The end of the Bellamy Saga

Press, Volume CXV, Issue 33814, 10 April 1975, Page 4

The end of the Bellamy Saga

The channel which ■ acquires “Upstairs, i Downstairs,” if and when another series is /available in New Zealland, will score heavily. The series which ended ion TVI on Tuesday; evening - was one of the (really pronounced stieicesses in the 15-year ihistory of New Zealand‘ (television. ; It had tremendous appeal,! (from its strength in every I I aspect of its production. I Beautifully mounted, admir-l ably cast and acted. “Up-j stairs. Downstairs” has held 1 laudience interest steadily; it! has been rather like watch-1 ing a play in which a revolv-l ing stage has been used to I display the contrasts between the Bellamy drawing room and Hudson’s domain. : The final episode provided ! another reminder of a stage! play or. more accurately, a] r.view. The writers used the! death of Edward Vfl as a

suitable milestone for the winding up of the series and (brought the - full cast on stage ‘for the finale. “c' ie other aspects of Tuesday's programmes were I not so satisfactory. In the first week of TVI production, (the weather girl has found • more confidence, but the : whole presentation falls below N.Z.B.C. standards. I The young lady on Tuesday (night waved an admittedly (attractive hand vaguely about •an ill-defined map. Near the end of its existj fence the N.Z.B.C. used to (illuminate each area in turn, and this was far more satisIfactory than the present haphazard. arrangements. The | weather forecast, not unnaturally, is one of the focal (points of a viewer’s evening. “The Odd Couple.” promoted from a previous late (slot to 7 p.m., hardly warranted the change. It had (very few good lines, and was ‘often forced: some of the •earlier episodes were far •better than this one. And Alan Whicker seemed to be (wasting his and our time (with his long look at the •habits and possessions of al • few eccentric car-lovers in ( i California. ■ Whicker usually has better' (material than this. An exam-1 (ination of a few vehicles, the) I gimmicks and extravagances! 'which went with them, and] ithe people who, as one said. I i “want to be noticed.” seemed I (hardly worth while. And the, sardonic Whicker wit was) • missing too. It was a flat! ! script. “Tonight at Nine" seems! (to be responding quite satis-1 Ifactorily, in coverage and( presentation, to the demands! (of daily news reporting. But! (TV! ; s making its viewers a (little dizzy with its imnres-i ;sive ariay of reporters “This! •is Joe Bloggs for TV] in’ •V likikamukmi” is acceptable ! (if Joe has been expressing; Ihis views on something or! iother. The cult of person-1 jality seems to be gripping! ■TVI. News is not manufactured. I • Items in a bulletin are read. ‘They are not opinions. But! • TVI prefers the “News with 1 • IBill McCarthy” approach to a plain presentation. And it is still stiflling the 1 :(close of a programme with a; vigorous plug for the one I •about to begin. The haste is' (indecent, the effort to make! the re"ders- and reporters! • more important than the • (news is deplorable. 'i Margaret Lockwood .and; I “Justice” scored well again. ) •j It demonstrated that court • i (dramas do not need spectacumurders, or vast swindles,j ;(in fact anything but sfrnnli-' i(city, to be effective. This! ‘case was one of child j ((custody; but the court hear-; Hings were both fascinating.! ‘there was a satisfactory twist] lito the story. And Harriet! • Peterson, and justice, both (lost. —R.T.B.