People seem to either love or hate this
Personally I just think it's very very average
I don't think Alan Partridge works in a 'real' setting like this - he's only ever going to be mildly amusing
He has been in the past a hilariously funny character - but that's only really possible in a 'sitcom' world
If I'm honest, I'm just really relieved he's back on our screens and that the C word wasn't mentioned once, or even alluded to. It was like when GBBO and An Extra Slice were on last year - some acknowledgement that we don't all want to talk or even think about *that* all the time, and that it's not funny (apart from in Scot Squad and no one should attempt to follow that). Thank god.
EDIT: I did really enjoy the thing about the new producer from E4 and them changing the theme tune - very well observed; how mainstream channels try and bring 'young'uns' on board to make themselves more trendy and it just doesn't work.
I thought the monastery segment ('Silence is bronze') and the body language interview were as good as any classic age Partridge.
It's tongue in cheek, but it works for me. I laughed a lot.
Alan trying to cram an emotional reunion between two brothers in 15 seconds before the show went off air was quite funny
The ending was fantastic.
I liked it.
The Simon tech stuff feels like it has run its course, I agree. With the Ruth bits but feel like they go beyond cringe with it and and it's just a pain to watch. Not because of Lolly Adefope or Ruth, just the segment as a whole. Reminds me too much of real news, people just yelling over each other and passive aggressive one-upmanship.
Maybe it's just me but I was really amused by a couple of blink-and-you'll-miss-it moments, like when Alan was talking to Lynn, there's a shot lasting like half a second of the body language woman staring daggers at Alan (which I guess sets up her staring at him later), for some reason that tiny short shot made me laugh. And the nicely timed tiny bit about him advertising socks within the body language segment.
I feel I always enjoy the recorded segments and the (great) Monk stuff just makes me think they should lean more into an almost sketch show element with those. Sometimes the little moments with Lynn are funny when they have their 'roll VT' moment and break from the show, but feel like another stupid Alan bit would fit well in there in place of one of the 'behinds the scene Lynn chat' moments. The freeze frame cross bit in the monk segment felt like classic Partridge hubris, followed by a classic Alan fall (this time literally).
And that's the thing, evoking old cringe moments work - the last bit with the twins was fantastic because it's like the old 'Knowing Me Knowing You' live show carnage. Alan can sometimes be at his funniest in a panic/mania.
There's these moments where they really still nail the same types bits all these years on, and I wish the show as a whole gelled like the older Partridge shows.
Sorry that was a load of old waffle for "it's decent and I think they still nail some of the best qualities of Partridge in places".
Quote: Feeoree @ 2nd May 2021, 5:16 PMAnd that's the thing, evoking old cringe moments work - the last bit with the twins was fantastic because it's like the old 'Knowing Me Knowing You' live show carnage. Alan can sometimes be at his funniest in a panic/mania.
Yep.
Quote: Feeoree @ 2nd May 2021, 5:16 PMI liked it.
The Simon tech stuff feels like it has run its course, I agree. With the Ruth bits but feel like they go beyond cringe with it and and it's just a pain to watch. Not because of Lolly Adefope or Ruth, just the segment as a whole. Reminds me too much of real news, people just yelling over each other and passive aggressive one-upmanship.
I think my problem with the Ruth bits is that the joke was done the first time they did it. Then they went on to do it again. And again. And now again in the second series. Doesn't even build on it either, exactly the same gag every time.
I suppose the same can be said about Simon being useless with tech. Good gag once, maybe twice, but as a weekly thing it just becomes tiresome.
Bring back Jed Maxwell.
Quote: Michael Monkhouse @ 2nd May 2021, 9:25 PMBring back Jed Maxwell.
No, bring back Cacky Raphael
Last Time, This Time, Next Time, as there surely will be. I haven't watched the TV version of AP since I'm Still Alan Partridge because it clearly peaked in series 2 and was only worth a revisit for the decent enough movie imo. The continuous rehashes of him for TV just serve to remind me how TV is tied to a select group of tried and tested individuals who can demand to get on air with anything they come up with. At the expense of any new unknown works which may be at least as good on paper. 
If someone was to count every AP episode under every title and format used then I'd guess he's probably past Dad's Army by now, a genuine one setting continuous sitcom where the actors weren't able to take 30 years doing it inbetween their many other film and TV commitments.
It's fun albeit sometimes a bit telegraphed
Have a listen to Alan Partridges "From The Oasthouse" podcast if you are on audible I did enjoy that during my lockdown walks
I'm just happy that the next episode seems to have Cheeky monkey, which is one of my favourite bits from Knowing me Knowing you
He's always doing that! Cheeky Monkey
What...
As in Joe Beesley?!
I'm looking forward to seeing if his act is still really poor.
