After enjoying last week's, tonight's was painfully bad. I find it baffling that the audience found several of the jokes funny enough for a round of applause. Like a 70s farce without the subtlety.
Not Going Out Christmas special 2021 and Series 12 Page 2
I was screaming with laughter by the end. Very funny comedy.
Ridiculous and still going a bit overboard and farcical compared to how it was (like when they overdid Denise and David's stupidity in The Royle Family to the point it was like they were lobotomised).
BUT... It's still enjoyable and genuinely made me belly laugh a couple of times. And that's the main thing for me, heh. I enjoyed it enough!
That said (me saying it's ridiculous and more farcical), hasn't Lee shown to be a bit of a luddite when it comes to up to the most up to date technology before? That's consistent. Struggling to think of an example but sure it's been the case before. Kinda consistent even if the dick pic story is silly.
An improved episode last night - better pacing, and hilarious despite some gaspingly contrived dialogue and writing - even if plots are becoming surreal to the point they could easily be read out by Mack as one of his far-out lies on WILTY, and episodes themselves are as if said lies were being acted out.
Would like to start seeing the kids again, too, as although at first it was rather irritating how much they appeared and appreciated a return to more classic Lee/Lucy-getting-into-and-out-of-scrapes set-up, their absence is becoming quite stark now, and the set-up they've returned to comes across as getting exhausted. At least, as with last week, the feel of the show has returned to normal with, presumably, the return of an in-studio audience; the directing of the last series took advantage of its absence and gave it a different atmosphere.
Did notice that the Waitrose set actually looked like they were filming in an M&S, which is nothing unusual for the show given a Co-op stood in for ASDA in "Bust-Up" a few series back. Someone on Twitter also pointed out that Lee had a cheap, 'old' mobile last night, compared to the Halloween special in 2019 when, IIRC, he had the latest iPhone. Quite a continuity error there.
Quote: octothorpe @ 2nd April 2022, 12:45 PMDid notice that the Waitrose set actually looked like they were filming in an M&S
It looked to me like - and indeed I'm pretty sure - they filmed in an actual Waitrose!
Quote: Aaron @ 2nd April 2022, 1:16 PMIt looked to me like - and indeed I'm pretty sure - they filmed in an actual Waitrose!
Re-watching the scene in question, yes, that is the case; I thought I'd seen signs with the M&S fonts on in the background, and that was just something they'd neglected in trying to dress the place to resemble a Waitrose. My mistake; for once my keen eye on looking in the background for stuff that doesn't look right has failed me!
Also something I noticed last night but forgot about was the fact there was a new set for Anna and Toby's house. They must be quite well-off if they can afford to move after all the cash they burned through with their kitchen re-fit a while back, not to mention the constant chopping and changing of the builders they hired! (Though I imagine Toby would've had to just go along with it!)
I preferred this episode to the first one
But it dawned on me that it was kinda similar to the episode a few series back where they thought Toby and Anna's son had stolen their kids key ring
Just caught up with the second episode myself, and yep, it was MUCH better than the first one! A better set-up, stronger jokes, and the different locations also helped. Good stuff.
Although, as Sitcomfan64 said, the audience applause was overdone. This was a problem with the previous episode too.. I suppose as the show's become so popular, the audience are likely to be die-hard fans who are very enthusiastic... but at least this time it was more deserved IMO.
Quote: a plate @ 3rd April 2022, 1:38 AMJust caught up with the second episode myself, and yep, it was MUCH better than the first one! A better set-up, stronger jokes, and the different locations also helped. Good stuff.
Although, as Sitcomfan64 said, the audience applause was overdone. This was a problem with the previous episode too.. I suppose as the show's become so popular, the audience are likely to be die-hard fans who are very enthusiastic... but at least this time it was more deserved IMO.
The same's happened with Mrs. Brown's Boys, when about the mid-2010s you had the audience enthusiastically applaud when certain cast members entered. I have noticed during the last few years they haven't been doing that as much, but it's still there. (Then again, MBB did come from a stage show and is put on like one so it's not as incongruous or glaring when you consider it in that context.) I think the only occasions that would happen in NGO going forward was if Bobby Ball was still with us and his character entered. Miranda also had a noticeable change in audience reaction happen towards its conclusion, especially in the last two specials, and the same thing with Still Game in its original run, not so much the revival. As you say above, it's rather natural that after a few series awareness of a show has grown to a point the number of studio audience applicants who book out of curiosity substantially decreases, losing 'moderation' within it, so-to-speak, and that compensates for any growing weakness of scripts.
I'd argue it's also rather reciprocal, as you then get Flanderisation of characters by writers who know they need to appeal to the audience - both in the studio and at home - now proportionally consisting of more die-hard fans than ever, and bring out the key characteristics of certain characters more to enthuse them; a self-fulfilling cycle. They probably don't need to do that, but are aware that the show's not adding any new viewers permanently, so maybe don't care - or are doing it because they're determined to not lose any more, as you can afford to lose casual viewers but not the base, so-to-speak (MBB again, through which O'Carroll appears to be taking more liberties, such as in the now-traditional end-of-episode 'speech'). Though, Two Doors Down I have noticed is getting like this, despite the fact it seems to be growing in popularity and awareness. Anyway, I digress...
Quote: octothorpe @ 3rd April 2022, 3:29 PMThe same's happened with Mrs. Brown's Boys, when about the mid-2010s you had the audience enthusiastically applaud when certain cast members entered. I have noticed during the last few years they haven't been doing that as much, but it's still there. (Then again, MBB did come from a stage show and is put on like one so it's not as incongruous or glaring when you consider it in that context.) I think the only occasions that would happen in NGO going forward was if Bobby Ball was still with us and his character entered. Miranda also had a noticeable change in audience reaction happen towards its conclusion, especially in the last two specials, and the same thing with Still Game in its original run, not so much the revival. As you say above, it's rather natural that after a few series awareness of a show has grown to a point the number of studio audience applicants who book out of curiosity substantially decreases, losing 'moderation' within it, so-to-speak, and that compensates for any growing weakness of scripts.
I'd argue it's also rather reciprocal, as you then get Flanderisation of characters by writers who know they need to appeal to the audience - both in the studio and at home - now proportionally consisting of more die-hard fans than ever, and bring out the key characteristics of certain characters more to enthuse them; a self-fulfilling cycle. They probably don't need to do that, but are aware that the show's not adding any new viewers permanently, so maybe don't care - or are doing it because they're determined to not lose any more, as you can afford to lose casual viewers but not the base, so-to-speak (MBB again, through which O'Carroll appears to be taking more liberties, such as in the now-traditional end-of-episode 'speech'). Though, Two Doors Down I have noticed is getting like this, despite the fact it seems to be growing in popularity and awareness. Anyway, I digress...
Some interesting thoughts there. Personally, I don't like Mrs Browns Boys or Miranda, but from what I can gather they 'break the fourth wall' a lot, which probably enhances what you're talking about as well. Hopefully, Not Going Out won't go down that route, it'd be pretty naff if Lee suddenly looked down the camera and talked to the audience every five minutes.
I think you'll find that die-hard NGO fans are mentally and intellectually superior to those of Mrs Brown's boys.
A late convert to Joe Wilkinson but he always makes me crack up these days.
Yeah, Joe Wilkinson was perfect for that character. Another good 'un all round. I didn't like the Christmas panto rollocks or the first episode of this series, but they seem back on track with last week's and this week's episodes.
The fluctuating quality of NGO these days is wild. I really disliked last week's, but last night's was brilliant. So, so funny. Joe Wilkinson was perfectly cast. I think silence and long pauses aren't used enough, I suppose because it's such a risk, but it paid off wonderfully and I liked the ending.
Quote: Sitcomfan64 @ 9th April 2022, 9:57 AMThe fluctuating quality of NGO these days is wild. I really disliked last week's, but last night's was brilliant. So, so funny. Joe Wilkinson was perfectly cast. I think silence and long pauses aren't used enough, I suppose because it's such a risk, but it paid off wonderfully and I liked the ending.
Ha! I enjoyed last weeks
Last night was painful