Partly inspired by Circulating Library’s Catriona who has ongoing threads on different topics, I thought I would try a progressive thread on what caught my eye on TV during the week.
So here we go….over the past seven days I haven’t caught as much TV as I would have liked due to my various commitments so this post may well be a little impressionistic.

Monday: Elders with Andrew Denton and Bob Hawke
I’m old enough to remember when Bob Hawke came to power (even though I was many years off voting!). I think Denton was better in this interview than he was the week before with Helen Thomas. With Bob he managed a more wide ranging interview and didn’t back off from the personal stuff (as he eventually did with Thomas). It was interesting to learn of Hawke’s background – particularly his relationships with each of his parents. Particularly surprising was the revelation that Paul Keating was expected for dinner with him quite soon. So the political daggers at 20 paces have receded. Hawke was quite philosophical about his political years, and for me working in education, his dictum that one should work to help others struck a chord.

Wednesday: The Hollowmen
Once again a spiffing episode. The satirical targets here were the “jobs for the boys (and girls) of prime diplomatic postings for ex-polllies. Again cuttingly and incisively observed, my favourite line was when the staffers were chatting on the new guidelines for diplomats which required proficiency in a second language: “Does swearing count?”

Thursday: The Gil Mayo Mysteries
Grammar lesson: “would have” not “would of”….And on learning on that the murder victim was a university lecturer in geography, Mayo observed: “Geography…they still teach that in universities.. I thought it was all media studies and leisure management these days” HAHAHAHA! (laughs she with a degree in “cultural studies”)

Thursday: The Amazing Race
Provided the visual highlight of the week with the “Goths Dating” – Kynt (surprisingly pronounced “Kent”) and Vixen. Anyone who can race around the world and keep up with their intensive eyeliner and pancake foundation regime (especially in the heat of India) gets my vote. Although maybe that’s also why they’re losing.

Saturday: An American in Paris
Great music, but a dreadful musical, far inferior to hilarious Singing in the Rain which followed it. I love musicals but I do really dislike the fashion for “dream ballets” in musicals of this era. This one has a doozy which seemed to last for at least half an hour. (Singing in the Rain has one too, but it is also far funnier on the whole and so is forgiven). And really I just can’t buy Gene Kelly as a starving American artist living in Paris. Far too healthy and glowing from all that tap dancing. The one and only saving grace was the fantastic Gershwin score.

Sunday: Insiders
Whoever did the decor here seems to have a glass vase fetish.
Very distracting – in spite of the entertaining standoff on climate change between Annabel Crabb and Andrew Bolt.

Sunday: Doctor Who
A frenetically good episode. Nice to have the backstory to the mysterious Ood filled in and the Doctor was his usually intuitively hyperactive self – all popping eyes and flying trenchcoat. Love it – although I think I prefer the episodes where they go back in time to a historical period. We’ll see – maybe a future episode will change my mind.

Sunday: Foyle’s War
So boring…I went to bed after 45 minutes. Can Michael Kitchen (?) be any less charismatic?

Every evening at 6pm: Tour de France highlights
The French countryside is beautiful. Less beautiful is the shouty commentary of Phil Liggett.
Really I’m just impressed anyone can ride a bike up those mountains and not want to get off at some point and walk.