The Lemon Fool

4 part series on BBC about Saville - what can one say? The acting at all levels is excellent including Coogan (Saville) and Gemma Jones (the Duchess) as well as a plethora superb actors in the many supporting roles. The series itself has nothing really new to say but the message may well bear repeating. The actions of some of the passive 'facilitators' of Saville's appalling behaviour is never really examined in depth - especially at the BBC and elsewhere in the establishment.

No doubt there will be other Fools - like me - who will say they could never stand his public persona at any stage in his career. However much of that is a matter of taste. There is no denying he raised vast amounts of money for charity and helped the development of a number of medical facilities. His motives are examined and the awful damage he inflicted upon innumerable victims is indeed addressed.

Overall, a thoroughly depressing watch.

T7

Not watched it yet but I will be doing so. The reviews praise Coogan's portrayal of Savile but typically newspapers such as The Telegraph go on to say that "the BBC should not have made this". In fact, the BBC did not make this. Both the writer and producer state in the Radio Times that "it is important to understand that this is not a BBC production, It's an ITV production for BBC" and go on to say that there was never any case of the BBC interfering in the production.

Just thought I'd get that in before the anti-BBC backlash started.

Have seen the 1st episode. I agree it is well made and very well acted. However I agree with the OP that it's hardly an edifing watch. Then again how could we expect it to be?

The world's become rather miserable over the last few years and appears to be getting worse. I need TV that is uplifting.

A pity, it's a quality production but at the wrong time for me and many others I suspect.

Leo

Not sure that I could bear to watch it, despite enjoying Coogan's acting. Enjoyed him in the Laurel and Hardy dramatisation.

bluedonkey wrote:Not sure that I could bear to watch it, despite enjoying Coogan's acting. Enjoyed him in the Laurel and Hardy dramatisation.

I agree about the L & H drama and Coogan's acting ability. I've just given up on The Reckoning about half way through the second episode. Coogan is very good but it's all so ghastly that I'd rather do something else.

RC

I saw quite a lot of "repurposed Partridge" in Coogan's act. There will be accolades for awards, inevitably, and I hope he will have the good sense to refuse them - let's hope the industry is not so shallow to start backslapping itself over this.

In the final interview the lady pleads "Please don't let this happen again". That would have been filmed before the Russell Brand "cancelling" - spooky how he has similar sneering eyes, eccentricities and, yes, predilection for sex don't you think? - yet here the industry is again. However Savile got away with it and whatever lessons were to be learnt I'm not sure have been. That poor lady has been let down all over again.