Lies. As enjoyable as Happy Families is, The Thin Blue Line is infinitely superior to it in every way!
Filthy, Rich And Catflap Page 3
Quote: catskillz @ June 7 2008, 6:36 PM BSTThat Comic Strip film, in which Rik and Ade were the lead characters, was also pretty bad. You know, the one with Nicholas Parsons and Peter Cook? I watched it a few months back, and for the first time, I found myself getting annoyed by their constant shouting. I suppose they thought it was alternative and anachistic, back in the '80s, but now it's just seems boring.
'Mr Jolly Lives Next Door' ... ah, well, it's differences of opinion that make the world such a violent and unhappy place ....
I loved this one more than any other Comic Strip film, for all sorts of reasons. But, for me, the Rik and Ade/Dangerous Brothers/Bottom characters were the absolute heart of it.
I MUST JUST LIKE SHOUTING, I SUPPOSE!
I think - as with the remarkable polarisation of opinion about the Young Ones on this forum - that it all boils down to how old you were when you first saw it (I was late teens, early 20s, and therefore KEEN ON SHOUTING).
I can't stand 90% of chart music, for example - it's not the music that's wrong, it's just my age!
I liked the Young Ones. It was ground breaking and I still find it funny. Mike was a weakness though because basically he can't act. I don't remember much about FR&CF apart from it didn't really make me laugh.
Quote: David Chapman @ June 26 2008, 11:32 PM BSTI liked the Young Ones. It was ground breaking and I still find it funny. Mike was a weakness though because basically he can't act. I don't remember much about FR&CF apart from it didn't really make me laugh.
With you on that one - although I thought he made a good Sontaran in Dr Who!
I thought the character of Mike was a good enough idea to provide contrast to the other three, but he just wasn't all he could have been (says me, the guy who has never written an innovative sitcom that did to the UK sitcom form what the Clash and the Pistols did to popular music).
But he did have one of my favourite Young Ones lines:
Fairy Tale Princess/Cinderella: Have you seen my Prince?
Mike: I don't know, dear. Maybe they're upstairs with my etchings.
Quote: gleamhound @ June 26 2008, 11:27 PM BST'Mr Jolly Lives Next Door' ... ah, well, it's differences of opinion that make the world such a violent and unhappy place ....
I loved this one more than any other Comic Strip film, for all sorts of reasons. But, for me, the Rik and Ade/Dangerous Brothers/Bottom characters were the absolute heart of it.
I MUST JUST LIKE SHOUTING, I SUPPOSE!
I think - as with the remarkable polarisation of opinion about the Young Ones on this forum - that it all boils down to how old you were when you first saw it (I was late teens, early 20s, and therefore KEEN ON SHOUTING).
I can't stand 90% of chart music, for example - it's not the music that's wrong, it's just my age!
Let's see now, boring guitar ballads, bland boybands, soulless Europop, and ignorant Gangsta Rap - no, I can assure you, it's definately the music that's wrong.
Quote: David Chapman @ June 26 2008, 11:32 PM BSTI liked the Young Ones. It was ground breaking and I still find it funny. Mike was a weakness though because basically he can't act. I don't remember much about FR&CF apart from it didn't really make me laugh.
Peter Richardson was originally meant to play Mike.
For me this series just about sums up the talentless, let's-substitute-rude-noises-for-humour approach to 'groundbreaking' TV sitcoms in the 80s.
No understanding of any of the elements which constitute comedy, let alone SITUATION comedy. A humour free zone, where gullible people only laugh because they think it's the thing to do, rather than through experiencing any genuine humour reaction.
Sadly, some of that tendency remains with us, both in material and audience response.
I totally agree that it is nowhere near as good as Bottom, though definately better than the vastly overatted Young Ones.
Quote: Gizz @ June 30 2008, 11:45 AM BSTthe vastly overatted Young Ones.
Aw. I'm liking you more and more.
I wrote an article about FRC for this very site ( https://www.comedy.co.uk/filthy_rich_catflap/buy.shtml ). To be honest it's no comedy masterpiece, but neither is it the embarrassment it's oft considered.
Surprised at the lack of enthusiasm for 'The Young Ones' - I still love it.
Richie Rich definitely reminds me of Rick rather thsn Richie from Bottom. The main difference of course is the running joke of Richie Rich's abbreviating words. Best scene in the whole series IMO is when Richie and Filthy greet each other in the first episode.
I think Filthy, Rich And Catflap is probably a weak link in the chain between The Young Ones and Bottom. An interesting transition phase for Rick and Ade who did some interesting work, but some of the humour was not as fresh as The Young Ones or as tight as Bottom. Even for a style that delights in bad taste and usually does it very well, the Ralph Filthy character went over the line into plain bad taste as opposed to comical bad taste.
Quote: Aaron @ June 24 2008, 12:43 PM GMTNah, The Young Ones is awful. I can't think of any other sitcom which has dated so badly.
I've seen shows from the 50s and 60s that are more relevant and less dated than The Young Ones is.
Quote: Timbo @ June 21 2008, 3:39 AM GMTTo be honest I think there was an element of the Emperor's new clothes at the time.
I disagree that this has dated badly, particularly compared to many comedies from the 50s-70s.
Sure, some clothing and music and a few of the jabs at socio-political/cultural stuff may be passe, but plenty of comedies have survived that problem. The issue of young people living together and trying to carve out identities is timeless - and so is the humour. The anarchy of the show taps into something very primal and continues to be startling and amusing while the humour of some older comedies is groan inducing to many modern viewers.
I think the wild slapstick and rudery is funny not so much for itself, as for the banality of the characters, the shock, and the overkill and massacaring of the slapstick and rudery of older comedies.
I watched this again recently. Not as refined as "Bottom" - but I certainly would have liked to see more of the Rik and Ade characters in their grubby, tacky c- list showbiz context. I still think the Ralph Filthy character pushed it - in terms of taste and in terms of his screen time feeling a little drawn out beyond his function.
I think perhaps another more sympathetic character like Neil would have been good for him, as it would have made the other two seem all the more horrid - as Richie and Eddie should be!
The self-referencing is rather brave and quite sophisticated really. I liked it!
I really would have loved to see more of these two in particular in the showbiz game.
Quote: ToddB @ March 17 2011, 1:40 PM GMTI watched this again recently. Not as refined as "Bottom" - but I certainly would have liked to see more of the Rik and Ade characters in their grubby, tacky c- list showbiz context. I still think the Ralph Filthy character pushed it - in terms of taste and in terms of his screen time feeling a little drawn out beyond his function.
I think perhaps another more sympathetic character like Neil would have been good for him, as it would have made the other two seem all the more horrid - as Richie and Eddie should be!
The self-referencing is rather brave and quite sophisticated really. I liked it!
I really would have loved to see more of these two in particular in the showbiz game.
I was quite pleased that Planer played a completely different character. If he had played a Neil-like character comparisons would inevitably have been made.
Is it just me or do other people think there are subtle differences in Rik Mayall's characters in this, The Young Ones and Bottom, whereas Adrian Edmondson basically plays the same character all the time?