Top Boy

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Not sure if this has been discussed here already, but i started watching Top Boy last night.  I’ve only seen the first three episodes  – what do people think of it? I was slightly disappointed that, so far, there hasn’t been much sign of the Hackney middle classes – but maybe thats realistic.

17 Comments

  1. yes, huge concentration on one segment. and is it just me or does no one on it sound like they actually live in hackney? where is this located too? i’ve tried to figure it out but it changes too fast.

  2. @janice I think continuity is a problem for people who live here! It’s supposedly somewhere near London Field(ish), but they seem to bounce between Ridley Road market, Hackney Road and Elephant & Castle(?). @euan I guess this isn’t really a show about Hackney broadly, more the lifestyles of those involved. The one thing I think is really missing is sirens- it all seems so quiet!

  3. I was trying to figure out where the estate they live on was as well, but couldn’t. I am curious how realistic it is too.  There were two stabbings in a week some time ago round the corner from my house – i can’t help but wonder if it was for similar reasons. I also can’t figure out what some of the drugs they are selling, and the way they are selling it looks  more like The Wire than anything i’ve seen in Hackney.

  4. There are some interesting write ups around like this one: http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/emeka-egbuonu/top-boy-what-the-hackney-youth-think_b_1072656.html and http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2011/oct/30/top-boy-reviewed-by-hackney-residents-panel The word is that it was supposed to be filmed in Hackney but Jules Pipe refused permission http://www.periscopepost.com/2011/11/controversial-urban-drama-refused-permission-to-film-in-hackney-divides-critics/ I haven’t watched it myself yet but I plan to this week.”

  5. The trailer for those who haven’t seen ithttp://www.youtube.com/watch?gl=GB&feature=player_embedded&v=y1nsgU0meaw

  6. lol @mattyc re sirens. you’re so right. @ewebber yes, i remember that too.and talking about elephant and castle, i thought the accents seemed more south london than hackney but ….i haven’t been too impressed anyway.one scene that bothered  me – where the mother struck the marijuana woman. i honestly can’t see that happening – a mother (or anyone) to strike a woman who’s just had a baby, no matter what. it goes against our natural instincts … or am i dreaming?

  7. Really difficult to write this. And certainly dont want to \flame” be rude or stifle anyone else’s opnion. But I have to say that I think the start ofthis thread verges on parody….is there a concern about the lack of intelligent well acted drama representing the middle class on British TV? I also haven’t got to the end yet but so far I think that I have been watching something which tries to be good quality and mostly achieves it. And it doesnt make me “feel less attached to” Hackney” unlike parts of this thread. Just needed to feed that in.”

  8. no, that’s ok @alexisk i suppose i feel that it portrays people in a vacuum like many shows do. it’s our interactions that colour our lives. are there many shows that portray the mosaic of everyday life today? even the riots were said to be about exclusion for many. i’m just rambling now… 😀

  9. I guess I keep comparing it to The Wire.  I loved how, in my view, that related everything together, from, gangs to politics, to the media and even to real estate development.  It was that depth and interconnectivity that it showed that blew me away – and i assume Hackney has that. It would be great if they had found a way weave protests about a supermarket into the whole thing for example.

  10. thats fair enough @janice

  11. It was like a mini-Wire UK. I don’t think you can read too much into it – just another fairly good drama. I did think it was a little unwise to use the name of a real gang.

  12. I was glad to see The Number One cafe in Well Street appear in the final epsiode. They’re nice people and  I hope they got well paid. Overall I thought it was pretty good and a second series would be even better.  I can’t remember a UK TV drama that had such a large non-white cast and I liked the fact that they didn’t feel the need to portray every group that lives in Hackney (eg the white middle-classes).

  13. I enjoyed it, although you didn’t see a lot of Hackney in it – for reasons already discussed.It built slowly, and the final episode was excellent imo. There wasn’t a lot of Police involvement, which is unrealistic.

  14. Looks like Top Boy will be back for a second series http://www.hackneygazette.co.uk/news/hackney_s_version_of_the_wire_top_boy_re_commissioned_for_second_series_1_1128012“

  15. Decent show but probably not the best PR for Hackney! (Particularly as most of it was filmed in South London).

  16. My understanding is that the council wouldn’t let them film on Hackney’s estates but there were lots of bits of Hackney (like the Cafe on Well Street) in there. No council would want its borough to be portrayed as a place where drug dealing happens whether it’s true or not – so that doesn’t really mean anything. I liked it. This is the best piece I’ve read about  its portrayl or the area: http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2011/nov/01/top-boy-real-deal

  17. Hello, I am currently researching the Topboy television series I appreciate this post is very late on. But I was just wondering what peoples opinions on Channel 4’s representation on the Hackney area were as residents of the area? Do you think it is a positive or negative representation? and why do you think this is? Thanks.

  18. Hello, I am currently researching the Topboy television series I appreciate this post is very late on. But I was just wondering what peoples opinions on Channel 4’s representation on the Hackney area were as residents of the area? Do you think it is a positive or negative representation? and why do you think this is? Thanks.

  19. Hello, I am currently researching the Topboy television series I appreciate this post is very late on. But I was just wondering what peoples opinions on Channel 4’s representation on the Hackney area were as residents of the area? Do you think it is a positive or negative representation? and why do you think this is? Thanks.

  20. Hello, I am currently researching the Topboy television series I appreciate this post is very late on. But I was just wondering what peoples opinions on Channel 4’s representation on the Hackney area were as residents of the area? Do you think it is a positive or negative representation? and why do you think this is? Thanks.

  21. Hello, I am currently researching the Topboy television series I appreciate this post is very late on. But I was just wondering what peoples opinions on Channel 4’s representation on the Hackney area were as residents of the area? Do you think it is a positive or negative representation? and why do you think this is? Thanks.

  22. Hello, I am currently researching the Topboy television series I appreciate this post is very late on. But I was just wondering what peoples opinions on Channel 4’s representation on the Hackney area were as residents of the area? Do you think it is a positive or negative representation? and why do you think this is? Thanks.

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