Dr Who and the BBC

Patrick Crozier and Natalie Solent have been expressing concern about bias at the BBC overtaking Dr Who – to the detriment of the latter. Having just caught up with the episodes in question and having read the comments on both blogs prior to doing so, I watched with these comments in mind.

Art has always mirrored life – it always will. That is where it draws its inspiration. So the story whereby a family of greedy aliens want to start a global war and use the politics of fear to generate it so that they can sell off the remains of Earth to anyone who wants to buy it resonates with what is happening at the moment. And, yes, the 45 second threat was less than subtle when the alien disguised as the PM came out with it. But….

Sorry Patrick and Natalie, for me, the Slitheens had more of the Vogon than Bush and Blair. Yes, the writer indulged in a little satire – and why not? But this was more piss-take than serious political comment. I certainly don’t go along with the comments made by the commentator; Mark, that Natalie quotes:

I`m against the iraq war but for the bbc to put out a programme which basically suggested that Bush (i`m not a fan)was behind 9/11 in order to start a war on iraq was grotesque. I expect to see that kind of extremism on anarchist/islamic and white supremacist websites, not on the BBC.

Actually, here I agree with Natalie – it was a weak joke that raised half a smile but I didn’t take it as seriously as Mark. Nor for that matter did I feel as worked up as some of the 20 commentors on Natalie’s blog. Nor, for that matter did I feel as Natalie did, that it jolted me out of my suspended disbelief. Indeed, my main feeling following the comments and having watched the programme was to echo Michael Winner – "Calm down, dear, it’s only a story."

As for bias? Well, of course the BBC is biased – all of the media is. What’s new?