Disability Now – Paul Darke

July 2000 TV Review

The powerhouse of disability thought, the legendary Dr Tom Shakepseare, was badly let down twice this month by the Beeb and ITV. The Open University programme The Unusual Suspects (BBC2, 11 May) looked at the 'Model of Disability', whilst Ultimate Questions (ITV, 14 May) was a Kilroy type discussion programme late at night exploring 'big moral issues' of the day. Both were muddled, incoherent and somewhat surreal in that both programmes were so facile that they epitomised post-modernistic culture in their pointlessness. Look at for The Usual Suspects in your regular late-night schedules on BBC 2.

Whilst irony was absent from Tom's appearances the same could not be said of the wonderful, the kitch, the excellent Eurovision Song Contest, as always compared by the wasted wit of Terry Wogan (a rotund organism of irony). Disability was fully covered - a visual impaired 'blind singer' from Spain; jokes about Joseph Merrick during Croatia's song - and suitably ridiculed in the spirit of the event. Still, at least it was good to see some people with learning difficulties on the Stars in their Eyes Live Final (ITV, 20 May).

Autism had a bit of a showcase this month with Tito's Story (BBC1, 21 May), the story of an Indian boy with autism who writes poetry who comes to Britain with his Mother, and True Stories: Raising Alexander (C4, 22 May). A documentary in which John and Christine Lubbock attempt to claim back their son Alexander from the dark world of autism. Both individualised and made the condition of autism totally aberrant, as well as the individuals and families involved. This kind of programme is why disabled people have progressed so little in the past twenty years (more than ever disabled people are aborted/euthanased or hidden away in homes). Whatever we as disabled people say is given limited, to no, coverage whilst drivel like this gets wall-to-wall publicity, praise from fools and taken as the truth of disability.

Still, it is not all bad. Channel 5, in between porn slots, showed The Return of Ironside (C5, 17 May). A TV film made in the early 1990s with a very frail and ill looking Raymond Burr; who was largely filmed on his own vineyard (you can actually buy Raymond Burr vino) in California. When I am depressed I always watch an episode from my collection of Ironside. Other's have their Gods, I have Raymond Burr and Ironside (daily).

Unfortunately, my worst nightmare has come true: That's Esther (ITV, 5 June) has been moved to peak viewing on a Monday night at 8pm. The future is not Orange, it is very, very bleak (she is on most afternoons as well on BBC2). Thank heavens I am off on sabbatical for a few months.

Keep an eye out for Metro Sexuality, starring the omnipresent Mat Fraser and a documentary about the film The Idiots, on Channel 4's Idiots Night in August, about disabled people's responses to the film. For the record: the film is a masterpiece. Also, there should be an excellent documentary on 'The Real Helen Keller' and how normal-bourgeois hegemony appropriated her with lies and deceits, perpetuated to this very day.

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