Posted November 22, 2008 I'm sure we all agree the man is an absolute legend. Some of the best British non-fiction tv. No...the best? Yeah probably actually. Imagine my suprise and immense feeling of "oooh yay" when I discover his next series is about the Philadelphia Police Department. It looks awesome from the trailer. Not sure when its shown yet though, BBC says coming soon, and Wiki says "Autumn". What say ye? Feel free to post YT moments of the epic man. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted November 22, 2008 I was fascinated by his one with the west family and their whole "God hates fags" thing. It was such an interesting program. Suffice to say, I shall be watching. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted November 22, 2008 I prefer Marcel Theroux. Shame he doesn't do more. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted November 22, 2008 Louis Theroux is probably one of my favourite tv persons. Loved his documentary on that mad church cult thing in the US, the one on hypnotherapy too! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted November 22, 2008 Louis Theroux is alegend. I love the Phelps (think that's the name of the nut-job, inbred church place) one he did (for some reason I laughed at the little kid getting hit with the soda. I know I shouldn't have but it was just one of those things). The one where he tries to become a rapper is great and, although I haven't seen it all, the one on Area 51 was interesting (Watched it in school and haven't been able to find a copy of the dvd since). Loved it when Theroux and a bunch of others just started walking towards Area 51 in the desert and like 5 secs later an Army jeep appears at the top of the hill. Looking forward to the new ones. The advert is good. 'Why can't I shake your hand?' lol. just a hand shake. I'm sure they could have just done it. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted November 23, 2008 I've seen the one about the westboro church/phelps family, and one about nazis(hilarious when they start wondering if he's jewish), and find them absolutely amazing telly. I seen others too, just nothing what sticks in mind. As good as his good bits are, I do find myself cringing a bit when I watch some pieces, which doesn't really lend me to him. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted November 23, 2008 He's alright, and his shows are interesting. But I find his fake-bemusedness oft-annoying. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted November 23, 2008 He is pretty good but I can find his lack of confrontation a bit annoying at times. I find myself wishing he'd tackle the people he films rather than simply observing. I know that's a tenant of documentary making but it's one Theroux doesn't stand by that often, given his personality is so strongly stamped on his films. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted November 24, 2008 He's alright, and his shows are interesting. But I find his fake-bemusedness oft-annoying. That's it! I think that's what bothers me about him when I watch his stuff, and I just think 'urghh...no'. Then usually flick the channels! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted November 30, 2008 Just finished watching it. It was alright. Was basically what I expected to see from him on the subject. I think the most striking thing that I took out of it was that even though the police had/have so many teams and squads taking guns and drugs off of the streets, it has such a small effect. I mean I knew the problems were big and that catching small time guys for drugs and guns won't stop the problems but it just felt like what you were seeing was having little or no effect. The police chief at the end summed it up best: 'When these guys are gone, someone'll fill their shoes just as when I'm gone someone'll fill mine.' Looking forward to next weeks one about the drugs and gun crime in Johannesburg. It may well pan out the same as this one though which is the only problem. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted November 30, 2008 It was basically a real life version of The Shield but not as good and Theroux talking bullshit periodically. I kept turning off and coming back [Don't know why] it bored me. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted November 30, 2008 I fail, I forgot it was on. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted November 30, 2008 I've seen his gambling one, the jail one, the hunting one and the Phelps craziness, but couldn't really be bothered to watch this one. He is good, but yeah, you can guess the sort of comments and approach he will make with his stuff now. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted November 30, 2008 I fail, I forgot it was on. It's going to be on iPlayer if you care that much. I've seen his gambling one, the jail one, the hunting one and the Phelps craziness, but couldn't really be bothered to watch this one.He is good, but yeah, you can guess the sort of comments and approach he will make with his stuff now. He didn't really do anything from what I saw. Just imagine one of those Cops shows you seen on Five/All Yankyland TV and that's about it. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted December 10, 2008 I just saw the Law and Order:Johannesburg episode. The main point I took from the episode was; law and order is not something you can force upon a community, they have to agree to it. The city he portrayed was rife with 'vigilante' groups trying to quell crime by, in effect, beating it out of the criminals. I think Louis was focusing too much on the policing element, trying to make criminals out of the enforcers rather than focusing on teh problems of the community structure, of what the individuals, be it culturally moulded, believe justice actually is. As a westerner, our views of justice are firm and ingrained. We fear arrest, we fear imprisonment, yet these shantytown lawbreakers don't react to beatings and burnings as we would - they are not deterrred by the 'stick' method because they do not fear the police as we do. With Theroux I always find the most important thing as a viewer is to try and understand the mindset of the study, and with this episode I generally found that the inhabitants were largely just unfortunate - the shanty dwellers believed in this 'community' that was being policed externally, but a vital essence of community is surely in having an agreed leader who is respected, who can carry out justice effectively due to having the faith from the rest of the community in his decision to uphold equality and fairness. It also makes me, even more than usual, look at capitalism with a glum eye. Why are these people so eager to move from remote villages to settle outside Johannesburg and live in such dangerous squalour? Why, because of the promise of prosperity and wealth! The desire to join in the rich race and afford a life of pleasure - or at least, this is what the previous generations that originally imported themselves to the capital must have thought. Truthfully, has such mentality actually reaped any reward for any of them? Are they any better off than they would've been in a smaller tribal (and I don't mean that in a rain-dance, voodoo-doctor way) setting where there is trust and unity? The show just made me wonder just how long, exactly, was it that the ancient greeks went around as barbarians (lol, etymological hiccup) before their great philosophisers arose and demanded morality and order? Is a paradigm shift in social mentality something you can move into, or be born into, or does it have to occur in your lifetime? tl;dr? ur mum. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted December 10, 2008 I really dislike Louis Theroux, I think the subject matter of his documentaries are always interesting but I can't stand how he goes about it. He always plays this loveable slightly bumbling british guy role and I don't believe it for a second, he always comes of really patronising in my opinion. He never really discovers anything he just gets involved in something that seems weird to the majority of British TV-watchers, so it doesn't matter that he's achieved nothing because you've seen something exciting. I wish I could back my opinion up with some insightful J7-esque knowledge but my writing skills teeter between Y6 and Doofus. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted December 10, 2008 I thought his Johannesburg documentary was actually insightful. I knew beforehand that the city was rife with crime however, what I didn't know was that there were 'vigilante' groups going round and freeing up buildings and giving them back to the people and that these groups actually beat the crap into offenders to try and get them to stop. I don't understand the position of the police in the area who are sometimes reluctant to do anything (and you could see why when that William guy got arrested). They are being paid to uphold the law and I do understand that there is a lot of crime in Johannesburg but sometimes, according to some of the citizens they talked to, don't do anything for long periods of time which leads to further crime as those who are harmed go out to get those that have perpetrated evil upon them. Some of the blame really has to fall on the police for not being more active in sorting the crime out but the social mentality of 'We can sort it out as a mob' is just wrong. Jayseven questions how long it took the greeks to move away from this kind of mentality and the answer would probably have been over a few lifetimes. Shifts in mentality don't happen just like that. You can install law, morality and order into a society but it requires the people of said society to believe in what is being put forward before they can think about changing the social mentality. But regardless of what is put forward, there will always be people who have the mentality that they are above the law, these being those who take the law into their own hand and those who perpetrate the crimes. Anyways, I thought it was insightful. I did think Theroux was a bit wooden, didn't really bring much to the documentary, same as the previous one. But then in these kind of situations/places the subject matter is very sensitive and so it was perhaps a little difficult to bring much to the table. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted March 31, 2011 New Louis Theroux on Sunday folks. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted March 31, 2011 Oh, I saw the ad on BBC2 yesterday and simply thought they were reshowing the first time he went to the Westboro Church. Glad to see it's a new one then. Should be interesting anyway. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted March 31, 2011 Oh, I saw the ad on BBC2 yesterday and simply thought they were reshowing the first time he went to the Westboro Church. Glad to see it's a new one then. Should be interesting anyway. Although I didn't hear exactly what was said, he was on the One Show a few days ago, and (the general jist/gist that I got) was that things got a little heated re their differing opinions. Or something. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted March 31, 2011 Oh wow its a follow up to his 2007 documentary. Got to remember to watch it! The last one was an eye opener, those Westboro Baptist Church folk are crazy. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted March 31, 2011 Oh I could love. I saw the first one. Still remains in my memory quite vividly actually. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted March 31, 2011 Oh I could love. I saw the first one. Still remains in my memory quite vividly actually. Same, couldn't quite believe the bbc's website when it said something like "follow up to 2007's documentary". Doesn't seem like 4 years ago. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted March 31, 2011 I wanted to refresh my mind, so if anyone else wants to watch it, here it is for east viewing. (Although no part 8 apparently) Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted March 31, 2011 Thanks for the reminder. I love Louis and want his babies. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
