[AspiringGenius]

Hi TSR,

I'm watching BBC Three's documentary "Riots: The Aftershock" and I'm not sure what to think of this programme. I feel quite a lot of it is sympathy for the people who carried out the riots, them and others saying things like "they didn't do anything illegal", "it was their first offence", "the harsh sentence was injustice" and I don't know if this is a route which the BBC should take. I understand for many it was a first offence, but that doesn't make the crime any less, nor does it make punishment unfair.

The sentences were very harsh, and unexpected considering how strained the prison service is, however as the documentary showed, those with a 14 months sentence were out in 4, so in all fairness it doesn't seem like the reality is as bad as the interviewed made out.

Is this an irrational and incorrect view to have? I feel a bit bad for being unsympathetic, but it isn't as though the subjects of this documentary are innocent.

What does TSR make of this, in fact all of BBC three documentaries because they all seem to follow similar themes. If I have made a really bad error in judgement, then let me know please

AG

[Agenda Suicide]

I do enjoy bbc three documentaries but I really didn't swing with the way of the program.

I mean that guy, he knew he did wrong and whilst he was remorseful he just seemed like he was constantly trying to justify it, like "oh it was the police we were angry at".

That is not the way to be angry, although I appreciate him going back to apologise at the end.

[Inverse]

Why are you looking for members of a forum to judge your viewpoint? It's yours for a reason.

[megan.c]

I was thinking the same thing watching it - it definately seemed to focus on the rioters more than the victims and portrayed their lives as being changed forever because of what they've done.

That girl who ended up homeless and couldn't get a job because of her criminal record - I don't feel sorry for her, the riots were unjustifiable and she committed a crime, ruining peoples livelihood and careers.

I know that BBC3 tends to try and look at estranged social groups in different lights, but these are people who did awful, inexcusable things.

[MUN123]

I was about to watch it two hours ago, but I think with BBC documentries I think that they are very interesting to watch sometimes, better than watching crap shows such as the only way is Essex etc etc.

[Dirac Delta Function]

I don't have any sympathy for them, no now, nor back then. Many of them were not angry at anyone, nor did they have tough lives, they just took the opportunity to steal.

[Bellissima]

they are my favourite docs especially the ones from the natural history unit

[Rarrgh]

Prefer the ones on Discovery, History etc. However of the BBC Three documentaries I've seen they can become a little bias but being purely objective isn't always easy.

[getfunky!]

I haven't watched 'Riots: The Aftershock', but I've watched many others. Somehow I never find them really good, apart from Panorama. Their TV shows/films, on the other hand, have improved considerably over the past few years Dr. Who, Luther, Great Expectations, QI etc.

However, I usually prefer Channel 4 documentaries

[Dmon1Unlimited]

I do enjoy bbc documentaries, a lot of the time (atleast the ones I watched) often gives perspective other than the one I'm usually inclined to agree with. This is great for me given that I'll have a more well rounded view as a result.

Regarding your documentary, I haven't watched it. Though from memory, there was an instance where a person stole a bottle of water, and was given an incredibly large punishment. This is harsh and does give some credit to the views you are going against...

I do believe the ones I've watched (fair few) are capable of making people 'well rounded', I don't understand why people take the piss out of the Bbc so much... They may not be perfect, but they are very good nonetheless

[diggy]

It was an okay documentary overall i prefer channel 4 documentaries

Lol there was a moment when the interviewer was talking about something sad with a rioter and her face was like talking

[Steevee]

I generally prefer Channel 4 and even Channel 5 documentaries, BBC can do some good ones, but of course they always come off with that liberal bias.

I mean, for instance, their 3 part series on the life of Mohammed was laughable.

[Aspiringlawstudent]

They vary massively in quality. Some are excellent, and some like the recent series on BBC 3 hosted by Stacey Dooley are utter tripe.

[Hood_Man]

I loved Stephen Fry's "The Secret Life of the Manic Depressive," I can't believe it was made 5-6 years ago.

[Formerly Helpful_C]

I saw the girl from Peckham today whilst going to West London Magistrates court - she was also going.

(I'm a witness in a case - not one involving her)

Claim to fame?

[AspiringGenius]

Ahh. I moseyed the thread title, I meant specifically BBC Three documentaries rather then the BBC in general. sorry!

In general, I like the history and geography documentaries, like the recent one on Classical civilisation, and the Indian hospital train and the insight into the lives of Albino peoples in Africa. But I don't seem to enjoy the BBC Three ones so much. The quality and topics just aren't very good in general. I did enjoy one about Britains gay footballers, but I just find the Racism in Football ones slightly irrelevant, when so many top footballers are black in this country.

[ArtGoblin]

I haven't seen it, but I like the way that someone is looking at the opposite side of the story for once. The rest of the media has portrayed the rioters simply as criminals and have ignored the socio-economic and political reasons for them. It's great that at least one media source is offering them a voice.

[Dmon1Unlimited]

ive just watched the documentary now, looking at my last post on here, i still completely agree with it and it is a trait of these bbc documentaries that i really do like.

the fact is, not everything is so black and white... a typical view of the riots is '********s that break **** and want ****. a bunch of ******** bastards'. this doc shows you cant generalise, its not black and white. yes there are pricks there, there are some ****ing morons there, but there is more to it. this shows that not all of the people are evil, these people do have lives, not yobs born and bred to start ****, and how dark impulsive actions can be, it also shows the lives of those ruined by the arson attacks which one wouldnt necessarily first think of. it would have been nice to show the lives of the arson attacks but i assume the point of this was to show the difference of perspective rather than show all aspects of the riots. id like to point out that this shows an aspect of the kind of people involved, it does not generalise and assert that everyone involved are like these people. it merely shows you the perspectives of some that were involved.

none the less, like i said before, this documentary, like the others has given me a more well rounded perspective, and im sure it has for others.

Keep up the good work BBC...(yes bbc3)

[Dmon1Unlimited]

(Original post by Agenda Suicide)
I do enjoy bbc three documentaries but I really didn't swing with the way of the program.

I mean that guy, he knew he did wrong and whilst he was remorseful he just seemed like he was constantly trying to justify it, like "oh it was the police we were angry at".

That is not the way to be angry, although I appreciate him going back to apologise at the end.

this was also on my mind a few times