British politics and House of Commons in TV, literature and film

V

viktorvaughn

Well-known member
I have been enjoying a few things recently. For all it's faults I love the spectacle of the HOC and the drama of politics.

TV
Yes Minister (bit dated and over acted but basically amazing)
House of Cards (v over acted in some places but v v entertaining and watchable)
A Very British Coup (entertaining account of conspiracies against a fictionalised Harold Wilson type)

Books
Alan Clark diaries - boorish but entertaining

Any more?
 
Mr. Tea

Mr. Tea

Let's Talk About Ceps
I've not seen much of The Thick Of It, but what I have seen has been superb. Definitely need to see more. In The Loop is great too, amazing performance by Gandolfini. Hilarious yet kind of depressing as you realise it's probably not much of an exaggeration of how things are actually done...
 
grizzleb

grizzleb

Well-known member
Adam Curtis's Mayfair Set has a fair bit of this sort of stuff in it. I'm a sucker for the drama of politics.
 
Sectionfive

Sectionfive

bandwagon house
Obvious one but I like the Banksy with the monkey commons.


That thing about Ch4 not being able to show the Daily Show with Commons satire in was interesting. It was only then I found out we have the same thing here but because the rule is only part of the standing orders of the house and not law there isn't much could be done about it unless you were an MP. Luckily today we appear to have voted down a referendum to give more power the Oireachtas to conduct inquires. Theoretically that would have given powers to the house to enforce that standing order on unlucky satirists. I've been cutting up footage of proceedings for years. [/tinfoilhat]


We might have lost a wealth of comedy gold today. Counting not finished but looks home and dry.
 
Last edited:
Sectionfive

Sectionfive

bandwagon house
Also anyone interested in the political cartoon. There are some great pieces here on their history.
Interesting stuff on the different editorial world they inhabit to hacks and their history in Fleet St.
 
Tentative Andy

Tentative Andy

I'm in the Meal Deal
Great thread idea.
House of Cards had a big impact on me when I first saw it aged about 11. Hammy-but-entertaining seems to be kind of the standard verdict on it nowadays, but at the time it seemed really bracing and also kind of grim in how it seemed to show that pretty much everyone in politics was corruptible given the right set of circumstances and incentives. Also in the really sordid ways it showed sex and power intertwining.
Really need to watch State of Play, managed to miss it at the time somehow. As funny and sharply observant as The Thick of It undoubtedly is, I'd have to say that I find the shouty onslaught style of it a little wearing at times, like I can only watch it in small-to-medium doses.
 
V

viktorvaughn

Well-known member
Tentative Andy said:
Great thread idea.
House of Cards had a big impact on me when I first saw it aged about 11. Hammy-but-entertaining seems to be kind of the standard verdict on it nowadays, but at the time it seemed really bracing and also kind of grim in how it seemed to show that pretty much everyone in politics was corruptible given the right set of circumstances and incentives. Also in the really sordid ways it showed sex and power intertwining.
Click to expand...

Yeah House of Cards is very fun but the handling of race/gender/sexuality makes is seem dated and a bit weird by modern more tolerant/more pc standards.

Maybe back then people found the idea of rank corruption more shocking than today with such a cynical public?

There's also some incredible over-acting in it and subtle it aint. Would really recommend watching still though.
 
V

viktorvaughn

Well-known member
Sectionfive said:
Also anyone interested in the political cartoon. There are some great pieces here on their history.
Interesting stuff on the different editorial world they inhabit to hacks and their history in Fleet St.
Click to expand...

Private Eye have an exhibition at the V&A at the mo which may cover this. There is also a Cartoon museum or something in Bloomsbury I think.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top