Film, Media & TV2 mins ago
Keeping the English countryside white
Brian True-May the producer of long-running TV hit Midsomer Murders has been suspended after claiming part of the show's appeal was an absence of ethnic minorities
Could this be true? Are there people who will only watch a show if they can be guaranteed an 'all white' cast?
I can't believe that's true. I mean, Downton Abbey wouldn't exactly be realistic with a Muslim housemaid, but I've seen episodes of Poirot and Marple with black characters without feeling the need to switch channels.
Leaving aside this chap's right to air his views (and I disagree with his suspension), SHOULD there be programmes that exclude actors from ethnic minorities?
Should the ban be extended to other minorities (the disabled, gays etc)?
http://www.dailyrecor...ities-86908-22991244/
Could this be true? Are there people who will only watch a show if they can be guaranteed an 'all white' cast?
I can't believe that's true. I mean, Downton Abbey wouldn't exactly be realistic with a Muslim housemaid, but I've seen episodes of Poirot and Marple with black characters without feeling the need to switch channels.
Leaving aside this chap's right to air his views (and I disagree with his suspension), SHOULD there be programmes that exclude actors from ethnic minorities?
Should the ban be extended to other minorities (the disabled, gays etc)?
http://www.dailyrecor...ities-86908-22991244/
Answers
This is another example of someone opening their mouth without engaging the '
It is quite true that for the remit of this (fictional!)...
It is quite true that for the remit of this (fictional!)...
10:49 Tue 15th Mar 2011
-- answer removed --
Thing is - I understand (although don't agree) with what he's saying. He seems to think that people would be turned off by even the smallest degree of 'diversity'...but this doesn't seemed to have harmed The Archers (of which I am a bit of a fan).
They have an Asian woman married to the local vicar, and it doesn't seem to faze their audience.
They have an Asian woman married to the local vicar, and it doesn't seem to faze their audience.
If I'm being charitable, I can sort of see what he is saying.............
The sort of village we are asked to believe in in these shows is 'Ye olde chocolate-box lid' version of England, a construct that never really existed;
The vicar bicycles to a well-attended church,
The village-shop stocks everything the household requires,
Pre-pubesent boys are scamps with catapults and girls are wannabe vamps who would never actually dream of saying "yes"...........etc.
It is an idealised, crystallised idea and has no equivalent in the real world and therefore, as a fantasy, doesn't have to follow natural rules.
However, I think he is wildly over-stating the case if he thinks that there will be an audience tail-off with the introduction of 'ethnic' characters of any hue or nationality.
The sort of village we are asked to believe in in these shows is 'Ye olde chocolate-box lid' version of England, a construct that never really existed;
The vicar bicycles to a well-attended church,
The village-shop stocks everything the household requires,
Pre-pubesent boys are scamps with catapults and girls are wannabe vamps who would never actually dream of saying "yes"...........etc.
It is an idealised, crystallised idea and has no equivalent in the real world and therefore, as a fantasy, doesn't have to follow natural rules.
However, I think he is wildly over-stating the case if he thinks that there will be an audience tail-off with the introduction of 'ethnic' characters of any hue or nationality.
If the programme is aims to be realistic then sometimes this will mean excluding some minority groups, but they shouldn't be left out for the sole purpose of not wanting to use them in the programme.
I live in the area where Midsomer is filmed a lot and can tell you if they don't use many ethnic minorities, then that's true to the area. It's almost 100% occupied by white people here.
I live in the area where Midsomer is filmed a lot and can tell you if they don't use many ethnic minorities, then that's true to the area. It's almost 100% occupied by white people here.
Shouldn't any TV prgrame reflect reality? I am a city dweller and have no idea the ethnic diversity of country villages but it should be reflected.
As you say that possibly a muslim in Dowtown Abbey would be historicaly correct then it should be, however in the time period African salves were not unknown.
I never notice ethnic diversity really anymore. But I don't watch mid summer
As you say that possibly a muslim in Dowtown Abbey would be historicaly correct then it should be, however in the time period African salves were not unknown.
I never notice ethnic diversity really anymore. But I don't watch mid summer
Why does colour have to raise it's head every time?
I cannot believe that the absence of ethnic minorities is the reason for Midsomer murders appeal.
I find Midsomer murders appealing because of it's tranquil rural English setting, and to include ethnics where ethnics are not usually in abundance, just for the sake of including a racial mix of actors would be wrong.
One can say that Emmerdale doesn't have many ethnic actors as Eastenders does, once again a reflection of actual communities and nothing to do with racism
What does get up my nose is the fact that some films and TV shows have now gone too PC.
They always have the obligatory black person, generally in the top job, and the suspected black criminal generally turns out to be the good guy in the end, and it was the white guy that tried to frame him.
I cannot believe that the absence of ethnic minorities is the reason for Midsomer murders appeal.
I find Midsomer murders appealing because of it's tranquil rural English setting, and to include ethnics where ethnics are not usually in abundance, just for the sake of including a racial mix of actors would be wrong.
One can say that Emmerdale doesn't have many ethnic actors as Eastenders does, once again a reflection of actual communities and nothing to do with racism
What does get up my nose is the fact that some films and TV shows have now gone too PC.
They always have the obligatory black person, generally in the top job, and the suspected black criminal generally turns out to be the good guy in the end, and it was the white guy that tried to frame him.
Midsummer Murders is not real, it's not a documentary, it is not reflecting reality or demographics, people are not murdered in intriguing ways on a weekly basis in the Chilterns it is, essentially, fantasy so I see no reason why ethinic minorities shouldn't feature or indeed why people would be put off watching if they did.
This is another example of someone opening their mouth without engaging the 'suitability' filter first - much as teenagers and old people do on a regular basis.
This silly man has pointed out the obvious, when it simply did not need to be stated, and got himself into trouble and quite rightly so.
It is quite true that for the remit of this (fictional!) series, the inclusion of ethnic minorities would not accurately reflect the population as delineated, but you can do that in fiction, because you can by definition, do anything in fiction.
Where this ludicrous individual has slipped up, is trying to equate fiction with real life - suggesting that English villages lose their appeal if there is an ethnic minority input into the population, which is untrue, and grossly offensive.
Statistics show that ethnic minority viewers do not watch or enjoy MM, but that may be more to do with its stupefying stereotypical scenarios, its clunky dialogue, and its twee view of the world - once again, perfectly acceptable as fiction, but not appealing to all viewers.
He has made a clumsy point badly - inferring that ethnic minorities should be excluded from this type of drama - because their ethnicity makes them unsuitable, which is racist.
I believe what he meant to say is that adding in an ethnic mix would be untypical of the scenario his series portrays, and again, that's fine because it is fictional - it when you try to draw non-existent parallels with real places and people that you run into trouble.
A man of such obvious intelligence should learn either to express his views coherently, so that no confusion can occur, and if that is not possible, don’t give interviews to national magazines!
This silly man has pointed out the obvious, when it simply did not need to be stated, and got himself into trouble and quite rightly so.
It is quite true that for the remit of this (fictional!) series, the inclusion of ethnic minorities would not accurately reflect the population as delineated, but you can do that in fiction, because you can by definition, do anything in fiction.
Where this ludicrous individual has slipped up, is trying to equate fiction with real life - suggesting that English villages lose their appeal if there is an ethnic minority input into the population, which is untrue, and grossly offensive.
Statistics show that ethnic minority viewers do not watch or enjoy MM, but that may be more to do with its stupefying stereotypical scenarios, its clunky dialogue, and its twee view of the world - once again, perfectly acceptable as fiction, but not appealing to all viewers.
He has made a clumsy point badly - inferring that ethnic minorities should be excluded from this type of drama - because their ethnicity makes them unsuitable, which is racist.
I believe what he meant to say is that adding in an ethnic mix would be untypical of the scenario his series portrays, and again, that's fine because it is fictional - it when you try to draw non-existent parallels with real places and people that you run into trouble.
A man of such obvious intelligence should learn either to express his views coherently, so that no confusion can occur, and if that is not possible, don’t give interviews to national magazines!
True AOG. Real life should be reflected and I agree that it is ridiculous to include minority groups in all dramas etc, when this doesn't reflect real life. I live in a very rural area and although we have people of different ethnic groups in the towns (but not many) in the very small villages around here I can't think of any and I have been here for 32 years.
Actually, not true our very congenial pub landlord is Thai! and he runs the perfect old fashioned traditional English pub with his family.
I don't like Midsomer Murders so don't watch it, but I don't think it's appeal is due to the absence of ethnic minorities. I just think it's appeal is that it is a fairly gentle middle of the road drama series (even with all the murders) and those type of dramas (Heartbeat, Where the Heart is, etc. etc.) are popular with loads of people. And the two I mention have ethnic minority groups in them!!!
Actually, not true our very congenial pub landlord is Thai! and he runs the perfect old fashioned traditional English pub with his family.
I don't like Midsomer Murders so don't watch it, but I don't think it's appeal is due to the absence of ethnic minorities. I just think it's appeal is that it is a fairly gentle middle of the road drama series (even with all the murders) and those type of dramas (Heartbeat, Where the Heart is, etc. etc.) are popular with loads of people. And the two I mention have ethnic minority groups in them!!!
cont: What population mix would you expect from a small Punjabi village ?
There have been several series about medieval England, the Tudors, and the Victorians. I can't recall any complaints about the lack of an ethnic mix.
Are we not allowed to view reality anymore ? Many of our programmes already introduce minority groups for PC reasons. Maybe all programmes should Sci-fi or run by Disney and then we can all live in a PC fantasy world.
There have been several series about medieval England, the Tudors, and the Victorians. I can't recall any complaints about the lack of an ethnic mix.
Are we not allowed to view reality anymore ? Many of our programmes already introduce minority groups for PC reasons. Maybe all programmes should Sci-fi or run by Disney and then we can all live in a PC fantasy world.
andy-hughes
/// This is another example of someone opening their mouth without engaging the 'suitability' filter first - much as teenagers and old people do on a regular basis.///
That is a rather 'Ageist' comment to make Andy. does this covienently put you, yourself outside of the frame Andy?
If it does I am afraid that this time you have proven that your theory must include all ages from time to time.
/// This is another example of someone opening their mouth without engaging the 'suitability' filter first - much as teenagers and old people do on a regular basis.///
That is a rather 'Ageist' comment to make Andy. does this covienently put you, yourself outside of the frame Andy?
If it does I am afraid that this time you have proven that your theory must include all ages from time to time.
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