On the basis of Detectorists, this Worzel lured me in. I was extremely interested in it as soon as it was announced. A few minor issues with pacing (in both acting and writing) aside, I almost took to the keyboard after episode one to ooze. Mackenzie's done it again. Now that we have had both episodes, I can happily confirm that yes he indeed has but not only that but once again I want to accentuate the man because, if anyone still doubts it, he is one of the few greats of our age. Talent wise the man is pure gold. I really love him as an artist. One of the things that elevates him above most of his peers is his ability with characterisation. It is in the best of traditions (see 1960s-1990s) down to every last quirk. Some of it goes even earlier - The Wizard of Oz was not planets removed here - while a few darker aspects were suited to the zeitgeist. But mostly for me it is the packaging. There is now an identifiable Crook brand (at least in part for he may wish to veer from it) with the most life enhancing English landscapes and the use of unsettling yet complimentary music (hey, anything with the Unthanks is utterly brilliant) and a rich slightly pagan ordinariness. Who at Christmas could want for anything more?
In this light, anyone of my persuasion could not in all inclination expect an absolute confirmation of being a merely passive and uninvolved television viewer. Consequently, the lengthy fart joke (with its nod to global warming) was the first typical challenge towards dialogue. So what will you think of this? I weathered it just as was anticipated and designed. But the later reference to "the swears" was beyond wonder. Oh my God, What have they scrawled on those cows? The wonderful use of drama in which the words on being seen were designed to reassure. But it was the very final word on the final cow that really did it for me. The one which said "Horse". Don't believe for one moment that if you operate on a less than linear plane you can't get the best form of interaction of all. Thanks Mac. To complement the favour, I am now going to throw in a googlie which may or may not go down well. I hope it will be received in the spirit that it is intended. Brexit.
The politicians may make a success of it. They may bugger it up and all of us with it. But I think what we all are coming to realise is that there is a need to stake out some kind of new brand. It involves trying - trying - to talk up the best of this country rather than focussing on the worst. I've now sat through the very good Paddington 1 and 2. I think that the arts as usual are ahead of the game here. And to my mind Crook's Gummidge with its beautiful landscapes and quintessentially eccentric Englishness equally sits at the heart of it. I have a very clear vision about this matter. It ain't gonna work unless more liberal types embrace it and are fundamental in shaping it. Both products are unequivocally for ethnic inclusion and Gummidge hit hard in its latter stages on climate. Great. This is exactly what we want. Well, it is what I want and I don't think I am alone. MPs can try to catch up later. F**kin' 'ell, currently MC can't do anything wrong as far as I am seeing it. Thank you to him and everyone concerned for making a man of 57 as happy as he can be in all these circumstances,
