The Frontline - RTÉ

imme

There are already one or two threads on the Frontline tv programme. The threads are about specific episodes. This thread is more about the programme itself, it's style, it's value.
Well what think ye of The Frontline?
I've seen about 4 episodes of it since it started late 2009.
To compare it to the programme it replaced for a minute, Questions & Answers, well, The Frontline is its own programme. Q & A used to have politicians on it, so you could feel that people who do something about the issues being discussed could affect what they were talking about. The Frontline rarely (I could be mistaken) has politicians on it. To me this then just looks like people, invited panel and audience, talking for the sake of it. Where does it get them, what is furthered by it?

That's the kernal of the problem with The Frontline as I see it, there's 'no meat on the bones'.

dambarude

imme wrote: »

. Q & A used to have politicians on it, so you could feel that people who do something about the issues being discussed could affect what they were talking about. The Frontline rarely (I could be mistaken) has politicians on it. .

Off the top of my head: Dan Boyle was on it tonight. John Gormley was on after the floods. Mary Hanafin was on about social welfare cuts before the budget. Éamon Ó Cúiv was on it last week after the the big freeze.

I think the Frontline is head and shoulders above its predecessor, which was incredibly repetitive and dull.

je suis awesome

good tv show but a little boring at times, but maby thats becoz i dont got much free time lately with school

moe_sizlak

dambarude wrote: »

Off the top of my head: Dan Boyle was on it tonight. John Gormley was on after the floods. Mary Hanafin was on about social welfare cuts before the budget. Éamon Ó Cúiv was on it last week after the the big freeze.

I think the Frontline is head and shoulders above its predecessor, which was incredibly repetitive and dull.

Q+A was indeed incredibly dull , mainly due to its presenter john bowman who is an academic who while very good on radio docus , lacked the presence or charisma needed for tv

NormanNicetouch

moe_sizlak wrote: »

Q+A was indeed incredibly dull , mainly due to its presenter john bowman who is an academic who while very good on radio docus , lacked the presence or charisma needed for tv

JB seemed to be sleepwalking through Q & A in its last few years. Audience was packed with party activists, panellists' answers were drearily predictable. Rarely watched it to the end, to be honest. The Frontline has reinvigorated the slot and shown how Pat Kenny was wasted during his lost years on the Late Late. Just hope they can keep up the standard and it doesn't turn into just another Joe Duffy whingeathon.

Its only interesting when the likes of Alan O'Brien get to have their say:D
In fairness I haven't seen it for a while before last night but I thought it was ok last night even if Jack O'Connor was on it.

Meeja Ireland

NormanNicetouch wrote: »

JB seemed to be sleepwalking through Q & A in its last few years. Audience was packed with party activists, panellists' answers were drearily predictable. Rarely watched it to the end, to be honest. The Frontline has reinvigorated the slot and shown how Pat Kenny was wasted during his lost years on the Late Late. Just hope they can keep up the standard and it doesn't turn into just another Joe Duffy whingeathon.

Couldn't agree more. If you can also tell me what card I'm thinking of, I'll be very spooked indeed.

It's great not to wax nostalgic about Questions & Answers, the way people often do about shows that are no longer with us. (My two main examples would be the execrable Nighthawks, and the embarrassment of Gay Byrne's last decade on the Late Late, but I guess that's for another thread or two.) Q&A was, for a long time, exactly as you describe it.

I think the revitalisation of Pat Kenny is one of the best things RTE have done for years. He will surely come to look on his whole chat show stint as a weird misuse of his time and talent.

And I agree that the main danger for Frontline (now that they've junked the un-comedy sketches) is the ropey populism that substitutes personal gripes for analysis. But they seem to be steering it well on that issue. It's a great first season.

NormanNicetouch

Meeja Ireland wrote: »

Couldn't agree more. If you can also tell me what card I'm thinking of, I'll be very spooked indeed.

It's great not to wax nostalgic about Questions & Answers, the way people often do about shows that are no longer with us. (My two main examples would be the execrable Nighthawks, and the embarrassment of Gay Byrne's last decade on the Late Late, but I guess that's for another thread or two.) Q&A was, for a long time, exactly as you describe it.

I think the revitalisation of Pat Kenny is one of the best things RTE have done for years. He will surely come to look on his whole chat show stint as a weird misuse of his time and talent.

And I agree that the main danger for Frontline (now that they've junked the un-comedy sketches) is the ropey populism that substitutes personal gripes for analysis. But they seem to be steering it well on that issue. It's a great first season.

"Hi, Joe. I've just found another shop in Crumlin that doesn't sell cat litter above threepence ha'penny and a stamp." Fingers crossed, it's not going to get worse.

Skid

I think The Frontline has been very good so far, far superior to 'Questions and Answers'.

Pat Kenny is an excellent Current Affairs presenter, it's sad that he was in the wrong TV job for ten years.

I think the show needs a better timeslot. 10.30 - 11.30 on a Monday night is a bit late, It's heavy duty to watch for an hour on the first night after the weekend. They should move it to 9.30.

IronMan

SkidMark wrote: »

I think the show needs a better timeslot. 10.30 - 11.30 on a Monday night is a bit late, It's heavy duty to watch for an hour on the first night after the weekend. They should move it to 9.30.

Couldn't agree more. Pat seems to be in his element, and it comes across in the pace, and tone of the show to date.

I fail to see why this couldn't get the 8PM - 9PM slot. RTE has a remit to be a public-service broadcaster, not to throw out junk like "Mary from Crumlin has lost 3 of her 4 chins, tune in next week so Gerry Ryan can conduct a smug interview with her".