Ephemeral culture, alienation & interconectivity, social function of TV, uncategorisability, mortality & posthumous 'final bows', contempt & gender, story generation, & more are discussed in this review of Nolly, the 2023 miniseries from Russell T Davies that serves as a tribute to Noele Gordon of the British soap Crossroads.
(00:00:00) What we know of Crossroads
(00:04:08) Experiences with soaps
(00:10:25) Intimacy & social function of soaps
(00:15:01) Who was Crossroads for?
(00:17:27) Genesis of Nolly the show
(00:24:58) Respect for soaps
(00:27:49) Why RTD wrote this now
(00:33:39) Mortality & legacy
(00:38:45) Is the show too niche?
(00:41:48) Tone & tribute
(00:49:22) Uncategorisability
(00:57:50) It’s a Sin connections
(01:00:38) Contempt & gender
(01:07:34) RTD invoking MeToo
(01:12:40) Character passivity
(01:19:25) Poppy
(01:31:01) Writers: ego & experience
(01:38:29) Why Nolly was fired
(01:42:50) Accents & dialogue delivery
(01:52:53) Posthumous final bow
(02:00:01) The Times + raised on TV
(02:08:12) Doctor Who parallels
(02:15:18) RTD’s gestation periods
(02:23:32) What has taken the place of soaps?
(02:27:12) Resonances with the 80s + phrasing + cancellations
(02:36:12) Passion for the past
(02:38:50) RTD bookends…
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