My favourite so far I think.
Reggie Perrin - Series 1 Page 26
One single thing summed up what is wrong with this series tonight - it ended on Reggie letting rip a full-blooded scream of desperation: in the original series this faded unaccompanied into the theme tune so that it sank in, in this series it was faded out into the audience hooting with laughter.
It's the whole feel of it, the whole point of the show that's out of step. In the original Reggie was getting worse each week, getting more outrageous - it was new, it hadn't been seen before and it was a bit scary. In this version it's Mr Glum being sarcastic and tut-tutting at modern life and each episode is the same, at the same tempo, just trying new ways to beat boredom. There are many good lines in this and many good situations, but they are lost in the inanity of the whole series.
They've turned a ground-breaking series that actually meant something and made a point about something, into a series that just serves up idiots doing silly things so the braying cacophanous audience can point and oink at it. Like I've said before, as a 'sitcom' it's standard, inoffensive fare, but as a version of something actually important it's a tragedy.
It's not a version of another sitcom. It's a version of a book which has been made into a sitcom in the past too. You're comparing them too directly. With each episode it becomes clearer and clearer (IMO) that it's the idea of the middle-management, middle-England, middle-class, mid-life crisis that is being used here, not that it's an adaptation of an earlier show.
Great comedy - I'm old enough to remember the original and the writers have got the mix just right. Mr Clunes is brilliant (he can do no wrong) and all the other casting is spot on. Hope further series is commissioned.
In thinking about how they're going to end this, I'm getting a Blackadder vibe- a series of abuse, followed by a finale where the protagonist can't hold their tounge any longer and gets some well deserved justice.
I thought he was going to tell his wife tonight, when he started telling her the truth about things.
Quote: Aaron @ May 23 2009, 12:20 AM BSTIt's not a version of another sitcom. It's a version of a book which has been made into a sitcom in the past too. You're comparing them too directly. With each episode it becomes clearer and clearer (IMO) that it's the idea of the middle-management, middle-England, middle-class, mid-life crisis that is being used here, not that it's an adaptation of an earlier show.
I basically agree with you Aaron. If people don't try to compare this with the 1970s series then I think they will find a lot to like. The episode this week was strong again and I think the themes are as relevant today as they have ever been.
It isn't really an adaptation of the book though despite what Martin Clunes has said. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if Simon Nye has never read it. There hasn't been anything in this series from the novels that wasn't in the original TV show.
Liked this episode but some things do a niggle a little. For instance Reggie isn't really the aggressive sort so his relationship with the other commuters on the train doesn't fit. When the woman said 'I thought you...' And he says 'leave it'. He wouldn't. He'd just look at her with disdain. Well, in my head anyway. And get rid of the laughter track, it laughs in some really inappropriate places.
Mind you if you take it that this is just bedding in it does bode well for the future.
Quote: Nick @ May 23 2009, 2:33 AM BSTI basically agree with you Aaron. If people don't try to compare this with the 1970s series then I think they will find a lot to like. I think the themes are as relevant today as they have ever been.
Couldn't agree more. It's the mid-life crisis that's the constant, the 're-imagining'. It's not a re-make of the series as we would understand re-makes in the Hollywood sense.
Nothing positive to say about this week's episode either, unfortunately.
I just can't find a shred of believability in the situation or any of the characters. And you have to, to go along with it.
That rather disconnected audience response is weird too. Why doesn't it sound like the studio audiences in the likes of say, Only Fools and Horses or One Foot in the Grave? Instead it sounds as though they're miles away in an underground bunker or something. And I'm not suggesting it's canned -- there must've been a massive change in the way it's recorded and not for the better.
Quote: Dene Kernohan @ May 24 2009, 12:00 PM BSTThat rather disconnected audience response is weird too. Why doesn't it sound like the studio audiences in the likes of say, Only Fools and Horses or One Foot in the Grave? Instead it sounds as though they're miles away in an underground bunker or something. And I'm not suggesting it's canned -- there must've been a massive change in the way it's recorded and not for the better.
That I agree with. I don't know what the BBC have done with the laughs but they sound even when they follow good jokes.
Ironically, I like the laughter in this show.
Quote: Dene Kernohan @ May 24 2009, 12:00 PM BSTThat rather disconnected audience response is weird too. Why doesn't it sound like the studio audiences in the likes of say, Only Fools and Horses or One Foot in the Grave? Instead it sounds as though they're miles away in an underground bunker or something. And I'm not suggesting it's canned -- there must've been a massive change in the way it's recorded and not for the better.
Actually, the laughter probably just sounds funny because you're not laughing along with it. I don't think it's been dubbed any differently - it's just standing out because you're thinking "hang on, why are you laughing at that?"
The reason I say that is, at first, I thought they'd only filmed certain bits of Reggie Perrin in front of the audience (which I thought was odd considering the studio setup)... but, re-winding, I realise there was actually laughter through it all, but I was only noticing it where I personally wasn't finding anything funny (which is mainly the scenes at home).
It doesn't need a laughter track in my opinion.
Agree with Nil, that this was the best episode so far.