Crimes against TV presenting

Crimes against TV presenting

As a seasoned film enthusiast with a soft spot for British television, I must say that Romesh Ranganathan’s latest venture, “The Misinvestigations of Romesh Ranganathan,” is a must-watch on your list. With his unique blend of humor and genuine curiosity, he tackles the unsolved murder of Tupac Shakur in a way that’s both intriguing and entertaining.


Add The Misinvestigations of Romesh Ranganathan to your watchlist.

Romesh Ranganathan is undeniably kind-hearted, amusing, and endearing. He’s also incredibly busy, juggling his weekly Radio 2 show, his late-night hip-hop program on the same station (12 midnight), and the upcoming Sunday (9pm BBC2) airing of “The Misinvestigations of Romesh Ranganathan“. It seems that the BBC executives often extend invitations for drinks, asking him, “What would you like to do with some license fee money?” Much like Clive Myrie and Rylan Clark, he sometimes scratches his head in contemplation before replying, “I’m not sure. I find crime quite intriguing… Oh, and famous people.”

In the second season’s premiere of “The Misinvestigations,” I find myself delving into the enigma surrounding Tupac Shakur’s 1996 murder, a case that has sparked as much intrigue as JFK’s assassination. As you might have guessed, this time it’s not just the public waiting for answers, but also a BBC presenter. I won’t reveal the outcome, let’s see if we can unravel this mystery together.

Crimes against TV presenting

Despite Ranganathan’s apparent affection for hip-hop culture, it’s questionable whether he truly required this TV series, and if it was necessary for us to have this documentary. The main appeal seems to rely heavily on his charm, which is abundant but also potentially problematic. His sharp humor often exposes the stereotypes of the job – a move that can come off as insincere when he playfully criticizes things like “the BBC not covering a third night in New York”, and incredibly inappropriate when speaking to a friend of the deceased idol. The tone of the production seems to be ambiguous, oscillating between empathetic investigation and satire, which might explain why all the American interviewees appear somewhat puzzled.

Indeed, it’s not as if Ranganathan was the very first to embark on this path of celebrities transitioning from soap operas, music groups, and game shows to hosting crime shows like Crimewatch. In the early ’90s, Edward Woodward utilized his fame from The Equalizer to present In Suspicious Circumstances, while in 2011, Fred Dinenage took on the role as host of Murder Casebook. However, at least Fred had some prior experience writing books about the Kray twins.

In a surprising twist, I found myself credited as John Lennon’s producer for the 1969 documentary, “Did Britain Murder Hanratty?” which aimed to vindicate James Hanratty, the so-called “A6 murderer” who was hanged. Fast forward to 1999, and it was Sir Roger Moore who journeyed to Moscow to present another gripping documentary, “The Secret KGB JFK Assassination Files.” Compared to Rick Edwards’ performance in South Africa for the 2013 documentary, “Oscar Pistorius: What Really Happened,” I felt that Moore was far more convincing as an intrepid investigator abroad. Not long after, Edwards made a notable appearance on “Made in Chelsea.” And let’s not forget Ross Kemp, who has also made a name for himself in the world of investigative documentaries.

Could it be that television executives believe these unsolved crimes lack intrigue unless a game show host guides us through them, or that these cold cases might not capture public interest without a famous figure to highlight them?

Are we meant to trust Fox more because of Silent Witness?

Most grating of all must be Silent Witness star Emilia Fox investigating real-life crimes in In The Footsteps of Killers. Has she played a forensic pathologist for so long that she now thinks she is one? Are we meant to trust her more because of it? Sadly, the opposite is true: when she calls her investigator wingman Professor David Wilson to say, “David, I’ve found the petrol attendant,” or adopts sad-face while the inequality of criminal justice is explained to her, I’ve never been less convinced.

1. It’s disrespectful and manipulative towards the viewers, as well as the actual victims. To make matters worse, it has spoiled my enjoyment of Silent Witness for me, more so than the choice to pair Nikki and Jack together or not promote Clarissa to lab director.

In the second season of “In The Footsteps of Killers,” there are twice as many episodes, indicating the producers believe they’ve found something successful. Fortunately, it airs on Channel 4, meaning it won’t be another unnecessary use of people’s TV license fees.

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2024-08-19 20:08