ldarling (ldarling@thehub.com.au)
Tue, 2 Jun 1998 21:49:30 +1000
Hi Stash.
Well, when I joined this list (the first time) I hadn't seen TAC. So I
often wondered how good it could be, given that it generated more chatter
than all the other episodes put together. I finally saw it last week. And
I have to say - I was impressed, but not ecstatic.
This is a very hard-hitting episode. When that hypodermic rolled under the
door that first time, my heart caught in my throat. The message against
drugs is strong (perhaps too strong) as is the drama we get from the
characters. And this is all great. My problem is that to be this
hard-hitting, it had to make some sacrifices.
Firstly, it was pushed for time. Something Terrible was much better
because it could ease into the topic slowly instead of hitting you in the
face with it. Sure, TAC has more punch, but it also fails to cover the
issue in sufficient depth (unlike ST). Secondly, to demonstrate the
tension of the situation, I think some liberties were taken with
characters. Though the conflict between Lynda and Spike sets the whole
point of the episode up, it is out of character for Lynda to be so cold,
and Spike so distant. And Colin, despite his love of money is loyal to the
paper over all else - otherwise he would have sold out long ago. But then
you could claim that this was because of the situation they were in.
This is my main problem with the episode: by choosing such a hugely
dramatic subject to attack, the last episode of Press Gang fails to have a
Press Gang feel about it: Lynda and Spike are hurting each other, we never
see the newsroom running, most of it is just about Lynda, everyone else is
upset and distant. So it ends up leaving you feeling that you've just seen
the team through their lowest point of all - whereas, I would have like the
last episode to be more, I don't know, reflective? A summary? An
inidication of past and future?
I say again though, that this episode is a masterpiece in children's
television. Although I agree with Stash in that the drug message may not
be as effective as believed (any (ex) drug users on this list want to tell
us how it made them feel?) it does handle the subject in an ADULT way,
talking seriously to kids and making hard points. (I certainly don't
remember any drug awareness pamphlets spelling out "If you take drugs,
you're stupid and will die!") And treating kids like adults is what PG does
best - such as in ST; Moffat is a boundary-breaking genius.
It is difficult however to analyse the effect of the drug message without
some sort of knowledge in this field. Any child pyschologists out there
willing to have a bash? I also disliked the cliffhanger ending - fairly
trite way to end a series, I thought.
So in summary, TAC blew me away with its incredible heart-wrenching
throat-catching character drama and issue discussion, but it left me a
little nonplussed in terms of what I wanted from the last episode of Press
Gang.
OK, bring on the flames.
Steve
--
T H E P R E S S G A N G M A I L I N G L I S T
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