One of those TV programmes which clearly divides audiences. Those who like it seem entranced by the undeniably excellent photography. Here my opinion sharply divides from others.
I watched the first episode of this series and was deeply unimpressed. There seems to be no coherent ideas linking this programme other than the pretty pictures. The programme was by turns didactic and superficial. The presenter spent an enormous amount of time looking at WW2 advanced air warning systems and had lots of pretty shots of aircraft swooping in and being detected. The programme them jumped onto another bandwagon further along the coast and treated this subject with the same superficial approach. There could have been a worthwhile documentary here about the development of technologies and how such ideas are finessed but abandoned by new developments - nothing of the sort emerged.
The programme shows all the signs of shoot-first-write-script-afterward approach - unfortunately what we are left with is a sense that any one of the objects the camera was pointed-at should have been treated to a minimum one hour documentary by someone more knowledgeable and able to articulate the ideas behind the subject.
The presenter's 'enthusiasm' was, frankly, wearing. Constantly being addressed as a class of nine years olds grates even with nine year olds. I can see this man eventually becoming a weather presenter/personality and giving us such imbecilic advice as to "wrap up warm" because it's going to be cold.
Areas of the south coast which I know well were the subject of the same hackneyed approaches, and others inexplicably missed completely. The programme showed no original thought, linking themes, or even sense of direction (pun intended).
In short, endless repetition of the superficial. Expensive photography does not of itself make good TV. Television is capable of much more than this - compare Jonathan Meades essay on Portsmouth Dockyard.
I watched the first episode of this series and was deeply unimpressed. There seems to be no coherent ideas linking this programme other than the pretty pictures. The programme was by turns didactic and superficial. The presenter spent an enormous amount of time looking at WW2 advanced air warning systems and had lots of pretty shots of aircraft swooping in and being detected. The programme them jumped onto another bandwagon further along the coast and treated this subject with the same superficial approach. There could have been a worthwhile documentary here about the development of technologies and how such ideas are finessed but abandoned by new developments - nothing of the sort emerged.
The programme shows all the signs of shoot-first-write-script-afterward approach - unfortunately what we are left with is a sense that any one of the objects the camera was pointed-at should have been treated to a minimum one hour documentary by someone more knowledgeable and able to articulate the ideas behind the subject.
The presenter's 'enthusiasm' was, frankly, wearing. Constantly being addressed as a class of nine years olds grates even with nine year olds. I can see this man eventually becoming a weather presenter/personality and giving us such imbecilic advice as to "wrap up warm" because it's going to be cold.
Areas of the south coast which I know well were the subject of the same hackneyed approaches, and others inexplicably missed completely. The programme showed no original thought, linking themes, or even sense of direction (pun intended).
In short, endless repetition of the superficial. Expensive photography does not of itself make good TV. Television is capable of much more than this - compare Jonathan Meades essay on Portsmouth Dockyard.