Are You Being Served? 2016 special Page 6

Quote: Aaron @ 3rd September 2016, 12:46 PM

I didn't notice that! What was it?

Peacock said something like, "I've never taken time off work", and Rumbold reminded him of the holiday they all went on in 1977.

Quote: Aaron @ 3rd September 2016, 12:19 PM

Pointless isn't a comedy.

As noted in our news report, out of 870 new comedy programmes broadcast on television, AYBS? was the 10th most watched of the year to date, and Porridge the 22nd. Those make them very successful comedy broadcasts indeed. What other genres that haven't been neglected - and so have established viewer bases - attract is pretty irrelevant.

The trouble is that many - like me - watched it out of curiosity. We won't necessarily watch a new series though. That's the trouble with one-off pilots. It doesn't show anybody's reaction to it.

Quote: Chappers @ 4th September 2016, 10:11 PM

The trouble is that many - like me - watched it out of curiosity. We won't necessarily watch a new series though. That's the trouble with one-off pilots. It doesn't show anybody's reaction to it.

I'm sure. And a similar number are likely to tune in for a series rather than a one-off. Commissioners are well aware of the fluctuations between series, individual episodes, pilots, and other varieties of one-off specials. They'll take it all into account; doesn't negate the ratings.

Quote: Aaron @ 3rd September 2016, 12:46 PM

I completed a rewatch of the entire original series a bit earlier this year, and some of it there really is no discernible story at all, beyond "they come to work".

It's a tough job eh Aaron?

You know, one of the most interesting things about Beane's of Boston is the longevity of certain cast members. Although Beane's of Boston lasted only for a 1979 pilot, several of its main cast are still alive, including Charlotte Rae (Mrs Slocombe, now 90) and John Hillerman* (Mr Peacock, 83). Also still going are Lorna Patterson (Miss Brahms) and Larry Bishop (Mr Lucas).

* Hillerman best known for the role of Higgins on Magnum PI.

I wish the American pilot would get a proper release. The 9-minutes of it available online are better than the 2016 British remake of AYBS. Which is not saying much. But Charlotte Rae and John Hillerman are always fun to watch. The American Mr Humphries was perhaps a little too flaming, but that sort of thing is amusing.

Quote: Chappers @ 4th September 2016, 10:11 PM

The trouble is that many - like me - watched it out of curiosity. We won't necessarily watch a new series though. That's the trouble with one-off pilots. It doesn't show anybody's reaction to it.

Very true, part of the appeal is the one-off and curiosity, viewing figures won't be anywhere close if was to go to series.

This is rerun on Gold tomorrow at 6:45pm, if anyone's interested.

If anyone's interested, the full Beane's of Boston pilot is now on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7rry-zw1buo It's a remake of the German Week episode.

The Beanes of Boston pilot is really enjoyable, although it's strange to see Mr Bickley from Mork & Mindy in charge of a department store. At least the American take had some discernible dialogue differences, whereas the Australian version consisted of verbatim carbon copies.

As for the 2016 remake, Roy Barraclough and Justin Edwards were very like the original Grainger and Rumbold, and the attention to detail on the set of the shop floor was remarkable - almost as if they had stumbled across the original in some time capsule.

The 2016 remake was written by Derren Litten who has vast experience in the field of writing comedy for the intellectually-challenged. I'd love to go through one of his scripts with him and say "That is a great joke. Anybody with even half a brain will get it, so why do you need two more lines of dialogue to hammer it home to people who are absolutely as thick as pig poo?"

He might say, "Because thick people deserve to be entertained too."

I might say, "But hammering it home really spoils it for the majority of the audience who've already got the joke."

And then he might agree with me and mend his ways.

For anyone that hasn't got around to seeing this yet, it is on UK Gold on the 17th of this month.

Quote: Lost Boys @ 12th August 2018, 7:33 PM

For anyone that hasn't got around to seeing this yet, it is on UK Gold on the 17th of this month.

I've been watching the current reruns of the original. The remake, in my opinion, was dreadful and very badly miscast.

Quote: Will Cam @ 12th August 2018, 7:53 PM

I've been watching the current reruns of the original. The remake, in my opinion, was dreadful and very badly miscast.

Same here. Been enjoying watching the originals again. I haven't seen the remake, only a YouTube trailer, so I'm interested to see how it fairs.

Quote: Will Cam @ 12th August 2018, 7:53 PM

I've been watching the current reruns of the original. The remake, in my opinion, was dreadful and very badly miscast.

Quote: Lost Boys @ 12th August 2018, 10:22 PM

Same here.

And I am unanimous in that.

I've seen Ant and Dec doing "The Likely Lads", I've seen Paul Merton doing "Hancock" and I've seen this lot doing "Are You Being Served". As an homage to the original, each was a decent enough effort.

Having said that, none of the above was in any way comparable to the original.