matttieevans Review of Inside the Tower of London

Inside the Tower of London (2018– )

Dull, Dull, Dull with Military, Military, Military Precision

[2/10 · 30 August 2019]

This short TV series concentrated on the 'personalities' that the regular Tower schedule consists of. It's not so much about the Tower and its very interesting history, but tries - and fails - in a very vain RealityTV attempt to engage the viewer in the people that work there. Firstly, it is disruptive to what we think of the Tower as a historical monument by trying to describe it as being run as a military one. Secondly, it introduces those that reside there as if they constitute part of the historical significance, and that a position at the Tower is some kind of 'award'. And finally, the programmes shows the main thing the viewer tuned in to see (the Tower of London) obscured by some forgettable individual in a beard and a uniform. This series lacks understanding of the location, of the visitors, of the meaning to Britain, of the residents of London, and of the history...but replaces all of that vibrant life of screen presence with a number of nobodies that you forget as soon as you look away from the screen. RealityTV at its worst.