Preview

Review of a Television Program: Tourettes, I Swear I Can't Help It

Powerful Essays
Open Document
Open Document
2333 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Review of a Television Program: Tourettes, I Swear I Can't Help It
ENGLISH COURSEWORK.
REVIEW OF A TELEVISION PROGRAMME.

“Tourettes- I Swear I Can’t Help It” is a documentary about two men, one young man named Greg Storey and a middle aged man named John Davison, produced by ProspectCymruWales. The producer was Phillipa Robinson. The programme opens with the protagonist walking with a friend into a supermarket and immediately we see the curse of his illness. We are thrown into his world without having to be subjected to a stuffy medical explanation of the condition. The programme just leaves the viewer’s mind open to explore. It was televised in May of this year, although during the show we see various clips from both men’s lives.
At Greg’s introduction to the programme all we see is a camera shot of a nice looking private school... and then loud screams. This shocks the viewer a great deal because we do not understand what is going on and immediately thoughts fly through our heads. Questions like ‘who’s screaming?’, ‘why are they screaming?’ and even ‘what’s going on?’ join our train of thoughts, but then the RP voice-over of Sue Johnston explains that Greg developed Tourettes at the age of seven. It then skips to the Greg of the present - aged fifteen, and he explains how he had to leave that particular private school due to the fact that his parents could not afford to keep him there as well as pay additional for the special care he required. He goes on to mention that he now attends a public school after a campaign to get his necessary assistance. I noticed that when Greg and John are talking most of their clips are in interview format, I believe the producer chose to do it this way because the camera is focused on their faces so you can see their expressions much better and see their eyes. This makes it all the more personal for the viewer at home. The next clips of Greg are ones of him in school in a lesson and his tics go off and you’d think they would disrupt the classroom but everyone just goes on as normal “It’s

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Satisfactory Essays

    It is the story of an autistic person of 45 years old (HL), who had lived in Bournewood hospital in Surrey, in residential care, for 32 years, before he was fostered by a family in 1994. Living in a family proved to be very beneficial for him and, as the family said:, “...he became more confident and progressed beyond all expectations.”…

    • 446 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    1. What are Greg’s new signs and symptoms? Do you have a diagnosis for Greg’s problem?…

    • 1218 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    As a result of autism, Gus is “communications-impaired,” but his conversations with Siri expose him to good manners, which he is able to translate in his everyday lifestyle (Newman 1). Gus…

    • 669 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Understanding - Greg is pretty understanding when it comes to certain things especially when it comes to understanding where he fits in into society. Greg knows that he isn't popular, AT ALL. He knows that when its time to pick teams at physed, that he will get picked last. He knows that nobody will ever sit with him at lunch, so he sits next to the garbage can on the…

    • 402 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    In A Plague of Tics, Sedaris describes his childhood of obsessively and repeatedly licking light switches, counting steps, touching telephone poles, jabbing mailboxes, and rocking back and forth, not because he wanted to but "because nothing was worse than the anguish of not doing them” (9). Instead of focusing on how this disorder affected him negatively, he writes about it in a very humorous way. Two sentences are illustrative. “ ‘That is Miss Chestnut’s light switch, and she likes to keep it dry. Would you like me to come over to your house and put my tongue on your light switches?’ ” (7). “It had come out of nowhere, my desperate urge to summon high-pitched noises from the back of my throat… ‘Eeeeeeee – ummmmmmmmmm – ahhhh – ahhh…

    • 752 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    The article helps me understand more about Tourette’s syndrome. It helps me identify the several methods that may help a child to overcome his or her fear about Tourette’s syndrome. This article also aids in informing the general public about this disorder, and further educate the parents and teachers who have or are teaching children with Tourette’s syndrome. This article is also helpful to children with Tourette’s syndrome as it creates self-awareness of their disability. Although it was written in the perspective of a teacher, this article conveyed the positive outlooks of this disorder. The article does not mention the setbacks of Tourette’s…

    • 764 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Better Essays

    In the first three chapters of Michael Motley’s book Overcoming Your Fear of Public Speaking: A Proven Method, Motley goes over other people’s methods compared to his own, physical reactions spurred on by the anxiety, and also how to change ones style of speaking from “performance orientation” to “communication orientation” (Motley, 1997, p. 41) These three chapters hold several very strong points of interest for someone with any kind of anxiety about public speaking, which would be everyone, that could help him or her manage the symptoms of anxiety. In chapter one Motley starts out with giving the audience different scenarios that helps form a connection between him and the readers, by doing this Motley is able to create credibility with the readers. Credibility is important in any field, literature and public speaking in particular, because if the author/speaker doesn’t form this connection then he is just some random Joe off the street.…

    • 1278 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    In David Sedaris’ “Plague of Tics” readers learn quickly about Sedaris’ OCD behaviors and how they affect not only himself but also the others around him. I have certain compassion towards Sedaris as I learned through the “Plague of Tics” we shared a connection relating between our views and past events. His family is clearly used to the odd behaviors but rather than being worried they tease him and think the tics are voluntarily practiced. Due to his unique routines annually his teachers make a point to meet with Sedaris’ mother. Every meeting, Mrs. Sedaris offers the teacher’s drinks evolving from scotch to sherry and entertains the teachers with exaggerated stories to lighten the seriousness of his actions. As Sedaris grows older his traditions lengthen such as: touching, counting, rocking, self inflicting pain, rolling his eyes, violently shaking his head, to saying tiny voices. College brought a bitter-sweet change for Sedaris; it became more difficult to make legitimate excuses for his tics, and he no longer could practice them in private. Also, once college started, Sedaris took up the habit of smoking cigarettes which is more “sociably acceptable” and eased his mind about his tics. In the essay “Plague of Tics,” Sedaris’ characteristics and strange OCD behaviors might be difficult for some to understand, yet reminded me much of my own actions.…

    • 972 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    P3

    • 1426 Words
    • 4 Pages

    “Peter is eight years old and has autism. He has just started attending a special after school club. When he arrives there is music playing and lots of children running about. One of the assistants goes to help him remove his coat and he starts screaming and lashing out”…

    • 1426 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    twa plague of tics

    • 415 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Summary: In this autobiography of David Sedaris, he describes, in a vivid and humorous detail, the obsessive compulsive behavior that plagued his life from grade school into college. The autobiography starts off with his teacher scolding him because he is licking her light switch. He also includes some of his “tics” of having to count and touch everything he does. David tells that a person had to do these things because nothing was worse than the anguish of not doing them. He is constantly second guessing himself, which causes himself to have to restart many of his nonproductive “tics” over again. One of his major “tics” was to sit on his bed and rock back and forth listening to the radio. While he was doing this he would try to find the hidden meanings for all of his favorite songs or just random songs.…

    • 415 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Tourettes

    • 567 Words
    • 3 Pages

    "Tourette 's Syndrome is not the end of the world. We all suffer in some ways; some of us suffer more then others. But before you complain about your problem, think of people who suffer more than you do. Think of what you gain from experience, you learn to be a far more caring individual."…

    • 567 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    The film, What’s Eating Gilbert Grape, is about a young man named Gilbert Grape who takes care of his younger brother Arnie who is autistic – a mental disability. Gilbert takes on several other responsibilities such as caring for his obese mother, working at the local grocery store, and trying to keep things afloat in the house. However, things get complicated for Gilbert when he pursues interest in a young woman named Becky. Gilbert struggles to find time to take care of his brother Arnie while trying to pursue a relationship with Becky.…

    • 403 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    The transition from the multicultural era of the eighties to the postnetwork era of the nineties triggered abrupt changes in American media and culture. [6] From fashions to family life, relationships, and attitudes, many new cultural elements subsequently changed television portrayals of ordinary American culture within this time period. More specifically, the culture of the eighties is often characterized by the rise of MTV and megastars, techno music and club drugs, and popular fashions such as leather, leggings, and Ray Bans. Eighties culture can be described as the ‘bombdigity’ and nineties culture can be described as more toned down, moral, and ‘sweet’. Stylistically, high-waist mom jeans and petite baby doll dresses were ever present throughout this decade. Furthermore, the culture of the nineties was much more calm, family oriented, and down to earth. Full House is a family sitcom that aired during this time of cultural change. Full House struggled to encompass both the disappearing culture of the eighties and the emerging culture of the nineties. Nonetheless, while early episodes of Full House showed off late-eighties retro styles and peculiar attitudes, the television program also introduced new, unconventional portrayals of men and emphasized the importance of morality and family values in the nineties.…

    • 4476 Words
    • 18 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Best Essays

    The Drawer Boy

    • 2908 Words
    • 12 Pages

    Moser, Marlene. “Ideology as Behaviour: Identity and Realism in The Drawer Boy.” Modern Drama 45.2 (2002): 231-245. Print.…

    • 2908 Words
    • 12 Pages
    Best Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    reach the enlightenment he’s searching for. Dr. Carl Bennett “Surgeon With Tourettes”: How Others See The Character • Some people don’t understand him, and don’t know how to cope with his condition. • Others are fascinated with how he can be a brilliant surgeon and maintain his tourettes. •…

    • 296 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays