Telly Box Tuesday – Entering the Stone Age

Once more I have been watching more murder programmes but rather than bore you discussing those again there are three other programmes I have been watching this week…

First up The Voice…

This is another one of those talent shows where many times I find the auditions more exciting than the actual competition at times, I do like it that it is based on talent rather than a cute smile, the right look or a sob story, at least initially though of course they do play a part when the public get involved and start voting.  I am not convinced by new judge Rita Ora yet, I should imagine we will see what she is really made of when she starts the actual coaching process, right now she seems a little too laid back for my liking especially given her lack of experience compared to her competitors.  I think she is really going to need to tough up to get the best out of her team and to cope with the process of watching them leave.  The clip I have picked is not from this weeks show but from what may be my favourite to go through so far this year…

Next up Wolf Hall…

Last week I found Cromwell more human than history normally portrays him but this week we see him being to emerge as someone determined to protect his own position when the chips are down.  To be fair he does stand by his friend Cardinal Wolsey for as long as possible and far longer than many others, but realistically he could do no more.  I think having a more personal depiction of him makes it far easier to understand why he is so determined to become someone and hold an exulted position, though of course his lowly birth is frequently thrown back at him and this week we learn exactly what he was escaping when he fled abroad.  It would be hard enough to acknowledge a father of low birth but that his was also a drunken bully as well, I found the scene showing one of his fathers attacks quite hard to watch.  Here is one of the trailers for next week…

I just want to say a quick word about casting, I could never understand the appeal of Henry VIII, he had all these wives and mistresses and I understand that marriage could be political and saying no to a king was not easy but many history books play up his appeal and I just never saw it but the portrayal by Damien Lewis sort of has me starting to get it.  It is not about looks I do not fancy the actor but rather the way he plays the king makes you understand how that balance of power and charisma could charm the ladies at court and make him a catch.

Finally for the writers out there a quick Q & A but the writer of the novels which the series is based on as well as a couple of others involved in the production…

The final show for this week 10000BC

This is a new reality show/social experiment and the reason this post is late as I was watching it last night.  I am fascinated by these type of living history programmes and it will be interesting to see how modern man copes living like our stone age counterparts, the first episode they are given a head start with experts on hand to help and some food and shelter provided but already they are two people down.  It certainly promises to get more intense as the programme continues so I shall let you know next week if I am hooked by it.