Gone a bit down hill although I did enjoy the scenes with Bob the Burglar. Especially the reference to Monty Python with the "Is she a goer" sketch. Nudge, nudge. Know what I mean?
Also I laughed at the artificial arm gags.
Lovely to see Shobna again too.
No more Honeycombs for a while then with female drummer Honey Langtrey.
One assumes the finale was set up for a second series? I'd be very surprised if there is one!
Judging by the audience figures, I'd be very surprised if there wasn't one!
Quote: beaky @ 25th March 2018, 9:37 PMJudging by the audience figures, I'd be very surprised if there wasn't one!
Quite. I was a little surprised they didn't announce a recommission over the end credits. I would expect it to return.
Quote: Chappers @ 25th March 2018, 8:14 PMGone a bit down hill although I did enjoy the scenes with Bob the Burglar. Especially the reference to Monty Python with the "Is she a goer" sketch. Nudge, nudge. Know what I mean?
Is that legit though, for want of a better word? Putting injoke catchphrases in from another show seems to go against Cleese's strongly held opinions on sitcom writing protocol does it not? It wasn't his sketch anyway so can't be done for irony. I haven't seen any of this yet btw and not sure I want to.
Finally watched all 6 episodes. I just had to see if it got better. If there's a second series I'll probably watch it out of curiosity to see if it's improved but I can't say I liked it. Sometimes when you dislike something you can say why, other times you can't quite put your finger on it. This is one of those times. I didn't find it very funny but there's other comedies that I haven't found laugh out loud funny that I've liked.
There was some promise when James Cosmo arrived with a few amusing moments but overall I just couldn't warm to it or the characters. Something was just "off" about it all.
>>Something was just "off" about it all.
I agree (even though I only watched the first two episodes in full and the first few minutes of episodes 3 and 4 but could not bring myself to watch any more).
British comedy is full of "annoying" characters who for some reason we still love (Basil Fawlty, Alf Garnett, Albert Steptoe, Victor Meldrew, David Brent etc.)
But getting that balance between annoying and endearing is difficult.
If I look at that photo of the cast at the top of this topic I mostly see annoying characters who are NOT endearing.
The son is annoying, the sons' wife is annoying, the sister is annoying, the cleaner (Mrs Gale) is annoying (in fact the Mrs Gale character was probably the main reason I gave up on it),
P.S. In my opinion the most annoying character in all British comedy with almost no redeeming feature was Gordon Brittas from Brittas Empire which is why I have never been able to watch more than a few minutes of it.
Yes I agree that the only person I have any sympathy for is poor Alison Steadman.
Series 2 is to shoot this year: http://www.chortle.co.uk/news/2018/05/11/39922/second_series_for_john_cleese_sitcom_hold_the_sunset
Quote: Sitcomfan64 @ 11th May 2018, 9:56 AMSeries 2 is to shoot this year: http://www.chortle.co.uk/news/2018/05/11/39922/second_series_for_john_cleese_sitcom_hold_the_sunset
Well, I won't be watching. I thought the first series was awful.
It was inevitable.
I won't be watching either but I agree, it's like Still Open All Hours, ploughs on through viewing figures alone regardless of quality.
Quote: Sitcomfan64 @ 11th May 2018, 4:22 PMI won't be watching either but I agree, it's like Still Open All Hours, ploughs on through viewing figures alone regardless of quality.
If only more comedy on British TV got that viewership, but unfortunately I suspect a lot of it is driven by elderly people who still read the tv guide out of the newspaper
Quote: Sitcomfan64 @ 11th May 2018, 4:22 PMI won't be watching either but I agree, it's like Still Open All Hours, ploughs on through viewing figures alone regardless of quality.
That is a very stupid thing to say. I think viewing figures are the ultimate reason. Doesn't mean we agree or like the shows. Mrs Brown is a prime example.
Quote: Chappers @ 13th May 2018, 10:18 PMThat is a very stupid thing to say. I think viewing figures are the ultimate reason. Doesn't mean we agree or like the shows. Mrs Brown is a prime example.
Yes, maybe I wasn't clear enough. I think it's a shame that quality writing isn't found often enough and that despite the poor scripts for these shows they still keep getting made. I agree that viewing figures are the main thing but it's just infuriating!
