Pramface Blog 7

Title: Pramface

Episode: 1

Season: 1

Source: BBC three

This episode is the first one, so everybody is being introduced in this episode. First there is a class full of students in uniforms who are taking an exam. The story is about three friends. One of them is a girl and the other two are boys. Then they stand together in the stairway looking down, as the most popular boy at their school is passing out invitations. The two boys decided to go to the party as party crashers, because they did not receive invitations. The main reason they wanted to go to the party is because, there are a lot of pretty girls and they want to have sex. One of the boys meets a girl and they end up having sex, the other boy went home without any girl. Than six weeks later, the girl turns out pregnant…

My opinion

I saw the name Pramface and it sounded really interesting. At first I was not sure if I wanted to see the series. It turned out to be a funny and at the same time serious episode. I loved how this particular episode ended; it made me want to see the rest of the season(s) even more.  It is a cheesy subject really, it is about teenage pregnancies, and there are a lot of teenage pregnancy programs on television now a day. These kinds of programs are fun to watch because you do not have to think much while you are watching. So, it is a good program to watch after a long day of school or work. 

How to Survive Being Thirteen written Blog 7

Title: How to Survive Being 13

Subject: Thirteen is a difficult age, how to deal with this age.

Writer: Miranda Smith

Source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/shortcuts/2013/jan/17/how-to-survive-being-13

Summary

Miranda, 14 years old wrote this article so she could help 13-year-old teenagers, because not only do the parents suffer, the teenagers too.  Miranda gives ten tips, to make het easier for the teenagers self, but also for the parents. The first tip is about being careful with pictures on the Internet. The second is about the fact that the teenager will get grumpier than he/she would have been before. Third tip is about not using the phone constantly.  The tips help the teenagers to avoid a conflict with the parents, teachers or guardians.

My opinion

When I saw this article on the guardian, I thought I have to write something about it in de British Culture blog. I think it is so important to teenagers they get advice of someone who is young and know how they are feeling. I love the fact that it is written to the teenagers without making them feel stupid, and at the same time it avoids conflict between the parents and the teenagers. Some tips made me laugh, because of recognition. Though I think it is good for parents to read this information from the perspective of a teenager, the teenagers who could also benefit from this article will not visit the guardian site as much as they will visit the Facebook site.

The Hour Blog 1

Title: The Hour

Subject: Reporter Freddie Lyon desperate to get onto television

Season: 1

Episode: 1

Source BBC two

“They… they are everywhere. Here in this building, out in the street, in your own office. They even control what you write.” The Hour is about the BBC newsreels reporter Freddie Lyon who is desperate to get onto television.  His friend Bel Rowley (who he calls Honey Penny) has been selected to produce a new news magazine: “The Hour”. Freddie was reporting the engagement of a 21-year-old debutante, who is a childhood friend. One day she came to him at his office and told him about the murder on an academic, which the newspapers made it seem as a robbery, though the murder is about political scheming and conspiracies. Freddie wants to write about the story of the Duchess, and wants to solve the mystery.  In order to write about the murders he needs freedom to pursue the story, and this is only possible if he joins the new program The Hour.

My opinion

At the beginning of the episode I did not expect it to be so mysterious, the good thing about these series is that they know how to balance the tension throughout the episodes. The moment you watch the first scenes you are in the ambiance of the setting, 1956. There is also a lot of history about the controversy between men and women, with the cafés where in some areas women were not allowed; they show it in delicate way with simple lines or by acting. The characters of The Hour are very interesting and well casted. There is a reason I have quoted the first line in my Summary, the line structure throughout the series are brilliant, it is a perfect mix of drama, reality and history, but the odd thing is this all goes by without even noticing. 

Sun, Sex and Suspicious Parents Blog 6

Title: Sun, Sex and Suspicious Parents

Season: 1

Episode: 1

Source: BBC three

Going on the first summer holiday with your friends. Freedom, no rules and no responsibilities sound good to all young people, both adolescents in this episode think so. The eighteen year old Joe wants to have no rules, freedom and no responsibility and the young Milly wants to get out of the hands of her over-worried mother, and have some fun. What the two do not know is: their parents are coming a too, to keep an eye on them and make sure their kids can stand on their own two feet. As the program says: “It will be an eye opening experience, but will it bring them closer together or drive them further apart

My opinion

Back here in the Netherlands we also got a program such as this one. The only difference between the British version and our version is that the parents also come a long on vacation to watch how their own children behave while they are no longer under supervision of their parents. The thing I was amazed by; was the fact that English people party way harder than Dutch people do. It was fun to watch this episode, but it is not really my cup of tea. I think you should trust your children and if they invade your trust there should be other ways to deal with your children. Spying is not the right answer; I do know that by adding spying in the program the ratings will rise. I guess now a days ratings go before norms and values.  

Luther Blog 5

Title: Luther

Episode: 1

Season: 2

Source: BBC one

The episode starts with a familiar face; in the first season she was a suspect for killing her parents. After that the women and John Luther became friends. She killed someone for John but he had nothing to do with it.  She is being interrogated by a police officer from the same unit as John. After that a women walks in a dark alley and ends up murdered by a man who wears a scary mask.

 John is dealing with depression, in one scene he puts one bullet in a gun and puts the gun against his head and shoots. Luckily there is no bullet coming out of the firearm. The haunt on the masked man is still going on…

My opinion

I was totally misled by the title of this series; I thought it would be more in the medieval style just because of the name “Luther”. I am glad I have watched the episode, and I am going to watch more after this one. I love crime series, I have watched or still watching a lot of different crime series. My favourite is Law and Order Special Victims Unit, but Luther is really good too. The thing I like the most (cause I have been watching a couple episodes now) is that I cannot predict who the murder is or what will happen next. I hate it when I can predict a whole movie or episode. Luckily I know about this series and I am going to watch a lot more of them.