Australians - thoughts on TV's 'Howzat!' (1 Viewer)

[larso]

I really enjoyed this! It probably wasn't hard but I got a kick out of correctly picking which cricketer each actor was playing. Gary Cosier's experience was a sad one but it was good to see them put something like that in.

 

[waynepoo]

I really enjoyed this! It probably wasn't hard but I got a kick out of correctly picking which cricketer each actor was playing. Gary Cosier's experience was a sad one but it was good to see them put something like that in.

I enjoyed it very much, Lockie is a great choice to play Kerry Packer. And I am showing my age here but remember it all like it was yesterday and they got it down pat, and the lass playing Delvin is a dead ringer...yummy..:wink2:
Wayne.

 

[larso]

The chartacterisation and costuming have been excellent. Though seeing Hoges in those tight shorts made me glad that particular fashion has gone! Hearing the 70s music again has been fun too.

 

[Jack]

Just came upstairs from watching it. Quite impressive, despite the stereotypical presentation of the English as stuffy traditionalists and the Australians as uncouth rebels. Given the difficulties of making such a series I was pretty impressed. Interesting that Packer attracted such loyalty from those around him. He wouldn't last ten seconds on the forum with that language!

 

[larso]

"Interesting that Packer attracted such loyalty from those around him. He wouldn't last ten seconds on the forum with that language!"

Yes, I think even the forum 'that dare not speak its name' would draw the line.

To use a cricket comparrison, I think he was a bit like Shane Warne. If you were on his side you loved him but if he was your opponent, you'd hate his guts!

 

[Jack]

"Interesting that Packer attracted such loyalty from those around him. He wouldn't last ten seconds on the forum with that language!"

Yes, I think even the forum 'that dare not speak its name' would draw the line.

To use a cricket comparrison, I think he was a bit like Shane Warne. If you were on his side you loved him but if he was your opponent, you'd hate his guts!

The History of WSC that I read made the point that in adversity Packer was magnificent, but in victory he was unbearable.

 

[larso]

"He wouldn't last ten seconds on the forum with that language!"

I think the thing we both missed about this, is that he would just have gone off and set up his own forum!

 

[larso]

This will only be interesting to Australians with an interest in cricket but there's an article in todays papers where Gary Cosier reveals that the senior players of his time 'loathed' Don Bradman. Now this is reasonably well known, though the language is stronger than usual. I note there was a slight dig at the Don in the first part of Howzat that the Don would be too 'sly' to get too involved in the Packer fracus. I wonder if the Don will feature much in the second part? His incredible standing in Australian society has meant that a critical word has hardly ever been uttered publicly.

 

[waynepoo]

This will only be interesting to Australians with an interest in cricket but there's an article in todays papers where Gary Cosier reveals that the senior players of his time 'loathed' Don Bradman. Now this is reasonably well known, though the language is stronger than usual. I note there was a slight dig at the Don in the first part of Howzat that the Don would be too 'sly' to get too involved in the Packer fracus. I wonder if the Don will feature much in the second part? His incredible standing in Australian society has meant that a critical word has hardly ever been uttered publicly.

It would seem that the 'Don' was living in the past back then and it's just as well that Kerry's will was greater, in the end cricket was the winner.
Wayne.

 

[larso]

The most inexplicable thing about Bradman's attitude was when he was a young player (1934?), he essentially refused to tour England unless he was allowed to get a job as a journalist, because he said he needed the money to make a living. In the end his new employer smoothed it over somehow. Years later though, when he was in charge, he refused to consider 'modern' players requests for adequate pay. Ian Chappel in particular found it a diabolical turn-around on the Don's behalf.

 

[larso]

I enjoyed the 2nd and last part of Howzat too. I was intrigued by the 'Warner' character. It seemed astonishing that any man would/could put up with that level of abuse (outside the army and marriage) without giving some back. It turns out he is a totally fictional character. One guy who basically worked in that actual role has said that Packer swore often enough but never yelled at his employees as shown in the show. It seemed to me, there was, in even parts, both lionisation of Packer as the business 'hard' man, as well as a bit of a postumous kick in the pants too.

 

[waynepoo]

It shows that when they put their minds to it Australian TV networks can make good quality drama, Howzat is a example of this. But bringing back rubbish like Big Brother is a example of their normal mindlessness...............{sm2}
Wayne.

 

[larso]

Yes that's true Wayne. They're expensive to make but worth doing. The Underbelly series have been high quality too. Otherwise, the Cosmo one was good and also on the ABC - Rake, which is great and about to come back.

On the Bradman front I remember reading the 'Golden Nugget', a bio on Keith Miller by Dick (?) Whittington. There were several blow-ups between the two. Now I consider Miller to be somewhat of the Shane Warne of his day (though with a lot more class) but clearly the Don was difficult. The most revealing story concerned a tour of South Africa in the 50s, for which Miller was controversely left out. Bradman wrote a note to Whittington saying he hoped Miller didn't blame him for this as it wasn't his doing. Whittington showed the note to one of the other selectors and though he refused to comment, the look of fury on his face totally gave the truth away.

 

[Jack]

Yes that's true Wayne. They're expensive to make but worth doing. The Underbelly series have been high quality too. Otherwise, the Cosmo one was good and also on the ABC - Rake, which is great and about to come back.

On the Bradman front I remember reading the 'Golden Nugget', a bio on Keith Miller by Dick (?) Whittington. There were several blow-ups between the two. Now I consider Miller to be somewhat of the Shane Warne of his day (though with a lot more class) but clearly the Don was difficult. The most revealing story concerned a tour of South Africa in the 50s, for which Miller was controversely left out. Bradman wrote a note to Whittington saying he hoped Miller didn't blame him for this as it wasn't his doing. Whittington showed the note to one of the other selectors and though he refused to comment, the look of fury on his face totally gave the truth away.

The Golden Nugget book is a shocker - very poorly written and little more than a man writing about one of his idols. I am no fan of Warne's, but Miller is remembered a lot better than he deserves to be. But then again Larso - you think Simon O'Donnell was a great cricketer!

 

[larso]

"you think Simon O'Donnell was a great cricketer!"

How can you not rate the man who hit Malcolm Marshall over his head for six! And the slow ball in the 'death' overs - that was him too.

As for the Golden Nugget, yes a lot of idol worship there. The bit that sticks in my head is the author attempting to gain war stories from Miller. It was written in a way that implied that Miller was both too modest and determined to keep the harsh things locked away. Whereas a little bit of research would've revealed that Miller flew only two missions! Now this is two more than I flew but Miller's line about having a "Messchersmidt up his a***" implied a lot more had happened. Miller's treatment of his wife was just appalling. I believe his sons had a pretty dim view of him too?

 

[Jack]

"you think Simon O'Donnell was a great cricketer!"

How can you not rate the man who hit Malcolm Marshall over his head for six! And the slow ball in the 'death' overs - that was him too.

As for the Golden Nugget, yes a lot of idol worship there. The bit that sticks in my head is the author attempting to gain war stories from Miller. It was written in a way that implied that Miller was both too modest and determined to keep the harsh things locked away. Whereas a little bit of research would've revealed that Miller flew only two missions! Now this is two more than I flew but Miller's line about having a "Messchersmidt up his a***" implied a lot more had happened. Miller's treatment of his wife was just appalling. I believe his sons had a pretty dim view of him too?

Building a reputation on one shot is not a recipe for cricketing immortality!

Miller was what the world once referred gently to as 'a ladies man' which in Miller's case obscured a man who treated those closest to him very poorly. Always shocked me that Benaud worshipped him, but as a man who knew everyone, he must have known that his hero had feet of clay.

 

[larso]

"Miller was what the world once referred gently to as 'a ladies man' which in Miller's case obscured a man who treated those closest to him very poorly. Always shocked me that Benaud worshipped him, but as a man who knew everyone, he must have known that his hero had feet of clay."

Yes, my comparing him to Shane Warne is along the lines of cricketing magician but flawed in the manhood dept. Most people have the capacity to only see the parts of the person they want and to disgard or ignore the bits they don't. This might be written off as seeing the best in a person but it's fundamentally dishonest and I think it also enables the 'idol' to continue on their damaging way.