Just wanted to say that I was gripped by Britz. As a British Muslim I found it compelling and cathartic. There are certain scenes I would have approached differently and used different dialogue. This is not a criticism about you beacuse you're highly experienced and respected within the community. It is however a complaint about about Channel 4 commissioning. Why aren't British Muslim writers / directors given opportunities to tell these and other kinds of stories about our community. And yes you've guessed it, I'm one of those working class british muslim writer / directors struggling to get my voiced heared, unless of course it's told by someone like your good self.
Wasn't at all convinced. The entire issue of suicide bombers is utterly terrifying and alien to most normal (yes I do dare to use a label) people. This programme did nothing to improve understanding - it was light entertainment, Cracker without the acting or script or quality of Robbie Coltrane. The material in this 'drama' was far too delicate to be handled with ham fists. Appalling that such an opportunity to gain a useful insight into this hidden world was completely lost. If anything it appeared to gloss over any sense of realism and actually left me thinking that it only succeeded in glorifying what is a tragic act of horror. Any excuse to grab ratings - I only hope the programme has not influenced anyone into becoming a martyr themselves...what a ghastly thought.
I was hooked on this and watched it all the way through, the end really took me by surprise. as a christian i could not comprehend the destruction of innocent lives by a minority, everyone complains of being persecuted and demanding rights in britain, at the end of the day, no matter who you are,if you are guests in britain and should respect our culture as well as your own, whats that saying (when in rome,). i could just imagine what would happen if i went to a muslim country and demanded rights, i would probulary be shot. so stop winging and embrace our country for what it is, a soft touch, the police have every right to protect us from radicals any way they know how. it seems now the white people are a minority in britain i wonder if we would get any special treatment in the future, what most people dont comprehend is brain is only an island and as such we can only withstand an influx of so many people and if radicals want to come here to kill and maim then lock em up and ship them out.
I wanted to express my opinion and gratitude that I think you have produced an astounding piece of work.
The fact that your work has provoked so much debate on these forums, and in many lounges/workplaces/coffee shops over the days to come, should be recognition enough that your labour of love has served an honourable purpose.
As is always the case with television/movie dramatisations, arguments around fact/fiction/misrepresentation will abound. The most poignant works however will always engage true debate regardless, and I feel that your work will do exactly that.
I must honestly confess to truly having put myself, as the viewer, in Nazima’s position, which caused me to do some soul-searching to identify how she got herself to the place she reached in life. I was extremely distraught at the end, and am so glad you didn’t choose the easy option, because you have ultimately portrayed life as it so often is, for which I greatly respect you.
If your work engages 100, or 10, or even 1 person to re-assess how they currently view such subjects, then I say it has been a worthy cause.
I was gripped to the last minute but I just can't help wondering how many wannabe 'martyrs' are going to carry their missions out now. I have been reading the Qu'ran with transliteration and have not yet come across Allah saying that we should go and kill innocent people, disguise ourselves and then kill others. Also neither Nasima or any of the camp people actually looked or did anything religious (apart from read prayers which is only ONE pillar of Islam like the other the other four) KILLING YOURSELF OR OTHERS IS NOT ISLAM. Please stop the brainwashing of youngsters @ uni
I found the drama absorbing but the ending was unrealistic and the postscript unnecessary. I found it ended up glorifying extremism. And I too wonder how many converts to terrorism this program may have aroused.
It would have been better if her brother had disuaded Nasima from her barbaric deed and I don't believe she was in character by agreeing passively to leave the next day for Pakistan after she told her father about her relationship with a man. This seems to be a major flaw in the script.
She was a doctor in training and would have taken her medical obligations more seriously. The fact she was seeing a black man and having a sexual relationship with him showed that she was a very independently thinking muslim woman and her character did not seem the type who would have dropped everything to passively comply with her father's demands that she board a plane for Pakistan with less than 24 hours notice.
It seemed that the writers wanted to fit everything into a two episode script and it just didn't work.
And from every perspective it showed people who don't believe in any compromise which is not honest and I feel it is exploitative.
I am well aware that the subject of this excellent drama is an emotive subject as we have already seen from some of the posts. However I would like to thank the producers, writers etc for handling the topic with such sensitivity and craft. The pace was perfect and the comparison between the brother and the sister, both leading secret lives due to their beliefs was a brilliant idea.
Some thoughts occur to me having just finished watching. The first being around my own curiousity. If Nas had decided not to go ahead would she really have been allowed back in to society with the knowledge she had? Secondly where do the bodies come from that fake these people's deaths? On a wider issue it makes me think about the next generation British born of our current immigrants. The reason being that we seem impossibly slow in this country to learn. A lot of these situations, and not just the extreme ones we have seen, but the every day ignorance etc that is shown goes on every day. When Nas is asked whether she knows of any political action that has had an effect on legislation she is dumbstruck. Look how long it took for civil rights to be heard in America and not before many atrocities were carried out. The government has a joint responsibility along with individuals to educate us, not just children but all of us. Other cultures enrich our country. They contribute to our economy, our art, our cusine, our history etc. Why oh why are we still stuck in this imperial colonial mentality? For such a small island we have done extremely well but that has brought with it such arrogance and fear of losing it. Each country has it's journey and we can't stand still. We can protect our history and land marks etc but that is what it is - glorious HISTORY. Move on England or you will become extinct.
In response to a few posts I would say that enough has been televised about the religious motives behind suicide bombers and Nas says towards the end 'that is not why I'm doing it'. As for inspiring would be martyrs, I think it unlikely. Nas was extremely vulnerable and desperate having just lost her best friend and, for all she knew, the love of her life not to mention frustrated by what she saw around her. But all those factors need to be present as well as the circumstances e.g. the group that she joined etc. But maybe I am being naive and if so I apologise.
I do not condone the action of any radical group either 'eyeswideopen' however I think perhaps you missed the point that these people were not asylum seekers. Oh and by the way white people are NOT a minority in Britain and are you including Polish, French, German, Italian etc in that description?
I also believe Nas agreed to go to Pakistan as she was already 'on the road' to radical thinking and knew she could investigate matters further when she got there.
As for the end - very powerful. It should make us sit up and take notice. Ironicaly enough most every religion I know of advocates empathy. I feel that includes doing something for our fellow beings every day however small. Smiling at someone can make a difference to that persons life. Being passive is not being alive. I for one try to take every opportunity I can to educate those around me about difference without being a bore. I guess the question is what will you do?
Watched Britz which was very thouht provoking,although over dramatized in places.I for one dont know of any police station,were every second officer is armed with a smi automatic machine gun(must live in a diffrent Britain).IT is good to see it has caused debate ,both on this forum and else,where.At the end it was unfair to put in the sub titles the percentages of the Islamic faith feel certain ways, without a view of the indigenous peple i.e how many feel Islamic people dont want to mix with other races. How many people think ALL people of what ever race coming to live here should above all RESPECT the beliefs of the hot country.I feel if channel 4 ,had shown these percentages it would of given a balanced view point.
To TracieA I think you are extremely naive to think that that we still have a colonial past,do you not look around you? We have become a very diverse country,yes with proplems ,but I fail to see as you would seem to belive most white people are harbouring racist views and living in the past,yes we have to try harder ,but in the end if you choose to come and live here ,you have to try even harder ,and have a willingness to adopt your host countries values.If you cannot,dont come
It is true that the new legislation is extremely repressive.However, things used to be very different, was London not called "Londonistan" at some point? The freedom enjoyed by extremists to preach and encourage violence in certain muslim quarters had terrible consequences which are now being borne by the community as a whole.The law had to be tightened, leading to further bouts of sectarian violence,when will the deadly pattern stop?
This from a white 'middle-class' (hate that term) 60-year-old male:
BRITZ was a landmark production for Channel 4 and thank you to all concerned for a brilliant thought-provoking production where performances transcended 'acting' and almost achieved documentary status. Yes, it was flawed. The main problem was that Peter dealt with an undoable topic in just 4 hours (net of adverts). It would take a series of at least 12 x 1 hours to begin to scratch the surface of the problems that go back two thousand years and it would be so complex that we would probably be unable to absorb it all. That said, this was an honourable attempt to show many of the facets of the problem. The final captions were powerful and almost made me feel guilty for electing Blair. (Yes... I was one of them, but who knows what was going to come in 1997?) Overall it was a little simplistic. Nevertheless, a quantum jump for channel 4 drama and even at its worst level, this piece has slapped the problem right on to the table in front of our faces. Congratulations!
Aruss I respect your opinions as another human being. However I was not implying everyone was racist - please do not put words into my mouth. I also reminded people that the characters in this piece of fiction did not choose to come here they were born here and as such have the same rights as the next person. As for being naive, perhaps but I speak as I find.
can sumone plz help me...i missed the both episodes and im dying to watch it i cant buy it coz its not out yet...and plus i cant download it anywhere. please can someone tell me where i cud find it online where i could watch plz?
I'm really hacked off atm lol I recorded on sky+ the 1st show but forgot to set the series record so i sadly missed the second part I know about 4od showing this but i cant d/l the link, is the series gonna be repeated or will it be released on a dvd ? Or if someone recorded it, would there be anychance of me borrowing the tape ? Im gutted, just as the 1st one finished....no more for me lol
