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Rules of the game, BBC1

#472300

Postby Arborbridge » January 12th, 2022, 9:37 am

This new drama promised much and is packed with talented actors. Why then, am I feeling underwhelmed so far? Indeed, I was more or less determined not to put it on my "to continue watching" list as there are a couple of other series coming up which could be better.

One thing I've noticed - and object to - is the casual use of swear words. That makes me sound really like an old fuddy-duddy (no comments!) but if the excuse is "realism", then it does not fit in with what I experienced in my working life. Do youngish middle class and clever fold really go round routinely swearing at one another nowadays? To think how the shock waves reverborated when Ken Tynan first uttered the f-word and our generation were though our elders were being a bit stiff about it. Now we see bad language everywhere as a substitute for good writing, and on shows like Graham Norton guests are seen almost egging one another on to be more disgusting using words like sh** and cr** as well as the f word. We don't talk like that in our families, so why do they do it on TV? Why has it become "cool" and something to be proud of?

Anyhow, end of rant and back to the Rules of the Game. In the last ten minutes, it did improve a little, and probably enough to watch tonight's episode. However, we could be on the brink of having too many shows to watch in the week, so it had better be competitive!

PS What have they done to Maxine Peake? Her hairstyle and make up made her look like a ghost - not at all as I remember her. Has she really changed that much through the ravages of time since "Silk"?
Arb.

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Re: Rules of the game, BBC1

#472321

Postby pje16 » January 12th, 2022, 10:52 am

I thought it was very good
I think Maxine has been aged to look a bit meaner and hard-nosed
They did do a flashback to 10 years go when she looked more normal

Gerry557
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Re: Rules of the game, BBC1

#472489

Postby Gerry557 » January 12th, 2022, 6:13 pm

Lots of negative reviews online which has put me off. Many also comment on how wokey it is and that for a drama, you don't really care about anyone.

As for swearing, yes sometimes it becomes too much and spoils some entertainment. Maybe the younger members can only swear because they haven't learnt how to talk proper, like I used to could!

Arborbridge
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Re: Rules of the game, BBC1

#472506

Postby Arborbridge » January 12th, 2022, 6:52 pm

Gerry557 wrote:Lots of negative reviews online which has put me off. Many also comment on how wokey it is and that for a drama, you don't really care about anyone.

As for swearing, yes sometimes it becomes too much and spoils some entertainment. Maybe the younger members can only swear because they haven't learnt how to talk proper, like I used to could!


I noticed the wokey, but it's happening so much these days, and not always for an "organic" reason. We always seem to get a black person in charge these days (eg Vigil, Showtrial, The Girl Before). This one ticks several boxes in one go: fat, black,female. We haven't had the disabled tickbox yet, but we did get the gay one.

I'm not against diversity in drama, but when it is just put on for the sake of it is when I find it just implausible.

I find my naturally unracist side is being made racist, my unprejudiced side made prejudiced by so many deliberate distortions which amount to social engineering. Before this, I would never comment on such content and wouldn't have noticed it. (We've had black actors in series without being tick-boxey. The Hustle, for example, and in various films) I agree some positive discrimination is required, but let's just be a bit more subtle and less intense about it.

BTW, I wouldn't take much notice of negative reviews: these are often counter informational, indicating something worth looking at. The original West Side Story was slated by critics, they hated it, but it was huge success with the audience.

So, give it a go and make up your own mind.

terminal7
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Re: Rules of the game, BBC1

#472508

Postby terminal7 » January 12th, 2022, 6:56 pm

Gerry557 wrote:Lots of negative reviews online which has put me off. Many also comment on how wokey it is and that for a drama, you don't really care about anyone.

As for swearing, yes sometimes it becomes too much and spoils some entertainment. Maybe the younger members can only swear because they haven't learnt how to talk proper, like I used to could!


Not sure what 'wokey' has to do with what I saw in the first episode. A lot of serious misdemeanours taking place in the workplace - oops sorry maybe it was a party as opposed to a work event.

T7

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Re: Rules of the game, BBC1

#472563

Postby monabri » January 12th, 2022, 9:19 pm

I managed 7 minutes before switching off. Woke nonsense.

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Re: Rules of the game, BBC1

#472589

Postby nimnarb » January 12th, 2022, 11:09 pm

monabri wrote:I managed 7 minutes before switching off. Woke nonsense.


I lasted 37 minutes and that was 30 minutes too long.

Arborbridge
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Re: Rules of the game, BBC1

#472782

Postby Arborbridge » January 13th, 2022, 3:19 pm

For what it's worth, the second episode was better. If you find wokey stuff "nonsense" you won't like it anyhow, but that wokey stuff people here object to is just the current zeitgeist. Get over it and get used to it 8-)
Yes, too much woke stuff is annoying (particularly when it does not grow organically from the plot), but on the whole, it's just a phase, and actually not a bad one. Positive discimination good: over doing it, bad. My only regret is they have to rather overdo it to prove the point.

It reminds me of my daughter's comment when I objected to some particular people and their behaviour: "They're just young. Dad". Fashions change and I try to understand them, not condemn them outright.
I do not intend to be left behind like some old doddering idiot lamenting the world which was lost.

Arb.

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Re: Rules of the game, BBC1

#472889

Postby nimnarb » January 13th, 2022, 8:38 pm

I honestly have no idea what “woke” means or where it came from. Took me a while to understand what a “yuppie” was or a “Sloaner”. Or when people started putting both hands up in the air using just two fingers on each hand as an exclamation mark.
Just getting me coat whilst I go about my fuddy muddy ways and still using Windows 7!!! But the drink still finds my mouth, so all good. :)

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Re: Rules of the game, BBC1

#472896

Postby pje16 » January 13th, 2022, 8:52 pm

I certainly don't see what is "woke" about it
think some are trying be trendy :roll:

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Re: Rules of the game, BBC1

#472987

Postby jackdaww » January 14th, 2022, 9:17 am

.

find it worth watching despite the gratuitous coarse language .

8-)

Arborbridge
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Re: Rules of the game, BBC1

#472989

Postby Arborbridge » January 14th, 2022, 9:24 am

pje16 wrote:I certainly don't see what is "woke" about it
think some are trying be trendy :roll:



Woke watchers my be interested to note that the new series of The Bay has ditched the excellent Morven Christie as the central character. And guess what... her replacement is un-white. Who could have predicted that? :lol:
And in addition, we have a dead person, which since Strictly has become trendy, also happening to tick one of the PC/Woke casting boxes. So it's not just the BBC trying social engineering, but ITV too.

Yes, being over-woked is definitely waking up my latent racist genes. At one time I would genuinely never have noticed.

Arb.

Arborbridge
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Re: Rules of the game, BBC1

#472996

Postby Arborbridge » January 14th, 2022, 9:35 am

nimnarb wrote:I honestly have no idea what “woke” means or where it came from. Took me a while to understand what a “yuppie” was or a “Sloaner”. Or when people started putting both hands up in the air using just two fingers on each hand as an exclamation mark.
Just getting me coat whilst I go about my fuddy muddy ways and still using Windows 7!!! But the drink still finds my mouth, so all good. :)


I expect you really know what it means, but if not, in its basic form it simply means an appreciation of injustice in society, particularly with regard to racial injustice, or imbalance.

Unfortunately, this simple concept which is it own ways is very laudible, tended to be subverted and turned round - being used as a derogatory term by right-wingers and outfits like GB News. It's rather akin to how the perfectly decent aims of some people years ago had the derogatory appellation: "PC gone mad" atttached as a counter force.

The idea of casting black actors or increasing roles for black people throughout society does nothing but good. What I'm objecting to is when this device becomes over used and too obvious so that it is unjustified to the point of being counter-productive (ie the well observed push back from white make racists who feel undermined). Incidentally, the movement includes disabled folk, so we have mandatory presenters or actors in wheelchairs, even if they are not very good. I'm not including the excellent Liz Carr in Silent Witness, who was both an essential character and a brillliant actress (or actor, as PC rules might have it!).


Arb.

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Re: Rules of the game, BBC1

#473005

Postby ReformedCharacter » January 14th, 2022, 10:08 am

Arborbridge wrote:...What I'm objecting to is when this device becomes over used and too obvious so that it is unjustified to the point of being counter-productive (ie the well observed push back from white make racists who feel undermined). Incidentally, the movement includes disabled folk, so we have mandatory presenters or actors in wheelchairs, even if they are not very good. I'm not including the excellent Liz Carr in Silent Witness, who was both an essential character and a brillliant actress (or actor, as PC rules might have it!).

Arb.

Yes, I was disappointed to read this:

BBC broadcaster Nigel Rees quit after 46 years over 'diversity drive'. Presenter of Radio 4 show Quote... Unquote said he felt pressured to invite diverse speakers who were not necessarily most suitable guests... "We had prescriptions to have diverse groups and disabled guests. I didn’t agree with it at all but I went along with it because I had to. It came from upstairs and it seemed to be a general priority," he told The Sunday Times.

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2022/01/09/bbc-broadcaster-nigel-rees-quit-46-years-diversity-drive/
(possibly paywalled)

RC


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