I watched the 1st 10 minutes just now, and I thought it was alright. I quite liked the stagy fakeness of it, much as I liked the episode of Klang that I saw. I enjoyed the board games very much, and some of the silly gags; not keen on the puerile bits, like the wank jokes, and so on.
I shall watch the rest and report back...
I don't mean for this to sound like I don't think peoples' laughter is genuine but I do think this theory has some merit...
I think if you're in a studio audience, a lot depends on the other factors around the writing, like the actors (who did a great job) and the set (which is decent) and of course the audience knowing it's for the BBC and will be televised, now I don't mean they laugh because they have to - I mean the professionalism of the whole show makes it easier to laugh, as does the enthusiasm of the actors, that's what happens when you're in a live audience.
A good actor giving their all right in front of your face is going to make you laugh especially when you know that's what they expect from you, that's the intention.
People will always laugh more when they're in the studio watching a show.
It's a different atmosphere, people are there to laugh and you get caught up with the fact other people are really enjoying it and it just adds to the feeling that this is very funny when it might not be.
I thought of this name and I now have to exorcise it by putting it here... they should do a prequel and call it Kidiots.
Quote: curtis patrick @ July 25 2013, 2:25 PM BSTI think if you're in a studio audience, a lot depends on the other factors around the writing, like the actors (who did a great job) and the set (which is decent) and of course the audience knowing it's for the BBC and will be televised, now I don't mean they laugh because they have to - I mean the professionalism of the whole show makes it easier to laugh, as does the enthusiasm of the actors, that's what happens when you're in a live audience.
I accept that watching something live and watching in on TV are entirely different environments, affected by a number of factors. I only mentioned it because we who worked on it felt confident we had something appealing on our hands. It's infectious. And producers, writers, performers etc. are only human. Hence: the unpleasant comedown.
In the old days, once a potential hit single had been recorded in a studio, they always played it back over a pair of tiny speakers, to see how it would sound on a crappy radio, as that's how most people would experience it, rather than through top-quality speakers in a studio.
Quote: dannyjb1 @ July 25 2013, 3:58 PM BSTI thought of this name and I now have to exorcise it by putting it here... they should do a prequel and call it Kidiots.
And a sequel called 'Geritwatrics'.
Quote: dennispennis123 @ July 25 2013, 3:44 PM BSTPeople will always laugh more when they're in the studio watching a show.
It's a different atmosphere, people are there to laugh and you get caught up with the fact other people are really enjoying it and it just adds to the feeling that this is very funny when it might not be.
I haven't watched 'Badults' yet so can't comment on it. However, I'm not really BBC3 audience so it's not really aimed at me anyway.
A friend of mine, who often attends readings of new comedy/studio based pilots where they get the public in beforehand, told me something interesting. The Producers often start much later than billed so the audience can drink more in the bar and therefore be a little more jolly when they watch it. And laughter can be added to studio laughter in the edit. It's called sound editing.
I thought it started off quite poor with some pretty weak gags but then really got going. When it ended I thought "Yeah, I'll keep watching that." I loved the bit at the cash machine with the number 3 etc. and "Five grand! Wow! That's nearly 6 grand!" I found some of the comments on here so baffling that I went looking for reviews online to see if they were all slating it too. They weren't.
I didn't hate this, uneven of course, but you expect that from this sort of big, silly show.
Andrew - Thanks for giving your view on this, I hope to think, even those with more negative opinions about the show, appreciate someone from the other side of the screen rationally trying to address any criticism with some additional perspective.
It's always difficult for a sitcom's opening episode to be able to tick all the boxes in thirty minutes. It has to introduce characters, scene set, be funny and set the general tone for the series, whilst trying to hook you into watching the next episode(s).
In my opinion, Spaced Episode 1 got this balance perfectly of introduction, comedy and the hook, but looking back overall at the two series that episode is, I doubt, unlikely to be anyone's favourite so it's hard thing to get right.
I wish the BBC would go back to something they sometimes used to do in airing the next episode on iPlayer of these kind of shows after the broadcast, so the keen (comedy) fans can at least base their initial opinions, positive or negative over more than 30 minutes.
Count Arthur Strong got the same kind of polarising opinions on its opening episode. There were shouts of "but wait until the next episode", well why not put it online then and shut everyone up for another thirty minutes, where if you are right, they might then think, "okay, now I get it, I see where this is going".
I wonder whether the Netflix Arrested Development model is better to launch these kind of shows. All six episodes immediately on iPlayer and they can also broadcast it every week on BBC Three. The BBC shouldn't care when we are watching it.
Slightly went off the point there.. I am going to definitely give it a chance. Pappy's are great live and work well together which you can clearly see in the opening episode. There were a few nice little bits in there and some promise if you let your guard down and give them a chance.
I would rather the BBC put money their way with a bit of an experiment than some other shows they produce. Based on no actual evidence, I bet this cost less to produce than the cost of BBC news crews blanket 48 hour coverage of a hospital door.
Quote: gappy @ July 25 2013, 2:15 PM BSTI watched the 1st 10 minutes just now, and I thought it was alright. I quite liked the stagy fakeness of it, much as I liked the episode of Klang that I saw. I enjoyed the board games very much, and some of the silly gags; not keen on the puerile bits, like the wank jokes, and so on.
I shall watch the rest and report back...
YEah, well, OK, all the funniest bits were in the first 10 minutes, but I still found this a lightly enjoyable romp. I didn't like the smutty jokes (not because I'm a prude, I just thought they were obvious), and the groaners didn't work, although I'm sure they were funny live, because that's how these things work. So, I wasn't enamoured, but I'm slightly shocked by the negative comments: I'd rather watch this 20 times than an episode of The Wright Way or Derek.
Still have no idea why a hugely well regarded sketch troupe isn't offered/doesn't want a sketch TV show, instead of a sit com or a sort of cabaret panel show. I do sort of feel it would have been better.
I changed my mind over this after the opening five minutes, initially disliking the characters. The turning point was when the bank note spoke. That was very "Young Ones" - it's a sort of cross between Klang and the Young Ones. It's kind of good natured too, not something to take seriously, but just a comedy where you can groan over the "stock exchange" type jokes.
Quote: Andrew Collins @ July 25 2013, 11:57 AM BSTI showed all six episodes to my family, who really liked it.
My mum likes all the stuff I write as well!!!
Quote: danr @ July 25 2013, 11:50 PM BSTAndrew - Thanks for giving your view on this, I hope to think, even those with more negative opinions about the show, appreciate someone from the other side of the screen rationally trying to address any criticism with some additional perspective.
Agreed.
Well done to for Andrew exercising his right to reply on here. Some very harsh criticisms indeed but I guess this is the platform for that and everyone has a right to say what they wish and boy do they! 
For me, some of my favourite ever sitcoms have had first episodes that nearly turned me off them. I believe it can be because you go into watching something new with some expectation of how a sitcom is done (Blackadder, Fawlty Towers etc) and when something done differently comes along it upsets that notion.
But after a few episodes you start to pick up what they are doing and it can start to really grow on you. The Office is my favourite sitcom of all time but I remember first watching and just not getting it.
Sooo... I'm not saying Badults is definitely the next great thing but I do see a point in seeing more episodes and letting it breathe a bit. It is different, it does feel Sketch-heavy at times (understandably), some of the jokes are telegraphed, and sometimes the characters are too silly to empathise with but we might end up loving all those things and I'm thankful they are trying something new.
