The demise of ITV and the rise of Talking Pictures

ITV has dropped out of the FTSE 500 which reflects a broadcasting company in trouble if not in crisis.

Covid has ravaged advertising revenue and new productions.

Britbox has not taken hold.

It’s sad as ITV in its time though its local franchises like Thames produced much popular successful drama like The Sweeney, Minder and Rumpole.  

The latter now appears in an increasingly popular channel of nostalgia Talking Pictures and Rumpole appears on it every Wednesday evening.

A cousin of Hilda Rumpole married an  aristocrat.

They are invited to his castle where a bag woman drowns.

Rumpole is briefed for the inquest.

It’s classic Rumpole and John Mortimer.

Rumpole is soon clashing swords with a pompous coroner.

Mortimer – the quintessential champagne socialist – champions the underclass as Rumpole also represents a vagrant charged with triple murder.

Rumpole is a magnificent creation.

I know someone in the cast who says barristers are forever springing up to say it was modelled on them.

If it is modelled on anybody, it’s John Mortimer.

Mortimer was happy to inherit his father’s house and be seen in fine restaurants.

Oddly enough this is the motivator for the drama.

It needs Mortimer’s contrarian views which do not seem so dated these days.

The acting – especially Leo McKern as Rumpole, an Australian actor blinded in  one eye – is top  notch.

Normally a well-known  actor like Peter Bowles or last night Patrick Ryecart appears.

All in all almost enjoyable hour of television as it should be, and was, and thanks to Talking Pictures now is.