The Evening Standard, 1 March 2002, by Zoe Williams.
"Taking a gamble down the Left wing. Go on Geri, break a 
leg. Cute but sulky the fiftysomething male."
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[.....]

Cute but sulky the fiftysomething male.

I've been watching *Manchild* on account of the extensive 
critical debate about the programme (and not because I watch 
too much *Buffy the Vampire Slayer* and have developed a 
crush-like thing on Anthony Head. No. Not at all.) It's not 
as good as it's meant to be, this show about the 
fiftysomething footloosers - that much, everyone agrees 
with. But it's also curiously watchable, and not just 
because of the freakishly good shape of Nigel Havers.

They are all so appealing, these senior blokies - the way 
they pootle around, with their fine wines, and very large 
vehicles, and urbane chatter.

Whenever I watch it, I think 1) they're very nice; why don't 
I go out with one like that? and b) something is wrong with 
this; something I can't quite put my finger on.

And this week, I discover it - or rather, some scientists 
discover it, and that reminds me that I already knew it. 
They do make with the sophisticated talk, this class of '52, 
but that is only for five minutes of every day. The rest of 
the time, they are bad-tempered beyond words. The reason is 
hormonal (it always is) - they hit 50, they lose all the 
youthful testosterone that makes smell so good, and they 
sulk for the rest of their natural lives. It's been 
provisionally termed Irritable Male Syndrome, and affects 
reindeer, elephants, rams, mouflon sheep and all men.

Maybe if this eternal truth were incorporated into the BBC2 
minidrama, it might find its true cultural niche. Look at 
King Lear, look at Fawlty Towers - improbable as it sounds, 
viewers like to be told the truth. There is, and always has 
been, considerable demand for entertainment in which nothing 
happens apart from an angry man shouting at everyone.

[.....]



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