I’m home from work, love island is on the tv waiting to start (yes I’m one of the many who enjoy trash tv). It was something we both shared (trash tv not love island). I tried to convert mummy last year but it was too far gone for her to fully appreciate its rich artistry. We did however share a love over the years of such other tv milestones like big brother and the real housewives franchise. I was watching the Wright Stuff a few mornings ago. For those who haven’t seen it, its a semi political show that talks about the days headlines, any moral panics that have permeated society that week and pop culture. This episode featured a defaming commentary from pseudo intellectuals lauding about their vast superiority over those who watch this kind of television, specifically love island. One such commentator was appalled that people would watch such ‘drivel’ as he called it over great dramas like ‘Victoria’ or ‘The Crown’.
The problem with this narrow assessment is that it is just that, narrow. Are we to be pigeonholed into categories as intellectual properties that deserve our time and priority over the ‘drivel’ of reality shows. Why cant we taste from the buffet of life and try all its dishes. I am not here to advocate or elevate the stature of such shows, in fact in part I agreed with the commentary. however as a complex human being I am entitled to use television for the purpose intended, escapism. That surely is the purpose of all media. This debate has raged over the 20th/21st century. When television was first introduced many would view it as a subpar form of story telling whereas a novel was snobbishly more acceptable. The humble comic book was deemed as a story book before the term graphic novel was applied and people started to take it as a serious art form. Again just to reiterate I am not advocating that love island is the new art form, I am simply suggesting that all forms of entertainment go through the scrutiny of the elitist intellectuals of their age. Walt Disney was seen in his early days as pandering a childish medium, fast forward to the modern era where Frozen has went on the win and be nominated for multiple Oscars, the highest accolade of that industry. Even my humble love island has won a few BAFTA’s!
Myself and Mummy loved to watch all sorts of shows together, usually our favourite Sunday pastime was watching the latest episode of Agatha Christies Poirot, a fantastic who dunnit series which would gripe us into a guessing game until it revealed we were both wrong. We would also spend hours on the phone talking about which housewife of New York we loved, and which we Loathed (Jill Zarin for the win!). It was all relatively harmless fun, and we would enjoy every second of it. We would also spend hours talking about the semi biographical drama Victoria. One thing my mother loved above everything was a good period drama, as does her baby boy. We could spend hours talking about either, and did. The intellectual elitist would not put us into a convenient box. We could have an hour long discussion about history, art and popular culture, should the notion take us. It must be very satisfying to take a high brow approach to life and spend every waking moment discussing topics of intellectual merit. It is also depriving our lives as I’ve said before, of the rich tapestry. I could not spend my whole life eating Chinese food. I love it, but I would never deprive myself of the other amazing foods on offer either.
This particular blog topic was actually something myself and the Lioness would discuss on a regular basis. Anyone that knows her will be aware of her insatiable love for big brother, from the Davina Mcall days, to Brian Dowling, right through to the current Emma Willis generation. She was gutted when live steaming was no longer a thing. She could spend hours of her Summer days watching a group of people effectively…. doing naff all! Her favourite was meal times as she would put it, “usually something happens during meal times”. I don’t think anything particularly earth shattering did happen however to her it was worth it. She would chat to me about who was bitching about who, who was a game player and who was downright devious…. Also who her winner was after 3 weeks, as of course the first three weeks she was, “Getting to know them all”. When I moved to England she would start the conversation in a very familiar way, the general routine followed the same pattern however Big Brother would add an additional variable;
- How was your day, anything exciting happen?
- How’s the weather with you?
- What do you think about what’s happening in Big Brother?
This third point was the one she was most eager to talk about however she was programmed to comply with the first two points. Like Windows 10 she was hardwired to a firm set of start-up protocols. When I started to wain from Big Brother I could tell she would get disappointed in her tone. She loved to chat about it and had no comrade to share her journey with. That is why after 2 years hiatus I myself started to watch again, If only to hear my mothers voice light up in sheer joy. I willingly made this sacrifice of one hour an evening so mummy could vent her Big Brother frustrations with me. After all she was always my ear when it was needed to bend.
So to all the intellectual elitists out there, have your opinion that is fine, but I have an opposing one. On the surface of these seemingly idiotic shows lurks a real connection a mother had with her son, that not only bonded them further but also gave them great joy together. That is exactly what entertainment should be. When all else fails, like Mummy would say, lets not all take it that seriously.
She didn’t.
A Grievers Guide to the Galaxy 