N.Z. comedy was an improver at end

Press, Volume CX, Issue 32430, 17 October 1970, Page 4

N.Z. comedy was an improver at end

The prospect of being disappointed at the winding up of “In view Of The Circumstances” [seemed rather remote a few weeks ago, but the final dose of the prescription, on Thursday night, had a sufficiently beneficial effect to make this viewer wish for a little more. This is not a retraction of [the earlier criticism of the [show. It has had some resounding failures, right through the series. But the I final programme had some very good items indeed: it can be done and, one hopes,

will be done, for there is certainly no reason to abandon this attempt to make New Zealanders laugh at themselves. This viewer found the Royal visit to the factory a delightful skit. The Father Christmas nonsense was very well done and the scene in the aircraft with the strong suggestion of a hijacking coming up was one of the best sketches produced in “1.V.0.T.C.” The switching of “Bracken’s World” from Saturday night to Thursday evening no doubt pleased those who regard the Saturday evening programme as the highlight of the week, but its present position has had at least one strange effect. “Bracken’s World” comes

on to the screen immediately after “Coronation Street” finishes, and while there are some who object to "The Street,” it has an immense following, and most of its admirers point to its unpretentiousness and honesty. The contrast between “Coronation Street” and “Bracken’s World,” now cheek by jowl on the programme, is startling. The brittle, sick world of Bracken’s people is unlikely to appeal to a majority of viewers, who must be a little weary with this Hollywood set. One of the voluptuous young ladies in it was actually reading a book in bed in this week’s story ... but it was probably “Peyton PIace.”—PANDORA.