Quote: PhilSug @ December 26 2012, 7:33 PM GMTThat may well be the case for many people, but it's pretty much the direct opposite of what the show was when it started.
I agree but for what it was it was funny.
For whatever reason they have decided to go for silly, slapstick, sometimes ridiculous humour but I found it hilarious. If you suspend belief and just want to laugh then you will, if you're always going to compare it against the first three series then you're not going to enjoy it.
But of course some people don't like 'slapstick' or 'silly' but DID like The Royle Family in the past.
But as I said previously, the ratings and the fact that it is now a staple of Christmas night will justify the change in direction for the BBC.
It's just us comedy snobs who feel let down!
Quote: dennispennis123 @ December 27 2012, 1:08 AM GMTIf you suspend belief and just want to laugh then you will
True but the great thing about The Royle Family of old was you didn't have to 'suspend belief'.
Indeed. From the New Sofa onwards there has been slapstick and generally ridiculous stuff happening. Maybe not so much in Golden Egg Cup, but definitely in New Sofa, Joe's Crackers, and this latest episode.
I haven't disliked any of the recent specials at all, I've liked them but I definitely feel it's long past its best now it's less realistic. Last truly great episode of it was Queen Of Sheba.
I'd still like it to continue though. I've found these last few specials to be enjoyable, if below the old quality.
Watching Queen Of Sheba now.
I thought it was very funny.
However, it was not the best one because most of it was quite disappointing. No wonder 8 mill watched it. But who knows what is going to happen will we see the Royles again like?
What a crushing disappointment.....and this took 2 years to complete ?...TWO YEARS ?!! Jeez it was dreadful. There are so many minus points to this episode it'd take another hour just listing them but the absolute nadir was the inclusion of Joe's need for a " Vacant lady " and the ridiculous varieties of names Joe came out with for Philomena.....in addition to the idea that Jim would dress up as a waiter complete with Bow Tie to help Joe get himself a lady was SUCH a departure from Jim's character I question the motivation for Caroline and Craig embarking on this piss poor effort.
(Don't worry...I get it....money was the sole motivation.)
I could carry on but for your sakes...won't. If you want to get angry with, rather than sit back and enjoy, the badly written characters and plot, go ahead....but be warned.....everyone involved looked as tired as the script....great performances from the ensemble cast but even that could not save a show which could've easily died with nanna. 
Quote: logfish @ December 28 2012, 9:33 PM GMTIt's just funny you don't know what it means.
I totally agree that lots of people found it funny.
My issue is that it is now a totally different kind of "funny" to the original series - and the writers/creators very openly denounced this kind of "funny" and wanted the show to be something very different.
So it is now very disappointing for some of us to see what was a pretty groundbreaking show turned into the very kind of broad, visual, unrealistic sitcom that they fought against it being.
A new ground breaking format soon becomes an old and copied format.
Barb can only ask so many times 'have you had your tea Dave?' before people are complaining that it's stale.
Moving it on is proving difficult. Jim only ever got out of his chair to go for an Eartha. Now he's even going down the shops.
I hope they continue to write more. Character changes or not.
I think they have changed Jim since The Queen Of Sheba. In the series he took the mick out of people all the time. And in the later episode he had a more caring side to him.
I'm so glad I didn't completely ruin my Christmas or Boxing Days by watching this sooner. There were some really funny bits and pieces scattered through the show, but as has been said, it was a complete departure in both style and substance from everything that had come before it.
I wouldn't be remotely surprised to learn that the 20-30 minutes of Joe finding a 'vacant lady' was whacked in on November 27th 2011 when they realised they didn't yet have a full 60 minute script, and they just couldn't be bothered to write something proper in the next 10 or 11 months. Some of it quite funny, but nevertheless completely disjointed filler.
Been looking forward to this special for 2 years. I sat down Christmas Evening and expected a great ep, the first few scenes were very funny. But sadly as the hour went on the show became very boring. I do think they should take the family out of the house if they still want to keep light in the series otherwise just end it now.
