Little Britain

[Conexus]

Just watched the first ep of the latest series, and it just weren't funny at all, and the overbearing laughter track didn't help

[The Amstor Computer]

The laughter track is a fucking pain in the arse, and the show was the usual mixed bag - some very funny, surreal moments, a bit of well-observed comedy and an awful lot of "aren't we terribly naughty" bad taste moments (pissing OAP, a blacked-up David Walliams, Matt Lucas in full "Asian" makeup etc.)

It has its moments, but it's not the comedy masterpiece it thinks it is.

[Conexus]

The pissing OAP was just 'the vomiting, racist OAP: Redux'

 

[Conexus]

And the Sexual misconduct MP would have been funny if it was topical i.e Done what? Five, ten years ago?

[James]

It used to be funny, now all we get is this

http://www.boysstuff.co.uk/images/prod_zoom_center/louandy_cent_500_63026.jpg">

[Dudley]

It was never, isn't, and will never be remotely funny.  It's like the worst comedy of the 70's... in fact, it's like Mike Reid and a gay Jim Bowen, come back to torment us all.  Bernard Manning would be proud of some of it.

[Conexus]

James: As I've said before, despite my anti religious convictions

Jazus Christ!

and considering that if i was a christian, I'd be protestant as well, that really speaks volumes

[Bico]

Good to see it's not just me, then.

[The Amstor Computer]

Dudly --

That's actually an interesting point - how do you think it is that two white comedians are getting away with blacking up etc.? I don't see anything in the show, or in them, that makes that acceptable...

[Carlsborg Expert]

Here lies the gay Jim bowen.
Long may he be succeeded.

Ahrum.

[blakeman]

you're right

[Dark Jimbo]

Laughter tracks suck.

But as for Little Britain - I think this is a case of too much sucsess ironically ruining something deserving of it. I'd remind you the two guys were plugging away for absolutely AGES behind the scenes on various comic things, and all bloody good, too - did anyone see Voyage of the Gods, for instance, starring Rob Brydon, Steve Coogan and David Walliams (way before he went big)? I was a fan of those two for many years before any of the current mindless-cretin-average-Joe-Bloggs-I-think-I-know-good-comedy-Little-Britain-fans even knew their names.

It was a joy when they'd turn up in obscure little cameos in off-kilter comedies buried away in obscure times and places in the ratings schedule. Then Little Britain - oh good, they're finally going to get the wider appreciation they've desreved for so long. I maintain the first series, (if that's your kind of comedy, I suppose) was excellent on almost every level, the quality perhaps only diluted a bit by an over-long series.

Then the afore-mentioned idiots discovered it. Cue the catchphrases quoted (badly) in offices all over the country by people who think it is funny to do so. Cue the BBC comissioning a second series far too soon, to satiate said fans. Cue the same old tired predictable characters being ressurected again and again, even when they're clearly dead on their feet, because they're popular and (shudder) quotable. Cue the move to prime-time BCC 1. Cue merchandising. Cue an equally swift third series. Cue more merchandising.

And so on. Cue the sad end of my interest.

[Dark Jimbo]

Heh, and cue people's eyes glazing over as they read my inordinately long rant. Sorry folks. :)

[blakeman]

good rant.

[Funt Solo]

This is the exact same backlash that happened with The Fast Show.