Does anyone know of any British Sitcoms that use a 3rd party voice-over to advance the plot and set-up punchlines?
i.e. The 'narrator' is not a character themselves, but offers insight into all the characters about whom they speak?
Something along the lines of Ron Howards role in the US show, Arrested Development.
Thanks.
The Inbetweeners had that. Joking Apart sort of had that (he used a stand-up comedy routine to describe what happened, but you did see him, so not *strictly* voice-over).
Roman's Empire had Matthew Horne voiceovering too.
Dan
Inbetweeners has a first person voiceover, not third. As in Peep Show. As do the others you mention.
It's not a sitcom but Little Britain has a third person narrative -sort of.
Oh yeah. I should read it properly...
Dan
I never saw Roman's Empire. Is that the one that was taken from the Radio, or a complete reworking?
Was the voice-over from a character in the show?
Cheers for the swift response.
I think the only way you wuld pull it off is to have the narrator a character themselves, who never appears - I'm not sure how.. but say if it started with a funeral the narrator is the dead man or woman - and the story goes back in time. Did desperarate houswives do that? - gave up half way through the first series myself? Something like that, not sure how my example would continue into following series.
Why is it important that it is a third person narration?
I suppose it doesn't HAVE to be 3rd person, but I want the narrator to be able to offer insight into all characters equally, and I feel that would be easier if the voice didn't 'belong' to any one of them.
Can character A realistically describe what Character B is feeling if they are in the same scene together?
Well have them all giving voice over then. But to be honest the narrator giving perspective is more the realm of the novel, if you are going to break the conventions - you need a good reason to.. other than it makes life easier.
Should be used sparingly. Show don't tell is the old cliche.
It's not what you asked for, but for what you are trying to achieve, I believe that Bottom used to have both characters talking to camera about the other one. I always felt that they did it well and didn't over use it.
Quote: Sofa_Matt @ June 19 2008, 2:04 PM BSTIt's not what you asked for, but for what you are trying to achieve, I believe that Bottom used to have both characters talking to camera about the other one. I always felt that they did it well and didn't over use it.
They did? I don't remember that at all. Are you talking about the stage show maybe?
Well I've got all the stage shows and the series so I might be getting confused, sure thry did though once or twice.
Can somebody either confirm that I am right or correct me, otherwise I'm gonna have to spend tonight going through my collection.
I seem to recollect talking-to camera in Bottom but not enough to confirm and put you out of going through your collection. I do know that it was rife in the awesome and oft-forgotten Filthy Rich and Catflap.
What about the appalling Pushing Daisies?
Quote: Sofa_Matt @ June 19 2008, 3:02 PM BSTWell I've got all the stage shows and the series so I might be getting confused, sure thry did though once or twice.
Can somebody either confirm that I am right or correct me, otherwise I'm gonna have to spend tonight going through my collection.
I think they did speak to cam once...I believe it was Eddie when he looked into cam and said something like "And now on That's Life, a potato shaped like penis". But that was it as far as I remember.
According To Bex did loads of to-cam dialogue, but that show didn't really work. Unfortunate becuse Jessica Stevenson was gorgeous in it.
I believe the beeb are doing Good Morning Miss Milton soon, the one about the schoolteacher that was written for the Last Laugh comp a few years ago. That had loads of 'to-cam' dialogue too if I remember the scrip correctly. I don't like it personally. I think it just takes you out of the story and reminds you that you're watching an actor, not a real person.
Exactly, Perry - the worst candidate for that was Goodfellas. A great film up to the point in the last few seconds when the lead breaks the 4th wall in the penultimate court scene by not only speaking to the real audience (you and I) but actively pursuing the camera through the courtrooom - Scorcsese should have looked at the rushes and thought "What the hell am I doing?"
Voiceover is a good technique if used right but using it to pass over character feelings is not the best use. imo.