Quote: Aaron @ August 20 2012, 9:58 PM BST

Resonate.

I see what you're saying - but then your closing point kind of comes round to my point: those are all factors that add up, for you, to make it funny. Funny is still the ultimate end goal.

I'm sure, if you think long enough about all of those failing qualities you listed in your original post, you'll be able to think of a comedy you enjoy that exhibits one or more of them, and yet you still find it funny. Practically nothing is truly original, and equally everything has elements of cliché to it; that's what makes individual characters and situations in comedy recognisable and identifiable. Ditto plots - some of the most celebrated episodes of all time actually have pretty mundane plots when you boil them down. It's how the funny is built up from them. Or something.

But yeah, you didn't like Bad Education. No harm in that.

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This man speaks the truth

Been out of the UK, and just started watching this.

It's got some exceptional lines/moments, but can be a bit cheesy/formulaic in places (especially the football episode). The school trip episode was a big miss for me too.

Definitely worth another series though.

Still working my way through this. Finding bits frustrating. For example in the sex education episode, the teacher is threatened with blackmail over a photo of him and another boy coming out of the girl's toilet, however, they take the photo as they are in the corridor so it actually doesn't make any sense. It might seem small but believability sinks a sitcom if it's not there.

Not to mention that both the teacher and headmaster would be sacked by episode two by now. This is England, anything to do with kids and negligence is sensationalised. Again, it's not believable enough for me and the shtick of the sitcom is 'can you believe this is happening in a school?' No, you just simply can't.

If this was a farce or if it was a send-up of schools it would be different. But they try and make it like this can happen at a normal school.

Quote: ContainsNuts @ September 27 2012, 4:57 PM BST

Not to mention that both the teacher and headmaster would be sacked by episode two by now. This is England, anything to do with kids and negligence is sensationalised. Again, it's not believable enough for me and the shtick of the sitcom is 'can you believe this is happening in a school?' No, you just simply can't.

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I'm guessing you've not got any close relatives who work in the teaching profession?

Actually I do. And two friends. And the stuff that happens with pupils and between teachers is horrific. But not so in front of parents as they sometimes do in this. It's usually all in-house.

But I think the main theme of my post is that I need to get out more and stop sweating the small stuff.

Nice to be back on the forums though. Hi!

Ha ha. Well it's certainly unusual to see something like that happening in front of pupils and parents, I'll give you that much!

Watched the final episode now.

I find I watch this on autopilot, waiting for the next funny line to come.

While I can't deny that those funny lines do come, and at a reasonable frequency, the stories are just too predictable, cheesy and unengaging to care.

It's 'funny', but just not very 'good'.

I always thought 'funny' was the be-all-and-end-all of comedy, but maybe not.

Watched it for the first time yesterday. What a wasted 30 minutes that was...complete and utter shit. Jack Whitehall is an extremely untalented and annoying (constant facepulling like a spastic) comedy actor; maybe he's better as a stand up. And the whole thing has the aesthetics of a video clip or a TV ad. that makes even Mrs. Brown's Boys look tolerable.

Quote: Gordon Bennett @ December 28 2012, 8:25 AM GMT

Jack Whitehall is an extremely untalented and annoying (constant facepulling like a spastic) comedy actor

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You've not seen Fresh Meat then?

No, I haven't. Was he good in that one? I didn't know he has a "sitcom background". I've only seen him in panel shows (HIGNFY, Would I Lie...) where he was mildly amusing at best, imo. But what I've seen yesterday was less than impressive...his performance was wooden and full of (bad) references to other sitcom actors (plagiarism?). I thought: "Oh, a much hyped goodlooking heartthrob who uses his momentary popularity to explore new possibilities i.e. sitcom without having an ounce of talent." But maybe I misjudge him.

Well his performance in Fresh Meat has been highly praised even by many who loathe him as a stand-up and comedy personality; your feelings about Bad Education are just personal taste, of course.

I'm not sure it's really possibly to plagiarise a performance, however.

Quote: Aaron @ December 28 2012, 9:41 PM GMT

I'm not sure it's really possibly to plagiarise a performance, however.

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I wasn't serious about the "plagiarism" but most of his facial expressions and reactions did seem familiar to me; cobbled together from various comedy actors but not in a natural way. It all seems forced and inapt. But you're right comedy is a question of personal taste.

Tried to watch this last night again...and did find it complete shit. I was complaining a lot about Miranda recently which seems unfair if I compare it with this dire creature. Miranda is despite its flaws full of life and some good ideas whereas Bad Education is like its main man Whitehall bleak, pointless and without character. I'd rather watch Mrs. Brown's Boys than this wannabe cool & stylish teeny crap.

I really like this series. I mean, OK, it's not laugh a minute stuff but it's still very watchable. Glad it's returning for a second run.

I finally got myself to watch this, and was really pleasantly surprised. Much funnier than I was expecting, and I think that's why I enjoyed it; my expectations were low. It's by no means stand out comedy genius but very watchable, like G180e said.