If you ARE a fan of Not Going Out (as I am), then episode one of this 3rd series will have delivered in spades - entirely as expected. It's interesting though to read the initial first thoughts of those who were less enamoured of this first episode. If you enjoyed NGO then you must surely believe that those who were less than impressed, are from another planet as how on earth can anyone NOT laugh? Eh?
Perhaps it's a case of expecting even higher standards than have hitherto been achieved. A bit like the Barack Obama syndrome - with such a loyal following and high approval ratings, just how on earth is he going to please EVERYBODY? Physical impossibility! Whatever he does, some groups are going to be disappointed and point to the clay feet of the new president. Personally I think there were such (unexpected) high spots of excellence in previous episodes from both series one and two, that it's asking an awful lot to top them straight-out-the-gate in the first show of the new series. I'm talking about this kind of thing from the previous series (Lee under a Chav attack) -
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=1U6-bWv5jzI
There's not a word out of place nor a dull moment - it's sheer genius. (If I'm wrong and anyone thinks this paticular clip is not funny, say so, as I don't think such a person exists.)
And if you haven't seen the previous series or the above clip before and are wondering what all the fuss is about, check out a couple more clips of excellence gathered here, again from the previous series -
https://www.comedy.co.uk/tv/not_going_out/videos/
And that's exactly it - you expect the same or better next time, but then you're entering the Barack Obama syndrome; how to please everyone? How to top that clip? Some will be disappointed if they perceive anything new from Lee that is not better or at least it's equal.
However Lee himself in his interview, again on this very site at
https://www.comedy.co.uk/tv/not_going_out/interview/lee_mack/
says that he has no problems with the negative comments on here as even those who dislike his show are:
'a bit more clued up' and 'say so in an intelligent way'.
Which is just how I found the post of Blenkinsop on page 15. There's no need to tread lightly amongst the aficionados of NGO Blenkinsop, as your observations are well made, reasoned, and polite, so no need for the:[color=red]"I must run away and hide before the backlash comes . . ."[/color]
Some of the worthy points brought up by Blekinsop: [color=red]"lacks any *natural & believable* qualities."[/color]
I like the setting with the night-life background music when cutting to the watering hole of Lee and Tim, and yes how do they get there? By taxi? On foot, by car? Personally I don't care, but for some there will always be the demand for reassurance of seeing employers, work colleagues, characters setting off to work and the like. They just exist.
And: [color=red]"comes across as contrived and purely a vehicle for the joke rather than having any real narrative value."[/color]
It's the prodigious almost Guinness-book-of-records rush of non-stop gags that misleads you there Blenky, and in fact it's not the case at all. Lee Mack himself would take issue with you as in the Independent interview (see link in Lindyloop's post on page 13) he patently contradicts such sentiments with:
"On a writing day, he starts off with a one-line idea for an episode and breaks it down into scenes and "mini-structures" of dramatic moments, a formula that he feels he has come close to mastering [color=blue]*(actually coming up with the gag is the last thing he does).*"[/color]
More: [color=red]"The bit about the wanking in the bath was just juvenile"[/color]
True enough, but hey ho, there we go. However I think it just about slides under the brave umbrella of total-lack-of-creative-fear that this statement by playwright Richard Bean, makes:
"The problem with our playwrights is that they're all so polite. They daren't say anything about anybody, unless they're slagging off America. What would Joe Orton do if he were alive? He'd go around, find the open wound and pour salt in it."
Wanking in the bath? Well one man's meat is another man's . . . oops one man's meat? Ooh err missus, I better stop there and move on.
More still: [color=red]"Mrs B watched it with me and commented on the "unreal look and feel" of it"[/color]
With this you're on firmer ground as many paid professional critics have picked up on that. Again I don't mind, but do we really want another familiar and comfortable My Family reassuring feel to it? Or, as it's mostly set in a flat do we want more of the now stale flat life of Delboy's or the reassuring upmarket Frasier flat? (Nothing wrong with those.) If so we can't complain there's nothing new and exciting and above all DIFFERENT on TV anymore.
However, it's fine if it's not your cup of tea - truly it is. I hate it when a niche thing becomes mass market, so all the better for us niche aficionados to keep to ourselves.
Oh and Blenky, don't as you say 'run away and hide' - your excellent criticisms will ensure that Lee has to stay on his toes; after all, he knows he's got 'us' in his back pocket - for series four he has to target reeling you, Mrs B and any like-minded lurkers out there, into his back pocket too! 
Better finish here - it's time for The Old Guys.
I think I may just erase that bit from my memory and keep my fingers crossed for something a little less corny next Friday.
