Telly enthusiast, Jim Trolly, slams new TV soap Red Rock

One of the country’s most controversial retired television watchers has slammed the launch of TV3’s new Garda soap Red Rock, warning that viewers are becoming indentured slaves to the medium, writes Larry Ryan.

Former telly enthusiast Jim Trolly, who still appears on television himself, warned that packed TV schedules, insatiable advertising executives and pressure from social media users are placing rigorous demands on beleaguered viewers, with many just switching off altogether.

“They’re like battery hens. Many of these guys have 100 or more hours piled up on the Sky+ without needing to keep up with a procedural police drama set in a fictional seaside town. It’s exploitation.”

As anecdotal evidence piles up of a watch-at-all-costs ethos with stories of dawn December sessions spent cramming in the final episodes of The Fall season two, Trolly’s strong words have triggered a protracted debate amongst current viewers.

One watcher, who didn’t want to be named in case he faced reprisals from other fans of broadcast drama, can see himself walking away from the remote.

“There’s just too much of it now. I only finished The Killing before Christmas. And if you want any kind of edge, you have to put in a couple of sessions a week on your own with a cult show like Slings And Arrows.

“I’ve heard great things about Nighty Night too, but there’s no chance. Something has to give.”

The unrest is mirrored across other areas of the recreation sector, with readers also bemoaning scores of untouched books on their Kindles. And the dual reader-television viewer has almost been phased out entirely.

But it is television viewers who bear the brunt of gruelling regimes that leave little room for friends and family.

Yet, the growing ennui comes at a time when facilities for viewers have never been better, with on-demand HD services replacing the traditional jiggle-the-aerial-until-snow-lifts-on-the-BBC approach.

But many viewers clamour for bygone eras.

The Anything-On-The-Box? days.

“The fun is gone out of it,” said one. “I remember the good old days when you’d just tune in, on the off chance. And maybe you’d watch The Sullivans or something. We hadn’t much, but we were happy.”

That viewer’s partner has imposed a drinking ban until they catch up with Mad Men and research indicates growing stress levels among viewers, with many staying off Twitter altogether until they finished Breaking Bad.

Trolly expressed concern for the casual viewer too, who is being neglected, pointing out that Corrie is gone to the dogs and old seasons of Friday Night Lights are on at irregular times at all hours of the night.

And while he did welcome hints that Curb Your Enthusiasm has finished up for good, he reiterated fears that TV viewing has become a young man’s game.

One 28-year-old accountant, who lived in a student house of eight where everyone religiously got up for the lunchtime showing of Home and Away, reported startling fall-off rates.

“Only one of those lads watches television now. I haven’t turned it on since Sally left the Bay.”

But it is harassed current viewers that dominate Trolly’s thoughts. “They’re not able to work full-time, they’re not able to build careers,” he warned. “And don’t forget House of Cards is back on Netflix next month.”

A petition has been signed for the return, at least, of Closedown. But a spokesperson for the TV viewers association (TVWA) played down calls for viewers to be paid.

“We know professionalism isn’t feasible, but there has to be something put in place for the viewer because at the end of the day we all love telly and we would rather be doing nothing else.”

But some overburdened viewers are demanding a slice of the revenue flowing through the TV game.

“We brought in millions in advertising during Love/Hate but there’s not a bob in it for us. I even got 55 retweets for a joke about Frano during the finale. But they don’t give a shite,” said an angry elite viewer.

Another couldn’t see himself ever watching TV again.

“Enough is enough. I’m looking for another hobby. Maybe something that confers health benefits, expenses, employment contacts, the odd freebie and iconic status around the parish and county.”

Cult of leader back at United

It appears there are churlish opportunists out there doing the sums and looking at the bottom line and trying to tell us that Louis van Gaal has made no progress on David Moyes’s early efforts at Manchester United.

It is a theory that overlooks the tireless work LVG has been doing in restoring the operational model that served United magnificently over the years; the beautifully simple idea that what one man says goes.

To get a handle on the inroads LVG has made, in this very specialist area, we must look beyond the league table and focus instead on less measurable details.

Things like Wayne Rooney haring dutifully about in midfield. And things like Wayne and others keeping their thoughts to themselves on social media and all other outlets available to their opinions.

We might also note the sidelining of the €30m signing and now the sidelining of the on-loan superstar. We must take into account the heartless first-half substitution of a callow young buck. And his subsequent recall.

And we can see that the ‘Manchester United way’ won’t be a consideration if LVG believes the quickest way forward is to belt it towards Fellaini.

Perhaps as notable as his tendency to shift tactics every game was that telling early symbolic move; the relocation of the Old Trafford players’ lounge. A pointed indication that nobody should get too comfortable where they are.

If there is one set of stats which tell us there is work yet to be done, it is that LVG hasn’t yet managed to reverse dangerously declined interest in the business of awarding United penalties, nor entirely discouraged recent enthusiasm for awarding penalties against them. But that is sensitive work, even great autocrats can’t rush into.

HEROES & VILLAINS

STAIRWAY TO HEAVEN

Katharina Liebherr: Might the woman who was supposed to be “at the centre of the Southampton meltdown” be due a little credit?

Ricky Ponting: Kevin Pietersen doesn’t take much coaxing to opine, but Punter gave the likes of Geoff Shreeves a lesson with a fascinating 20-minute grilling when the pair combined in a ‘Big Bash’ commentary box.

Moyesy, right: Like another man who reigned in Spain, if it all goes wrong, he now has a career in crisp ads to fall back on.

HELL IN A HANDCART

Aussie darts fans: Now that the arrows has its new man for the apocalypse, fans at the Melbourne Invitational last weekend threatened to bring on their own.