DVDs for tweens
I had my first Justin Bieber experience yesterday. A teenage girl sat behind me on the bus and played her stereo out-loud, then sang along loudly (so much for reading my book). And I thought she was singing along to a girl. That was until I got home and my flatmate googled Justin Bieber, and that was the song - I know because I listened to it for the entire bus ride. Further, my brother-in-law put a video on facebook of my nieces singing the Jonas Brothers recently, and I had no idea who they were either.
That brings me to my current dilemma. My niece turns 11 soon. Goodness! And my sister told me she was getting a portable DVD for her birthday (the stuff kids get for presents these days ...), largely I think for car trips now that they live in Victoria. I wasn’t fussed on buying a DVD, but then I thought, well she will be watching DVDs on her new gadget anyway, so perhaps I should get something good. But what, what, what?
I didn’t want something primarily about relationships (especially not obssessive unhealthy ones), because she’s not there yet, and I thought something confined to human beings could be good (IMHO the world of entertainment has a few too many vampires in it at present). Then I had a brilliant idea: Press Gang.
Lots of people haven’t heard of the show here (though my younger sister seems to think it's on on Saturday mornings, possibly on a channel we don't get), but it has had a cult-like following in the past in the UK. Press Gang was a British children’s TV show in the late 80s and early 90s (and hopefully my niece will think it’s retro cool and not daggy!) about a children's newspaper produced by school children. It was actually previous flatmates watching the show who introduced me, because there is enough in the story and characters for adults as well. Here is some of the critical acclaim for the series from Wikipedia:
Critical reaction was good, the show being particularly praised for the high quality and sophistication of the writing. The first episode was highly rated by The Daily Telegraph, The Guardian and the Times Educational Supplement. In his emphatic review, Paul Cornell writes that:
Press Gang has proved to be a series that can transport you back to how you felt as a teenager, sharper than the world but with as much angst as acute wit ... Never again can a show get away with talking down to children or writing sloppily for them. Press Gang, possibly the best show in the world.
Time Out said that "this is quality entertainment: the kids are sharp, the scripts are clever and the jokes are good." The BBC's William Gallagher called it "pretty flawless." Others have also commented upon how "the show is renowned ... for doing something kid television at the time didn't do (and, arguably, still doesn't): it refused to treat its audience like children." Comedian Richard Herring recalls watching the show as a recent graduate, commenting that it "was subtle, sophisticated and much too good for kids." According to Moffat, "Press Gang had gone over very, very well in the industry and I was being touted and romanced all the time." Press Gang's complicated plots and structure would become a hallmark of Moffat's work, such as Joking Apart and Coupling.
The series received a Royal Television Society award and a BAFTA in 1991 for "Best Children's Programme (Entertainment/Drama)". It was also nominated for two Writers' Guild of Great Britain awards, one Prix Jeunesse and the 1992 BAFTA for "Best Children's Programme (Fiction)". Julia Sawalha won the Royal Television Society Television Award for "Best Actor - Female" in 1993.
So hopefully this works. But are there any other suggestions out there for reasonable DVDs for tween girls?