the Nathan Barley effect

The effect of the series, not the effect of the blithering idiots portrayed in the series.

The whole Nathan Barley thing and all the movement around it completely confuses me.

First of all is there the collaboration between Chris Morris and Charlie Brooker. How did they meet? How did that collaboration came about? Unfunny fact is that I already found out by reading the “Chris Morris biography” (I’m not sure I’m allowed to call it that, that’s why I put it in quotations, which seems a weird way to put it). Weirdly, even after reading about how they met and started working together, the fact that Charlie Brooker worked with Chris Morris still boggles my mind. I don’t know why.

Then there are the many negative reactions to the series opposed to the very few but passionate positive reactions. That I understand; it’s just regular online bickering and bitching. Though on the other hand, especially the negative reactions tend to bewilder me beyond comprehension. Here’s one (semi-negative reactions on a possible 2nd series):

Nathan Barley trundles on

According to Media Guardian’s Media Monkey, Chris Morris wants to do a second series of Nathan Barley, which surprises me. What’s not surprising is that Kevin Lygo doesn’t want a second series of Nathan Barley. Who said ratings weren’t important to Channel 4?

Personally, I’d rather have a speedy DVD release of Nathan Barley than a second series.

But Media Monkey continues:

“Just who, exactly did Morris base “self-facilitating media node” Nathan Barley on? Step forward Andrew Newman, a regular collaborator with Morris on the likes of Brass Eye and now head of entertainment at Channel 4.”

I think I saw Andrew Newman on Channel 4’s 50 Greatest Comedy Sketches last night, and he does seem a bit odd. Not necessarily Barley-esque though. That’s all by the by though. You see, Chris Morris didn’t create Nathan Barley. Charlie Brooker created Barley years before Morris got his hands on the character.

Source: doctorvee.co.uk

It’s funny how both authors get things a little wrong. The doctorvee author is correct in noting that Chris Morris didn’t create the Nathan Barley character as such, though he had a big hand in making TV-Nathan Barley the way he turned out in the series. And to say Morris got his hands on the character sounds like he took it off Charlie Brooker’s hands, which he didn’t; they created the TV-series together.

Yes, I know; I’m a pedant.

Just keep reading; as much as it is confusing it’s also funny. Well, I laughed.

More later; Nathan Barley keeps creeping back into my life (like a real cunt/prick/idiot does).