The common touch

Press, 4 March 1988, Page 17

The common touch

Ken Strongman

on television

In a gentle, if parochial way, it is quite nice that “The Mainland Touch” is back. It is somehow comforting to hear about matters of Ipcal concern like rock faljs on roads and changing house prices. The understated doings of Canterbury have a sort of calming (influence on the remainder of the evening. It is curiously restful to contemplate ja road blocked on both sides.

; John Dunne. with his four-square, i just-back-from-fooiy-training personality, I is very nearly the perfect presenter for the programme. He has a pleasant; voice j and probably appeals to everyone, from mums to! daughters and back again. Like many of the (other presenters this 5 ypar though, he seems to be going to Robin Kora’s tailor for his sports coats. There is a sort of Jcross (between a poor man’s Miami Vice and the (old George Raft creeping onio TVNZ clothes at the (moment.

The first programme centred (on a surprise interview with Phillip Robinson and his new heart. It was a good idea, just, but it was too long. Of course, it is massively impressive! to replace someone’s heart, but this does not automatically make every thing about that

person interesting. Phillip was even allowed to turn the' camera onto the cameraman, which was almost too much of I a folksy image, even for the “The Mainland Touch.” It is nice to have the programme back again, but it is best not to watch it every evening. It can become too cloying. It is important in a community sense, it is well made, and there are many reasons for watching it now and again. Apart from anything else, there is nothing like a bit of local shockhorror, particularly since with John Dunne to guide us through it, things can’t be too bad. Later oh Monday, TVNZ sank instantly to its lower depths by getting “It's in the Bag” back onto the screen at the earliest possible opportunity. “Evening Rotorua. Hello New Zealand. Hey, how’s that? Not bad for openers, eh?” John Hawkesby might be personable but he is the silicon bust of TVNZ. His outrider is Hilary Timmins, who was dressed like a fancified dental receptionist simultaneously advertising her boss’s handiwork.

Have you noticed that John Hawkesby sounds almost exactly like David Lange? To do so of course | you would have to watch|

the programme, i which might be too much ,’to ask. But if it happens to be on anyway, try itJ Close your eyes and it is the! Prime Minister. "Hey, New Zealand, the money or the bag?” “Hey, New Zealand; here comes the big one.” What better introduction to tax relief? . j This one bit of I fortuitous, if minor, interest apart, “It's in the Bag” is a truly awful programme, demeaning in the extrem'e. People are (embarrassed and nervous but grinningly glad (to be

there, getting whipped up into an even more enthusiastic chance to gain something for nothing. And the audience is so pleased when the persqn on the spot turns down the cash in hand to take (a chance. Why? Do they want them to do even better or to end up with nothing? Unfortunately, it is probably nothing. As the 30 minutes grind on, so the good humour continues with the relentless irresistibility of tiie sea. As it does, so the tawdry side of the human spirit comes more and more to the front. Which is a great pity because there is a high likelihood that those involved are not really like this; they are pushed into it. In spite of all its obvious faults, it is almost certain that "It’s in the Bag” will go for as long as television lasts in New Zealand. Mind you, when TV3 is on the air, the programme will probably have plenty of competition. The lowest common denominator of television can be very wide. Nevertheless, watching these people decide between the money and the bag lis still like being tumbledried in a giant kaleidoscope in company with the larger part of a rugby crowd.