Quote: Aaron @ September 24 2013, 10:30 PM BSTVery light on laughs for something being branded a sitcom,
Quote: chipolata @ September 24 2013, 9:37 PM BSTAlthough isn't it more comedy drama than sitcom?
It's not a sitcom as far as I'm concerned. It was "Office"-ish cringe filmed in Edgar Wright style telling a murder mystery story...with very few laughs.
But it was definetely not bad.
Quote: michris @ September 24 2013, 10:11 PM BSTI laughed out loud at this and called my Mum as it was on to see what she thought (we have very different tastes!) she was laughing as well! So it appeals to a 6 yr old and a 74 year old - not bad eh!
Your mum had you when she was 68?
Wow.
I'll give it another go, but I'm hoping for a little less ' James Cordon does a bit of business' in the next one - along with a lot less 'Office' style embarrassing moments.
I also thought 30 mins an odd length for what is quite patently a comedy drama - especially if you're going to waste an age on a totally superfluous 'hospital trolley-swop' schtick.
It's shot very nicely with cinematic aspirations and once the jeopardy racks up - and it looks as if it will - it could develop into something worth watching.
It also reminded me what a fantastic voice Benedict Wong has.
It's interesting that people are trying to compare it to other things. I've seen a lot of that about this episode already. I enjoyed it, thought it was quite funny throughout. Its humour is quite subtle in places, like Gavin and Stacey was but it still is a sitcom, albeit a thriller hybrid. I think they got the balance right.
I liked it. I'm not a fan of James Corden, but Mathew Baynton did make me laugh. For a first episode it had enough humour and suspense to make me want to watch next week. Just little things like the cycling helmet over the hedge and the 3am phone calls.
"Bracknell is dead"...if only...
I thought it was fab, Like a comedy thriller?! a comilla?
Quote: Gordon Bennett @ September 25 2013, 8:14 AM BSTIt was "Office"-ish cringe
Interesting. I didn't get that at all.
Quote: Aaron @ September 25 2013, 12:07 PM BSTInteresting. I didn't get that at all.
Someone already pointed out Corden's character's hopless attempt at recruiting people for the weekend activity.
But there were also these akward silent moments of embarrassment such as the scene where Baynton's character read out his "list" of possible headlines/titles. These were scenes you normally see in shows such as The Office, Alan Partridge or Lead Balloon.
Then, Baynton's workplace nemesis was behaving like Gareth's better looking brother.
Quote: Gordon Bennett @ September 25 2013, 1:05 PM BSTSomeone already pointed out Corden's character's hopless attempt at recruiting people for the weekend activity.
But there were also these akward silent moments of embarrassment such as the scene where Baynton's character read out his "list" of possible headlines/titles. These were scenes you normally see in shows such as The Office, Alan Partridge or Lead Balloon.
Then, Baynton's workplace nemesis was behaving like Gareth's better looking brother.
I see what you mean. I didn't think they felt like they were playing on social embarrassment though; I hate that kind of comedy and didn't find those scenes particularly awkward at all. I took those to be establishing the characters of the lead duo: that Sam is a somewhat distracted from his work - probably an honest, nice, decent guy, but a bit crap at his job; whilst Phil is friendly but probably tries too hard and is somewhat of a loner.
Quote: Aaron @ September 25 2013, 2:34 PM BSTI see what you mean. I didn't think they felt like they were playing on social embarrassment though; I hate that kind of comedy and didn't find those scenes particularly awkward at all. I took those to be establishing the characters of the lead duo...
Maybe you're right. But the technical execution of these (establishing) scenes reminded me of The Office. Maybe we'll have to watch the next two episodes before we get the full picture of the show's style and intentions.
Compared to The Wright Way, Big School and Father Figure - this show was Fawlty Towers, Only Fools and Horses and Porridge all rolled into one.
Say what you will about Corden but Gavin & Stacey was a great and funny series and he wrote half of it....so you may find the man himself unbearable but the man knows comedy when it comes to writing (okay maybe not sketch comedy but let's just forget the existence of 'Horne & Corden' shall we - even Corden himself wants to)
Another trailer for episode 2 :
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ht7sQPCLBV8
Can't wait for episode 2! Best BBC comedy in a while, Well done to James and Mathew.
Quote: Gordon Bennett @ September 25 2013, 1:05 PM BSTSomeone already pointed out Corden's character's hopless attempt at recruiting people for the weekend activity.
But there were also these akward silent moments of embarrassment such as the scene where Baynton's character read out his "list" of possible headlines/titles. These were scenes you normally see in shows such as The Office, Alan Partridge or Lead Balloon.
Then, Baynton's workplace nemesis was behaving like Gareth's better looking brother.
I've been a bit surprised about The Office comparisons but they have been quite a few. It's an office in Berkshire and that's all I can see as similar to both. Offices look very similar, especially in the same county but The Office was a mockumentary with talking heads. There's none of that in this. Gareth was supposed to be an idiot, but this guy is just very anal and kinda has a right to be. There's no Brent and Wrong Mans has a different pace and type of humour. Moments of embarrassment are in all types of comedy, it's one of many tools.
I read someone say the hospital scenes were too similar to Green Wing. God forbid they go to a hotel or they'll be accused of ripping off John Cleese. 
Quote: ContainsNuts @ September 25 2013, 4:21 PM BSTI've been a bit surprised about The Office comparisons but they have been quite a few. It's an office in Berkshire and that's all I can see as similar to both. Offices look very similar, especially in the same county but The Office was a mockumentary with talking heads. There's none of that in this. Gareth was supposed to be an idiot, but this guy is just very anal and kinda has a right to be. There's no Brent and Wrong Mans has a different pace and type of humour. Moments of embarrassment are in all types of comedy, it's one of many tools.
I read someone say the hospital scenes were too similar to Green Wing. God forbid they go to a hotel or they'll be accused of ripping off John Cleese.
Contains nuts...but no braincells.
Anyway, it was the execution of the scenes in question that reminded me of The Office. It could have also been a scene in a western saloon with a cowboy making himself look like a dick in front of a crowd.
I won't accuse Corden & co. of having plagiarised "Bullitt" just because there were cars involved in the episode.
