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Monty Halls' Great Escape

Monty Halls
  • Posted at 5:30pm
  • 05 March 2009
  • by AlisonGraham-RT
  • 7 comments

Maybe it's the approach of spring, but there's definitely something in the air, because everyone seems to be getting a bit frisky. Just look at the saucy on-screen trails for Mistresses and Holby City, all red satin, bondage, whips and black leather. Crikey! Whatever next, Dorcas the insufferable Lark Rise to Candleford postmistress in a gimp mask?

This skittishness is infectious, because how else can I explain my new crush: Jeremy Paxman, writer and presenter of the terrific social history series The Victorians (Sunday BBC2). Where were you when I was doing O-level social and economic history, Jeremy?

The Victorians is everything a documentary series should be - witty, informative, entertaining and not-at-all patronising or tricksy. It's a man talking about paintings to illustrate a period of immense social and political change. And Paxman is a dream - irascible, funny and a great communicator.

Which brings us to…Monty Halls' Great Escape (Sunday BBC2), a bit of a leap, but, as we're sort of discussing all things romantic and male presenters, I wonder just how many ladies will be sending marriage proposals to its personable marine-biologist presenter, Monty Halls. Monty is Bruce Parry Lite: they're both ex-Royal Marines and explorers, though in Great Escape Monty isn't vomiting after ingesting hallucinogenic drugs during tribal rituals. The closest he gets to bonding with the locals is a pint in the pub and a barbecue on the beach.

He has moved from his Bristol home into a croft on the lovely west coast of Scotland, where he aims to spend six months living self-sufficiently with his cute dog Reuben. Monty cuts a bit of a dash, and I can imagine ladies dreaming of reading him Robert Burns by lamp-light as they dry him with lumps of kelp.

Monty is a modern, caring man: forget your 1960s suit-wearing, cold, brutal, sexually aggressive Don Mad Men Draper types, or the creepy metrosexuals of Mistresses. Monty is a product of the 21st century: he can build a shelter (with the aid of fellow villagers, just like the Amish in Witness), but he's also friendly, kind and caring - he even rescues a seagull with an injured wing, and his companion Reuben is a former animal-shelter detainee.

Manly presenter notwithstanding, this is mainly Eco-Porn, tantalising disillusioned urban dwellers with the possibility that they, too, could up sticks and live in the beautiful wilderness, miles from the nearest almond croissant.

I'm suspicious of programmes like this, because getting away from it all surely isn't all it's cracked up to be. But as a fantasy, Monty Halls' Great Escape works nicely enough.

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Comments

  • Posted on 28 April 2009
  • at 10:08am
  • by jessie

Just read the interview in RT with John Barrowman.

Hooray Saturday nights are back on TV

Love your stuff John your smile and joi d'vivre are hopefully catching come on bratain keep singing and dancing.

  • Posted on 11 April 2009
  • at 10:01pm
  • by Biker

Hmm, these 'get away from it all, and live a survival exsistence' progs always grate on my nerves! Mind you, the local pub/cafe/hotel/restaraunts would have loved the extra business generated by the production crew, i.e.,cameramen, sound recordists, lighting engineers, director/producer plus associated outdoor location crew that are needed to make these productions. I wonder what hotel/B&B he stayed in at night, probably the same one as the crew! Did anyone notice that at the 'boat race' (pause for laughter here) the 'local girls' had strong southern English accents? In fact, I struggled to discern a genuine Scottish Highland voice anywhere in that last episode!! Still, as a TV producer once told a friend of mine, "the public believe anything we tell them"!

  • Posted on 23 March 2009
  • at 1:54pm
  • by Guinevere

Oh dear, oh dear, dear me! The girlfriend thing; Monty imports a feminine competitor, that's a challenge I could do without - but then no sooner has she made a cameo appearance than she's gone again. Whoopee! So I'm still in with a chance - out comes the toe nail varnish once more. But in the next episode he shoots the ram, no trial, no defence lawyer, no appeal, co commuting to a life sentence. However, watching him tossing his caber definitely got my boat floated again. Luckily my rail ticket is valid for three months - I'll watch next week's episode before making a final decision.

  • Posted on 21 March 2009
  • at 6:19pm
  • by Irvine

I watched the first two episodes- mainly because of two holiday visits a few years ago. My mistake, Monty is a patronizing creep, the community crofthouse building turned my stomach, and the interior Applecross Inn scenes finished me.

Never again will I feel quite the same about that magnificent area, and the 'Road of the Drovers'.

  • Posted on 09 March 2009
  • at 9:56am
  • by Guinevere

Eco-Porn indeed. I wrapped myself in my most luxuriant, fluffy dressing gown, lit the fire, turned the lights low, painted my toe nails and opened the wine for my intimate evening with bare chested Monty on Sunday night. The only thning holding me back from buying my train ticket is the faltering steps toward civilised plumbing and sanitation. But once Monty has this deficiency sorted out - I'm on my way.

  • Posted on 08 March 2009
  • at 4:31pm
  • by slumdon

Agreed about Jeremy - my fav tiger worth more than 25 Nicky Campbells. But not yet seen Monty Halls as my VCR is OOO and all the good programmes are broadcast between 8 and 10 pm

  • Posted on 06 March 2009
  • at 10:46am
  • by MazY

"Whatever next, Dorcas the insufferable Lark Rise to Candleford postmistress in a gimp mask?"

Odd that we should share the same fantasy, don't you think?

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