Quote: Blenkinsop @ December 17 2010, 9:25 PM GMT

I've just had a catch up session with these and without a doubt this show stands head and shoulders above all comedy shows I have seen in recent years.

Fabulous pacing and done with such a deft touch; none of this "Quick, we gotta get a gag out, we gotta get a gag out before the punters get bored and switch over" nonsense that so many programme makers, and I assume focus groups, seem to want to subscribe to. We're not all as thick as shit and some of us can do subtle. We don't need it rammed down our throats all the bleedin time.

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Yeah, I can't stand all those comedy shows that are full of jokes and funny stuff... down with that sort of thing and more bleedin' Michael Caine impersonations!

Quote: Blenkinsop @ December 17 2010, 9:25 PM GMT

I've just had a catch up session with these and without a doubt this show stands head and shoulders above all comedy shows I have seen in recent years.

Fabulous pacing and done with such a deft touch; none of this "Quick, we gotta get a gag out, we gotta get a gag out before the punters get bored and switch over" nonsense that so many programme makers, and I assume focus groups, seem to want to subscribe to. We're not all as thick as shit and some of us can do subtle. We don't need it rammed down our throats all the bleedin time.

What splendid performances from both the leads matched by a great supporting cast and scenery to die for.

Sublime.

Dear BBC, I would gladly pay four times my licence fee if only you made shows like this all the time.

Elated of Tonbridge Wells

Edit:

And of course the bait looked fan-effing-tastic

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I couldn't have put in better, Blenky.

The Trip is one the most enjoyable TV series I've ever seen

Quote: Tony Cowards @ December 18 2010, 3:39 PM GMT

Yeah, I can't stand all those comedy shows that are full of jokes and funny stuff... down with that sort of thing and more bleedin' Michael Caine impersonations!

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Au contraire, jokes are good and can sometimes even be quite amusing. Why, I believe I've even told one or two myself in the past and might even do so again some time in the future.

Deep joy for upon returning home I find that the postie's delivered my DVD from Amazon. Even more joy as I managed to miss the first episode so I'm now looking forward to watching the whole shooting match again.

http://trailers.apple.com/trailers/independent/thetrip/

Does this mean you'll have to move this thread from Sitcoms?

No; Americans can do whatever the f**k they want. Weird bunch.

The lack of comedy in The Trip would be a good reason to move it from Sitcoms, however.

Hahaha

I liked it.

Quote: Aaron @ May 5 2011, 8:39 PM BST

The lack of comedy in The Trip would be a good reason to move it from Sitcoms, however.

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Quote: Nil Putters @ May 5 2011, 8:36 PM BST

http://trailers.apple.com/trailers/independent/thetrip/
Does this mean you'll have to move this thread from Sitcoms?

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It's odd. Even the show's biggest fans would probably find 112 minutes of Coogan and Brydon doing impressions a bit much in one sitting?

Quote: Mark @ May 7 2011, 1:39 PM BST

It's odd. Even the show's biggest fans would probably find 112 minutes of Coogan and Brydon doing impressions a bit much in one sitting?

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It'll be cut differently though, won't it? It won't feature everything we saw in the TV run.

Quote: Matthew Stott @ May 7 2011, 1:43 PM BST

It'll be cut differently though, won't it? It won't feature everything we saw in the TV run.

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But the six episodes were just wall-to-wall them doing impressions!

(I know what you mean really )

I understand the criticism of The Trip not being a true sitcom and lacking in real comedy but I can't think of this as being a mistake or bad show. It's very much an indulgence for sure, it knows it is, but to be fair, they do so well with the limited material and excuse-thin premise that this justifies its making at the very least, in fact it justifies a 2nd series imo, easily. But that is almost wholly down to Coogan and Brydon being so talented at this sort of thing.

But no I wouldn't want to see any more new shows of this kind, let's end this practice of creating mock real life sitcoms of comedy stars now, please, BBC! It IS a little hard to take for many completely shut out aspiring sitcom creators to be fed a growing diet of inhouse 'keep it in the club' sitcoms made by already successful comedians. It is both incestuous and a big slap in the face for hardworking amateur writers.

The Trip, Grandma's House and Lead Balloon dive straight into a prime BBC Two slot when nearly all new sitcoms by unknowns have to graft their way along on BBC Three to start with, even when the pilots have been very good. This is not the right message, nor is it fair.

I think Lead Balloon started out on BBC Four.

Quote: Alfred J Kipper @ May 7 2011, 2:33 PM BST

I understand the criticism of The Trip not being a true sitcom and lacking in real comedy but I can't think of this as being a mistake or bad show. It's very much an indulgence for sure, it knows it is, but to be fair, they do so well with the limited material and excuse-thin premise that this justifies its making at the very least, in fact it justifies a 2nd series imo, easily.

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Well, you say you understand some of the criticism of it, but then how exactly do they "do so well" with the material? I argue that there's little material, and they beat it to death umpteen times over.

Quote: Alfred J Kipper @ May 7 2011, 2:33 PM BST

The Trip, Grandma's House and Lead Balloon dive straight into a prime BBC Two slot when nearly all new sitcoms by unknowns have to graft their way along on BBC Three to start with, even when the pilots have been very good. This is not the right message, nor is it fair.

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Fairness does not, and should not, enter into it. Only quality should matter.

And yes, as chipolata points out, your statement is factually inaccurate.

Quote: chipolata @ May 7 2011, 4:46 PM BST

I think Lead Balloon started out on BBC Four.

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Actually, I think you'll find it started out on HBO, with Larry David in the lead role..