So Christmas has gone and the New Year isn’t far off. But what did Christmas actually bring us? Naff telly and bigger bellies? I’ll concentrate on the naff telly.
If there was an award for Most Depressing TV Program Over Christmas, it could only ever go to Eastenders. Eastenders is almost constantly depressing anyway, but the Christmas day episode elevated past just depressing and into I-want-to-commit-suicide territory. Seriously, there were enough tears in this hour-long misery-thon to drown the entire cast. I certainly felt like drowning myself, so I guess it was a good job that I couldn’t get any hot water in my house on the night.
After Eastenders came Coronation Street. Or maybe it was Corrie first. I don’t know, my mind got a bit bungled after all the soap opera depression. Either way, Coronation Street wasn’t a barrel of laughs either. Granted, it was a bit less depressing than Mourn-enders, but seeing people crying after discovering an affair on Christmas Day isn’t what you want to be seeing.
After those two happy endings I thought I’d give Extras a try a couple of days after. I’m glad I did, because the Christmas special was undoubtedly one of the best pieces of telly I’ve seen all year. Funny and moving in equal measures, this episode really showed how good of an actor Ricky Gervais really is, and how well Merchant and Gervais work together. They’d turned Andy Millman into what you’d imagine a typical pompous actor to be, and Gervais acted it perfectly. Millman’s closing monologue on Celebrity Big Brother is absolutely priceless, rounding off a sublime 90 minutes of telly.
So all in all, telly was pants most of the time, but Merchant and Gervais saved the day.
Dec 29, 10:42 PM
Julian
Amen to that. But I didn’t watch Extras, just saw bits of Life-enders.
I think the writers must just sit round and say “Right, what is the most awful and uncomfortable situation you can think of? We’ll make that our crimbo special”
I literally could not watch things like that. There are enough awful things in life as it is, watching them again on the box to refresh your memory of them is really not what I want to be watching.
Maybe next year the Queen Vic and its inhabitants will be blown to smithereens by a suicide bomber, or maybe a plane will crash into Albert Square. I wouldn’t put it past them.
Dec 31, 11:05 AM
Kimmy
This is why i never watch Eastenders……….. we’re in the north, no need to watch it.
Jan 6, 02:05 AM
Darfuria
I don’t watch television at all. I may glance at the TV whilst I’m waiting for the kettle to boil, but I don’t my own.
I hate soaps like Eastenders. All they do is bring 30 minutes of terrible actors prancing about, arguing with each other.
“Great.”
By the way – you can’t tab from the Website field to the Message field in the comment form. Not sure if I’ve mentioned that before.
Jan 6, 06:02 PM
Craig
I’m aware of that tabbing issue. Keep meaning to sort it but completely forget.
