“The Great Pottery Throw Down” has been broadcasting on BBC Two for a few weeks now. A competition of ten potters competing in Stoke-on-Trent, the center of English ceramics, for the honorary title “Great Britain’s top potter”. Every week there is one winner and the curtain falls for another participant.
You probably guessed it by now, this series is a lot like “The Great British Bake Off”, but with clay. Is it worth to watch it?
Tears and sex
In the series, participating potters are judged by Kate Malone and Keith Brymer Jones– two leading ceramicists in the UK (and beyond). In the past two broadcasts, Keith has been moved to tears in both episodes when judging the work.
I already knew that ceramics is sexy, but that it is better than sex is cited more than once by the series despite Keith’s denial.
“It’s a very feminine bowl, isn’t it?” said James to Jane. “Are you trying to say it’s a bit vaginal?” asks Jane. “You clearly haven’t seen enough of them”
Making ceramics is not a competition
Clay can’t be rushed, but in this series the time pressure is on. In my opinion, this does not produce the best results, apart from the fact that you never deliver your best work when everyone is looking at your hands. But that’s reality TV.
Reality TV: Great Pottery Throw Down
In short, what do I think of this series now that I’ve seen the first two episodes? As far as I’m concerned the tears and the sex are almost “a bit much”, that’s probably because I ‘m not used to reality TV. Fortunately, the humor with which it is presented makes up for it.
The time pressure when the participants make their pieces is exciting, but undoubtedly does not yield the best results and that is sometimes a pity. In any case, it is a very amusing series, in which the viewer is given a behind-the-scenes look at ceramics making.
The attention to handmade ceramics is of course welcome (and more than justified). And I was pleasantly surprised that this series in the press also sparks the discussion about modern ceramics, such as this article in the Guardian.
Dutch touch
And what’s next? In the third episode, there will be a raku firing. That promises to be exciting TV, because raku is a spectacular technique.
I noticed that pyramid kilns from Roderveld, originally a Dutch company, are used for this. Would that be an omen that this series will also come to the Netherlands?
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