BBC WDYTYA Series 10 Episode #9: Marrianne Faithful

[Graham47]

Such letters are sad to read but how did they reflect what they really felt and what they wanted to say? They were heavily censored as you can imagine and I very much doubt he would have been able to even hint at how things really were. I read many similar letters some time back on a visit to the War Museum in London and elsewhere and so many have the same upbeat message to loved ones back home. They really were heartbreaking to read.

[bearsome]

I agree, Graham, and I suspect a lot of them were terrified. This man didn't even have pressure on him to go, being in Oz, but he obviously believed it was the right thing to do, because his brothers were going and, as you imply, it's the meaning behind what was actually written that makes it all so sad. The fact that he says, three times, "Cheer up, Mother" is a case in point. Is he trying to stop his mother worrying (as if, being a mother myself), or himself?   

[stormtroop]

Some things are just too horrifying, I remember a story told to me by an uncle of mine, 6 young men all 19 years old driving across Germany 1944/45, they come across a wood with some huts   hidden within, being curious they alighted from the truck and moved towards the encampment. They noticed no birds singing, complete silence, one large hut stood out the distance, the door was completely black, as though painted in black paint-shiny black paint, they were curious still, they moved closer for the paint seems to drip slowly and have a life of its own , as they moved closer the paint was more mobile moving in all directions, a sense of evil started to surround them , enveloping them as they moved forward clawing its way around them. When they got up to the  large double door of the hut; it was covered in human fleas. My uncle said " you have never seen 6 young lads move so fast to get out of that place as we did, we ran like gazelles "

It was not what they saw , it was what they felt.

[Vicki Morley]

...
However the presentation, editing and padding out of some of the episodes of this current run of WDYTYA has....unfortunately

Watching the John Hurt episode has made me realise how much the series has changed.  This episode is great,  he is learning about people but we've also seen him digging through census records andd doing research to find relatives rather than being presented with a list of names. 

The padding I've not enjoyed such as Sarah Millican dressing up in a divers suit and learning to walk in snow shoes.  Im interested in actually getting from A to B and what documents are found to take us on that trip.

[Graham47]

Maybe they should change this to Who Do You Think You Are Kidding?

It is not something I think I will bother to watch again which is a great pity. Like so much they start well eventually become lazy in their production and veer off track.

 

[M.R. Dien]

Maybe they should change this to Who Do You Think You Are Kidding?

It is not something I think I will bother to watch again which is a great pity. Like so much they start well eventually become lazy in their production and veer off track.

 

Pretty much agree. It was once a "must watch" but now has gotten to the stage of I'll watch if there is absolutely nothing else on.

[carlineric]

I wonder if the padding is there to reduce the "interesting bit" down to around 45  minutes to fit in with the commercial channels where it is ultimately shown. When the BBC showed the US series it was around 40 minutes long due to the removal of the adverts.

Eric

[bearsome]

I regularly do media surveys, and the questions asked about the programmes watched, vary. Some are obviously just 'tick over' questions - making sure that a certain programme is keeping its standard. Others have more in-depth questions. It's been interesting that, in the main, the two programmes where there hasn't been much scope to make further comment are WDYTYA and Friday night's One Show, in which Chris Evans is one of the presenters. I've taken that to mean that WDYTYA is either staying as it is, or that it's being phased out. In the case of the One Show, despite his lack of popularity with a lot of people, Chris Evans is being 'protected'. Basically, the BBC doesn't seem to care about public opnion!

[larkspur]

Well, I think we are all mostly aware of that... as long as we keep paying the TV Tax oops sorry licence.

Its the annoyingly LOUD music over dialogue that drives me crazy...WHY