TV Gold
I had a feeling BBC1's Maestro might turn out to be appointment television. Never mind that it's about classical music (reality TV goes upmarket, yes, yes), it's about eight non-conductors learning to be a conductor, as simple as that. Call them "celebrities" if you must - and the BBC and listings magazines must - but it's really just about non-conductors who happen to bring with them some baggage ie. we have heard of some of them and have perhaps followed their work in other fields. Their "celebrity" is unimportant, just as it is in Celebrity Masterchef. They're not artificially locked in a house together, or a jungle, or whatever it is they're locked in in Fame Academy (an academy?); they interact, but only just before and after the event.
What's great about Maestro, for me, is that I know very little about classical music, and have seen conductors conducting orchestras on very few occasions, so it's a learning curve for me as a viewer. Good. Alex James and Goldie and Sue Perkins have probably been "cast" in order to get me to watch, just as Peter Snow is there for the old ladies, but I'm just as interested in seeing how, say, Katie Derham (whom I care little about) or Bradley Walsh (who I have actively disliked), fare. Anyway, some key points about the format which is very much in the otherwise familiar Ten Little Indians tradition - start with eight, reduce to seven, reduce to six etc. - first of all, Clive Anderson's hosting is very low key; it's not about him, he's just there as a BBC corridor monitor, at which he's very good. Second, although a vote is required at the end of each episode (of course it is), this is not handed over to the public, or even a studio audience, but to the members of the BBC Concert Orchestra who've just been conducted by a newsreader and a baker and Hutch. What an excellent system. In other words, although these musicians might well be swayed somewhat by the contestant's personality, they're not going to vote for the underdog (which is how the bad dancer Julian Clary went so far in Strictly Come Dancing, for instance). I won't mention who got voted out of the first round.
Anyway, I was late seeing the first episode, so forgive me for some old news just in, but Goldie's performance was one of the most thrilling pieces of British television I've seen for some time. It's still on the iPlayer. Go there.
Go there now. And try to watch it just the once. You won't be able to.
posted by Andrew Collins @ 1:54 PM
16 Comments
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16 Comments:
I'd agree with some of that Andrew, particularly the Goldie stuff. But I thought that first episode was about 30 minutes too long and I'm not sure there's enough to sustain my interest over another five weeks. Even if, whenever I gaze at Katie Derham for the briefest of moments I imagine her flying in from the front line to bake me cherry pies and welcome me by the white picket fence of our cottage, a cute baby on each hip - as I emerge bronzed and windswept from a day in the fields.
Don’t worry. My doctor has the whole thing entirely under control.
Ohmygodohmygodohmygodohmygodohmygod!!!!!!! Maestro has brought out my inner screeching LOL-cat EEEEEK!!!!! enthusiasm. I haven't seen telly this good in... I can't remember. It's way better than The Apprentice. Andrew - can you make this your new Apprentice for dissection? Aren't the 'characters' wonderful? It's like a made-up classroom of sweet and perfect stereotypes. Slightly naughty, bumbling Alex James; swotty Sue Perkins; hot and hubba-hubba Head Girl Jane Asher; boring wannabe Head Girl Katie Derham (who also looks smackably Ally McBeal in this); the jock David Soul; D on the pointy hat and sit in the corner, you-bring-shame-on-this-school Bradley Walsh; charming but incompetent toff Peter Snow and too cool for school Goldie. WONDERFUL telly. Wonderful. Goldie and Asher to win. No - Goldie to win, Asher to podium dance at a drum and bass gig. Ooooooh I love it. A fly-by 90 minutes. Thanks for the tip Mr C.
Anna
The Goldie stuff was good, but what about David Soul's interpretation of music through his acting skills?
I hope Alex James goes next. He's too full of himself and his clothes are at least one size too small.
I hesitated to watch this as I thought it was going to be another dreadful reality show.
I agree with the earlier poster, it was a bit too long and there was a little too much scene setting and "improvised" japes
Obviously the orchestra can screw whoever they dislike. I'm going to watch the remainder of the series just to follow the audience and orchestra reactions. Some of the close-ups of the orchestra were wonderul.
Maybe Jane Asher should lay off the Botox for a while, she looks permanently surprised.
I think Goldie and his tutor are made for eeach other, Good luck to them both
As someone you was taught peripatetically as a child, and been on the receiving end of conductors in the past, I thought this was a wonderful insight into being a conductor, although I used to bury my head in the music and rarely followed them, but then when you get to the level that they are conducting, you do dictate the tempo and the dynamics and the shape that some of the areas of the orchestra occupy, to get that balance. It seems to be all about coordination, timing, and expression. Surprised you dislike Bradley Walsh, Surprised you don't find all of them amiable. Anyway, where's ep 4 review of the Wire. I know you've been to Edinburgh, but Geez, the most important part of the blog for me, and you've not commented on the biggest development in the series so far. BTW that was an interesting night - The Wire at 10, then over to BBC Four for a Life on Mars documentary featuring your good self.
machine levine, who watched the Radio 1 story on youtube today and wondered, did they really have to disown all music pre-1990? I read that the demographic was 15-29 which meant that in 1993 if you wanted to listen to music around the year of your birth the minimum age would be 1978 and the maximum would be 1964. Couldn't there have been a balance of playing stuff if its good, rather than it being too old or not with the hip generation, and all the stuff that was on Radio 1 then has gone to Radio 2 now anyway, and its an infinitely better station.
Why can't people listen to Steely Dan one minute and The Pharcyde the next? I just have.
I've just realised, in my haste I have allowed through an anonymous comment - tell us who you are!
I'll review The Wire in the morning. It's too important to knock off now, when I'm tired.
Incidentally, I've just filed my next column for Word magazine, and it's all about the Radio 1 demographic. You only have to wait a whole month to read it.
I didn't know I was on BBC4 tonight, by the way, I wonder if there are repeat fees? (I loved making that programme.)
I only used to dislike Bradley Walsh when he turned up on ITV and felt, to me, like a relic from another entertainment age. I've never seen him act on telly, which I understand he's very good at. It was interesting to see how he used his comedy persona as a defence, and then sort of gave up cracking jokes. I may yet warm to him.
I suppose this is a bit different from the usual reality TV format, in that it's actually a bit educational for the vast majority who know little about conducting. I just think it's a shame you get people like Goldie and Sue Perkins on these programmes, who are now probably better known for being a reality TV show contestant than what they were originally famous for.
I'll probably keep up with it though. It's no Apprentice, but miles better than every other reality show on at the moment, plus my housemate is apparently on an episode later in the series.
I also agree with you about Bradley Walsh; the man's a tool.
Bit unfair on Goldie and Sue Perkins, Joe. I didn't realise Goldie had been on any other reality shows (am I forgetting something?) - not that it would bother me if he had. Sue was on Celeb Big Brother. But you'd only know her for her reality appearances if you hadn't seen her other TV programmes. It's a difficult one, as Rhona Cameron says in the new Word - she appeared on I'm A Celbrity because she needed the (substantial) fee. She makes no bones about it. As it is, I think she came across reasonably well, and it opened doors for her, raising her profile. It's a risk, though, as you could come out of a reality format looking bad. Certainly Maestro involves less risk, as it's skill-based, like Strictly Come Dancing and Masterchef, and doesn't involve you living in a house with strangers!
lets not knock reality tv appearances. The campaign to get mr colins elected to the next series of celebrity masterchef started here in earnest a few weeks back.
Can anyone think of a slogan to formalise the campaign?
While were waiting, can I just put a plug in for my X Factor review here:
http://talesfromanemptyroom.blogspot.com/
Ooh, I am a cheeky monkey.
cant wait for the wire review AC, i watched all five series a while ago after naughtily nicking them off torrentz like a right old cyber charlatan, but your enthusiasm for the show has piqued my interest and im watching them all through again. keep up the great work!
oli g
Goldie was also on Celeb BB!
I knew I'd forgotten one - thanks, Nikki.
I was machine levine,
left my unofficial signature hidden in the text (Sorry). Pleased to see the review up. The Life on Mars doc was included as part of the Britcop Season. Call the Cops was on the following night I think, and that was interesting to hear Tony Garnett got bundles of support for the first season of The Cops, then they were less than welcoming when the second season came around. I was pleased that they covered Cracker, Tennison and perhaps the first show to spark the Science fad - Silent Witness. I would've liked them to cover Between the Lines though.
Andrew, it doesn't bother me if Goldie and Sue Perkins have been on every reality show under the sun. I just think it's a shame that they were originally famous for having a genuine talent, and to the public at large, they are now probably more well-known as "reality TV contestant" rather than "drum & bass musician/actor" and "comedienne/writer" respectively. I used to enjoy 'Late Lunch with Mel and Sue'. Much as I respect Rhona Cameron for being honest and saying it was all for the money, I'd say the same applies to her too.
Oh, and I'd be very happy to see you on MasterChef Mr C, where do I sign my name?!
Thank you for drawing attention to this. Being a sheep* of little imagination, I prefer someone to tell me what to watch. So far I've managed 20 mins of the first episode (because of toddlers, not because of an incredibly short attention span) and this does look like something I can get really into. Thanks!!
*Not literally a sheep. Possibly obviously.
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