[krish]

Heads up ...
- airs on Sunday

Louis Theroux - Law and Disorder in Philadelphia - BBC Two
(BBC News article: BBC NEWS | Magazine | A non-man's man in the mean streets)
Louis Theroux joins the Philadelphia Police Department patrolling
the most dangerous part of one of the most violent cities in America.
[youtube]EVvRNkGaSVM[/youtube]

BBC - BBC Two Programmes - Louis Theroux, Law and Disorder in Philadelphia
(BBC iPlayer - Louis Theroux: Law and Disorder in Philadelphia)

Louis Theroux
Law and Disorder in Philadelphia
Next on: 30 Nov 2008, 21:00 on BBC Two

Synopsis:

Louis Theroux joins the Philadelphia Police Department patrolling the most dangerous part of one of the most violent cities in America.

With gun carrying drug dealers on every corner, it is now normal for the centre of Philadelphia to stage 30 or 40 homicides a month. Embedded within the Philly rapid response teams, Louis feels a palpable sense of adrenalin mixed with frustration as police and the drug dealing 'corner boys' take each other on night after night. Here is a community desperate for protection but unwilling to talk to the law enforcers for fear of street retribution.

Louis senses a society trying to contain a lawlessness born out of poverty and disaffection. There's mistrust on all sides, although over time Louis sees a complex picture evolve - there are cops and robbers, guns and violence, but also an understanding between both sides. They are all part of 'The Game' which plays itself out night after night between the community and the cops given the task of policing it.

[vinvader]

Ha ha you beat me to it krish, was just going to post this.

Love Louis Theroux, though I wish this series wasn't being aired so randomly.

[domtheone]

PVR now set

[Lezman]

So....anyone fancy living in Philadelphia

Just watched this last night, I'll never get tired of watching Louis.

[ChasH]

I can't believe I missed this

Lewis is fantastic. I remember his documentary on the most hated family in the US, boy how scary were they.

I'm gonna have to find iplayer time for this one

[Toasty]

was it worth a watch? tend to iplayer this type of thing

[Razor]

A friend of mine said this reminded him a bit of the streets in the tv show The Wire. Unfortunately I missed it.

[y2k]

Originally Posted by krish

Heads up ...
- airs on Sunday

Its also on this Thursday 23.50 BBC2

[domtheone]

Watched it. Good stuff.

If you like Louis style, you'll no doubt enjoy it

[Singh400]

Yeaaah I caught this. Louis is one crazy dude.

[IAN P]

The residents of that local burb' weren't quite right in the head.

Made Forrest Gump look like a frickin' genius.Doh'

[krish]

his second "Law and Disorder" programme is on Sunday ...

BBC - BBC Two Programmes - Louis Theroux, Law and Disorder in Johannesburg
(BBC iPlayer - Louis Theroux: Law and Disorder in Johannesburg)

Louis Theroux
Law and Disorder in Johannesburg
Next on: 07 Dec 2008, 21:00 on BBC Two (except Wales, Wales (Analogue))

Synopsis:

Louis Theroux travels to Johannesburg, where the residents find themselves increasingly besieged by crime. Despairing of the capability of the police and the courts to protect them, many have turned to an industry of private security offering protection for a price. Are the sometimes brutal methods of these private police really a solution or just another part of the problem?

The first stop for Louis is a meeting with William Mayangoni, the local co-ordinator for a security firm known as Mapogo. Based on the outskirts of Diepsloot, one of the squatter camps that ring Johannesburg, William investigates thefts for his mainly white clients. When he catches a suspect, he gives them 'medicine': the alleged offender is beaten with a leather whip known as a sjambok.

Although his clients seem to support what they see as 'an African solution to an African problem', William's methods alienate the people of Diepsloot. Finally, their patience snaps dramatically, and William has to call out the real police in order to protect himself from the vicious threat of the mob.

In the centre of Johannesburg, a security company called Bad Boyz work in an area called Hillbrow, notorious for its high crime rate. Louis meets company director Hendrik De Klerk who explains that much of their activity involves reclaiming and securing buildings that have taken over - or hijacked - by criminal gangs who illegally take rent from tenants. Louis watches dramatic evictions unfold, in which the police and security companies aren't afraid to use force to kick out the protesting residents, and progress necessarily involves turfing families out onto the streets.

[Zack Attack]

Originally Posted by Razor

A friend of mine said this reminded him a bit of the streets in the tv show The Wire. Unfortunately I missed it.

It was the real life Wire, and Phily is not far from Baltimore. You can watch it here Razor - BBC iPlayer - Louis Theroux: Law and Disorder in Philadelphia

[GYRODEC1]

Hello,

There was one bit, when Louis was interviewing one of the gang land thugs who was wearing a ring with the words 'Born Thug' inscribed on it, and he asks the chap what does that mean.

Now what sort of dumb question is that to ask

Jeees, Louis from what planet are you from mate!

[Abbeygoo]

To be fair that's his interviewing style and he does it very well.

Asking the lads on the corner obvious questions about snitching on their pals ... the questions seem like the obvious ones but asking them ironically causes the most thought as if they were questioning the very basic of their being ... at least that's the theory ...

[Matt]

Just finished watching it, slow day at work.
Was one of the better Louis shows of late and was very interesting and depressing at the same time. You do wonder how the circle can get broken and how on earth those cops motivate themselves to go to work everyday to achieve very little.
His style has always been one of bewilderment which works well to breakdown barriers and get people to open up as he sounds innocent.

[Lezman]

I wouldn't want to mess with those cops in the hoodies

They'd kick the bejesus out of you before you could say 'sup homies'

[GYRODEC1]

Maybe the British police should take a leaf out of these guys in dealing will all the scum in the UK.

Great show, really enjoyed it.

[Fen Star]

Originally Posted by Lezman

I wouldn't want to mess with those cops in the hoodies

They'd kick the bejesus out of you before you could say 'sup homies'

Knocked that bloke out with a forearm smash nice....

[Kelltic]

Was very interesting, and as a big fan of The Wire I was actually surprised at just how real and accurate The Wire was.

Loved the drug lord with his pet cow and goats!