It's a shame that Ayoade and Holness and Alice Lowe stopped working together. The combination of their stuff worked brilliantly. You can sort of see it in their late work - Ayoade's deadpan, Lowe's surrealism, Holness's fondness for genre meta stuff. Brought together it was ace.
Quote: Thom Rolfe @ 31st January 2014, 4:15 PM GMTIt's a shame that Ayoade and Holness and Alice Lowe stopped working together. The combination of their stuff worked brilliantly. You can sort of see it in their late work - Ayoade's deadpan, Lowe's surrealism, Holness's fondness for genre meta stuff. Brought together it was ace.
Couldn't agree more. The've all moved on to films now. Alice Lowe wrote and starred in Sightseers (which was great), Richard Ayoade directed Submarine (which I didn't really like) and Matt Holness is currently working on The Reprisalizer (which will be great if it's anything like his short film 'A Gun For George').
I still hold out hope that they (and Matt Berry) will have a reunion and work on a new Garth Marenghi project. A film based on one of his books perhaps.
Quote: DougWonnacott @ 1st February 2014, 1:27 PM GMTCouldn't agree more. The've all moved on to films now. Alice Lowe wrote and starred in Sightseers (which was great), Richard Ayoade directed Submarine (which I didn't really like) and Matt Holness is currently working on The Reprisalizer (which will be great if it's anything like his short film 'A Gun For George').
I still hold out hope that they (and Matt Berry) will have a reunion and work on a new Garth Marenghi project. A film based on one of his books perhaps.
Is the Reprisalizer movie all confirmed and a 'go picture'? Apologies for my ignorance.
I agree that it would be great to see these guys working together again and it is a shame that Holness has mainly been scene in very small appearances in recent years.
A true forgotten gem of British TV comedy. Whenever I watch Darkplace, I laugh as hard as I did the first time I ever watched it.
I'm loving the DVD commentary from Dean, Todd and of course, the polymath himself, Sir Garth.
I saw Matt Holness in a Costa Coffee in Tesco in Norwich a few months ago. He had his lap top and a printed out script. I said hello and told him I loved Darkplace. I didn't linger as he was clearly working. He was very polite. As soon as I left I thought 'Damn. I should have said I loved A Gun for George, it's more recent!' Oh well, too late now.
Quote: TheBlueNun @ 30th September 2015, 9:35 PM BSTI'm loving the DVD commentary from Dean, Todd and of course, the polymath himself, Sir Garth.
When they get to the song in episode six and Todd misremembers the lyrics, very funny. The extra talking heads stuff is great. There's a moment when Todd is trying to demonstrate 'acting' and says something about a cherry blossom. I nearly injured my rectum laughing at that the first time I saw it.
My favourite quote is when Dean talks about the disappearance of Madeline Wool and missing her, he says "She was like a candle in the wind.....unreliable."
Quote: DougWonnacott @ 30th September 2015, 11:02 PM BSTI saw Matt Holness in a Costa Coffee in Tesco in Norwich a few months ago. He had his lap top and a printed out script. I said hello and told him I loved Darkplace. I didn't linger as he was clearly working. He was very polite. As soon as I left I thought 'Damn. I should have said I loved A Gun for George, it's more recent!' Oh well, too late now.
When they get to the song in episode six and Todd misremembers the lyrics, very funny. The extra talking heads stuff is great. There's a moment when Todd is trying to demonstrate 'acting' and says something about a cherry blossom. I nearly injured my rectum laughing at that the first time I saw it.
My favourite quote is when Dean talks about the disappearance of Madeline Wool and missing her, he says "She was like a candle in the wind.....unreliable."
There seem to be a lot of comedy types living in and around Norwich. Adam Buxton is one, Alan Partridge, another. Oh, wait, Alan Partridge doesn't really exist in reality, does he? The mind plays tricks.
I'm well jel though about you meeting Mr Holness 'in the flesh'. He seems to be keeping a much lower profile than Messrs Ayoade and Berry and obviously, Ms Lowe for many more reasons than the human brain could possibly contemplate. I want 'War of The Wasps' to be formally released. I will, of course, check out 'A Gun For George' as I'm sure I'd like that too.
I like the way that the commentary is a piss take of DVD commentaries generally. A bit like that Rob Brydon thing, but a bit different - oh, it's late, I can't sleep - you know what I mean 
Quote: TheBlueNun @ 1st October 2015, 12:47 AM BSTThere seem to be a lot of comedy types living in and around Norwich. Adam Buxton is one, Alan Partridge, another. Oh, wait, Alan Partridge doesn't really exist in reality, does he? The mind plays tricks.
I'm well jel though about you meeting Mr Holness 'in the flesh'. He seems to be keeping a much lower profile than Messrs Ayoade and Berry and obviously, Ms Lowe for many more reasons than the human brain could possibly contemplate. I want 'War of The Wasps' to be formally released. I will, of course, check out 'A Gun For George' as I'm sure I'd like that too.
I like the way that the commentary is a piss take of DVD commentaries generally. A bit like that Rob Brydon thing, but a bit different - oh, it's late, I can't sleep - you know what I mean
Graham Linehan lives in Norwich too.
There is an easter egg on the DVD somewhere which is 'B roll' footage of the original shooting of Darkplace with no sound. If you turn the sound right up you can hear Garth having a muffled argument and a tantrum, it's like they taped over something but the sound remained.
Attention to detail is what elevates it above most other comedies for me.
Quote: DougWonnacott @ 1st October 2015, 9:02 PM BSTGraham Linehan lives in Norwich too.
There is an easter egg on the DVD somewhere which is 'B roll' footage of the original shooting of Darkplace with no sound. If you turn the sound right up you can hear Garth having a muffled argument and a tantrum, it's like they taped over something but the sound remained.
Attention to detail is what elevates it above most other comedies for me.
Ooh thank you. I'll have a look for that on the DVD. I agree about the attention to detail element, that's why I appreciate Look Around You so much too.
Quote: TheBlueNun @ 1st October 2015, 10:25 PM BSTOoh thank you. I'll have a look for that on the DVD. I agree about the attention to detail element, that's why I appreciate Look Around You so much too.
They seem like they could exist in the same world.
Quote: DougWonnacott @ 1st October 2015, 11:54 PM BSTThey seem like they could exist in the same world.
And what a great world that is. I love the fact that Mrs Pam Marenghi is an 'unseen' character, but referred to frequently by 'the lads'.
Quote: TheBlueNun @ 2nd October 2015, 7:06 PM BSTAnd what a great world that is. I love the fact that Mrs Pam Marenghi is an 'unseen' character, but referred to frequently by 'the lads'.
As is 'Won Ton'.
Quote: DougWonnacott @ 2nd October 2015, 11:03 PM BSTAs is 'Won Ton'.
That's right. He was too busy threatening to put Thornton Reed's "ass on the line."
I must watch the Garth Marenghi interview featured in 'Man To Man With Dean Learner' as it's probably the only one worth a second squint.
Just recently rewatched this and Man To Man With Dean Learner (not as great as Darkplace, but I think it's got a lot going for it and its high moments outweigh its weak ones).
Darkplace was the perfect one-off sitcom. I'm in the group that think it's perfect as it is and it didn't need another two or three series really. The show is a strong A plus throughout, maybe Skipper The Eyelid been the weakest episode but even that is still highly watchable. Richard Ayoade and Matthew Holness haven't been better than in this, especially Ayoade as the slightly dodgy Dean Learner and Holness as the racist, sexist, completely deluded Marenghi. Matt Berry has probably the best moments as the drunk and deluded actor Todd Rivers. I think the best of this show is actually in its DVD extras, the in-character commentary being one of the must-listens and even funnier than what's happening on screen. The hour long deleted interview material is all fantastic stuff. Alice Lowe is great as well, and wonderful to see she's gone onto a successful career.
One of those shows that lives up to its hype. Shame Holness seems to want to go down a more serious route than a comedic one, his film Possum is must watch IMO. Berry has gone onto some great things like Toast of London, IT Crowd, Year of The Rabbit and the What We Do In the Shadows TV show. Ayoade himself has turned out two very good films in Submarine and The Double (really underrated) and did The IT Crowd. He seems more into being a TV presenter now which is a shame as I hope he make more films. Alice Lowe is a real surprise as she wrote underrated Sightseers and the really good Prevenge. Great to see the whole cast have gone onto great things. Fantastic show.
