WDYTYA - Jack & Michael Whitehall 5/8/19

[loobylooayr]

Can't see a thread started yet for the Whitehalls episode.
So what did RC viewers think ?

I have to say , I didn't really enjoy this episode. Although the two main stories uncovered - great grandparents dying of syphilis and the Welsh solicitor/ Chartists - were interesting and moving, I think the Whitehalls' "humour" and reactions made me uncomfortable. I felt for one or two of the researchers/experts , who looked a bit uncomfortable too.
But it's always great to see the paper trail of documents and newspaper articles - a lot of hard work goes in to these shows.

Looby

PS. I have seen Jack Whitehall on TV but never seen his father before.

[Craclyn]

Worst episode I ever seen 
I will admit to having no idea who the two men were. I was particularly unimpressed by their behaviour throughout.

[Jomot]

The two Whitehall's grated throughout, and because of them I couldn't have cared less about the subjects being followed.   

After a great first episode (Daniel Radcliffe) its gone rapidly downhill.  Fingers crossed it redeems itself next week.

[Caw1]

Couldn't agree with you more!

I thought they were both quite disrespectful of the researchers/experts who were trying to tell their story!

Frankly they deserved the ancestors they had, particularly the Welsh chap and it just goes to show how behaviour/ attitudes have come down through their lines.

A proper pair of pompous idiots.... and what did the father think he looked like dressed up.... in a blue hat for heavens sake....

Think you get the drift not impressed... if this is the best they can drag up then don't bother.

Hope next ones better... stop researching actors and try some people of substance.

Caroline

[Bee]

I agree with all the comments, despite the fact that some of the findings should have interested me, I fell asleep before the end, don't thing I'll bother cacthing up on the missed bit on Iplayer.

I really enjoyed Daniel Radcliffe on the first show, fingers crossed that the future shows are of the same calibre.

[loobylooayr]

So I wasn't alone in being unimpressed by this pair !
Some of the TV reviewers in the press are claiming this episode is the best ever    and that viewers were "in stitches" at their comments.
Well, this viewer wasn't in stitches....
Hope the rest of the series is a huge improvement on this offering.

Looby

[NooshieW]

I was underwhelmed . Jack Whitehall seems to have dragged his father into most of his TV appearances these days and it didn’t enhance this episode at all. Two privileged toffs, one whose outrage at his ‘Tory’ relative was grossly hypocritical, when clearly his background has given him the opportunities he has now. Jack Whitehall clearly preferred to have the poor syphilitic relatives to add colour to his story and fulfill his wish to have working class roots.
Interesting content ruined by crass comments from two crass overpaid ‘celebrities’.

[chris_49]

Although I agrees that the celebs were annoying (they often are, I try to tune them out) I found the second half very interesting.

The Newport Riots were the last occasion on which significant numbers of British citizens were killed and maimed by their own troops* - best estimate is that 22 died (Wikipedia), 20 years after Peterloo. It was also the last time anybody was sentenced to be hanged, drawn and quartered, though this was commuted to transportation for life. More people should know about this. It's a pity if the story got obscured by the celebs.

* depends what you mean by significant - 4 died in the Mold riots of 1869, doubtless there were other examples.
 

[Mowsehowse]

Leaving the "Celebs" out of it.....

I lived in Newport for some years, they are very proud of John Frost and had the town square named after him, though I am not sure if it still exists due to major renovation works.

There was a marvellous huge art work there depicting the Chartist struggle which was destroyed  during the re-building works. (Google Images to see them.)