puffinpol
Sunday 13th April 2008 10:44pm
193 posts
You certainly expect different content, approach, subject-matter and levels of taste/acceptability when you watch comedy. I know it has been debated on the forums of what comedy constitutes. The range is vast.
David Renwick frequently seems to want to jolt the viewer out of complacency I think. I am not sure of course exactly what his motivation is and always watch, being aware that anything can happen. Overall I think this tension makes his programmes more compelling but at times I wonder if it is simply shock value. In One Foot in the Grave the wife of Angus Deayton was caught drink driving (I hope I got that right) and it was quite a jolt. The view of the suicide itself didn't add to the story in any way. The dog scene I just found a bit silly, thought it was quite funny. I think in a less well thought of comedy the same scene could be seen differently. The part in that episode that I found dark and disturbing was when she found out what her latest man did for a living.