I put the word proper in parentheses for that reason, dear.
Life Of Riley - Series 1 Page 9
Quote: Tim Walker @ February 13 2009, 1:29 AM GMTI'm due a meeting with the head of BBC Comedy, so this post may scupper that, but would REALLY LOVE to see a popular and funny pre-watershed BBC One sitcom.
Is this true? I asked HoC about you yesterday and he's never heard of a 'Tim Walker'. Do you write under a nom de plume?
Quote: Aaron @ February 13 2009, 11:09 AM GMTI know you do, Tim, and so do I!
However, this is just the kind of vile snobbery which diminshes the value of opinions expressed on places like this. To suggest that the public aren't "'proper' comedy fans" is absolute rubbish. If anything, it is us who aren't. We're the minority who obsess over it and are constantly, unendingly judgemental and critical over every tiny aspect, largely having lost the ability to just sit and watch and let oneself laugh. If we're not laughing but the rest of the country is, then it's not them who have the problem.
Whilst I agree it is snobbish to class ourselves as "proper" comedy fans it is also entirely reasonable to call a comedy show like Life of Riley terrible if that is what we think.
I don't dislike Life Of Riley because I have lost the ability to let myself laugh or I am too critical I dislike it because I find it predictable, about 20 years out of date and most importantly unfunny.
In the right hands the Beeb could quite easily make a pre-watershed show that appealed to the masses and was funny.
The fact they can't is pretty poor, to be fair.
Quote: Tim Walker @ February 13 2009, 7:29 PM GMTI put the word proper in parentheses for that reason, dear.
Actually, dear, you used speech marks.
And in any case, that's really quite beside the point.
Quote: Fabulous Andy @ February 14 2009, 5:59 PM GMTIs this true? I asked HoC about you yesterday and he's never heard of a 'Tim Walker'. Do you write under a nom de plume?
Well, I apologise, SHE may not be the Head Of Comedy.
When it comes to the Beeb I may well be meeting the temporary Head Of Carpets. Doesn't mean they've heard of me either.
May I ask in terms of your profile as "comedy producer seeking new writers" who you consider to be the Head Of Comedy?
All the best. Also, why the hell would you be asking your Head Of Comedy contact about little 'ol me anyway? Doesn't sound like a useful waste of time to me. Did you enquire about Jake How as well?
Quote: Aaron @ February 14 2009, 8:37 PM GMTActually, dear, you used speech marks.
And in any case, that's really quite beside the point.
Sorry, sir. The point being that I don't like comedy snobs either.
I didn't really like the first episode of LoR but quite enjoyed the next two and thought the last one was very enjoyable.
I'll continue to watch the rest of the series. It's entertaining, and I think the characters are good. They just need to tighten up the scripts if there's going to be a second series. I hope it continues to improve.
Quote: Rustle T Davis @ February 15 2009, 2:50 PM GMTI didn't really like the first episode of LoR but quite enjoyed the next two and thought the last one was very enjoyable.
I'll continue to watch the rest of the series. It's entertaining, and I like the characters. They just need to tighten up the scripts if there's going to be a second series. I hope it continues to improve.
I've just watched the final episode of Life Of Riley. If only they'd scheduled this one first... it'd have saved the show from quite such a bad image.
I still maintain the first episodes were dire, but this last episode was much better (it's still on iPlayer if you want to see it). Much better plotting, and some good farce that made me laugh. Whether it deserves a second series though I'm not convinced.
Like a lot of you I found episode 1 too obvious and predictable. My Solution for episode 2 was as follows;
Turn the sound right down and make Clanger noises in time with the characters speaking.
+ Heat up a tin of spaghetti with added blue food colouring.
+ The staple diet of The Clangers was Blue String Pudding.
+ Eat said pudding during silences.
= More comic pleasure per episode
Now it appears that L.O.R. is turning out to be watchable. I must now rethink my strategy.
Life Of Riley just seems to be the classic case of decent actors using the licence fee to pay their mortgage so they can do proper work whilst maintaining their profile. This is the kind of comedy which would be on all channels if the Nazis' had won the war.
Quote: Tim Walker @ February 15 2009, 1:56 AM GMTDid you enquire about Jake How as well?
Quote: Tim Walker @ February 16 2009, 2:24 AM GMTThis is the kind of comedy which would be on all channels if the Nazis' had won the war.
What was Hitler's favourite sitcom? I bet him and Himmler had different tastes though.
Quote: bigfella @ February 16 2009, 9:48 AM GMT
Eva Brown's was Open All Hours.