Inside Monaco, BBC2 tonight - insensitive?

[ginjenny]

Am I the only one who thinks that the programme on BBC2 tonight on Monaco is a bit "off" given the job losses/economy etc at the moment! I've seen the trailers for this and my immediate thought was - how tactless and thoughtless it was to show this right now! I understand that people don't have to watch it and can turn off, but personally I really don't think this programme should be shown at a time when so many people have lost their lives, their jobs and livelihoods! Maybe I'm missing the point and this programme is a bit of escapism from the horrid situation caused by the pandemic, but personally it just feels very insensitive!

I'm looking forward to it. I like a bit of escapism.

Thanks for pointing this out. I love a bit of escapism. I'll be watching.

I think you may be over thinking this OP.

Oh give over.

I saw the trailers and I too thought it was a bit tasteless. But it’s not the sort of programme I’d watch anyway.

Its a programme about rich people living in a tax haven. If you feel affronted don't watch it. There are some less rich people living there as well but I dont think you'll see those.

It's escapism isn't it ordinary people. Couldn't afford to live in Monaco at any time so it isn't a huge dea,l I love programmes like this .how the other other half live .

I was watching a programme about luxury hotels. Last night I'll never ever afford to go to but the are nice to look at.

There was a piece in the Sunday Times about it, the ruling family need to encourage more young people to move there as the population is getting older, hence the promotion. Do the young wealthy watch TV anymore?

At least it's not a rerun of another football match.

Seriously?

I imagine the young wealthy are all about Netflix and insta .not terrestrial Monday night telly.

Maybe we should only watch programmes about poor and sick people then?

You are massively overthinking this.

Not something I'd watch at any time, but seriously, what do you think is "appropriate" viewing for a pandemic?

I spent a year living there when I worked as an au pair, and it was without exception the dullest place I've ever been.

Oh. Is it really dull?

@Croquemonsieur

I spent a year living there when I worked as an au pair, and it was without exception the dullest place I've ever been.

Tell us more!

I’ll probably watch it

Last night I watched a documentary on channel 5 about billionaire Jon cauldwell’s house renovation in London. It was c£150 million and was absolutely revolting. Cheered me up no end.

I'd already set the tivo up to record it, it sounds fun.

I lived very nearby for a few years (walkable, it was the nearest town) and my other half is from there, but not Monegasque as there are hardly any actual citizens, just lots of residents. We know French and Italian people who work there as salaries are good, but no one who can actually afford to live in Monaco itself. It's actually rather small and unless you are rich enough to frequent the posh shops, clubs, restaurants etc there is far more to do in Nice and that includes the beaches as there is only really the Larvotto in Monaco unless you go to the private ones. For normal people, the amenities are good (pool, playgrounds, zoo, the museum and aquarium, nice walks in very well kept gardens, Princess Grace's rose garden) and a walk up to the palace and around the Rocher are lovely. There is also a lot of cultural stuff, plays, concerts and the fireworks in the summer. You can just walk around the port and casino to ogle the yachts, supercars and so on. But I agree with Croque, it's not the most interesting place on the Côte d'Azur. We were there when my youngest was little. I would mainly be hanging out with bored nannies in the play areas whilst the kids played.

I suspect the programme on Devon & Cornwall on C4 will be more upsetting as that's within travelling distance for a lot of people. In the South West the R value is going up, so programme about how lovely it is isn't great timing, would be brilliant out of lockdown to encourage tourism but now not so much. Monaco will just be escapism, as was the renovation of the billionaires house, which was bonkers. (Why didn't he just donate the money to his own charity?)

I think it's great escapism. It would be great escapism even without a tanking economy as the people in the show are living lifestyles way beyond what the masses are living anyway.

You could think this about everything. People post pics and vids of their lovely houses and gardens all the time. The world will never be equal.

Assuming this isn’t a repeat, would you rather another repeat of something? All TV channels are in serious trouble right now. They are running out of things to show. No new programmes are being made, and they are having to show programmes that were maybe scheduled for autumn - if they have already been made.

I agree with you and thought the same and actually isn't about bloody time the distribution of wealth in the world was evened out!