On 24 July, Channel 4 and Gregg Wallace released what can only be described as a modern-day tribute to dystopian thriller Soylent Green.
The ‘mockumentary’ explores a lab-grown alternative throughout the show, captivating viewers until the moment the meat source is revealed – in a shocking twist that Scorsese would be proud of.
The ‘miracle meat’ that is discussed in this programme is human.
Yes – you read that right.
In fact, it proved even scarier than the fictitious tale from the 70s, as filming was undertaken in the same style as one of Wallace’s ‘Inside the Factory’ episodes.
Wallace certainly won’t be nominated for any acting awards – but the real villain of the piece was the cameraman, demonstrating an unbridled infatuation with showing raw meat at any given opportunity.
It wasn’t just the style that I found issue with, it was also the substance.
It doesn’t seem all that fair to harbour the idea of an incredibly cheap meat alternative to viewers – especially in the context of the cost-of-living crisis – for it to then be revealed as a joke.
And we don’t need some subpar actors to tell us how financially difficult life is at the moment – we know.
Television should seek to offer an escape from reality – but this seemed to tease a spurious solution to a problem that is all too real for many across the country.
If deemed necessary to discuss real-life issues it should be offering genuine solutions.
I struggle to understand why and indeed how this concept was green-lit by anyone at Channel 4.
A true British miracle would be Gregg Wallace stepping back from his illustrious acting career and returning to Masterchef.
