Olivia Colman is massively under-used in this. Episode 5 was probably her biggest role, yet she still didn't appear much.
I love Hugh Bonneville's character's ability to spin bad news into positive news.
Twenty Twelve - Series 1 Page 11
I thought this was just about okay to start with, but have found myself quite bored and switching over the last few weeks.
Bonneville gives a wonderfully subtle, nuanced performance, but the whole cast is very strong, and the writing in my view is excellent. Best sitcom the Beeb has produced in an age.
Quote: Matthew Stott @ April 12 2011, 12:37 PM BSTI thought this was just about okay to start with, but have found myself quite bored and switching over the last few weeks.
Although Stott's usually wrong about everything, I agree on this. The series started fairly well, but just fizzled. Last night's was better than last week's, but still pretty average.
I thought Monday night's was the best so far. The utter spin and ridiculous attempts to look PC were so funny and totally believable.
Quote: Timbo @ April 12 2011, 12:58 PM BSTBonneville gives a wonderfully subtle, nuanced performance, but the whole cast is very strong, and the writing in my view is excellent. Best sitcom the Beeb has produced in an age.
Are we watching different sitcoms? 
It's just been given a second series too. Hopefully, a new boss character will be introduced to add some proper conflict.
Quote: ContainsNuts @ April 14 2011, 10:09 PM BSTIt's just been given a second series too.
Please tell me it's taken you 13 days to post this?
Quote: Aaron @ April 14 2011, 11:49 PM BSTPlease tell me it's taken you 13 days to post this?
Quote: Timbo @ April 12 2011, 12:58 PM BSTBonneville gives a wonderfully subtle, nuanced performance, but the whole cast is very strong, and the writing in my view is excellent. Best sitcom the Beeb has produced in an age.
Really??? Or am I missing the massively sarcastic tone?
It was deathly dull. There are no bad actors in it, but there was nothing remotely interesting about this ('Raising the bar'/Darren Boyd) episode.
EDIT: seems I'm a week behind. Though I do feel like I've watched six, I've only seen four so far.
Dan
Quote: Aaron @ April 14 2011, 11:49 PM BSTPlease tell me it's taken you 13 days to post this?
Ha!
"Raising the Bar" just about made the grade. The focus was less on the one-joke regulars, more on the Darren Boyd character, hence closer to "People Like Us" which is the format to which Morton's writing is best suited. Still short of "People Like Us" quality, unfortunately.
Just been having a read through this thread to see what people have been thinking of Twenty Twelve, surprised that it hasn't got more love, because I thought the series was fantastic and got better with each episode.
I think the writing is excellent, and I feel that people are missing just how funny the dialogue and the wording is. Morton is great at writing dialogue that sounds reasonable, but when you actually think about it, or listen to it back, it's ridiculous, and often hilarious. I loved this line from the last episode:
"In 1979 he won a BAFTA for his film Intravenous, which has since gone on to achieve near cult status amongst those who saw it."
Just re-read that line, that's brilliant! And there are lots of gags like that, similar to People Like Us, it's just that Twenty Twelve is more of a slow-burn, but it's one you can go back and watch again and pick up on lots of stuff that you may have missed the first time.
I've posted a full review here: http://bit.ly/gkQk2c 
I don't normally go out of my way to bash shows I don't like; but this was just terribly boring. I can see why it wasn't billed as a sitcom... since there was only 'sit' and no 'com'.
The entire series is on iPlayer at the mo.
I watched the first one today, fully expecting to hate it. Three hours later, I'd polished off the whole series.
I don't usually go for this kind of thing -- Rev left me cold -- but I found myself laughing quite a lot and disappointed when it ended.
It might just be that there's f**k-all new comedy out there at the moment. Maybe my standards have slipped.