"Better a fallen rocket than never a burst of light."
~ Tom Stoppard, The Invention of Love

Friday, February 21, 2014

Travelling Man: Series 2, Episode 6 – “Blow-Up” (1985)

 
Nothing too noteworthy about this one.  It’s not bad, like My Family or Rab C. Nesbitt, but it’s pretty darn unremarkable.  Though I watched the whole episode, my attention wandered during most of the PC-less scenes.
 
Max, our intrepid hero, is an Ex-Cop On a Mission.  At some point in the past, he was wrongfully imprisoned, and now that he’s out, he’s on a tear to figure out why things went down the way they did.  It seems to me that the overall series was pretty arc-based, and since “Blow-Up” is the penultimate episode, the wheels are pretty well in motion.  Max thinks he’s onto an important lead, and he pursues it with strong-arm tactics, clandestine meetings, and requisite car chases.
 
Brief appearance by PC as John, a potential source Max can press for information.  He’s somewhat shady – he indicates that his intel comes with a price tag firmly attached – but mostly harmless.  Apparently, his mother never told him that successful crooks have to be bright.
 
Not much to say.  Small role without too characterization.  His best scene is probably when he and Max have words in a pub, and he shows off his lack of criminal mastermindedness.
 
It’s interesting to see the types of bit roles famous actors had at the start of their careers.  I wonder if directors speculate as to which of their one-shot day-players are going to “make it.”  Did the director of “Blow-Up” have any inkling that this energetic, gangly kid had an Academy Award, a BAFTA, and a Who regeneration in his future?
 
Accent Watch
 
Okay, so I spent a good chunk of PC’s first scene trying to work out his accent.  Granted, I was thrown off the scent because a couple of Welsh characters appear shortly before his in a similar locale, but it’s still pretty uneven.  Eventually though, it settles into what basically sounds like RP.
 
Recommend?
 
In General – Naw.  Too generic, not especially interesting.
 
PC-wise – Not necessarily.  Not enough screentime or characterization.
 
Warnings
 
Some action violence and drinking.

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