POLO

[Sunblessed]

Ha! They really are trying their damndest to make out they’ve not made a trashy reality show!!

https://variety.com/2024/tv/global/prince-harry-meghan-polo-netflix-series-rich-famous-stereotypes-1236243547/

POLO is now on NF. I don’t know if I’m brave enough to watch though!

From the article :

What are the discussions at the moment about a Season 2?
I think they’re definitely open to it. You’ll have to ask Netflix about their plans in that regard. But we made the show with a lot of love, and there’s plenty of stories left in the world of polo to keep it going.

Err that’s a no, Mr Director

Shan't be wasting my time watching this. Polo isn't a sport I'm interested in anyway.

I’m no royal fan but I think that a series trying to break down the barriers in polo is a great thing. It’s a dying sport as people don’t want to get involved/feel that they can’t due to the stereotype of it being only for the very rich and famous - in our experience this isn’t true. DD got involved in a sponsored ‘learn to play polo’ initiative for young people and absolutely adores it. It’s a fantastic sport that I wish we’d have known about sooner. It’s now far more accessible than it used to be

@BeatriceAndLottie actually I think people are more concerned about the animal abuse and exploitation than any perceived elitism.

I’ve read that Harry & Meghan are only in it for a few seconds in episode 5. I think that will be a shame for the fans. I can’t imagine many other people will want to watch it for entertainment reasons, but we shall see. It’s always surprising what becomes a fan favourite. Tiger King anyone?

If your daughter needed a 'sponsored initiative' to play polo then I would say that proves that it's an elitist sport. Nobody needs to be sponsored to play football or tennis.

Plus, there are serious issues about the treatment of animals and the environmental damage of flying the poor horses all over the world.

I’ve had a quick skim of it.

Yes, they do briefly appear in eps 5.
Meghan clearly mishears a question about speaking Spanish, which she answers ‘yes’ but he was asking if Harry spoke Spanish, not her. We know she speaks Spanish, she was just talking to the man….in Spanish!
Was all very awkward. She seems nervous around the camera. Yet somehow the papers are stating it was a little joke between Harry and Meghan. It wasn’t, it was a cringey miscommunication. The fact that this is the best of what they had recorded of her is alarming. Harry’s boring. They made sure to get in shots of his goals though.

The rest:

• There are NO likeable characters at all (save some pregnant woman’s mum, who had a bit of personality)

• The games lack any atmosphere, thrill or jeopardy. It’s like watching sports day at school with dramatic music overplayed.

• They do attempt to explain the game but you literally don’t care

• Im not sure at all how they are breaking down barriers and stereotypes; which all the PR for POLO says this is what it’s about. They’re all rich arseholes that you wouldn’t want to spend anytime with!!!

• Harry n Meghan look so what normal next to them!

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/tv/0/polo-netflix-review-prince-harry-archewell/

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/tv/0/polo-netflix-review-prince-harry-archewell/

There’s lots of blood, sweat, and tears in the series – but not enough of the Sussexes to make this anything other than a dull indulgence about a rich person’s pursuit. This horsey hiccup is another bad neigh day for the Sussexes and their media ambitions.

2/5

Interesting that so much of the interview focusses on Harry. Why isn't Harry doing any promotion for this series? Let's face it the only reason most people will tune in is because of him.

I said in another post that neither of them seems bothered to promote any of their projects. Meghan did almost nothing for 'Archetypes. This is not good, especially as the main reason they got their media contracts was their own personal fame, not their non existent talents. It's another reason people will be reluctant to work with them.

V surprised though that PH and/or MM were not interviewed in this article and instead fielded their director Milos Balac for promo. Maybe they have spread the load - not seen any other promo (not looked to be fair).

Balac is positive about PH contribution (well he dose pay his wages) but doesnt mention MM.

After Spotify deal was ended Archewell Audio was shut down. Do we expect the same with Archewell Productions if/when NF deal expires?

I am assuming they think their names will be enough to attract an audience ?
Is Harry still in NY ? Only asking as a friend is there at the moment and was sure she saw him on Sunday 🤷‍♀️

Has anyone ever watched anything because of who the Executive Producers are?

A curiosity click maybe, but sitting through an entire 5 episode series?

I doubt it.

Their 'names' weren't enough to get an audience for the Invicutus documentary. Or for Archetypes.

@BeatriceAndLottie

Just to learn to ride to the level required to play polo is unlikely unless you are from a very wealthy background, I ride but not at that level from suburban stables. I actually do quite like polo and have been to several matches (got to love corporate hospitality) but I cannot defend its elitism. A single sponsored team isn't going to change the access to the sport because of other barriers basically. Still an excellent day out

Very true however H and M have a very high opinion of their own status !

Meghans viewpoint is seemingly about how she wanted the ‘community’ aspect of the game to be included. Of course she did, that’s one of her buzzwords. The interviews are a desperate attempt to try and legitimatise a trashy show as reaching one of Harry and Meghans Archewell productions goals of “illuminating thought-provoking and diverse narratives that underscore our common humanity and celebrate community – through scripted and non-scripted TV, film, documentaries, and podcasting”

The ‘community’ that they are ‘illuminating’ in the tv show are just vacuous, rich snobs

There was interviews with the NYpost, variety and People but that’s it.

“illuminating thought-provoking and diverse narratives that underscore our common humanity and celebrate community – through scripted and non-scripted TV, film, documentaries, and podcasting”

Who thinks up this shit ?

Another 2/5 from the Guardian. Ouch!

https://amp.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2024/dec/10/polo-review-prince-harry-netflix-show

:

To briefly paraphrase Hans Gruber: when Prince Harry saw the breadth of his Netflix deal, he wept for there were no more family members to slag off.

*

Mainly, though, Polo looks destined to fall through the submenus into obscurity at the speed of light. And rightly so. It’s clattering and niche, and feels like a spoof documentary designed to play on screens in the background of episodes of Succession. The end of the final season goes out of its way to tee up a sequel, but I really don’t think any of us deserve that. Here’s hoping the cookery show does better.

Have posted this before I think. I have a relative that had 2 retired polo ponies she could never ride as their backs were gone at quite a young age. Ridden into the ground by rich men that were too heaby for them. They wear spurs also and drag on the ponies mouths, its horrible.

If H really wanted to break down barriers around polo, he could have done something like Freddie Flinthoff did with his Field of Dreams series. Now that was uplifting television. Then again FF is a genuine and warm guy who isn't just looking to make a quick buck.

Some more from Stuart Heritage's Guardian review this morning:

Polo, though, is about polo. And polo is the stupidest, most obnoxious sport known to humanity. It’s the playground of the rich. It’s a sport where fixtures are chosen by popping confetti-filled balloons, like a nightmarish gender reveal party. It requires incredible wealth, usually inherited, which means you could tip a bucket of paint over the entire sport and not hit a single person who even remotely qualified as an underdog. It’s a show about privileged people showing us exactly how privileged they are, which means there isn’t a lot of drama to be found.

Unintentional comedy, sure. The cast of characters here is largely made up of men who take polo far too seriously, and the women around them who are left neglected. Chief among them is Louis Devaleix, patron and player of a team called La Fe. I had to Google Devaleix – who we first meet whooping “Fuck yeah!” because someone had closed a deal at his “healthcare talent acquisition” firm – to make sure he wasn’t some sort of elaborate art prank.

www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2024/dec/10/polo-review-prince-harry-netflix-show

That Guardian article . Ouch indeed !

Turns out the show is exactly what we all predicted it would be and how it would be lost to the ether.

Just think of the millions NF spent. They could save themselves a lot of money if they ever took a look at MN Royal threads!

The polo pony I took for light hacks had a ewe neck and dead mouth. Her back was structurally OK but she never used it properly because of how she had been ridden. She could not really carry herself correctly, making proper strengthening work quite difficult. She had an atagonistic relationship with the bit, too. She was a darling though, in temperament.

Wonder when the SuperFans will arrive gushing about how wonderful the series is ? I imagine they are currently glued to their screens .

I feel like they’ll be quiet on this one @Mylovelygreendress 😂