🚂 FIELD GUIDE 61: Oliver Postgate, punk
A grab bag of goodness from the BBC for you this week. —Jeff
Creativity
Oliver Postgate was the co-creator with Peter Firmin of beloved British children’s television programmes Ivor the Engine, Clangers, Bagpuss and more. They made their programmes in a barn and a shed behind Postgate’s house, and everything was DIY from the equipment to the characters to their own kids sometimes being characters. Their politics were radical. Their shows were subversive in the best way possible. They were totally punk rock in a gentle English countryside way.
Christine and I loved this documentary about Postgate. (If you can’t access BBC programmes, you can watch it on Youtube, not in high resolution but still worth your time.)
Health
(This one should be filed under TREE but here it is.)
Speaking of subversive. Dr Michael Mosley is giving solid science-backed advice out in the open that, if enough people followed it, would upend the food, fitness and health sectors of our economy.
I binged his Just One Long Thing specials from December. (Scroll down a bit or search in your podcast app.) I made a major change to the way I eat as a result. The early results are good. I may write about it later this year.
Culture
Jon Ronson’s second series of Things Fell Apart about aspects of the culture wars, mostly in the USA that came to the surface during lockdown is a superb, engaging and very Jon Ronsony piece of journalism. He’s not about picking fights. He’s all about understanding people.
I’m thoroughly excited to be seeing Poppy with my oldest daughter on Sunday. I’m if not crushed by the mosh pit, I’ll catch up with you Monday.
Happy weekend
Jeff