Can't find a thread for The New Statesman so will start one.

I always knew of this sitcom but didn't realise how little I'd seen (remembered?) until last week, on holiday, when I took the box set along to fill in the gaps between the coverage of the election for President of the Universe.

Anyway, it is brilliant. I mean not just funny but far, far cleverer and more subverted and evil than I ever expected it to be. Laurence Marks and Maurice Gran pulled off what is a truly genius sitcom.

I saw the stage show a couple of years ago and that was very good too. It was a bit bizarre watching, because I was aware of the character in quite a lot of detail but couldn't honestly say I had seen a single episode previously!

Still have the last five episodes to watch but I thought it was awesome and I thought it needed saying on here. For reference if nothing else.

Dan

It is ugly, perverse, repulsive and disgusting.

I like it.

Laurence & Maurice are indeed very clever plotters ( & ). And though the initial jokes come relatively easily to their minds, they spend hours and hours polishing every joke and every line of their scripts.

They make very extensive use of thesaurus and encyclopedia books, so that they get exactly the right word for maximum effect.

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The stage show of "The New Statesman" was re-written as soon as (*) Brown became PM, but I've not seen that second edition.

(*) They had been preparing for a new version in advance of course. I'm told that so many lines in the script were changed that on the first showing of the revised show, Rik Mayall dried up and nipped off stage to fetch his script and did most of the rest of the show with frequent peeks at his printed copy of the script. Being Rik, the audience loved it....

( & ) See their Drama detective story script. http://www.datahighways.net/dhl/downloads/w2000/WallOfSilence3.pdf

It's Yes Minister with sadism. Fabulous.

Also, clever, intelligent, well-plotted and funny as it is, the biggest laughs were, without exception, when Alan physically assaults Piers.

Dan

The first series was spectacular, it got a bit daft after that though.

Loved it - especially B'Stard's evil scheming wife.

Did that ring true with your own marriage, David?

Quote: Aaron @ November 3 2008, 5:41 PM GMT

Did that ring true with your own marriage, David?

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Maybe but .........

(I'd better not go any further)

I Put this in the 'best lines' thread but I'm mentioning it here as well...

2 great quotes

Alan B'stard: "It'll cost you"
Other character: "You should have that translated into latin and eblazoned on your family crest."

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Mugger: "Wallet!"
B'stard: "Sorry, I don't speak unemployed."

Superb lines.

I think the best is his speech to his old university (ep: Friends of St. James) about the national health care system. all I know off by heart is; "You see, in the good old days it was quite simple: If you were poor, you got sick, and then you died."

In a phone conversation with Laurence Marks today, he reminded me that Comedy Classics is showing an episode of The New Statesman on ITV next Tuesday at 22:40.

Just thought y'all might like to know that.

Quote: billwill @ November 30 2008, 4:13 PM GMT

In a phone conversation with Laurence Marks today, he reminded me that Comedy Classics is showing an episode of The New Statesman on ITV next Tuesday at 22:40.

Just thought y'all might like to know that.

View original

Thanks for that. I'll try and make a point of watching it.

Quote: David Chapman @ November 30 2008, 4:17 PM GMT

Thanks for that. I'll try and make a point of watching it.

View original

Nowadays I use a TV Hard Disk recorder with twin digital tuners (bought for around £80 in Tescos) (*). Best gadget I ever bought, as it means that you have only to remember within about a week in advance to set it to record a show and then you can forget about it and then watch it any time during or after the show went on air.

(*) Same sort of facilities as SKY+ provides for satellite services.