British Comedy Guide

Life Of Riley - Series 1 Page 4

I'm trying to think of something positive to say about this show, but I'm struggling. I'll give it another chance next week as they may have still been getting used to the studio setup in week one... but if it doesn't vastly improve next Thursday I'll warn you now, I'm likely to go on a bit of a rant about it!

To be honest the lack of backstory on the set up left me with the feeling that this may not have been the first episode filmed, which makes me wonder if they have not tried to lead on what they see as a strong episode.

Quote: Timbo @ January 10 2009, 12:37 PM GMT

To be honest the lack of backstory on the set up left me with the feeling that this may not have been the first episode filmed, which makes me wonder if they have not tried to lead on what they see as a strong episode.

You're right, it didn't feel like a first episode. There didn't seem to be anything by way of a set up and I was left with the feeling that we were being left to pick up the thread of the show as it went along.

Quote: Aaron @ January 8 2009, 8:35 PM GMT

Ted is brilliant. He's going to be the star of the show.

Is that because he is your mini me Aaron?
Angelic

Awful.
But, it will get hundreds of thousands more viewers than most BAFTA-winning sitcoms made for BBC Three and Channel 4, so I expect it will go to at least series 3.

This sort of programme is commisioned by puppets of the world order to mindnumb your average Sun reader into a state of chocolate ration forthcoming ecstacy.

Quote: Summer G @ January 11 2009, 10:03 AM GMT

Is that because he is your mini me Aaron?
Angelic

Interesting observation. Probably not though, no.

I haven't even smiled yet, let alone laughed.

Shite.

I loled several times. :)

I like it, it's one of those cosy sitcoms.

It's not meant to rival Peep Show or something.

The jokes.

They're not cutting edge or anything, but they're still funny enough to make me laugh.

Also. I'm not loving the show, but I am enjoying it, and I also loled on a couple of occasions. And most of the stylistic things about it which Griff hates, I love. I can easily see it growing on me further.

As one of the reviewers has already said the fact that Outnumbered is still fresh in our minds shows just how crap and out of touch this "comedy" really is.

On the contrary; it shows just how much of a different audience this is aimed at.

Ie people who don't like funny shows/idiots.

It is so out-dated it's untrue.

I don't get why they axed After you've gone, again a show I didn't like, just to replace it with an even worse family sitcom.

I will warn you before I go on. I loved After You've Gone. I liked Carrie & Barry, I liked the one with Jasper Carrott and his mixed race family, hell, I love My Family and Two Pints of Lager. My taste in comedy is pretty "low brow". Fans of the Peep Shit and Curb Your Sense Of Humour would consider me pond life!

With all that been said, this show is utterly, utterly appalling. I've recorded it the last two weeks because I love discovering new comedy and because I was recording The Green Green Grass anyway.

The first week, it was pretty dull but as a first episode, not terrible as it tried to establish a point. This week it was one of the most painful things I've ever tried to sit through. I made it through, I had to, but God it was awful. Firstly, there were one or two things I laughed at. That isn't necessarily a bad thing. There are comedies around that I absolutely love and I don't laugh at more than two or three times an episode. However, with those shows, I spend the other 27 minutes smiling, not grimmacing and asking my wife "Why the hell are we still watching this?".

The plot is so utterly thin that it barely justifies comment. The joke about not unpacking and using things in strange situations (Soup ladel to eat your corn flakes, etc) was not funny the first time and was absolutely hammered to death. Seriously, whoever thought that "joke" justified 6 or 7 repeats is an absolute moron. This show was obviously produced by Mr Bean.

Then there are the characters. The parents are pathetic. Seriously pathetic. Not hilarious because they are such crap parents but just utterly pathetic human beings that no-one in their right mind would give a toss about. The teenage girl is so one dimensional, they should just draw her scenes using stick men. The teenage boy is a total dickhead. The litle kid is bearable and the baby is by far the best character because it just lies around looking cute, which makes it the only realistic thing in this horrible show.

The dialogue between the characters is just woeful. Not only is it ultra-unrealistic but it doesn't portray anyone well. The parents aren't out-smarted by the kids, they are just feckless, braindead idiots. Most of the dialogue exists to lead to a punchline. The teenage lad was drawing up a list of people he wanted to look after him if his parents died and the "Mum" replied "And what if we live?". Who the hell would say that? It's obvious what happens if you live, he stays with you you stupid bitch. It existed only to allow the punch line to follow. There are tons of similar examples.

The funniest thing about the show is the laughter-track. Who are the retards that they brought in to laugh at this? Someone find out who the warm-up act was at the live recordings and treble his wages, that guy did one hell of a job.

Seriously, this show stinks. There are so many things wrong with it, it's unbelievable. I'd like to echo the person who expressed their disbelief that the Beeb cancelled After You've Gone and produced this abortion. Idiots.

Rating: 1/10 (And that's generous, believe me.)

Quote: Spagett @ January 16 2009, 10:18 AM GMT

It is so out-dated it's untrue.

What is in date, in your opinion?

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