Monday, March 31, 2025

Good tv.

'Adolescence' on Netflix a challenging watch. The start of the first episode is emotionally powerful in the way it catches the viewer by surprise. In fact the opening scene is so intense that nothing else that follows quite matches it. The actor who plays the father is absolutely brilliant. What a role he has been given -  I had to hold my breath at the point where he recognizes what his son has done.  'The Font' thought it excellent, I found the whole thing too disturbing. The viewer is left to agonize over the strange and alien world of incel, manosphere and red pill that many 13 year old males inhabit. 

Seven am and the delivery trucks are out and about restocking stores after the weekends influx of visitors.


The street that leads to the library eerily quiet. Give it another couple of weeks when exams start to encroach on the students consciousness and the footfall in town will pick up. Today all is calm and innocent.


The fancy cocktail bar now serving lobster rolls. Angus would not make a good politician. If anyone asked him a tricky question about how much a can of soft drink costs he'd say 50p - 60p at most. £3 sounds outrageous.  This is why before a broadcast interview cabinet ministers wanting to show how 'real and in-touch' they are have someone update them on the price of a pint of milk or a loaf of bread.


Sunglasses appear in window displays. Hope springs eternal.


Is there a souvenir shop in town that doesn't have Highland Coo soft toys in the window ? They are everywhere.


This is strangely powerful, beautifully read  and not the sort of thing I ever thought would appear on this blog. #12 is a good starting point. The author is a brilliant Russia scholar and is moving from Yale to Toronto - this tells me something  although I'm not quite sure what that is :https://snyder.substack.com/p/twenty-lessons-read-by-john-lithgow

Clever marketing by a Tyneside fish shop :https://rileysfishshop.com/

Noah Davis at the Barbican :https://www.barbican.org.uk/whats-on/2025/event/noah-davis



14 comments:

Lisa in France said...

I just finished watching "Adolescence" a few days ago. I wasn't planning to watch it, as it sounded too disturbing, but my son insisted I must - he was so impressed both by the way the series was shot in single takes and by the actor who played the boy. In the end, I thought it was brilliant and, like you, I was most impressed by the actor who played the father. And now I am happily recuperating by watching "The Residence." John Lithgow's reading of Tim Snyder's 20 points was indeed powerful, and frightening. I had to go back and see what #12 was - I think you are doing a good job of this with your wanderings about town.

Yamini MacLean said...

Hari OM
Oh no, not more coos to tempt this OCD afflictee! Those, I must say, are particularly fine examples. Often they look like they've been made by committee.

Have always enjoyed TS's columns in the Guardian and occasional interviews in podcasts, so am off to savour this list... YAM xx

Camille said...

Eating establishments usually mark up any fluid sales; they're generally doubled. The lobster roll is an excellent bargain compared to our local prices but I'd consider 11 pounds for three oysters shockingly expensive. Regarding the highland coos...I'd be the one trying to stuff the larger coo into my carry-on for the trip home. I will be reading the list a bit later on this morning once I'm a bit more fortified with caffeine.

Travel said...

I am shocked at the price of oysters, nearly 4-pounds each. I dearly hope that the oystermen are getting a fair share of that, harvesting them is hard work.

Travel said...

A second comment, Friday I bought a copy of the book, being exerted by John Lithgow at my local independent bookshop. It is next on my to read stack.

Diaday said...

Those coos are adorable and 3 of the small ones would make it into this grandma's extra bag she'd have to buy to get them home to her little grandchildren.

Anonymous said...

I have read almost all of Timothy Snyder’s books. He is a strong critic of both the first and second Trump administrations. I did not know he left Yale. I find this sad but understandable for his own safety. I have good friends here in DC moving to Crete in six weeks. The cherry blossoms are in peak season as are protests. The chaos continues…..

Sharon said...

Three professors from Yale will be at the U of T Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy. Marci Shore, Timothy Snyder and Jason Stanley.

Stephanie said...

I read that Timothy Snyder has been planning the move to Toronto for a couple of years. His books have been on my shelves for some time. A clear voice of reason.

Coppa's girl said...

The Highland coos are so cute - you don't have to be a grandchild to appreciate them!

rottrover said...

While I could listen to John Lithgow read the phone book, the Snyder piece was so moving; and so rational. Thank you so much. And also. thrilled to learn that Noah Davis will be in LA in a couple of months! .

jabblog said...

I thought 'Adolescence' was brilliant and disturbing. Excellent writers and cast.
I've just sent my newborn great granddaughter a soft toy Highland cow.

The Life of Riley said...

My new Golden Retriever pup "Q" would love a Highland Coo! That said Q loves every pre-loved toy our previous three GRs (Enzo, Riley and Keno) once played with and I still have half a box of toys he hasn't seen yet.

Anonymous said...

Twenty Lessons a poignant reminder. Here in Piedmont NC we have raginggrannies.org on Instagram to express many of us older folks concerns more poetically.