The first series of The Penny Dreadfuls Present... has just finished a repeat run. I thought it was great, particularly the latest episode which revolved around a great magician. This was mainly because I had an interest in magic as a child, and I recognise a bit of me in the main character.
The second series starts next Sunday at 23:00.
Quote: chipolata @ September 29 2008, 10:37 AM BSTI've never heard of it. What is it?
Fighting Talk is a comedy sports-panel quiz show hosted by Colin Murray on fivelive. It's thoroughly likeable and very funny even to people not that into sports (in a 'you can watch Top Gear without liking cars' kind of way.)
It's podcast every week at http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio/podcasts/ft/ or you can just 'Listen Again' on the BBC iPlayer. Alternatively, you could just listen live 11am till noon every Saturday morning (but who listens live anymore?! Not me, that's why I'm about six months behind in all these discussions...)
(There are about five years' worth of podcasts available if you know where to look)
Dan
Quote: john lucas 101 @ September 25 2008, 11:16 AM BSTFor the Douglas Adams fans amongst you, the second series of the Dirk Gently adaptations starts next Thursday, 2nd October, 11pm on Radio 4, based on the Long Dark Tea-time of the Soul.
I didn't get to hear the first series and have no idea as to its quality. Perhaps somebody can enlighten me.
Picking up on DNA's work I noticed that it said the following on the BCG info: with a third series also to be broadcast, based on Adam's never-completed novel The Salmon of Doubt.
I find this quite exciting, although it does mean that they need to get someone to write it.
Def.
I think it's been written. From what I remember, one of kids found notes and stuff he'd written and somebody compiled it/finished it from that. I'm sure it got released not too long ago (alright 5 years!).
Dan
Quote: swerytd @ September 29 2008, 11:48 AM BSTI think it's been written. From what I remember, one of kids found notes and stuff he'd written and somebody compiled it/finished it from that. I'm sure it got released not too long ago (alright 5 years!).
Dan
Douglas had only writen around 11 chapters of The Salmon of Doubt when he died. He was still considering whether the basics of the story would be better as a sixth Hitchhikers book as opposed to a Dirk Gently novel. He usually wrote around 35 chapters per book. Hence why someone would have to write the rest of it. I thought the premise of TSoD was quite funny and very DNA in style.
The rest of the book (as shown in the picture above) were bits and pieces from his Mac hard drive, these include his musings on certain subjects and a few short stories. All of this lead up to the beginnings of the novel which was included in the latter section of the book.
Def.
Listened to five of the six Hut 33 (series two) the last few days. Very good and up to the standard of the first series, which I really enjoyed a lot. Very, very well written and the cast are all great (which helps a bucketload).
(I know what chip means about it being like a lot of Radio 4 comedies though -- it does have that 'written by a middle-class thirtysomething' about it. But if you're thirtysomething and middle-class, how do you write 'what you know' if you don't!)
Dan
Quote: swerytd @ October 1 2008, 9:10 AM BSTListened to five of the six Hut 33 (series two) the last few days. Very good and up to the standard of the first series, which I really enjoyed a lot.
If you haven't seen it already, do check out the writer's blog... http://hut33.blogspot.com/
James Cary gives lots of extra insight into the episodes and his methods of writing them.
Back to current radio comedy, I have to say, All Bar Luke is a particular favourite of mine at the moment. Very cleverly written and performed.
Really enjoying Tomorrow, Today. Good to see them having a pop at the Welsh yesterday.
Listened to The Odd Half Hour yesterday. Wasn't overly impressed. The talent involved (Stephen K. Amos, Jason Bryne, Justin Edwards and Katherine Parkinson) always struck me as comedy also-rans. They're never going to set the world alight on their own, but can do good work with more talented people.
Tomorrow, Today! was great. I really enjoyed that a lot.
All Bar Luke is absolute quality. One of the best things I've ever heard on the radio. And not just because Seb Barwell produces it, he who gave quite a few of us writers a break via Grrr!. Thought I'd get that in...
Haven't listened to this series yet though, but series 2 was A-1.
I thought some of the sketches on The Odd Half-Hour were really clever and very funny. Certainly seems similar to the sort of writing I do (obviously trite 
) I liked the show a lot, to be honest.
Dan
Quote: swerytd @ October 1 2008, 10:56 AM BSTI thought some of the sketches on The Odd Half-Hour were really clever and very funny. Certainly seems similar to the sort of writing I do (obviously trite
Dan
It diverted me for half an hour, granted. I just thought there was a ceretain laziness to some of the writing. And they relied far too heavily on jokes in which they took an every day item (like coffee) and then just thought up ridiculous variations on it. Interesting to see if it gets a full series, though.
<throws away sketches about buns, streetlights and a singing frog with a limp>
Dan
For those interested, here is an animated sketch from the next episode of The Penny Dreadfuls Present....
The Write Stuff? Why? It makes Quote, Unquote look cutting edge.
Steve Punt and Hugh Dennis's The Party Line was back last night. Considering how good they are on The Now Show, I've always thought this sitcom is a little pedestrian and safe. That said, it delivers some easy laughs and has a nice up to date feel. Although considering it's about a Labour MP with a tiny majority, I suspect this will be the last series.
