Thursday 15 September 2011

Vehicular rubbish

There once was a time when I quite enjoyed watching Top Gear. I'm not an expert on cars or a petrol head by any stretch of the imagination. But I can identify cars by more than their colour and have an appreciation for the fast and sometimes stupid. Why else would we own a petrol guzzling sledge if not to appreciate its 0-60 speed (on a straight dry road do not appreciate the speed with which it goes sideyways on an icy/snow covered road).
However, either I, or Top Gear, have turned a corner. It makes me grumble and question in an old woman type way.
What on earth are they spending my licence fee on?
Why are they spending my licence fee on sending three presenters plus camera crews to countries, which are at war. Surely if the programme brief includes paying for a protection detail it isn't entertainment?
I don't really care how fast a car can go round your track when it costs well more than my home.
There are a lot more examples of programmes that have made me want to throw things at their smug little faces as they clutter up my tv. I do try to be out when O watches it and I could always leave the room.
Sometimes, just sometimes they have a story that reminds me they are human beings after all. At the end of the most recent series they ran a story about recovery amputee soldiers and their goal to take part in the Dakar rally. Soldiers who'd lost limbs in battle preparing to drive one of the world's hardest rallies. Where sand and sweat could damage their prostetics because the camaraderie is keeping their spirits up. A below the knee "scratch" being an affectionate nickname for a foot amputation.
So the point of this? I wish the soldiers well. I thank the BBC for bringing their goal to my attention. I ask that the BBC make more of these type stories and be more sensible with my licence fee from now on. Please and thank you.

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3 comments:

  1. I agree. I similarly get annoyed when they decide it's sensible to cut BB4 programming but keep BBC3. I realise I might be in the minority, but I like learning and new things and culture and period dramas.

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  2. The BBC confuses me. And even after working there for 6 years, I still have no idea what they are doing sometimes. They do like to spend money on poplar stuff, rather than GOOD stuff. If only the good stuff was more popular.

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  3. I do sometimes wonder how on earth they get away with some stuff!

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