Antiviral Wipe

I miss the old cruelty zoo style Charlie Brooker, what has TV land done to the man.

Odd to think that on one hand new episodes of Black Mirror will struggle due to challenges of making them during the Coronavirus, and also the challenge of creating that type of narrative when reality seems to be doing just fine on its on; but then on the other hand you have Brooker's Screenwipe, which has been made in isolation conditions but actually doesn't look significantly different from any other time. In terms of content, looking at news and television is also very relevant, since this is what a lot of people are doing now. The main appeal for me was to look back at the last few months - time which has flown by and has almost constantly developed and rapidly changed throughout. Brooker does this in his usual way, wit ha well-structured show which takes the last few months apart with the usual withering dialogue, imaginative touches, and dark, dry wit. Very much worth a look.

Of course in future years history will be rewritten.

How the plucky Brits seized the wartime Blitz spirit to meet the challenges of the Coronavirus pandemic. In reality while most of the general public were compliant with the lockdown rules. It was noticeable that the toffs, the privileged, the Prime Minister and his main adviser treated the rules as it were voluntary.

Prince Charles bolted to Balmoral (not his main residence) to recuperate after getting the virus. Boris Johnson scarpered to Chequers (not his main residence) after he recovered.

So Charlie Brooker was a much needed satirical swipe not only on the inept Tories but some other world leaders such as the orange one who mulled whether taking bleach could kill the virus.

The best bit was Captain Tom raising millions by walking around his back garden but Boris Johnson raised £350 million a week by sending a double decker bus during the Brexit campaign.

I did think Brooker held back his punches. He obviously shows Johnson going round shaking hands and basically not taking his own government's advice. No wonder Johnson got Coronovirus and ended up in intensive care for his negligent behaviour.

Still this was a decent swipe and a few upper cuts from Brooker did land. It was also nice to see a world before the Coronavirus hit. When the press went crazy over Harry and Meghan moving to Canada. Then there was Philip Schofield coming out of the closet before being allegedly forced out.

No holds barred analysis of how it all started, why pretty much every expert and leader blew it to begin with, and why the most disruptive event in our lifetimes came about, in a really silly way. We start off slow, a TV addict consuming TV news about some insignificant thing on the other side of the TV world. Meghan and Harry were far more important to us stupids anyway. Phil Schofield finally came out and finally admitted what we all suspected anyway. A big shiny red bus had promised us oodles of cash that was imaginary but imaginary money that funds the NHS, so it's real, right? ! The UK had turned it's back on the most advantageous alliance in the history of Europe to fund this imaginary image, hoo flippin ray!!! All was good in the xenohood.

What I've given you is the first five minutes, so buckle up, strap in, knuckle down, and watch out.

Charlie is apolitical, his previous wipes have sacrificed every political persuasion at The Alter Of Truth And Logic. But this one is far more profound, we're all dumb a-holes apparently, and he proves it beyond doubt. Even his kids get in on the act, passing the baton maybe?

I haven't laughed this much since March 24th made things serious. My mum died two weeks ago, not from the lager lurgy, just too much living. Heavy? Yes, but this show made it a lot lighter. She left a planet getting dumber by the day, lucky her.

Thanks, Charlie, for showing me how it is.