How long do you give a comedy before you give up? Page 2

Quote: Aaron @ 24th March 2015, 9:09 AM GMT

I only actually 'give up' if a comedy is so bad I just can't bear to watch it. Otherwise I plough on through, disliking it all the while. I pretty much always find there's a few things that end up making me laugh though, or at least raising a smile, even if the overall show remains balls.

If lots of other people do this, that would explain all those shows that run for a long time but don't seem to be considered a favourite by many.

Quote: DougWonnacott @ 24th March 2015, 12:57 PM GMT

If lots of other people do this, that would explain all those shows that run for a long time but don't seem to be considered a favourite by many.

I doubt an awful lot of people do it. I doubt I'd do it if I hadn't forged myself the job I have in co-running this website.

I'm assuming you're referring to long-runners like My Family and Last Of The Summer Wine, in which case I think the case is that they're watched and enjoyed by the good old silent majority, rather than the vocal few who make themselves known on the internet.

Quote: Aaron @ 24th March 2015, 1:14 PM GMT

I doubt an awful lot of people do it. I doubt I'd do it if I hadn't forged myself the job I have in co-running this website.

I'm assuming you're referring to long-runners like My Family and Last Of The Summer Wine, in which case I think the case is that they're watched and enjoyed by the good old silent majority, rather than the vocal few who make themselves known on the internet.

I was forgetting you watch all comedy for professional reasons Aaron. Not so much Last of the Summer Wine (not particularly to my taste, but I think it's actually pretty good). My Granddad absolutely loved it.

My Family (11 series) was exactly what I was thinking of. Along with Never the Twain (11 series), Goodnight Sweetheart (6 series), Don't Wait Up (6 series), Shelly (10 series), 2 Pints of Lager (9 series) and I'm sure there is a lot more that ran for 5+ series without appearing to be that popular.

I'd give it at least 4 or 5 eps and then go on gut feeling.

The first series of IT Crowd was patchy but you could tell it was going places and Linehan often takes a while to get things pitch perfect.

I usually watch one or two, and then if I really dislike it, I watch some more, so that I can come here to rant about how much I hate it.

Not long. If I can't finish the first episode, I won't revisit the show. If I make it through the first episode, I'll watch the whole series and usually end up liking it.

Quote: GallonOfAlan @ 25th March 2015, 3:36 PM GMT

I'd give it at least 4 or 5 eps and then go on gut feeling.

The first series of IT Crowd was patchy but you could tell it was going places and Linehan often takes a while to get things pitch perfect.

With something like the IT Crowd you have to get to know the characters. Watching the first few episodes again knowing them you can enjoy them better.

Quote: DougWonnacott @ 25th March 2015, 12:16 AM GMT

My Family (11 series) was exactly what I was thinking of. Along with Never the Twain (11 series), Goodnight Sweetheart (6 series), Don't Wait Up (6 series), Shelly (10 series), 2 Pints of Lager (9 series) and I'm sure there is a lot more that ran for 5+ series without appearing to be that popular.

Amazed to think Never the Twain ran for 11 series because I don't think I've seen more than about 3 episodes or Don't Wait Up being "ITV Comedies" (derogatory term) although I often saw Shelley and enjoyed it because it had a different feel. I've only watched 2 Pints of Lager once I think - mainly because I'm old and don't like lager. (I have got the record though)

In cases like Pompidou, 3 or 4 episodes. If I like an actor I will give it a chance like The Delivery Man, I like Darren Boyd. I watched most of Series 1 of Plebs and all of Series 2 and probably won't watch any more unless it gets funnier. Since I live in the US I use comments from these forums to figure out what is worth watching. The reviews of Detectorists were pretty good but when I watched Series 1 it turned out to be not very funny, it called itself a sitcom, but I will most likely watch Series 2 because it was a good show. Benidorm I didn't catch till the last series but I didn't finish it. Catastrophe was promising but had too much drama, if a show is supposed to be a comedy I want to be laughing all the way thought it like The IT Crowd, Red Dwarf, Man Down, Miranda, Black Books and Green Wing. The worn out PBS offerings we have in the US were funny but they need to be changed up to some newer sitcoms. Why don't we get any sitcoms on BBC America? For me the British comedies are always funnier than what we have.

Quote: C-Fitz @ 8th May 2015, 6:31 PM BST

The worn out PBS offerings we have in the US were funny but they need to be changed up to some newer sitcoms. Why don't we get any sitcoms on BBC America? For me the British comedies are always funnier than what we have.

I don't understand why US channels are so afraid of broadcasting British comedy. A great UK show is still good overseas, even if the viewers don't get every detail/reference, while American remakes almost always fail.

They - whether that's just the networks, or the audiences too - are scared of non-American accents. Long story short, we recently saw a call for films that could be sold to US TV networks, but they couldn't accept anything with a single non-American voice.

That's strange, seeing as several recent US shows (Hello Ladies, Happyish, Undateable...) have English characters and accents.

I'm pretty unforgiving. A couple of episodes at the most and, if I don't like it, I'm out.

The BBC give it 28 series before giving up

Quote: DougWonnacott @ 26th May 2015, 10:30 PM BST

The BBC give it 28 series before giving up

Que?

Quote: Hercules Grytpype Thynne @ 26th May 2015, 10:33 PM BST

Que?

Never mind the Buzzcocks. I think they were about 20 series too late.