I did notice that a few people on IMDB said that they did enjoy the first show. Maybe if you were already a big fan of their work it didn't seem so bad.
Jam and Jerusalem Page 2
I don’t really think it was as bad as others are making out but will reserve judgement until I’ve seen the whole series and perhaps re-watched it to make sure, I think it’s ridiculous to condemn a sit-com after just one episode let alone the first 20 minutes
Judging by the title it about the W.I. something we only got to in the last 5 minutes, other I’ve spoken to like it, my understanding is this was made as a pilot, I wonder how many of the very impressive cast will stick around for the rest of the episodes
Barry
Hi Barry
I know what you mean about giving something time and it's a fair point, but I just felt that after the endless trailing we'd endured all week and the quality of cast and writer that I might have expected to laugh once or twice.
I'm not the sort to give it the old "Think you're funny? Go on then make me laugh then!" routine. Indeed my tastes would be considered fairly mainstream.
I will give this another try next week if I'm in but honestly have to say that on the strength of the first slice then I'm not holding out a lot of hope.
I have been wrong in the past and had to eat my words on "Not Going Out" but this looks to be very poor to me. The show would need a total change in style, content and performances from some of the cast to win me over.
But of course: "Who the f**k am I?"
Looking round the 'net I can't see a whole heap of support for it either, although newspaper reviews seem to have been more balanced..
I don't like to say something is bad after just one episode and I especially don't like to say this was dreadful when I didn't stay with it to the end. But this was dreadfully bad. Trouble is, I like nice laughs in sitcoms, I like to see a story develop and I want to like the characters so this obviously wasn't written for me. I'm sure I miss a lot of good stuff when after a minute or so I make my mind up and decide a particular show is not for me, but it's a time thing. I haven't got time to watch all the rubbish the tv companies put out; I watch some of it but I can't watch it all.
Blimey. I was on the site yesterday (briefly) and couldn't believe there were no active threads about J&J. Before I started my own I checked and it seems that everyone needed to get things off their chest as soon as possible. Not sure that I can add much really. I didn't think it was awful, but it was very dissapointing, mainly because of the cast, I think.
I've never thought French and Saunders were that funny, except maybe in the Comic Strip but I can't really remember and that may even be through rose tinted specs. I did like some of the early Ab Fab though.
I do wonder if this is truly a sit com, as it seems to be over run with sits and really lacking in com. Perhaps it's more of a comedy drama. There was an interview with JS in the Radio Times last week and she says, at the read through... 'I could see Sue thinking: "Oh bloody hell, what have I let myself in for?"'. Well quite.
It reminded me a bit of the first series of Blackadder, where there was a large and well known cast, huge interior sets and lots of exterior footage too. Whilst I liked this series, I think more than most, series two, with a handful of charaters in essentially either Blackadders front room or the Queens thrown room, worked significantly better.
Back to J&J, I will tune in this week as, frankly, there is nothing else on if you can't abide reality TV or heavy going programmes on the history of art.
I didn't laugh anywhere near as much in half an hour of J&J as I did at University Challange last night when one of the answers was 'Great Tits'. Superb! (If childish).
A quote from Ally Ross in the Sun:
Friday night BBC screens Jennifer Saunders' 'comedy' Jam and Jerusalem for the first time. First thing Monday evening? Michael Grade quits as chairman of the BBC. You think that's a coincidence?!?
Never heard the expression "first thing x-day evening" before, but otherwise the point stands.
I can now say, without a shade of doubt in my mind, that anything which Jennifer Saunders may have "had", she certainly does not now. This show is less funny than being told that that pain is due to a tumor the size of a cherry tomato in your urethra.
OK this didn’t have me rolling about with laughter, I still think that once it had time to bed in it will be ok, it does feel a bit muddled with too many characters not doing a lot.
One thing that is puzzling, why is it on so late I didn’t notice any bad language it’s seem good family viewing perhaps more for the mum’s than the kids.
It might just surprise you all
Barry
PS can someone tell what the woman playing the grief counsellor has been in before?
The completely useless, grief-striken one? If so, she's been in quite a few things, but notably of late starred opposite Michelle Gomez in Feel the Force.
Rosie Cavaliero
That’s Right she was also in Eyes down which would have been a good series if it wasn’t for Paul O’Grady who couldn’t act to save his life.
Barry
Ah yes, that's the other one. 
Dawn French does her side-splitting West Country accent whilst wearing a funny wig. My God, it's truly f**king dreadful.
I live in north tawton where jam and jerusalem is filmed and the first episode was a pilot and was supposed to be 1 hour long, but they had to cut it to an hour. Also there is a different director for the other episodes so it probably will get better.
What a shame they didn't implement a proper cut by cutting an hour and leaving it at that.
Haha, nicely done Baumski!
Anyway, bob bob, interesting to hear that. I will, I expect, probably keep on watching, but I'm not expecting much.