Quote: Davida @ 9th March 2018, 9:35 AMThe kids slightly annoyed me, but they play a minor enough role for it to not bother me too much.
Well you're in luck as episode 2 doesn't even mention the kids in it!
They also cut out a scene with one of the children in EP 1 which I found quite odd
Great show, bit off topic to this series, but what's everyone's favourite Not Going Out series? And episodes?
My favourite series is probably series 7 ( which I understand may be an unpopular opinion) but probably one of my favourite episodes is the drunk one or the camping one.
I must say I did really enjoy Thursday night's opener to the new series, I thought it was great! Looking forward to the rest and nice to hear that Series 10 is on the way and we've got a live special to look forward to. I really would love to see Tim Vine and Katy Wix make a guest appearance though as Tim and Daisy. I miss them!
Quote: Hercules Grytpype Thynne @ 9th March 2018, 9:34 AM
Well, if that's your bag - certainly not mine.
What was a very funny sitcom (especially in Tim Vine's days) with frustrated sexual situations/tensions has turned into a latter day "2.4 Children" - comfy family sitcom.
When they change that formula it stifles it. You had the same thing with Niles and Daphne in Frasier - that was never the same.
I don't think they changed the formula - just the Sit.
Yes I enjoyed it too. I didn't recognise Lucy to start with.
I quite enjoyed it, but the constant set ups and wisecracks get a bit wearing.
Sadly this series is LONG past its sell by date.
When I think back to some of the great episodes of the past
My favourite is probably the one where Lee Mack pretends he is blind to enter a competition on the internet about what it is like to be disabled, and Tim Vine crashes his car and the "blind" Lee Mack offers to be his witness.
Fine "farce" that builds gently and logically to its conclusion.
Also the Fireworks one with the wonderful performance by that older lady - "Is this worlds the slowest burglary"
However I have found many episodes in the past rather "forced", like the one where Tim Vine finds some drugs in his coat pocket because he took the wrong coat when leaving a night club.
Quote: MarieJade @ 11th March 2018, 8:29 AMMy favourite series is probably series 7 ( which I understand may be an unpopular opinion) but probably one of my favourite episodes is the drunk one or the camping one.
According to Wikipedia the Camping one was series 5.
Sadly one of my least favourite episodes and I am not sure I have ever watched that episode to the end as it is another that seems rather "forced".
p.s. For me comedy has to flow naturally and logically and not be forced (even if it is zany comedy - like the Python argument sketch).
So if we go back to Fawlty Towers, the one with the dead body is great comedy because you can feel for Basil trying to "hide" the body in the hotel and all the problems come about NOT of his making but because of the dead body.
But the Anniversary one for me is too "forced". Sybil walks out just before their Anniversary party and Basil lies and pretends she is ill upstairs in bed. This comedy does not work as well because the situation it is all of Basil's making (unlike the dead body) and if he simply told his friends that he and his wife had had a row they would all have understood (as they know what they are like as a couple).
Lots of it is forced to link the jokes. Also it's generally like a farce because you can see the situations a mile off - but it's still funny!
AND IT'S NOT REAL LIFE!!!!!
I have to say I think series 3 is my favourite series.
Some great episodes, pregnant, winner, neighbour.
I would say my favourite episode is neighbour the one where lee knocks on the door to complain about the noise. "Am I a naughty, naughty boy? That needs a spanky bum bum?"
'According to Wikipedia the Camping one was series 5."
I know that but I mean they are my favourite episodes of the 9 series (so far) but I feel that for a series as a whole, series 7 wins it for me. I think it might be because they seemed to have given a bit more thought into the characters as well as the gags especially Lucy as I felt , especially in the older series, that she was just a vehicle for a punchline which made Sally's performance in turn look a bit wooden.
I am excited for the one tonight as it was filmed all in one long take in one set ,with no kids as well. It reminded me of something that I could have seen being written for series 6 or 7 (just without Daisy).
Another good episode last night, I liked that it was a single room mystery, Not Going Out's Joonathan Creek. I do wish though that occasionally we could see Lee and Lucy actually being nice to each other and acting the happy couple, the constant barbs are wearing (come to that, why is Toby with Anna?)
At last an episode of a comedy that was actually amusing. Having been subjected to "Hold the Sunset" and "Mum" in recent weeks I was beginning to think that they were a thing of the past.
Loved it. Don't usually like stuff in different settings at all, but that was really good.
A cartoonist friend of mine writes additional material for the show, but he won't say which jokes are his!
I have written 2 sitcom episodes based around a snooker club, it is so hard to try and have a similar joke rate as Not Going Out. I think Not Going Out has 5 jokes a minute and mine currently has 4 a minute and 25 mins long 
