On The Buses

I just read the BSG review which said that the jokes are 'noticeably dated' and 'aren't funny anymore'

Hmmm . . could this not be said of almost every 50/60/70s sitcom?

I'm a huge Hancock fan (in both senses of the word thanks to Stella!) and 61 years old so what would my daughters who are 18 and 17 think of 'Sunday afternoon at home'?

They just would not understand it.

Likewise something like 'All Gas and Gaiters'.

These programmes were set in a world 40 or 50 years ago and given the pace of change even in the last 20 years it's hardly surprising that they seem a bit outdated.

Having just finished watching every episode of Dad's Army, I'm now starting on OTB.

It does show though what a stroke of genius Dad's Army was because it still seems as fresh today as ever in my opinion.

Well, old shows can be funny in a very modern way, like The Marx Brothers. Some of Groucho's lines are dated, but some of them are brilliant, and I cannot believe are from so flipping long ago!

Old doesn't have to mean 'dated'.

I haven't seen all that much On The Buses recently though, so I can't speak for that.

Yeah, our reviews of old shows are f**king shocking. The criticisms made against some are just ludicrous. In all honesty, I'm embarrassed about most of them (and I know Mark's not entirely happy with a number now either).

But that's the trouble with reviews. They're pretty much inherently slanted and biased towards the reviewer's own personal sense of humour, rather than actual dispassionate, fair reflection.

Comparing 'Hancock' with 'On The Buses'? Sorry, but one is genius, the other pretty much tawdry half-hearted smut. (Cue Aaron to tell me 'On The Buses' is the genius one.)

I don't think any comparison was made beyond the fact that they're both old, and of a different style of humour to that which a modern audience is familiar, so may not appeal to the younger viewer...?

I think with a lot of these shows the people who enjoyed/hated them the first time around will still enjoy/hate them. In most cases it is not the jokes that have 'dated' so much as production techniques/pacing/acting styles etc. Which may make them less accessible for younger viewers.

I still watch On The Buses and find it funny.

Well I think most people know how much a fan of smut and innuendo I am so yea I love on the buses.

I rate On the Buses as one of the greatest sitcoms of all time. Probably the third best, beaten only by Dads Army (my number one) and Citizen Smith.

Did anyone know the first On The Buses movie made more at the box office than the Bond movie Diamonds Are Forever?

Where did I hear that recently...

Haha, amazing!

Yep, comedy encyclopedia, that's me. That Collings and Herring podcast ain't bad either.

I think it is possible for a show to date - whilst others don't. It's all down to how topical / creaky the gags are. Fawlty Towers has stood the test of time, but I think it fair to say On The Buses was a sitcom of its age.

As Collings and Herrin said - how did Reg Varney get all those girls?

Sheer animal magnetism, one would expect.

That or Rohypnol.