The BBC 1 programme, The Narnia Code, broadcast on Thursday 16th April contains, apparently startling claims of a hidden code contained within CS Lewis's Narnia Chronicles.
I will admit to being fascinated by the programme, literary studies being my thing and all. The gist of the theory is that each of the seven books parallels one of the seven planets in the medieval view of the cosmos. Dr Michael Ward, the first proponent of the theory makes a sound case, based partly on his study of Lewis's own study of medieval literature.
As I watched, I found I had to put my own lit-crit, mentality - with fully functioning intentional fallacy - on hold. Surely, if there is a hidden code, Lewis must have put it there. Later on, I thought about it a bit more. Why does it have to be a code? Perhaps it is easier to think of it as a series of correspondences. There would be no need for Lewis to have put them there, or even not to have put them there.
There seems to be an element of sensationalism about literary hostory. I'm tempted to blame Dan Brown, for obvious reasons, but actually this sort of thing has always been around: was Shakespeare gay? Was Marlowe Shakespeare? No doubt many famous (and not famous) authors have had their secrets, but they probably wanted to keep them secret. The contents of their work are usually much more mundane.
Saturday, 18 April 2009
Friday, 17 April 2009
Still Shameless
Channel 4's Shameless is part-way through its sixth (I think) series. It is increasingly being suggested that it is someway past its best. I have to confess to mixed feelings.
As with every show I manage to catch from the beginning, as soon as it strays into a third series, I get irate: why can't they be more like Fawlty Towers? This is largely snobbery - I can't stand the idea of more people liking the stuff I do - but also because I genuinely believe that it is easy for a show to lose its brilliance over time. Shameless, itself has lost a lot of its edge as Paul Abbott has become less involved with the writing.
On the other hand, the latest series of Shameless has now begun to dig some dark seams indeed. In the earlier series, the stories involving Paddy's drug addiction, and Mandy and Joe's violent relationship would have been resolved in a single episode. Now, as an established series, there is the freedom to explore them in more depth.
What is interesting about the addiction storyline is that it poetic justice for a thuggish character, yet the viewer is rooting for him to overcome the addiction. There is still the possibility that the show will become an embarrassing parody, and I do hope it ends before that happens, but its evolution beyond the original concept definitely not something to lament just yet.
As with every show I manage to catch from the beginning, as soon as it strays into a third series, I get irate: why can't they be more like Fawlty Towers? This is largely snobbery - I can't stand the idea of more people liking the stuff I do - but also because I genuinely believe that it is easy for a show to lose its brilliance over time. Shameless, itself has lost a lot of its edge as Paul Abbott has become less involved with the writing.
On the other hand, the latest series of Shameless has now begun to dig some dark seams indeed. In the earlier series, the stories involving Paddy's drug addiction, and Mandy and Joe's violent relationship would have been resolved in a single episode. Now, as an established series, there is the freedom to explore them in more depth.
What is interesting about the addiction storyline is that it poetic justice for a thuggish character, yet the viewer is rooting for him to overcome the addiction. There is still the possibility that the show will become an embarrassing parody, and I do hope it ends before that happens, but its evolution beyond the original concept definitely not something to lament just yet.
Monday, 23 March 2009
Knives out at the New Statesman?
According to an article in today's Guardian, there is discord at the New Statesman magazine, following their recent issue, guest edited by Alistair Campbell. Apparently, staff and subscribers are unhappy that Campbell's issue represents some kind of toadying to New Labour.
I haven't read the magazine regularly since I left sixth-form in 1990. On the odd occasion I have glanced at it since, it has struck me as rather naive, and earnest in a way that would appeal to an eighteen year old wannabe socialist.
If anything, the outrage confirms this opinion. The opposition to Campbell (and Blair by obvious association) centres on the Iraq war, and his perceived involvement with the 'dodgy dossier'. I find myself asking did it really take the Iraq war to convince the New Statesman's readers that New Labour weren't all that great?
The Guardian quotes, former Statesman journalist, Nick Cohen accusing the magazine of having "a highly conformist and narrow intellectual view of the left." This may be true, but I think that the knee-jerk reaction to this issue is equally narrow. It seems there is an orthodoxy amongst the Hampstead set, from where the magazine draws its main post-sixth-form following, that anything to do with New Labour, Blair or Iraq is automatically suspect, and Campbell is the Devil incarnate.
There is certainly a debate to be had on the future if the British left; and Campbell, like him or not, has something to contribute to that. He, more than most, understands the current position of the Labour Party, not least because he played a big part in putting it there. It would be churlish, and narrow-minded, to ignore him because he has been associated with some things we don't like very much.
As he no longer enjoys an official position in the party, it does not compromise any kind of journalistic impartiality to ask him to make an editorial contribution. I was even considering buying a copy for the first time in years before this controversy blew up. I almost certainly will now, although it will largely be for the interview with Fergie.
I haven't read the magazine regularly since I left sixth-form in 1990. On the odd occasion I have glanced at it since, it has struck me as rather naive, and earnest in a way that would appeal to an eighteen year old wannabe socialist.
If anything, the outrage confirms this opinion. The opposition to Campbell (and Blair by obvious association) centres on the Iraq war, and his perceived involvement with the 'dodgy dossier'. I find myself asking did it really take the Iraq war to convince the New Statesman's readers that New Labour weren't all that great?
The Guardian quotes, former Statesman journalist, Nick Cohen accusing the magazine of having "a highly conformist and narrow intellectual view of the left." This may be true, but I think that the knee-jerk reaction to this issue is equally narrow. It seems there is an orthodoxy amongst the Hampstead set, from where the magazine draws its main post-sixth-form following, that anything to do with New Labour, Blair or Iraq is automatically suspect, and Campbell is the Devil incarnate.
There is certainly a debate to be had on the future if the British left; and Campbell, like him or not, has something to contribute to that. He, more than most, understands the current position of the Labour Party, not least because he played a big part in putting it there. It would be churlish, and narrow-minded, to ignore him because he has been associated with some things we don't like very much.
As he no longer enjoys an official position in the party, it does not compromise any kind of journalistic impartiality to ask him to make an editorial contribution. I was even considering buying a copy for the first time in years before this controversy blew up. I almost certainly will now, although it will largely be for the interview with Fergie.
Monday, 8 September 2008
Lost in Austen
I have to admit it's a reasonably clever idea. There have been a number of adaptations of Pride & Prejudice , with perhaps the Andrew Davies/Colin Firth costume drama being the most notorious in the UK. There has also been at least one attempt to update it, Bridget Jones's Diary. Lost in Austen combines the costume drama with the 21st century update, and adds a healthy dose of science fiction staple, the portal to another world.
I'm not entirely convinced yet. Amanda Price, the tranportee who finds the magical portal, is a twenty-something, who loses herself in Jane Austen, and despairs of her hopeless boyfriend. It's a bit of a cliche, and I'm not sure that such a young woman really exists in 2008. She also blunders about Austen World, determined to frustrate the plot with her good intentions. Again, I think we've been here before.
Perhaps more convincingly, we get to see some of these characters, between scenes. It's a nice idea that could be hopelessly clumsy, but so far hasn't come off. Ultimately, the series explore the relationship between Austen and contemporary sensibilities, without telling us anything that the reasonably intelligent Austen reader couldn't work out for her or his (yes there are some) self. It also asks questions about our relationship with the Austen adaptations, I just haven't yet worked out what these questions are.
I'm not entirely convinced yet. Amanda Price, the tranportee who finds the magical portal, is a twenty-something, who loses herself in Jane Austen, and despairs of her hopeless boyfriend. It's a bit of a cliche, and I'm not sure that such a young woman really exists in 2008. She also blunders about Austen World, determined to frustrate the plot with her good intentions. Again, I think we've been here before.
Perhaps more convincingly, we get to see some of these characters, between scenes. It's a nice idea that could be hopelessly clumsy, but so far hasn't come off. Ultimately, the series explore the relationship between Austen and contemporary sensibilities, without telling us anything that the reasonably intelligent Austen reader couldn't work out for her or his (yes there are some) self. It also asks questions about our relationship with the Austen adaptations, I just haven't yet worked out what these questions are.
Saturday, 23 August 2008
Secret Millionaire
Channel 4's The Secret Millionaire has a problem, or it will do soon. In future, anyone involved in running any kind of voluntary group will assume that a mysterious stranger, showing up out of nowhere, offering to help, is a secret millionaire: just like the landlord who suspects a new customer is the mystery shopper, they will change their behaviour accordingly. The dead giveaway, of course, will be the presence of a Channel 4 film crew, pretending to make a documentary about volunteering.
I don't want to be churlish about it all. The amounts given away generally represent a small fraction of the fortune, but I could say the same about my own, pitiful, giving. The most heartwarming programmes see the millionaire continuing their commitment in terms of time, as well as money. This is probably welcomed by the organisations involved as much as the cash, particularly when the involvement continues after the cameras have gone.
It is the cameras that make me uneasy. There is always some kind of Faustian element to such a show: the TV companies will pay for something, organise something, or provide research, in return for access. But surely someone who has built a multi-million pound IT empire from scratch doesn't need any help identifying worthwhile causes.
It is difficult to imagine the show continuing after this series, without any pretense of the 'secret' in the show's title becoming risible; I do hope that volunteering does become popular away from TV shows.
I don't want to be churlish about it all. The amounts given away generally represent a small fraction of the fortune, but I could say the same about my own, pitiful, giving. The most heartwarming programmes see the millionaire continuing their commitment in terms of time, as well as money. This is probably welcomed by the organisations involved as much as the cash, particularly when the involvement continues after the cameras have gone.
It is the cameras that make me uneasy. There is always some kind of Faustian element to such a show: the TV companies will pay for something, organise something, or provide research, in return for access. But surely someone who has built a multi-million pound IT empire from scratch doesn't need any help identifying worthwhile causes.
It is difficult to imagine the show continuing after this series, without any pretense of the 'secret' in the show's title becoming risible; I do hope that volunteering does become popular away from TV shows.
Friday, 22 August 2008
The Cup
It's easy to feel sympathy for Rick Gervaise and Stephen Merchant: everything they do in future will inevitably be compared to The Office; equally inevitably, everything will fall short of that high standard. At least though, they have the kudos of having created the show. Spare a thought for the creators of pretty much any other sitcom likely to emerge in the next few years: they will struggle to compete, without any of the glory of having done something great.
I enjoyed the first episode of BBC2's new comedy The Cup. It is a mockumentary portrayal of a kids' football team. Slightly predictably, the parents are far more competitive than the kids. The strongest moments by far featured cringemaking father, Terry McConnell's, attempts to make a name for his son. His misplaced ambition, and lack of self-awareness when addressing the camera, were both clever and funny; nevertheless, I couldn't help thinking that I've seen it all somewhere before.
I'll watch it all the way through, and no doubt enjoy it, but I am still waiting for the next groundbreaking sitcom.
I enjoyed the first episode of BBC2's new comedy The Cup. It is a mockumentary portrayal of a kids' football team. Slightly predictably, the parents are far more competitive than the kids. The strongest moments by far featured cringemaking father, Terry McConnell's, attempts to make a name for his son. His misplaced ambition, and lack of self-awareness when addressing the camera, were both clever and funny; nevertheless, I couldn't help thinking that I've seen it all somewhere before.
I'll watch it all the way through, and no doubt enjoy it, but I am still waiting for the next groundbreaking sitcom.
Thursday, 14 August 2008
New Favourite Music Shop
I have been there before, but today I visited Hobgoblin in Birmingham, and had a great time. The selection of traditional instruments is fantastic, as I already knew, but so is the customer service.
There was a woman in the store, who had got there ahead of me. She had no experience of playing a musical instrument, and wanted to know what instrument would be the easiest place to start. The man working in the shop couldn't have been more helpful. He discussed what kind of music she was interested in - Cajun, as it happened - and went through various instruments, demonstrating each one, and telling her about ease of use, price, and how easy it would be to move on to another instrument.
When it was my turn to be served, they didn't have the mandola strings I was after in stock. They have ordered them for me, and promised they would be dispatched from the warehouse today. All in all, a good trip.
There was a woman in the store, who had got there ahead of me. She had no experience of playing a musical instrument, and wanted to know what instrument would be the easiest place to start. The man working in the shop couldn't have been more helpful. He discussed what kind of music she was interested in - Cajun, as it happened - and went through various instruments, demonstrating each one, and telling her about ease of use, price, and how easy it would be to move on to another instrument.
When it was my turn to be served, they didn't have the mandola strings I was after in stock. They have ordered them for me, and promised they would be dispatched from the warehouse today. All in all, a good trip.
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