Q: What have I waited longer for than Game of Thrones Season 8 this year? A: "63 UP"

I waited almost 600 days for Game of Thrones Season 8. Last night's premiere was worth it. But I've waited SEVEN YEARS for 63 UP. The 'current coda' of the "Up" series that started with 7 UP in 1964.  Director Michael Apted's unmatched epic doco-series that started as a 'World in Action' one-off that has covered these English kids since 1964 should be an absolute bucket list Top Five Cinema Experiences on everyone's list. 

Everyone's...

I first saw "14 Up" (nee' 7 + 7) in Omaha, Nebraska with my mom and dad around early 1971 at some mini-film festival that was next to where we were doing some shopping. I was 16 years old and these kids were my English counterparts in some way. Each of them mirrored something or someone I knew, or read about, or wanted to emulate from my (then) limited knowledge of England that was relegated to history and social studies as well as geography. My home town of Sioux City, Iowa, didn't have any cinemas or facilities that would ever have screened such an obscure program and I have zero idea why my folks would have been aware of it or wanted to see it other than my mom was a bit of a cinephile.  We wouldn't have driven 100 miles to see it so it was happenstance unless my mom or dad had conjured up some secret road trip to introduce me to another world.

I have 'grown up' with these kids who are now all 63+, and shared their dreams, their losses, their pain and exultation, and 'know' them as well as you can know anyone you spend a few hours with every 7 years. I especially always enjoyed the tenacity, exuberance, and honesty of Tony Walker, the East Ender who dreamt of being a top jockey, and went on to be a Black Cab owner/driver. He was my favorite character. Anyone whose been to London knows they are the pinnacle of the industry and "the knowledge" for London cabbies is 2nd to none.  Each time a new episode appear every 7 years I can't help but compare and judge and think "well I've done better the last decade..." or "he/she has certainly done better/looks better than me"... etc etc. It's like pen pals from afar that you never make contact with but know about.

Until a few night's ago when I saw Tony's Twitter post about the premiere which I'd been Googling to death to find out about so as to see when it airs here in Australia. (June on SBS via Foxtel, which could be one of the few reasons to watch SBS much these days but far more reasons than the ABC could ever muster but that's a different post altogether... )

I Tweeted back and forth a bit and for the first time in 48 years since I became aware of him and his associates, there was actual contact. In an anachronistic way it was like meeting one of my heroes. It was meeting someone whose life, times, trials and tribulations I had followed far closer than many people I've "known" as real life friends my entire life. They say you should never meet your heroes, but I believe you should always seek out people who've inspired you.

I would implore anyone and everyone to watch this series from the get go and binge it like seeing Game of Thrones for the first time, in time for the Final Season. It's 63 years of lives compressed into a handful of hours. It's the first 'reality series' and the ultimate one at that. No fancy cuts. No special effects. Just humanity at it's clearest and most humble and emotional. The highest highs, the lowest lows.

You will never look at your own life the same way...