Talk Television on SENSITIZE ©

[Louis P. Burns aka Lugh]

It's hoped that this part of SENSITIZE © will be used by our members to discuss television shows that they either enjoyed or hated. Talk about anything that is currently on tv in your area and make recommendations to watch shows to other members.

I will start the ball rolling in the next message with a review of a show I watched over the last 3 nights on terrestial tv.

[Louis P. Burns aka Lugh]

FACING THE TRUTH - BBC2

Firstly, I'm annoyed I didn't give this series my full attention. I hope they repeat it, soon. That said, lastnight's episode had me glued to the tv and numbed me quite frankly...

The show held the format of an 'around the table' conversation with victims of The Troubles here in Northern Ireland and people who were involved in the violence. Archbishop Desmond Tutu acted as facilitator in this show and was assisted by;-

Harvard University's Donna Hicks, widely experienced in conflict resolution dialogue, and Lesley Bilinda, whose husband was killed in the 1994 Rwandan genocide and who went on a journey to try to find his killers and learn the truth about his death.

Psychologist and trauma counsellor Nomfundo Walaza, former director of the South African Trauma Centre for victims of violence and torture, was also present.

I said at the start of this message that lastnight's episode numbed me. I wasn't lying. Michael Stone, a former volunteer in the Loyalist paramilitary organisation the Ulster Freedom Fighters (UFF) was questioned by the brother, widow and family members of a man Stone claimed to be involved in targeting and assasinating based on intelligence gathered by a regional battalion of the UFF.

Dermot Hackett worked as a breadman for the Mother's Pride Bakery and delivered to customers on both sides of the political divide. He was a Catholic but had many Protestant friends. One of the regional battalions of Michael Stone's organisation had him targeted as a Republican and marked as an enemy soldier in the Provisional Irish Republican Army (PIRA). A claim that his family have always maintained as untrue...

Watching Mr. Hackett's widow cry and express, not only her grief at the murder of her husband, but the consequent upheaval it cost to her family, health, home and the death of her mother 6 months after her husband's murder, was harrowing. Michael Stone sat silently across the table while Mrs. Hackett asked him why he had done this. When he answered, he was concise and wanted to express his perspective and how he came to be involved in the murder of Catholics and Republicans. He detailed what life was like for a Loyalist killer and how his own family life was ruined because of his involvement.

At many points in the show, either due to camera angles or editing, I got the feeling Michael Stone wasn't facing up to everything by directly talking to the Hackett family. I may be wrong, but he appeared to direct his answers to Archbishop Tutu and the above named panel and only briefly appeared to talk directly at the Hackett family.

He spoke of how he lived a double life as a killer. He would attach a trailer onto the back of his car and told his wives (married twice) that he was going off for the weekend, under the pretence that he was a builder. He also said he had to dirty his denims with cement and clay to make it look like he had been working as a builder. He spoke about how intelligence had been gathered and how he tested the automatic rifle used in the murder a few weeks beforehand and how he was in no doubt, due to this intelligence, that Mr. Hackett was his enemy...

Several questions were asked of him. One, from Mr. Hackett's brother made the hair on the back of my neck stand up. All throughout the interview, Stone had spoken of his discretion while working as a Loyalist killer. Mr. Hackett's brother asked him why, if that was the case, was he so open on the day he launched a grenade and gun attack on a Republican funeral and on camera. Stone answered as best he could and described his frustration that a Republican funeral was taking place just up the street from where he lived. How he had to do something...

Towards the end of the conversation and in the other interviews it was requested that both parties shake hands if at all possible. My heart went out to Mrs. Hackett. She tried to be forgiving but broke down in floods of tears. Mr. Hackett's brother explained just how much she had been suffering and those left around the table acknowledged this...

I grew up in this country and all throughout, I was friendly with members of both communities. I am from mixed parentage and have never fully understood the conflict. Thankfully, life in Northern Ireland has changed. There isn't the same amounts of hostility in both communities and many initiatives have been set up to tackle the divisions in politics and religion. It will take several years to bring us all back to a point where acceptance and forgiveness are embraced here in Ireland, but imho, this show, despite my views on religion, was a step in the right direction...

To read the full BBC Press Office announcement on Facing The Truth, click here...

[joanne chapman]

I was wondering if you were watching it last night. I missed the other two parts.

When I was watching I felt a strange sadness for both.

I thought Mr Stone was brave to go and face these people and they were strong enough to face the killer of a family member, don't think I could. I would want revenge, an eye for an eye.

Mr Stone seemed detached from what he has done and no doubt IRA members are the same.

I don't like any violence but I could really see where he was coming from.

Who's right and who's wrong, IRA or Loyalists? There is no answer, is there? It's all wrong and a tragic waste of life.

It is just a crying shame that so many people have to die before agreements are made.

Jox

Try and watch no Angels tonight at 10 o'clock on channel 4.

[Louis P. Burns aka Lugh]

I was wondering if you were watching it last night. I missed the other two parts.

When I was watching I felt a strange sadness for both.

I thought Mr Stone was brave to go and face these people and they were strong enough to face the killer of a family member, don't think I could. I would want revenge, an eye for an eye.

Mr Stone seemed detached from what he has done and no doubt IRA members are the same.

I don't like any violence but I could really see where he was coming from.

Who's right and who's wrong, IRA or Loyalists? There is no answer, is there? It's all wrong and a tragic waste of life.

It is just a crying shame that so many people have to die before agreements are made.

Jox

Yes, perhaps 'detached' is a better description of him. I'd say there are many people looking back over their lives here and wondering if the pain was ever necessary. I just hope it's over with for good...

Try and watch no Angels tonight at 10 o'clock on channel 4.

I'll give it a go mate. But isn't it a series that has to be followed?

[joanne chapman]

I think it is all over mate. It's all been taken over by the new crap that's going on in the world.

At least they can talk now, even if they don't agree, it's a start!

About no angels, you don't have to follow it, it can be funny and has blinding music. Don't know how good it will be tonight as one of the main cast left last week, so it's all change.

Jox

[Louis P. Burns aka Lugh]

I watched No Angels, recommended by Jo. I thought it was a pretty well put together show but some of the characters were a bit over the top. The doctor with the Northern Irish accent for one. What doctor would unleash the kind of fury he did on the junior doctor, in front of patients and other staff?

The scene at the nightclub was very well done. Great camera and lighting work to create the effect of the nurse, I can't remember her character name, becoming more and more stoned on whatever it was she snorted...

Soundtrack was cool too. Mixture of Motown classics with modern material by Groove Armada. Nice...

I'll definitely tune in again next Tuesday and watch more...

Some of those nurses were hot, hot, hot..!

[joanne chapman]

I watched No Angels, recommended by Jo. I thought it was a pretty well put together show but some of the characters were a bit over the top. The doctor with the Northern Irish accent for one. What doctor would unleash the kind of fury he did on the junior doctor, in front of patients and other staff.

The scene at the nightclub was very well done. Great camera and lighting work to create the effect of the nurse, I can't remember her character name, becoming more and more stoned on whatever it was she snorted...

Soundtrack was cool too. Mixture of Motown classics with modern material by Groove Armada. Nice...

I'll definitely tune in again next Tuesday and watch more...

Some of those nurses were hot, hot, hot..!

She was snorting alcohol, goes straight to the brain...eww

Glad you liked it. It was not a good one last night, it's normally a lot better storyline.

Don't you be looking at other nurses Mr lugh, they may be younger, (not hotter) tut tut.

[Louis P. Burns aka Lugh]

She was snorting alcohol, goes straight to the brain...eww

Glad you liked it. It was not a good one last night, it's normally a lot better storyline.

Don't you be looking at other nurses Mr lugh, they may be younger, (not hotter) tut tut.

You can't stop me looking at nurses. There Ha..! I just did it again ...

Christ almighty. Snorting alcohol..? Haven't the poor bastards heard of coke? Actually, in total fairness to this show, it ran back to back with the re-runs of Shameless, so that in itself is a winner in my opinion. Paul Abbott's Shameless - Masterpiece in black comedy and drama...

Still can't wait until the new series of The Soprano's comes on. It's been off our screens way too long... (Some git told me that this next series is the last - feck!)...

[joanne chapman]

That Northern Irish talking bloke is over the top though.

There is another series starting soon 'Green Wing' it is really funny, you should watch out for it. Think it starts later on this month.

Mr Lugh you will be getting a good spanking if you don't behave, you only need one Nurse - that's an order.

Shameless is a brilliant series. It's finished now and I think I have probably watched all episodes twice already on cable.

[joanne chapman]

I have just watched 'The English Patient'. I know it's a bit old. I don't get out much, I just wait til it comes on ppv.

Well, it made a change to watch a film with a good story - unlike most of the shit nowdays. Would recommend it. Rating****

[Louis P. Burns aka Lugh]

Great movie Jo.

I just watched an excellent piece called Dead Man's Shoes. Great story, soundtrack and performances from entire cast...

Chilling, but essential viewing

[the_leander]

Tbh of late I've been watching a lot of stuff via downloads, I figure I'll only share the legit ones here in public

DL.TV has been taking up much of my viewing time of late. I truth I've not watched more then an hours TV in the past two weeks, the bbc is an absolute pussy since the hutton report, so beyond "This Week" and "Question Time" (Both of which I miss consistantly), there is absolutely nothing I've even considered watching.

I'm finding I'm listening to more music and radio these days... All online of course.

[joanne chapman]

Tbh of late I've been watching a lot of stuff via downloads, I figure I'll only share the legit ones here in public

DL.TV has been taking up much of my viewing time of late. I truth I've not watched more then an hours TV in the past two weeks, the bbc is an absolute pussy since the hutton report, so beyond "This Week" and "Question Time" (Both of which I miss consistantly), there is absolutely nothing I've even considered watching.

I'm finding I'm listening to more music and radio these days... All online of course.

What music do you listen to?

[the_leander]

Tbh of late I've been watching a lot of stuff via downloads, I figure I'll only share the legit ones here in public

DL.TV has been taking up much of my viewing time of late. I truth I've not watched more then an hours TV in the past two weeks, the bbc is an absolute pussy since the hutton report, so beyond "This Week" and "Question Time" (Both of which I miss consistantly), there is absolutely nothing I've even considered watching.

I'm finding I'm listening to more music and radio these days... All online of course.

What music do you listen to?

All sorts, at the moment I'm listening to some classical music by Hans Zimmer and James Newton Howard...

Also got a load of mp3's on the jukebox to choose from, it litterally depends on the mood I'm in at the time, and what I want the effect of the music to be.

[joanne chapman]

Tbh of late I've been watching a lot of stuff via downloads, I figure I'll only share the legit ones here in public

DL.TV has been taking up much of my viewing time of late. I truth I've not watched more then an hours TV in the past two weeks, the bbc is an absolute pussy since the hutton report, so beyond "This Week" and "Question Time" (Both of which I miss consistantly), there is absolutely nothing I've even considered watching.

I'm finding I'm listening to more music and radio these days... All online of course.

What music do you listen to?

All sorts, at the moment I'm listening to some classical music by Hans Zimmer and James Newton Howard...

Also got a load of mp3's on the jukebox to choose from, it litterally depends on the mood I'm in at the time, and what I want the effect of the music to be.

I don't listen to much classical, I do like Puccini 'O mio Babbini Caro' and a bit of Tchaikovsky, (love swan lake).

Music is far better than television!!