I missed episode one, but caught the second one. I rather enjoyed the radio version and thought the TV sitcom was promising, but found myself shouting at my telly at the thing. The Jack the Ripper tour idea was absolutely brilliant and should have been expanded to be the centrepiece of its own episode instead of having to go through a lot of lesser material to reach it.
I'll stick with it.
Loving where this is heading. Loved the second episode MUCH more, and Jack the Ripper idea was brilliantly executed. Had my reservations about both Arthur as a character and Kinnear playing Micheal, but good going so far. 
Could generally take or leave the radio show, always thought it relied too much on the malapropisms but have to say that I really enjoyed the first episode of the TV show, it made me chuckle away at a fairly consistent rate throughout the 28 minutes.
Quote: Tokyo Nambu @ July 9 2013, 9:04 AM BSTThe larger premise, that he was an actual variety performer, makes little sense. In the radio show, you were shown Strong's delusions, and it was left open whether he had ever been a performer at all, or was just a fantasist who'd never performed to a crowd larger than his own front room. Here he's the former partner of a clearly well-respected comedian, so portraying him as a hopeless loser doesn't add up.
Still, at least Barry Cryer had a good cameo.
It made plenty of sense to me, Count Arthur Strong was the partner of a comedian who's career only took off once he'd ditched Arthur, until then, I assume, they'd bumbled around the "circuit" for a few years, doing okay but never quite getting the breaks, mainly due to Arthur's crackpot ideas.
I could point you in the direction of plenty of real life cases of this.
Looking back at Episode 1. Episode 2 was a far lot funnier than the first one IMO. I can't wait till next week to see Ep.3
Agree episode two was much better, had some proper Linehan moments in it.
It was a pile of old rubbish just like the radio show.
Episode Two, better than episode one. Albeit that didn't take much to achieve.
Still a bit too reliant on Arthur's bumbling for its humour, and the peripheral characters just seem to be there to deliver feed lines.
Quote: David Smith @ July 16 2013, 9:21 PM BSTIt was a pile of old rubbish just like the radio show.
How dare you, David. The Count is brill!
I think the divisive opinion is probably due to Arthur's exaggerated mannerisms? Not fond of it either, but the rest of the parts are good enough to make up for it as far as I'm concerned.
PS: You can always tell if you're watching a Linehan sitcom looking at the ambulance/Van scene 
Quote: David Smith @ July 16 2013, 9:21 PM BSTIt was a pile of old rubbish just like the radio show.
C'mere and say that
...knock yer block off
Quote: GallonOfAlan @ July 9 2013, 9:04 AM BSTNow - imagine Linehan doing John Shuttleworth on TV ...
Now that would be good! Why isn't that happening instead?
Quote: David Smith @ July 16 2013, 9:21 PM BSTIt was a pile of old rubbish just like the radio show.
Couldn't agree more. Tired, hackneyed, badly executed gags; unfunny, implausible characters. Bad script, yes Graham Linehan can write rubbish too. If this was trying to be an 'old fashioned' style sitcom, it left out all the funny parts. A lot of critics and reviewers voiced a similar opinion. And the beeb? ...have given it a second series. Great. Not toilet humour but British comedy truly going down the toilet.
As a huge fan of the radio shows I was thrilled to see Wilf Taylor's Quality Meats in the background during the second episode.
Wow, have no idea why people hate it so much. Obviously it's no IT Crowd/Ted, but I went in without any preconceived notions and found it pretty funny for most parts. Must be my godawful taste then.
Quote: FracturedMirror @ July 18 2013, 1:20 AM BSTAs a huge fan of the radio shows I was thrilled to see Wilf Taylor's Quality Meats in the background during the second episode.
Really??
Missed that
I miss Malcolm and Jeffery!
Quote: Maurice Moss @ July 18 2013, 5:24 AM BSTWow, have no idea why people hate it so much. Obviously it's no IT Crowd/Ted, but I went in without any preconceived notions and found it pretty funny for most parts. Must be my godawful taste then.
It's an old fashioned style of sitcom, a bit like Miranda is. Some people simply won't tolerate this - everything's got to be like Peep Show or The Inbetweeners, i.e. Full of swearing and adult themes.
Well I love modern stuff like that too - but there is still room for the more gentle and, yes, old fashioned style of sitcom like C.A.S.
That's why it's on at 8:30pm - it's a family show.
If people want dick jokes there are plenty of other shows to fulfill their needs.
