March 19th - March 25th 2006
Sunday St James's Park
Saturday Hard knocks
Friday St James's Park
Thursday Vermin slut
Wednesday St James's Park
Tuesday Hop to it
Monday St James's Park
Sunday 25th March
St James's Park, Winter 2007
Saturday 24th March
It is, to my shame, only thanks to a passing comment by the Independent's TV reviewer that I first noticed what is surely a new trend in modern drama, something you might dub 'Baby Boomer Strikes Back'.
Tom Sutcliffe, reviewing the latest episode of House and the pilot of Shark (both of which I saw, neither of which especially impressed me), spoke of the obvious similarities between the two shows, most especially the core idea of a cast led by a gentleman of a certain age, who powers the investigative plot by "..licking a bunch of juniors into shape by means of sarcasm and invective."
It is, you might say, a management technique with which I have a certain sympathy.
As, I imagine, does Sir Alan Sugar, ageing Prospero of The Apprentice (which make a welcome return this Wednesday).
As indeed does the preternaturally aged protagonist of Doctor Who, also returning this week.
And so, cyclicly, it goes.
Hopefully, we'll have a few more years of this ritual punishment of the young to entertain us before the wheel turns and we can go back to watching old dogs being taught new tricks; cue the remake of countless schoolyard dramas, with prematurely cynical teachers learning to love life again thanks to the dewy-eyed example of their fresh-faced pupils.
(Given the current state of the education system, I don't see that happening any time soon, do you?)
Friday 23rd March
St James's Park, Winter 2007
Thursday 22nd March
Given the Daily Telegraph's long history with their ex-proprietor Conrad Black, and their even more intimate relationship with his wife, Barbara Amiel, whose byline regularly appeared above obligatory columns of vituperative opinion - part bile, part bilge - you have to admire the sang-froid with which the paper reported Lady Black's court-side tirade aimed at the journalist with whom she found herself about to share an elevator.
As the doors closed, Lady Black said to her: "You slut!" She then turned on the lift's other occupants - two other female journalists. "You're all vermin. I'm sick of it," she said.
Big of the paper, under the circumstances, to resist garnishing their report with a big picture of Lady Black, captioned simply:Barbara Amiel: "Slut"
Wednesday 21st March
St James's Park, Winter 2007
Tuesday 20th March
A question has been nagging away at the back of my mind ever since I read that Heather Mills McCartney was to appear in an American TV show called Dancing with the Stars...
Do Americans still refer to a dance as 'a hop'?
Monday 19th March
St James's Park, Winter 2007
......previous week
