Jimmy Savile #2

[TenerifeTigger]

I've found a better version so watching it now. Mr tigger watched about 5 mins before leaving the room, he wanted to hear his voice and said it was creepy how much he sounded like him.

I'll give my thoughts on it tomorrow. Only about 15 mins into the first episode.

 

[Roxytoxin]

Just finished watching this and it was such disturbing viewing, but like when you pass a car crash and can’t help but look, I thought it was done tastefully, and gave a good understanding of how he got away with what he did, although still extremely shocking, I liked that they included the victims accounts and some real footage. As the lady said at the end it must never be allowed to happen again. Also Steve Coogan was pretty amazing as him, the mannerisms and walk etc extremely spot on and creepy. I’ve had bad dreams every night since watching

 

[Millennial Pink]

Ended up watching the lot against my better judgement. Coogan does a very good job, I'll say that. The scenes where he's assaulting kids are harrowing. I hope the kids doing those scenes had really good support and aftercare while doing that. I'm torn between discomfort at asking minors to act those scenes and thinking it's important to show what a monster he really was? Particularly to a new audience who might not remember when it all came out.

I was sceptical about it being made in the first place, but if it reminds people not to trust celebrities 'just because' and might lead to some other predators being stopped, then I'm all for it.

 

[HotesTilaire]

Ended up watching the lot against my better judgement. Coogan does a very good job, I'll say that. The scenes where he's assaulting kids are harrowing. I hope the kids doing those scenes had really good support and aftercare while doing that. I'm torn between discomfort at asking minors to act those scenes and thinking it's important to show what a monster he really was? Particularly to a new audience who might not remember when it all came out.

I was sceptical about it being made in the first place, but if it reminds people not to trust celebrities 'just because' and might lead to some other predators being stopped, then I'm all for it.

I know people scoff at “intimacy co-ordinators” on set, but I think they would have been invaluable in many cases, especially in this. Even though I’m sure there was little actual physical contact in those scenes and the actors were probably older than they looked, it’s still gross even to look at him and hear what he said I think knowing that’s uncomfortable for you and supporting you through it would be so helpful.
In my day, drama always seemed to involve the women rehearsing sex scenes/snogs/being topless even at 18, in front of the class, because that’s what you have to get used to

 

[AlwightDallin]

This thread has certainly been an eye opener because coming from where I came from I genuinely thought everyone knew, I thought it was some big sick open secret where the bbc execs turned a blind eye and the police protected him. I remember feeling angry and bitter when he died because he’d never get his comeuppance. And kind of angry and bitter towards the people who praised him and lined the streets for his funeral.

But now I see many people - likely younger than me and with no direct interaction with him simply thought he was an eccentric old celeb. Harmless. No worse than many men of that era who’s compliment or put an arm around a girl. People don’t want to believe the worst of someone especially when they’re lauded in the media. I do think he was protected by the police - he convinced them it was all lies, same with the bbc, they never looked for the proof as they were set up by him to be on the lookout for obsessive fans or those on the make. He really did hide in plain sight.

 

[HotesTilaire]

I hink for us the “Jim’ll Fix It” kids generation, we might have thought he was odd, creepy etc but the adults all thought he was lovely, funny, kind so you go along with it. I mean, the adults thought Jim’ll Fix It was great for kids.

 

[artnouveau]

I saw the article Alistair Neil did in the fail today, there's a link to a video on YouTube where he interviews Jimmy, I didn't watch it all but from what I did see he was just constantly trying to deflect, take the piss and rev up the audience in order to avoid the questions. Quite an intelligent guy I'd say but arrogant. Anyway just going to watch the final part of the reckoning......

 

[Eirawen]

I liked Jim 'll fix it but loathed Savile I used to wish that John Craven presented it.

 

[TenerifeTigger]

Well nearly finished episode 3. I'm glad they didn't show the assaults but it's so harrowing watching the innocent children going into the rooms and we know what's coming.

Steve Coogan has nailed the acting though.

 

[InkHeart]

I've just finished the series. Random thoughts...

I didn't like Coogan as him initially, I thought in the first episode it was just a creaky impersonation. But I felt like as Savile got older, Coogan suited the role more, and by the ToTP days and beyond, he was incredible.

I noticed they covered his friendship with Maggie, but left out how close he was with the now King Charles. A bit cowardly if you ask me, seeing as the intro was about how he got into the highest ranks of society?

I was surprised by his attitude to Maggie, I would have thought he was a proud working class northern sort? Maybe he just sucked up to anyone in power. The woman playing Maggie was amazing, btw. I think that might have been the best portrayal of her I've ever seen.

I thought the bits where the journalist and the woman at the BBC and other characters, said stuff standing up to him, that the dialogue seemed very forced. It was like the writers had gone, "Ok, we need to get across a righteous message, so we'll stick in a character here who says 'Jimmy Savile's behaviour is not acceptable'." It never felt authentic, especially the journalist. Whereas the people enabling him seemed really realistic to me.

I absolutely loved the last episode where he can't accept that he's no longer a star. When I was a kid, we went on holiday to Scarborough. I had never heard of JS, but my dad said he wondered if we might spot him. He said Savile used to be very famous, but now he was a sad has-been who wandered around Scarborough looking for people to talk to. I loved how he kept insisting to the journalist and the police that he was a big star and teen girls threw themselves at him.

I had to stop it at several places. Like the little girl with the tampons, it just got so upsetting that I could only watch it in little sections. I'm so glad that she (the real Sam) and the other people were there talking about it. They were so astute and really brought it all home. God rest the poor girl who killed herself.

I've always been fascinated that he died with his fingers crossed. It seems like a joke, almost, like he was doing one last "Oh Jimmy, what a character!" for whoever found him. I thoroughly hope that he knew he was dying and that he was terrified of what lay ahead. No matter whether you believe in the afterlife or not, I hope he spent his last moments in terror.

 

[Blurp]

I hink for us the “Jim’ll Fix It” kids generation, we might have thought he was odd, creepy etc but the adults all thought he was lovely, funny, kind so you go along with it. I mean, the adults thought Jim’ll Fix It was great for kids.

I was told off for thinking that he was creepy - he did so much for charity, so good to his old mother!

 

[Eirawen]

E

I was told off for thinking that he was creepy - he did so much for charity, so good to his old mother!

Exactly the same here! I couldn't stand him as he made my skin crawl but adults used to berate me for saying so as he was so wonderful for doing endless charity work. He groomed the whole nation.

 

[PeteM]

That wasn't the case in Leeds. He was universally unliked there. I remember a friend of mine in the mid 90s telling me about Jimmy's niche interest in morgues.

 

[Happy Lady]

He was a vile individual who hid behind his fundraising. I feel for the poor people who he abused, and admire their courage in coming forward to tell the truth.

I've just finished watching all four episodes, which I think portray his life very well, and Coogan played him well. He must have felt sick though, time and again.

I used to live in Leeds, and once attended a dinner he arranged to raise funds. It was in the early 80s and I had no idea then what a monster he was.

 

[Millennial Pink]

That wasn't the case in Leeds. He was universally unliked there. I remember a friend of mine in the mid 90s telling me about Jimmy's niche interest in morgues.

That was one of the things (along with that he also had male victims) that I'd forgotten (or blocked out) since the allegations started coming out en masse after he died. Absolutely no one was safe around him, the disgusting creature he was. When are his enablers going to have their day of reckoning?

The show made it seem like he did all the charity work to atone for the sexual crimes. The victims believe he did it so he could access more individuals to abuse. I think they're right, and it had the added bonus of making him untouchable in his lifetime.

 

[Blurp]

That was one of the things (along with that he also had male victims) that I'd forgotten (or blocked out) since the allegations started coming out en masse after he died. Absolutely no one was safe around him, the disgusting creature he was. When are his enablers going to have their day of reckoning?

The show made it seem like he did all the charity work to atone for the sexual crimes. The victims believe he did it so he could access more individuals to abuse. I think they're right, and it had the added bonus of making him untouchable in his lifetime.

He certainly used his work at St James and Stoke Mandeville to access more victims. Atone my a.

 

[Ineedmorecoffee]

I hink for us the “Jim’ll Fix It” kids generation, we might have thought he was odd, creepy etc but the adults all thought he was lovely, funny, kind so you go along with it. I mean, the adults thought Jim’ll Fix It was great for kids.

And this is exactly why he got away with so much over the years. By this point, he had already groomed one generation, so of course they’d all be happy for their kids to be watching and writing in to him.

 

[HotesTilaire]

And this is exactly why he got away with so much over the years. By this point, he had already groomed one generation, so of course they’d all be happy for their kids to be watching and writing in to him.

And also why by the time Louis Theroux was talking to him, young people thought he was some old weirdo

 

[Prince fan 1999]

I was going to say if anything had a pulse,he'd be on it ..but that's not the case is it?

 

[ItsDatCuw]

Well that’s the last time they’ll ever play the Jim’ll Fix It tune on BBC