The Tower BBC1 tonight at 10.30

[twistedAM]

I've enoyed the others but last night's really sadenned me, the rich kids buying into an area where they're never relaly going to fit in.

The viewer intruding into people's dysfunctional lives, the sadness and grief of Cherry and (what seemed to be) her totally miserable life, then there was the junkie and the pisshead. It all just felt like the programme makers took too much from them.

It's probably what some would call "cutting edge" television.

The junkie Od-ing bit was OTT I think but what really fucked me off was Cheery's mum in the hospital. Christ, that old woman was in pain and had no clue there was a camera on her. Where's the dignity in that? Maybe Cherry shoulda known better but the BBC twats certainly should have...I don't think the producer would allow his mum to be shown on screen that way.

 

[BrixiSteve]

Just caught this for the first time.

One of the most touching documentaries I've watched for as long as I can remember.

Me too, it blew me away. Stunningly made.

 

[jæd]

Christ, that old woman was in pain and had no clue there was a camera on her.

Was she...? I only saw the but where she was crying, and I guessed it was because she was happy to see her daughter... After a while she started smiling when her daughter started teasing her. Perhaps I saw a different bit...?

 

[jæd]

The viewer intruding into people's dysfunctional lives, the sadness and grief of Cherry and (what seemed to be) her totally miserable life, then there was the junkie and the pisshead. It all just felt like the programme makers took too much from them.

Well... It gave everyone enough rope to hang themselves whether they were posh types who were over-joyed to live near Canary Wharf, or junkies who turn to more heroin to get over a friend who OD'd... People are dysfunctional whatever their background. News-at-Ten...!, etc...

 

[Firky]

Had never seen it before and I caught it tonight by accident.
I think I'm with you on this one.
On one hand it seems to have it's heart in the right place (giving dignity to the locals and giving the estate agents and that airhead law student enough rope to hang themselves) but overall I think it oversteps the line on voyeurism.

Yeah, I don't think it was done too well. Harrowing to watch purely because its good for viewing figures. There's no underlying benevolence to the programme. More of an freak show for suburbia and the bourgeois.

 

[Firky]

And a lot people love macabre for some reason?!

 

[Melinda]

Its weird going by on the train now, thinking about the people in and around that building.