Man Down - Series 1 Page 3

After the ****ful WAK what the hell is anyone in TV doing paying this bloke to write a sitcom? He's typical of the way stand ups have muscled into writers' territory and virtually taken over, largely producing brash unfunny rubbish. I've seen him in three 'sitcoms' now and hated every one of them.

Did anyone watch this last night? Did it improve?!

Quote: Ben @ October 26 2013, 3:49 PM BST

Did anyone watch this last night? Did it improve?!

I tried, but it hadn't, so only lasted 10 minutes. Won't be giving it a third shot, pity as I do really like Greg Davies.

Quote: zooo @ October 19 2013, 12:28 AM BST

I kept thinking Roisin Conaty was calling him Dad (rather than Dan). Which confused things for a while.

I heard it as Dad too; thanks for clearing that up.

Normally I complain when people come on here just to post that a show is shit, but when Davies takes the trouble to learn how to write a sitcom I will take the trouble to write a more insightful critique. It's sh...

Don't blame Davies mind, it's the commissioning f**kwits who throw money at any flavour of the month stand-up who fancies a stab at writing a sitcom.

I so wanted to like this but...it just wasn't quite there.

His stalking of his ex is not very funny at all. I loved the neighbour's kid though, who had starved the rabbit. That was the best bit. I'd like more of that. And the teaching bit. The rest? Not so much.

I can see this getting axed IMO

Loved 'We Are Klang ', didn't love this. Haven't seen second episode yet but whilst I am underwhelmed by it so far I think..wait for it...it has potential. There I said it (it hurt a bit but I like that sort of thing). But it lacks depth.
The characters and especially Davies are one dimensional and as already mentioned smacks of stand-up writing. Gag followed by gag with no time given to character development. However I liked as I said his previous work. Doesn't scan really.
Perhaps like Blackadder I it needs to bed in. Greg Davies in an ill fitting dance costume. Really is that the best they could do? There is obvious talent here and it's a shame to waste it on what I consider to be rather retro-style writing.
I would really love to see Davies as a one parent family and an ex-wife in the sort of Dear John type situation. I realise that is retro but not hard to update. You might also get some empathy for the character wheras at the moment I just want to kick him in the nuts. (Figuratively speaking of course :) )
I'm available for script development if any of you TV prods are watching out there. My rates are very unreasonable. I also do a wicked Martin McGuiness impression.

Have to say that Father Figure has it all over this one by leaps and bounds!

Really enjoyed it, although the first episode didn't really establish the characters very well. Second episode was great.

Saw ep 2. last night. I like this. I like Greg Davies anyway, and for me he's got a nice little Vic & Bob-style surreal world for this to be in. Supporting cast are great too.

I thought it was pretty good. The dead cat windup was hilarious.

I'm really enjoying this.

Greg Davies is as good as you'd expect, but the real revelation here is Roisin Conaty. I can take or leave her stand-up, but I think she really shines as a comic actress, at least in this role.

I can see why some people here think it's too loud/brash, but I think that style works in a single-camera format. If there was a braying audience to deal with too, my opinion would probably be quite a lot different.

Quote: Kevin Murphy @ 2nd November 2013, 1:38 PM GMT

Greg Davies is as good as you'd expect, but the real revelation here is Roisin Conaty ... she really shines as a comic actress

Agreed. They're a great on-screen pairing, and, in her first acting role I'm aware of, does indeed really shine. A wonderful range of facial reactions.

It'll be very interesting to see her self-titled sitcom pilot later this year (Roisin Conaty), which also co-stars Mike Wozniak.

I'm not really sure what Rik Mayall is doing in this. He's good, but they really over-sold his role; he's barely in it.

Also, he's only about 55, 10 years older than Davies. He doesn't look *that* bad. Mrs McClusky is closer to 70.

Some of Deirdre Mullins' acting reminds me of Isy Suttie's. They could play sisters.