Derry Girls - Series 3 Page 3

Quote: beaky @ 4th May 2022, 10:07 AM

Very good analyses from Octothorpe - are you in the TV business?

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No, I'm not, but I'll take the fact you thought I was as a compliment! I'm just an avid watcher of sitcoms, really, and have just noticed the slow progression over the last few years of continuing sitcoms starting to include more dramatic moments/atmosphere in the writing. It's a curious thing; I'd say it has something to do with the lessened need for comedy to be broad in an era of dwindling/fragmenting audiences, and the increased desire for realism (and relatability) in TV (just look at the popularity of true crime stuff), combined with the inevitable Flanderisation of characters as sitcoms move beyond the first couple series and the writing strains. If I could be bothered I'd write something at length about it and put it on Reddit (or just anywhere people might read it!)

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Since I'm here I might as well comment on last night's episode, which was another cracker. I do think, a bit like the last episode with the theme park, they didn't explore the setting of the 'abandoned' house to the extent they could've (some preamble with the van could've been dispensed with) - and the James/Erin scene seemed to come out of nowhere with no build-up in previous episodes at all - but all in all it was a very enjoyable watch - despite the fact that (at least when I was watching it) there weren't any subtitles for it on All4 (having been unable to watch live). I was wondering where the scene of Sister Michael arriving somewhere in a DeLorean was going to turn up...!

Quote: Sitcomfan64 @ 3rd May 2022, 10:35 PM

Lovely episode tonight. I'm surprised it took this long for a romance to develop, but it was very sweet.

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Was that foreshadowed in previous series? Because it felt false and tacked to me, like they were just ticking a sitcom trope box. And doubtless it'll pop up in the finale for a contrived series ending.

Although other than that I enjoyed it.

I think the James/Erin romance has been (subtly) foreshadowed since Series 1.
You all need a rewatch.

I shall take your word for it as this is the first series I've watched.

I didn't see it coming, and hadn't noted it in any way foreshadowed. My initial reaction was similar to chip's, that it was a bit of a cliché; but then I realised it didn't actually feel out of sorts or unexpected in any way. It felt totally in keeping with the characters and what we've seen them do to date. IMO.

I think if you ever watch it from the start (or rewatch) you'll notice lots of little bits. Two that come immediately to mind are when Erin acted strangely jealous and angry about James having that foreign exchange student girlfriend, And the scene where James came to take Erin to the school prom (I think he ditched a Dr Who convention to take her after she got stood up).

If anybody was going to be with James, I'd have thought Orla would be the one. They always seem to be exchanging little glances and she literally leaps on him when he comes back at the end of Series 2.

I thought the flashback worked really well, perfect casting for the younger versions.

It's always a risk when sitcoms go outside their normal formula, but I think it worked pretty well. And perhaps reinforces my suspicion that the older characters are more interesting than the younger ones.

The reunion episode. It was nice to see a bit more of the world and the girls' background - but I just couldn't help feeling short-changed that it wasn't a "proper" episode focusing on the regular gang.

(The silent surgeon was Lisa McGee's real-life husband.)

Something felt quite off about tonight's. Maybe it's just me, but the men were treated particularly badly, James forced into that fight, the bloke unceremoniously dumped etc. Also the ending... I'm not sure about how well it works. Was tonight the first time we saw Clare's dad onscreen?

Quote: Sitcomfan64 @ 17th May 2022, 9:34 PM

Was tonight the first time we saw Clare's dad onscreen?

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He was in last week's, and the very first.

Quote: Aaron @ 17th May 2022, 9:41 PM

He was in last week's, and the very first.

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Ah right. Need to give the series a rewatch. Interesting that tomorrow's jumps forward a year. No idea how it all wraps up but I'm looking forward to it!

There seemed to be a lack of depth to both plotlines tonight; the events of the episode... just... seemed to happen. I wonder if it's maybe because they had to fit in *that* ending, and a few minutes had to be shaved off possible further exposition, leading to some pacing issues and scenes needing to be a tad rushed. An enjoyable watch nonetheless, but the main plot felt a bit squeezed and hamfisted/clunky. Even the ending seemed a bit tacked on, as if - given it was, in a sense, the final episode - there needed to be something sad to finish on, akin to how s1 ended (which would've been written in a wrapped-up way like tonight in case of no recommission).

I do agree with @Sitcomfan64 in that the episode just felt a bit off in general. The Fatboy Slim montage came across a little self-indulgent to me (after something similar was used to open the last episode), and the way in which the show dealt with the girls going to see Take That in that regard was done much better. I think, really, the episode suffered from trying to cram the plot about trying to get concert tickets AND covering Halloween into 22-odd minutes. Another observation I made - and I hope this isn't spoilery - was during the scene in which Michelle was interviewed on TV. Considering this is set in 1997, I thought it was a bit odd - in an anachronistic sense - that the interviewer herself was a dwarf, or at least noticeably small in stature.

One thing I should offer as a plaudit is the continuity regarding Ciaran throughout the series; his rare appearances, like with Uncle Colm, enough not to spoil the character's potential. (Though, I must admit, I could've sworn there was something in episode 2 about Sarah dating or going with someone else... may need to give that a re-watch!)

Looking forward to the final special tonight, and hoping that the show has enough in it to carry itself for double the length of a usual outing.

Quote: octothorpe @ 18th May 2022, 1:59 AM

Another observation I made - and I hope this isn't spoilery - was during the scene in which Michelle was interviewed on TV. Considering this is set in 1997, I thought it was a bit odd - in an anachronistic sense - that the interviewer herself was a dwarf, or at least noticeably small in stature.

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Yeah, the show should have had loads more racism and homophobia in it too, to make it more realistic. (And while we're at it lots more deaths due to the IRA.)
It's not a documentary! I prefer it as it is.