(no subject)
Verrry interesting, the question of Life On Mars and "political correctness". Here's an interview from July 2006 with John Simm and Philip Glenister:
Glenister: It was also, you know, you're so kind of disciplined as to what you can say and what you can't say on TV these days.
Simm: And you know, there [was] sexism and racism, and you can't ignore it, because it was there. It was true. They kind of get out of offending everybody by my character, who's essentially the audience, tutting and rolling his eyes and saying, "That's outrageous. You can't say that." He's shocked on behalf of the audience. And there's a big get-out clause there. As long as I don't approve, then it's OK.
[...]
Glenister: What's great about it is the excuse. Because of the whole political correctness thing, which has sort of got out of hand. People are coming out with these ludicrous [rules about] what you can and can't say. This sort of nanny state, effectively, that we live in. And it's just a great antidote to that, to be able to say, "F--k you," basically. And that's what's joyous about it for me, doing the show, is [it's] an excuse to turn around to all of those people that say political correctness is the way forward, to say, "Oh, don't be so f--king stupid."
I don't think the show, or the actors, intends to present racism or sexism as natural and harmless - in fact, Gene's bigotry gets in the way of solving the crime on more than one occasion. But if so, then what is the "political correctness" that the show is reacting against?
Glenister: It was also, you know, you're so kind of disciplined as to what you can say and what you can't say on TV these days.
Simm: And you know, there [was] sexism and racism, and you can't ignore it, because it was there. It was true. They kind of get out of offending everybody by my character, who's essentially the audience, tutting and rolling his eyes and saying, "That's outrageous. You can't say that." He's shocked on behalf of the audience. And there's a big get-out clause there. As long as I don't approve, then it's OK.
[...]
Glenister: What's great about it is the excuse. Because of the whole political correctness thing, which has sort of got out of hand. People are coming out with these ludicrous [rules about] what you can and can't say. This sort of nanny state, effectively, that we live in. And it's just a great antidote to that, to be able to say, "F--k you," basically. And that's what's joyous about it for me, doing the show, is [it's] an excuse to turn around to all of those people that say political correctness is the way forward, to say, "Oh, don't be so f--king stupid."
I don't think the show, or the actors, intends to present racism or sexism as natural and harmless - in fact, Gene's bigotry gets in the way of solving the crime on more than one occasion. But if so, then what is the "political correctness" that the show is reacting against?