I'm very interested to elicit members' views on this subject? As for me, it's two episodes or a re-visit via DVD later if I'm persuaded.
How long do you give a comedy before you give up?
Quote: TheBlueNun @ 20th March 2015, 9:20 PM GMTI'm very interested to elicit members' views on this subject? As for me, it's two episodes or a re-visit via DVD later if I'm persuaded.
That
Hello. If I like the idea of a new sitcom but on watching it find it doesn't really grab me, then I will generally keep going with it for at least the first three episodes. I do believe that some comedies take a while to get in to.
A full series at the very least. Then I check out the first episode of the second series to see if there's any improvement. If there isn't... I somehow end up watching on anyway. 
I'd watch a couple - and if I thought it was crap but everyone raved about it - I might give it another go (unless it was Friends).
Quote: TheBlueNun @ 20th March 2015, 9:20 PM GMTHow long do you give a comedy before you give up?
If I see the name Corden in the cast list that's usually enough for me
Thank you all, that's really interesting. By nature, I'm an impatient son of a gun, plus Mr TBN's annoying comments uttered from his sofa don't help matters. I think that's why I enjoy a binge watch via DVD and I'm glad that BCGers convinced me to give 'Fifteen Storeys High' another whirl, because it's truly great and I now have both series on DVD and plan to watch the commentaries on S2 a little later.
The BBC had the right idea in the 60s and 70s; give a concept at least a chance to breathe, with at least one series and ideally two: revered comedy successes like Python and Fools and Horses both had lacklustre beginnings and ratings, however they went on to great appreciation by millions, as they were given a healthy time to develop naturally.
Today, TV scedulers demand instant success - or else, which has created a more desperate, clutching-at-straws TV environment, and perhaps explains why there are far fewer household name comedies being borne these days.
Just a poor environment, like force-feeding crops, resulting in unhealthy food of low nutrition.
Quote: Rico El Vista @ 22nd March 2015, 12:34 PM GMTThe BBC had the right idea in the 60s and 70s; give a concept at least a chance to breathe, with at least one series and ideally two: revered comedy successes like Python and Fools and Horses both had lacklustre beginnings and ratings, however they went on to great appreciation by millions, as they were given a healthy time to develop naturally.
Today, TV scedulers demand instant success - or else, which has created a more desperate, clutching-at-straws TV environment, and perhaps explains why there are far fewer household name comedies being borne these days.
Just a poor environment, like force-feeding crops, resulting in unhealthy food of low nutrition.
Absolutely spot on - also, as in the case of both Fawlty Towers, Are You Being Served and Only Fools and Horses, delayed sporting fixtures/industrial action caused an early repeat of series one and hey presto - they are a success. I have noticed a growing trend over the past few years of channels such as BBC4 commissioning three episode series, examples of which are Getting On and In And Out Of The Kitchen. Why this is, I really don't know?
Quote: TheBlueNun @ 22nd March 2015, 2:02 PM GMTAbsolutely spot on - also, as in the case of both Fawlty Towers, Are You Being Served and Only Fools and Horses, delayed sporting fixtures/industrial action caused an early repeat of series one and hey presto - they are a success. I have noticed a growing trend over the past few years of channels such as BBC4 commissioning three episode series, examples of which are Getting On and In And Out Of The Kitchen. Why this is, I really don't know?
Nurse is only 4 episodes. I assume it's to save money if they're not sure if it will catch on. Also, the shows you mentioned are 'growers' so perhaps they wanted to make just a pilot but thought it wouldn't give the show the right kind of test.
The Thick Of It started on the 3 episode format. I saw Armando Iannucci interviewed where he said he had been asked to just make a pilot. He took the budget and stretched it to three episodes. I think Simon Day did a similar thing with his Brian Pern series.
I'm not sure where it started, Screen Wipe maybe?
I don't like it. 6 episodes seem too few to me. Curb Your Enthusiasm has 10 per series, this seems about right to me.
Anyway, if I can't stand it, half an episode, if I'm just indifferent, two episodes. If after two I decide I don't care what happens next, that's it. If I have even a vague sense of intrigue, I'll go to the third episode.
I think Nurse is only 4 episodes because that's all Paul Whitehouse has written and produced. Maybe he thinks that's sufficient for now.
Quote: DougWonnacott @ 22nd March 2015, 3:30 PM GMTI don't like it. 6 episodes seem too few to me. Curb Your Enthusiasm has 10 per series, this seems about right to me.
6 episodes seems average for a British sitcom. The Yanks always have to overdo things.
Depends on what sort of reaction I get from the first episode.
I'm all for shows getting a chance, but if after that I haven't laughed, don't give a toss about the characters or situations then its unlikely I'll bother watching anymore. Seems a bit harsh but if a comedy hasn't got a laugh in a whole episode then it's clearly not for me.
That's a good point. It doesn't necessarily matter if there's not millions of laughs but if you care for the characters or want to see them to suffer.
Quote: Chappers @ 22nd March 2015, 7:24 PM GMT6 episodes seems average for a British sitcom. The Yanks always have to overdo things.
6 is the average for British sitcoms, but I just don't think that's enough. There also seems to be huge gaps between series sometimes as well.
The Yanks (or 'Americans' as I call them) usually do 20+ episodes per series. Curb does 10 which seems like the right amount to me.
I only actually 'give up' if a comedy is so bad I just can't bear to watch it. Otherwise I plough on through, disliking it all the while. I pretty much always find there's a few things that end up making me laugh though, or at least raising a smile, even if the overall show remains balls.