To capitalise on the success of "Last Choir Standing" the BBC have rushed out a choir-based drama "All the Small Things" (BBC1).
Set in a Northern town, Michael (Neil Pearson) runs the church choir, with the help of his wife, the saintly Esther(Sarah Lancashire). They are about to celebrate their 20th Wedding Anniversary.
The choir is straight out of BBC casting, an ill-assorted bunch that "tick most of the boxes". You known who the toff is, he has a badge on his blazer.
When at a choir practice in walks the stunning Layla (Sarah Alexander) “I heard the singing”, the dialogue is dire, you just know Layla is unbalanced.
An impromptu audition reveals that she is a soprano who makes Katherine Jenkins sound like a Karaoke singer. We are expected to believe that a soprano, who should be singing at the Met, has just wandered in off the streets and joins a church choir.
This drama is the result of a talent show... Simon Cowell would have long signed up Layla. But reality does not exist in the warped world of BBC drama.
It is so predictable, Michael falls for Layla and leaves Esther, but he carries on running the choir, in the real world the paparazzi would be on to this straight away and they would have to go into hiding.
John McArdle, plays the couples neighbor in the most outlandish barbecue shirt and half-mast trousers. His character still sports ponytail.
When his son is throw out of the band run by Michael and Esther’s son Kyle. This shaven headed, foul-mouthed scouser, gets a group of his mates and attacks Kyle.
A nasty scouser, I said this so-called drama was straight out of BBC casting.
We need to have a council department to defend the scouser, it is one of the few minorities that does not get government protection and that must change.
I urge every one to complain to the BBC about the portrayal of scousers in this off-ey drama. When John McArdles, teenage black granddaughter turns up it is because she has come to stay with granddad because she has robbed a garage and tried to burn her school down.
Stereotyping scousers is this way is no longer acceptable.
The BBC has a budget that is more than the Gross National Produce of the world’s poorest countries, yet it has managed to waste money producing this dire drama.
It was made in the last 3 months in Glossop by Manchester and it shows. I found it hard enough to sit though an hour, there are another 5 episodes, I won’t be watching.
This is an ill thought-out programme that deserves to lose its voice.
"It's a Wonderful Life"
(Thu 02/12)
TURN IT DOWN.
(Thu 11/11)
Do we need another Beatles book.
(Mon 11/10)
President or Pope, who is most welcome?
(Mon 16/08)
