In this age of packaging, hype is all. Discovery pulled out all stops to promote a new series Planet Earth that started on Thursday. Ads in the print media, innovatively lit up hoardings, it had it all. Except terribly great content.
The first episode definitely had some great footage of hibernations and migrations in the animal world in the polar regions. Breathtaking visuals and a nice, coherent commentary. But definitely not something one had not already encountered on the channel or its sibling, Animal Planet or Nat Geo or.... | (Courtesy:www.tribuneindia.com) | In the end, it was hype that marked the finale of Sony's Bigg Boss last weekend. As with all grand finales, it was a two hour-long painful affair, interspersed with chats and performances with all the original 13 inhabitants of the house, with host Arshad Warsi required to fill in all the extra minutes with banter till the simple act of opening the envelope and revealing the winner's name could be completed. It's a wonder Carol and Rahul could withstand the torture, marking as it did, the end of a pretty stress-filled period of their life.
Crowning Rahul Roy the winner turned out to be a pleasant surprise. If rigged, the channel showed remarkable restraint in choosing a stable guy over volatile participants who played to the camera; if not, the audience showed uncharacteristically sober judgment. Unlike CBB UK's winner Shilpa Shetty, however, it is unlikely that Rahul Roy's sagging career will get more than a lukewarm shot in the arm. Unless, of course, he decides to turn his full attention to the small screen, where he is likely to find several takers. The hype around KBC definitely helped it sail through the first week with flying colours and glowing reviews; but the second week had an unsettling sense of sameness accompanying it. The unmistakable energy, the spirit of bonhomie and the quick repartees are all there. Still, the niggling feeling that the host is more absorbed in himself than the participant persists. Perhaps it's part of the SRK aura. Perhaps, the new host will grow on us the way the first one did. Perhaps. While the over-hyped shows get all our attention, let us not neglect the unsung ones, the quiet ones that do a good job but seldom merit attention. Zee Cafe's Trendzsetters this week had an engaging piece on designer Wendell Rodricks' life and career. It took us through his 400-year-old home in Goa, walked with him in the surrounding fields that are his inspiration and muse, and chatted with his confidantes about what makes the designer stand out in the world of couture. Simply told, nicely shot, it was a pleasure to watch. As is the continuing Star Plus' show, Aek Chabhi Hain Pados Mein. A show with a realistic touch, it entertains without getting on the nerves, makes you smile and sob with the story as it gently drifts. Or, Suresh Menon on the Great Indian Comedy Show on Star One. His little digs at Bollywood, its latest releases and its denizens, his exaggerated effeminate style, all put this highly underrated comedian in a different league than his slapstick colleagues. On the other hand, Sony's Man Mein Hain Vishwaas is getting increasingly preachy. This week, an air force officer, plagued by constantly shifting in and out of rented flats (since when!?! doesn't the country's air force have its own accommodation?) sought and got a home loan thanks to his guru's blessings. But when he neglected his puja and prayers, calamity befell the family. Moral - keep those pujas going without a break. When is the season break for this show? If there are two shows returning to TV and worth a dekko, they are Karamchand on Sony and Koffee with Karan, this time on Star One and Star World together. Let's hope the brew's strong enough this time too.
**** Couch potato's advice of the week - to hassled mothers whose toddlers are glued to the antics of Hungama's Shin Chan and emulating the animated brat's rude mannerisms. Reach for the remote, folks! http://us.indiantelevision.com/special/boxpopuli/y2k7/feb/bo xpopuli5.htm |