2018 Page 2

That Inside No. 9 special

Or the live Not Going Out.

The "Inside Number 9 Special" was one of the worst programmes of 2018 but I'm hoping for much better things from the live edition of "Not Going Out".

Lee Mack is at his very best when he's thinking on his feet (or even on his bum, if he's sitting down).

Fingers crossed!

Quote: Billy Bunter @ 13th December 2018, 9:57 PM

I enjoyed the re-runs of Hi-de-Hi, Are You Being Served, Dad's Army & Ever Decreasing Circles on various channels, the broadcasts of Hancock's Half Hour, Round the Horne, The Men from the Ministry & Brothers in Law on Radio 4 extra and some of the films on Talking Pictures tv.

Yet to come, of course, are the two "lost" Morecambe & Wise shows on Boxing Day.

Missed EDC but watched and very much enjoyed repeats of AYBS, SMDAE and to my surprise Allo Allo which I couldn't bear when it first aired. I think because the whole of TV is immersed in campness now the camping in AA just doesn't cringe me as much and the pacey farce and twisty narratives show their brilliance.

What all these old repeats show is how much British sitcom has declined in quality since then, from consistently good scripts to great performances, great characters, memorable theme tunes, right across the board. Name any sitcom actor since 2000 who's put in such a turn as Michael Crawford as Frank Spencer and I'll buy everyone on here a cream cake. Not gonna happen.

What have you seen from this year to compare it to Alf? Upstart Crow, what else

A couple of Inside No. 9s which I don't consider a sitcom, convoluted and smug.
A Car Share ep, better than I thought it would be but again barely a sitcom, like Roger & Val on wheels.
Half an ep of Hold The Sunset. Did Cleese want to be in something bad for a bit of humility?
A few unbearable mins of Plebs.
A clip of The landlord thing. :|
Possibly last year but half an ep of the Mitchell Webb thing. Takes smug to a new level.
I think last year as well that Josh Widdicombe vehicle. Jesus Christ! Yet another rubbish young standup indulged with own sitcom but doesn't even know what one is.

Quote: Alfred J Kipper @ 23rd December 2018, 5:12 AM

A couple of Inside No. 9s which I don't consider a sitcom, convoluted and smug.
A Car Share ep, better than I thought it would be but again barely a sitcom, like Roger & Val on wheels.
Half an ep of Hold The Sunset. Did Cleese want to be in something bad for a bit of humility?
A few unbearable mins of Plebs.
A clip of The landlord thing. :|
Possibly last year but half an ep of the Mitchell Webb thing. Takes smug to a new level.
I think last year as well that Josh Widdicombe vehicle. Jesus Christ! Yet another rubbish young standup indulged with own sitcom but doesn't even know what one is.

I agree with you on some of those. As for Car Share, was the episode you saw a special? I've been watching the first series of it recently and really been enjoying it, I don't think it has a bleak tone like Roger & Val at all. In fact I saw one person a few months ago liken it to George & Mildred, so maybe you just got a bad first impression.

Going by your opinions on those sitcoms it seems like you don't like anything too smug or too gormless. Chappers liked Bad Move and he generally enjoys older stuff so maybe check that out, and as for me I can't recommend Derry Girls enough

No I saw enough of Bad Move when it started, it's one of those misery coms with Dee in his default mopey moaning mode as he was in Lead Balloon. Should be called Bad Mood. Not my thing at all, sitcom should be a comic relief after a hard day's work, something bright and funny to look forward to. And true sitcom is a studio audience thing, there are far too many modern condrams parading as sitcoms but they really aren't.

These dour comdrams are not my thing. Detectorists was an exception because its outlook was bright and cheery if a little unbelievable. But it was the opposite of dour. Yes it was the live Car share I saw, which made me iplayer a couple of the normal ones. That like detectorists, Him&Her, White Van Man were all ticks on the non sas list but I'd still prefer to watch reruns of 70s and 80s true sitcoms.

Quote: Aaron @ 16th December 2018, 11:52 PM

Hope you'll all be voting in the Comedy.co.uk Awards 2018 in a few weeks' time!

https://www.comedy.co.uk/awards/2018

No special award this year?

Bad move was a lot better than it looked.
I loved how Miles Jupp's (father of the save the Earth family) facade slowly slipped from jolly to nasty bastard
And Kerry Godliman's acting was sublime. Surrounded by idiots, her facial expressions were understated but brilliant.
I didn't like how they stole and continued to use the Little Britain sketch of the shopkeeper always shouting to the unseen spouse in the back.
It could live without the dopey rockstar next door... but maybe not.
But the aforementioned save the earth family were a treat.

What did I laugh at in 2018? This Country, Flowers, Sally4Ever, Sick Note and Zapped...especially Zapped.

I haven't watched the new series of Upstart Crow yet, but I really loved the first series, so I'll just pencil that one in, if I may.

I watched a lot of other comedies too, but the above made me sit up and take notice and feel REALLY happy!