[TV] Coogan as Saville on BBC One

[Hugo Rune]

The BBC has wasted license payers money on Jimmy Savile publicity, i fear they will never learn. Why any of you chaps would watch this is beyond me.

Bizarre statement.

This series represents the voice of the victims. The BBC has a duty to air their stories after turning a blind eye to Saville’s noncing.

The most important part of the series is the statements from the victims. They want their stories to dominate ‘the history of Saville’ for the rest of time and I fully back them. A collection of incredibly brave people.

 

[lawros left foot]

His last name must be one of the most regularly misspelt names ever.

Him, and Chris Houghton.

 

[Psychobilly freakout]

What a daft statement; how would you know that nothing can be learnt from it? Having actually watched it I was thinking exactly the opposite; there is so much to learn from it in terms of allowing the cult of celebrity blind people into trusting them. The late 60s and the 70s were the early days of that culture and people like Saville got away with it...

Not really, but I get your point.
personally I think there are still celebrities getting away with it, and as a victim of abuse I don’t need to watch it.

 

[Peacehaven Wild Kids]

Me and Mrs PWK are watching but I seriously can’t make up my mind if I’m enjoying this televisual feast or not. Every aspect of this ‘dramatisation’ makes him look like a complete c**t

 

[PILTDOWN MAN]

I've watched it all on Iplayer. It's a hard watch if honest. Well done in production and shows the authorities up for what they were/are.

 

[clapham_gull]

Bizarre statement.

This series represents the voice of the victims. The BBC has a duty to air their stories after turning a blind eye to Saville’s noncing.

The most important part of the series is the statements from the victims. They want their stories to dominate ‘the history of Saville’ for the rest of time and I fully back them. A collection of incredibly brave people.

Not sure it has a "duty", the story has been well documented and I recommend the brilliantly researched Netflix series which I think told the story better.

I did struggle with the dramatisation after reading the book it was based on, the book written by the central journalist figure.

No idea how it came to air, but worth pointing out it was made by ITV Studios not the BBC. Such is the reality of modern TV, the Graham Norton show is made by ITV as well.

BBC could have "commissioned it", or probably ITV Studios just pitched the idea to the BBC.

 

[herecomesaregular]

I watched it mostly as intrigued by whether Coogan could carry it off without bringing in a bit of his Partridge or a bit of his Stan Laurel, by accident. He did brilliantly to be fair, the only fault being he portrayed him as perhaps a too obvious wrong 'un and didn't show much of the charisma that he must have had to woo and deceive the public and those around him. Hard for him to have done that though of course, couldn't make him likeable now we know what he did. While on the one hand I feel Savile's name should never be mentioned on the other what he did and how he did it should never be forgotten.

 

[London Pompous]

Great performance by Coogan

 

[Papak]

Great performance by Coogan, my main issue with the show was format, a scene from the present, then a flashback, followed by a scene from the present, then a flashback. It was incessant now, then, now, then.

See post 15

 

[Questions]

I hope they mention all the good work he did for charity….. Bet they make him out to be some sort of monster though.

 

[Hugo Rune]

I thought the Thatcher relationship was well covered. History tells us that she was absolutely captivated by him.

I’m not accusing the late Prime Minister of knowing or suspecting his crimes (she had very little empathy and was so concerned with herself that her judgment of others would have been seriously impaired). But it does leave one pondering the thought, did they? It’s been suggested that Saville stayed the night a Chequers many times.

 

[Easy 10]

His last name must be one of the most regularly misspelt names ever.

Indeed. Its fairly easy to remember - he put the VILE into Savile.

As for Coogan, I think its been an excellent performance (I've watched 3 of the 4 so far). Portrays Savile's false 'jovialness' to perfection, but always with that sense of an absolute c*nt lurking not very far beneath the surface.

I used to love Jim'll Fix It as well, watched it every week as a kid. Thank christ I never got taken along.

 

[Shropshire Seagull]

Apart from TOTP my earliest recollection of him was the clunk-click adverts - must have saved thousands of lives.

I was intrigued by the comment from one of his victims that Savile himself may have believed that all his good charity etc. work negated his sexual predatory activities.

Must be loads like it still going on. Russell Brand? But maybe not under age or boys?

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

Very sensitively done and well-acted by Coogan. Uncomfortable to watch, but then it should be.

I know Coogan was very particular about deciding to act in it. But what purpose does it serve? I am not going to watch it because I found Savile repulsive when he was alive, and understand he was a predatory paedophile. I understand also that he operated in plain sight, and seemed to charm people into trusting him a bit like Johnson does. Do I want to learn more about the mistakes people made with him? No. People are fools. I'd no more want to watch this than watch another documentary examining how Hitler came to power, or what motivated Ian Brady. f*** 'em. Fie upon them

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

Bizarre statement.

This series represents the voice of the victims. The BBC has a duty to air their stories after turning a blind eye to Saville’s noncing.

The most important part of the series is the statements from the victims. They want their stories to dominate ‘the history of Saville’ for the rest of time and I fully back them. A collection of incredibly brave people.

If that's the case then fair enough. Still too creepy for me to watch, though.

 

[faoileán]

I know Coogan was very particular about deciding to act in it. But what purpose does it serve? I am not going to watch it because I found Savile repulsive when he was alive, and understand he was a predatory paedophile. I understand also that he operated in plain sight, and seemed to charm people into trusting him a bit like Johnson does. Do I want to learn more about the mistakes people made with him? No. People are fools. I'd no more want to watch this than watch another documentary examining how Hitler came to power, or what motivated Ian Brady. f*** 'em. Fie upon them

Fair enough, but surely foolish people ignore the mistakes of the past which allows them to happen again...

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

Fair enough, but surely foolish people ignore the mistakes of the past which allows them to happen again...

We now have massive loads of safeguarding and games are changing everywhere. More than 1000 met police likely to be charged with using their job in order to pursue an agenda of hate and abuse? The age of giving a celebrity their own key to the kids' ward in a hospital is long gone.

But, yes, I suppose that if there is anyone out there who still thinks Savile was a good lad then watching the programme may change their mind. Frankly, however, I'm not interested in people like that.

 

[Lenny Rider]

Errr... no it isn't, he's doing a Lancashire/Salford accent for Tony Wilson and a Yorkshire/Leeds accent for Saville. Not all northerners sound the same. His portrayal of Saville is incredibly well observed both in terms of vocal tics and mannerisms. With Wilson he was only really going for a light hearted representation.

Remembering also that Wilson was still very much alive at the time, heavily involved in the project, and was a much loved figure in the media rather than a dead serial sex offender.

No comparison whatsoever.

 

[Pavilionaire]

Me and Mrs PWK are watching but I seriously can’t make up my mind if I’m enjoying this televisual feast or not. Every aspect of this ‘dramatisation’ makes him look like a complete c**t

But isn't that the point, the 'Reckoning' of undertaking charity work to offset the evil and depravity of his secret life? When seen in these terms it all begins to make more sense.

 

[Lenny Rider]

But isn't that the point, the 'Reckoning' of undertaking charity work to offset the evil and depravity of his secret life? When seen in these terms it all begins to make more sense.

Spoiler alert but when talking to his biographer, who I’d imagine is based on an actual person, Savile (apologies for the earlier spelling mistake) talks about judgement day with ‘him upstairs’ and convinces himself that his good deeds will outweigh his crimes. Top writing and acting.