The Royal Bodyguard Page 10

Why is it on so late? Seems a very odd timeslot for it.

Because it's so shit it's offensive.

Quote: David Carmon @ January 10 2012, 8:22 PM GMT

The drop in figures seems to be awful. The officials for Episode 1 are out. 8.35 million viewers. Looks like it's dropped to around 3 million already. 5 million loss or thereabouts = Bigger flop than Big Top :/

Yes, not exactly a fair comparison though, considering the time and day that episode 1 was broadcast!

Quote: Aaron @ January 10 2012, 8:40 PM GMT

Yes, not exactly a fair comparison though, considering the time and day that episode 1 was broadcast!

Wasn't the first one Christmas Day or something? Inevitably with Jason it would get good figures for the start but obviously everyone felt the same.

Inevitably after Fools and Horses, whatever Jason and Lyndhurst do next is going to be seen as inferior, but then whatever the barometre, After You've Gone and The Royal Bodyguard are weak shows.

But like when John Cleese quoted Orson Welles on life after Citizen Kane/Fawlty Towers, "What do you do with the rest of your life?"

I thought 'A Bit of a Do' was tripe and 'Diamond Geezer' was okay. It's difficult to think what else Jason can do as he's always the same in everything he's in. His facial tics and mannerisms I've seen so often, sometimes it's like I'm watching a repeat. Lyndhurst has been in a very similar show before (The Piglet Files - which also had same premise, similar two bosses).

Quote: Dave @ January 10 2012, 9:38 PM GMT

Lyndhurst has been in a very similar show before (The Piglet Files - which also had same premise, similar two bosses).

Disagree entirely. Chapman was head-hunted by MI5 and forced out of his previous job. Drummond and Maxwell mightn't be that keen on his taking part in the spying activities at times, but he's by far the most competent of the lot, and is certainly not unwanted in the way Hubble is. Aside from the vaguely secretive world that both shows inhabit, it seems to me that they have little in common at all.

Plus Piglet was funny!

Quote: Dave @ January 10 2012, 9:38 PM GMT

It's difficult to think what else Jason can do as he's always the same in everything he's in.

Hardly.

Something tells me he wouldn't have had a 40+ year career if that were the case. Not too many similarities in the characters he played in Porridge, Open all Hours and Only Fools and Horses. Not to mention Danger Mouse and Porterhouse Blue...

And as he was playing elderly characters decades ago and was cast as Corporal Jones, he wouldn't have too much difficulty playing one now if the writing was right.

Aww, Dangermouse. His best work!

Quote: zooo @ January 11 2012, 11:57 AM GMT

Aww, Dangermouse. His best work!

This.

Quote: Aaron @ January 10 2012, 10:09 PM GMT

Chapman was head-hunted by MI5 and forced out of his previous job.

Ssshhhhhhhhh! That was supposed to be an official secret!

He was the same in Darling Buds of May, Diamond Geezer, A Bit of a Do, Fools and Horses and Come Rain, Come Shine and The Quest.

Finally caught up & watched the 1st episode at last, which unfortunately, I also felt was pretty poor.

And like many others I probably won't be interested enough to watch the rest of the series. It's true David Jason is a victim of his own success. After Del Boy, the perfect sit-com creation there's been on UK TV (umm.. some might say maybe not, I know) I can understand if he was reluctant to undertake another comedy project, and maybe ultimately felt pressured to take on the role after, I hear, reading lots of other scripts over the years.

It's a shame really but bottom line: win some, lose some. He'll only be remembered for the successes not failures, and in his case, rightly so.

Quote: Dave @ January 11 2012, 8:49 PM GMT

He was the same in Darling Buds of May, Diamond Geezer, A Bit of a Do, Fools and Horses and Come Rain, Come Shine and The Quest.

He's got range, it's just OFAH made him a big TV star and big stars are expected to play variations on one role.

Quote: Dave @ January 10 2012, 9:38 PM GMT

'A Bit of a Do' was tripe

You are so wrong.

Quote: Dave @ January 10 2012, 9:38 PM GMT

It's difficult to think what else Jason can do as he's always the same in everything he's in.

Yes Granville, Scullion and Frost are almost indistinguishable.