I would have preferred to see Joe Beasley and Cheeky Monkey as a filmed report, which I think would have worked better. As it was it felt like we had to build to a fairly artificial and slightly forced moment where Cheeky Monkey attacks Partridge.
Even so, I did like Alan being candid with Beasley about his fragile mental health as the credits rolled.
Quote: Chappers @ 8th May 2021, 9:15 AMGlad it's not just me. I preferred to watch Would I lie to You? from earlier in the evening with the brilliant Mr and Mrs Mitchell getting tense with each other.
Although it's not true that you don't have to pay tax if you get paid in sausages.
Quote: Billy Bunter @ 10th May 2021, 8:10 PMAlthough it's not true that you don't have to pay tax if you get paid in sausages.
Some time ago, when I ran a Guest House with my wife, we had an income tax investigation, I'd done nothing wrong - my accountant said that every now and then, they would pick on a trade at random and go through your books. I was unlucky.
When I asked the inspector HOW he arrived at the figures he was presenting me with, relating to my turnover etc. HE SAID "We take all your invoices for the year on food purchase, add up all the sausages, bacon and eggs and compare it to the number of guests you had in that year!!! Average out sausage/bacon/egg per guest and find, IN YOUR CASE, they don't match.
To say I was gobsmacked would be an understatement.
I shot his theory down in flames, and he had to admit I was right, BUT STILL hit me with a £6,000 tax bill, the effin' C.
I think he's hobbled himself with the format of this show.
The only 'behind-the-scenes' is stuff accidentally picked up by the studio cameras, in-between shots.
That's very limiting - and there's no internal logic as to why we're seeing them anyway.
It's almost as if he's felt he had to do this so that format-wise it differs from the sitcom vesion of AP as well as the 'fake-show/live-broadcast' version of AP.
I think it's pretty apparent that he feels limited by this from the over-long reports (jail/monastery etc) which feel dreadfully unbalanced within the show.
Quote: Lazzard @ 11th May 2021, 12:03 PMI think he's hobbled himself with the format of this show.
The only 'behind-the-scenes' is stuff accidentally picked up by the studio cameras, in-between shots.
That's very limiting - and there's no internal logic as to why we're seeing them anyway.
It's almost as if he's felt he had to do this so that format-wise it differs from the sitcom vesion of AP as well as the 'fake-show/live-broadcast' version of AP.
I think they were trying to repeat the Mid Morning Matters format, which did on-air stuff mixed with behind the scenes stuff on a radio show. That worked incredibly well, this less so.
Although I disagree about the monastery report, I thought that one was excellent. The young offenders wasn't bad, but needed the fat trimming.
From the little I've seen, I just get the impression he's exhausted the character. It's similar to the Laurel and Hardy Hollywood numbers, the 4th series of Rising Damp or Bottom - plenty of fun by most people's standards, but the magic has faded.
Quote: Michael Monkhouse @ 11th May 2021, 5:18 PMFrom the little I've seen, I just get the impression he's exhausted the character.
I disagree. Although this show isn't 100% successful, I actually think some of the best Partridge has happened in the last ten years, and think the character has easily got another 27 years in him.
Quote: chipolata @ 14th May 2021, 1:44 PM...another 27 years in him.
Alan running a pirate radio show from an old people's home ? 
Quote: Firkin @ 14th May 2021, 4:56 PMAlan running a pirate radio show from an old people's home ?
Ah Haaaaaaaaarh
Ode to the BBC was excellent. The SAS report was very good too. The rest was middling. And where the hell did that studio audience come from? It was almost surreal and more than a little jarring the way they suddenly applauded Simon Denton's point.
Quote: chipolata @ 14th May 2021, 10:17 PMOde to the BBC was excellent..
Yes.
Quote: chipolata @ 14th May 2021, 10:17 PMThe SAS report was very good too.
Not really. Should've been funnier.
Quote: chipolata @ 14th May 2021, 10:17 PMThe rest was middling.
Yes again. I'm still gonna watch it all though.
Do you reckon Steve actually corpsed during the cocktail shaker bit and they just kept it in? His laughter seemed pretty genuine and more Coogan than Partridge, but it's hard to tell.
I liked the SAS bit
Sinbad the sailor... ?
A half cut partridge at the end was funny
Quote: chipolata @ 14th May 2021, 1:44 PMI disagree. Although this show isn't 100% successful, I actually think some of the best Partridge has happened in the last ten years, and think the character has easily got another 27 years in him.
It's not exactly that he's exhausted, it's just that he's been to many things. So, first he was just a cipher, a simple way of parodying poor sports broadcasters or chat shows; then he was a sit com loser, whose character flaws always let him down; then he was a quieter, more mature character on MMM; then he was a hero in alpha Papa (because cock piss Partridge wouldn't have worked for a 90 minute narrative).
And, I think all of these worked fine. But This Time does all of them at once, parodying prime time magazine shows, trying to build a sit com ensemble dynamic, showing Alan's failings up, but also giving him victories. I feel it's just too many things at once, so the show feels uncertain.
To put it more simply, like so many negatively drawn or satirical characters that go on a long time, everyone's started liking him too much (the writers, the performer, the viewers).
Having said all this, I still watch the show, and scenes get a laugh, because the performances are strong, and the writing is generally tight
Is anybody else planning to go and see Alan Partridge live next year? I am, annoying that so many of the dates are up North.
