Quote: MCharsley @ August 7 2013, 1:46 PM BSTHow comes, out of interest? I've seen you saying you also dislike The Office, is it the documentary format in general you don't like?
Partially, yes. I like bits of most such shows (see above), but ultimately the style of humour simply does next-to-nothing for me.
Quote: DougWonnacott @ July 31 2013, 2:05 PM BSTthe unexplained naked photos of Victorian women in the old lady's house
The world isn't just full of mummies and daddies. Sometimes you will find houses with two mummies living together......
The whole of episode 4, and all we learned was one thing that was blindingly obvious at the end of episode 3, and really could and should have been done-and-dusted in an additional single line or two of dialogue during that previous episode.
It's all just so slow and bloated. And not nearly funny enough. The only saving grace are O'Dowd and Conti's performances.
This is good comedy, ok it's a bit strange at times and a bit lazy writing with the whole is it a documentary isn't it thing, as soon as they need to explain, oh it's a doc, never the less it's been the best comedy on TV lately and deserves credit for it.
O'Dowd is carrying it. Lovely performance. Nina Conti is pulling her weight too. I'm still watching mainly for O'Dowd.
Hi all, newbie, 1st post here.
I have to say- I wasn't sure about Family Tree, as there are a couple of, I think, passengers (the zoo guy, certainly).
But it has so many other characters, due to its structure.
I've caught up with the rest of the series, and it has got better. I've recommended it to friends, based on last week. Spoiler alert- not plot as such, but two great gags...
It is rather subtle compared to other shows, and these scenes will be part of the improvisations, I imagine.
On an American Civil War reenactment, two Abraham Lincolns turn up. One suitably tall, another much less so. They squabble, and short AL squares up aggressively to Big AL... "Yeah? You wanna piece of me? Huh..?"
Also, the two sides commence a rather sad battle on a field surrounded by their cars. The cannon fire begins impressively- and their car alarms all go off.
Certainly the first one I found riotous. Have I shared too much?
Fred
Some wonderful stuff in the last couple of eps.
Thank God this rubbish series has finished. Wanky show.
Quote: tonecapone @ September 4 2013, 12:18 PM BSTThank God this rubbish series has finished. Wanky show.
Totally agree, it has just dragged out over the past eight weeks, unfunny and boring. Hopefully there won't be a Series 2.
Quote: G180e @ September 4 2013, 12:40 PM BSTTotally agree, it has just dragged out over the past eight weeks, unfunny and boring. Hopefully there won't be a Series 2.
I'd love a series 2. Bob Balaban and Ed Begley were really good in that last episode. Are any of the detractors of this show fans of Best in Show and A Mighty Wind? I'm starting to think that maybe Christopher Guest appeals to a very niche audience (that includes me).
I tried staying with it but I found Nina Conti and that monkey so irritating and felt the show lacked a bit in laughs. Pity, because it had a great cast (bar the aforementioned Nina Conti who I'm sure is great but really grates on me rather than entertains). I really hoped it would be a lot funnier and have a plot worth following to the bitter end. We went away on holiday mid season and didn't bother with it after that.
Bumping my first post above- enjoyed much of this. At the risk of being 'unpatriotic'- I could take a spin-off with just the US elements, especially any former Spinal Tap performers, ie the brilliantly deadpan Fred Ward.
Chris O'Dowd's role seemed occasionally empty, perhaps a catalyst for much better supporting players, something of a Candide figure.
After watching the first episodes, I rather agree with the majority. It's okay to good, but could have been a lot better. Many chuckles, but few genuine laughs, and some things like the woman with the monkey are just a bit too silly and over the top for my taste. There are a few nice ideas like the father watching crappy, old-fashioned sitcoms, although this idea of course reminds one a bit of When the Whistle Blows from Extras. And I agree, the mockumentary-stye doesn't really fit and seems very much Modern Family/Parks and Recreation-copied. Then, on the other hand, the humour seems so detailed that maybe it's a grower that will get better when watched again. But all in all, they should have tried to be more original and have more ideas and style of their own, especially with such a good cast. Chris O'Dowd is great as always, but his character just doesn't really have a personality, Tom Bennett as Pete is also great, but I don't really like Nina Conti - she's cute to look at, but not very funny, and the monkey thing is, as I said, a bit too over the top for me.
Quote: Unfunny German @ October 9 2013, 3:01 PM BSTAnd I agree, the mockumentary-stye doesn't really fit and seems very much Modern Family/Parks and Recreation-copied.
Sorry, feel I need to clarify. Christopher Guest (who co-wrote/directed this series) has been using the mockmentary style in most of his work since the early 80s. This is Spinal Tap, Waiting for Guffman, Best in Show and A Mighty Wind all pre-date Modern Family, Parks and Recreation and even The (British) Office by decades.
Modern Family and Parks and Recreation have directly copied the Christopher Guest style, not the other way round. Not that there is anything wrong with that.
But I do agree that the little straight to camera interviews didn't really work in Family Tree. They either should have been more frequent or removed altogether. However I did enjoy the series overall. I partially agree about Nina Conti. However I would say that Monkey is cute, Nina Conti is hot.
My favourite bits are the little tributes to Britcoms. They're small bits, but it's nice to see the tip of hat... funnier than most of the rest of it.
And when they headed to America, that was just plain boring.
All parties concerned (Christopher Guest, Chris O'Dowd, Michael McKean, Nina Conti) have been seriously better elsewhere. Kind of a waste of talent.
