Still Open All Hours - Series 1 Page 4

Aren't shows that are wierd relating to the wierd people in the audience, as opposed to those Daily Mail reading dullards?

Weird comedy has a place on C4, keep it there. It has been spreading into BBC with Matt Berry and R&M and others just ploughing that tired old 'surrealist comedy' furrow. Surreal my arse, it's mostly stupid and funny only to weirdos.

Quote: Phoenix Lazarus @ 6th January 2015, 10:43 AM GMT

I find it quite refreshing having comedy that is non-cynical, non-dark, non-obscene, but also isn't totally childish, silly and self-indulgently weird.

Totally agree. Unfortunately most new sitcoms have been handed over to the stand up comedians to do, so we're getting naughty sixth form drivel and arty crap instead of more classics like Porridge, Fawlty Towers, OFAH, Dads Army etc.

Quote: Alfred J Kipper @ 7th January 2015, 10:29 AM GMT

Weird comedy has a place on C4, keep it there. It has been spreading into BBC with Matt Berry and R&M and others just ploughing that tired old 'surrealist comedy' furrow. Surreal my arse, it's mostly stupid and funny only to weirdos.

Totally agree. Unfortunately most new sitcoms have been handed over to the stand up comedians to do, so we're getting naughty sixth form drivel and arty crap instead of more classics like Porridge, Fawlty Towers, OFAH, Dads Army etc.

And most of these stand-ups don't actually act but just fire off one liners and other gags. Now, I quite like Lee Mack as a stand-up comic and panel show contestant but his acting is a bit stilted. Mind you, he's Al Pacino compared to Paul Merton who once featured in a dire sitcom way back in time.

Quote: Alexei Q @ 7th January 2015, 10:53 AM GMT

Lee Mack...his acting is a bit stilted...

Agreed, but it's not entirely his fault that NGO feels a bit cheap at times. There's also this sloppy direction. Take the final episode for instance, Lee and his father were supposed to have been partying all night, just sober enough to wake up in a prison cell. But they were looking as if they've just spend 2 weeks on a wellness farm. They weren't pale nor did their hair look dishevelled. That's really lazy direction imo and that annoys me.

Quote: Gordon Bennett @ 7th January 2015, 11:24 AM GMT

Agreed, but it's not entirely his fault that NGO feels a bit cheap at times. There's also this sloppy direction. Take the final episode for instance, Lee and his father were supposed to have been partying all night, just sober enough to wake up in a prison cell. But they were looking as if they've just spend 2 weeks on a wellness farm. They weren't pale nor did their hair look dishevelled. That's really lazy direction imo and that annoys me.

Laughing out loud Thought that myself - if I had been drinking as much as they seemed to have done, I wouldn't have been able to lift my head up, let alone stand up the morning after!

Having said that, I have known blokes who have got absolutely rat-arsed the night before and next morning be near fit as a fiddle, which is very annoying to someone like me who suffers seriously with hang-overs. Hence not drinking anymore - not even this last Christmas/New Year. :(

Quote: Alfred J Kipper @ 7th January 2015, 10:29 AM GMT

Weird comedy has a place on C4

And on BBC3, people know what to expect, of course.

I don't think accuracy or continuity errors matter as much in comedy as straight drama.

If the inaccuracy is in some way part of the joke or the style of the show, then it's ok. But in this case it's just laziness. NGO is no House Of Fools.

Quote: italophile @ 5th January 2015, 9:28 AM GMT

A limp, pale copy of the original. Poor RB must be turning in his grave.

My thoughts exactly.

Has Granville been possessed by Arkwright as there's virtually nothing of the original half Hungarian left?!

Watched it tonight. A bit better as the exposition is out of the way.

Mildly amusing but a very good cast.

Better, bit of deja vu, amusing but that's about it.

Damn, missed it today. Will there be any repeats in the next few days? Couldn't find any dates in the guide.

Quote: Gordon Bennett @ 11th January 2015, 9:15 PM GMT

Damn, missed it today. Will there be any repeats in the next few days? Couldn't find any dates in the guide.

Heard of BBC iPlayer?

Quote: Gordon Bennett @ 11th January 2015, 9:15 PM GMT

Damn, missed it today. Will there be any repeats in the next few days? Couldn't find any dates in the guide.

Just checked the BBC site and there doesn't seem to be any repeats of this series at the moment.

Quote: Phoenix Lazarus @ 11th January 2015, 9:20 PM GMT

Heard of BBC iPlayer?

We've been down this road, and he cannot get it in his country.

Yes, but I'm not British.