It's a great show and very interesting. Also interesting is the fact that it even got made. And then even got broadcast. Thank God they did.

Brooker should try to avoid making jokes, his descriptions of things are 100 times more hilarious than any mock wank gag.

Kind of agree that some of the attempted humour detracts from the content

...but it's really odd in that he's generally fairly witty and all, then he decides to try a joke and it creates a vacuum of laughter.
I generally like his more serious episodes anyway.

Quote: sardines @ May 2 2009, 3:13 AM BST

Brooker should try to avoid making jokes

View original

That is kind of what makes Charlie Brooker Charlie Brooker, though.

Great series.

For anyone curious about how journalism (or "churnalism") has changed and developed (regressed?) over the years, do try to read Charlie's contributor Nick Davies' 'Flat Earth News'. Not a funny book but a pretty worrying read, written by a true media insider.

Absolutely fantastic series, the last installment being particularly hilarious. I hope it makes a swift return as it's a wonderful vehicle for Brooker's scathing talent.

Back tonight! Yay!!

Yes, hopefully back on top scathe after the relative mainstream appearance on the Big End of Year Quiz thing, with Ross and Brand et al.

Brilliant, plenty of lols. I want more, NOW!

Oof! Oof, I liked it!

I enjoyed it, LOLed a bit, but hasn't he covered the topic of fear-mongering before?

Quote: chipolata @ January 19 2010, 11:09 PM GMT

I enjoyed it, LOLed a bit, but hasn't he covered the topic of fear-mongering before?

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Yeah, I think it's just because it's such a massive part of the media.

The first half of this programme was basically just my degree. Took me three years that. Took him 15 minutes.

Twat.

;-)

Nah there's probably a lot more to say on the fear mongering thing and I think he'll probably look at it again in a different way. There's a lot of interesting angles to look at it from that he sort of hinted at in this ep.

EDIT: "I think he'll probably look at it again in a different way"? I have no reason to think that. I just hope he looks at it again in a different way. I really, really liked that bit.

Excellent as always.

Brooker's schtick is becoming a tad tedious now. Only the appearance of the poet provided any laughs for me. Otherwise it was the same old same old: Brooker's predictable rants at tired targets.
Odd he should devote the programme to media fear-mongering and the weather without mentioning the biggest media exercise in masturbatory fear inducement ever: global warming. It would have been more challenging (instead of Brooker's faux-challenging but highly PC style) had his researchers wheeled out 1970s BBC footage of the new ice age hysteria they were peddling back then (and which may soon comeback into vogue if we have another few winters like this) or the hilarious old moonshine of the 80s about the tropical rainforests losing "an area the size of Wales" every day (its still there 20 years on). Funnily enough he does not want to be critical of his employer the BBC. Instead he takes lame potshots at Fox News, an American cable channel which no one in this country actually watches.