Quote: Maurice Minor @ March 24 2009, 12:06 PM GMTBut for me it's a lesson in exactly why comics do need to keep the pace up.
I just don't see that. I've seen loads of his shows, full length stand up shows too, and it's never struck me that he needs to up any pace, or go bigger with his delivery. His style works for him, and for me. He is one of the most critically acclaimed stand ups going too, so he must be doing something right for some people! 
Quote: Martin H @ March 24 2009, 12:15 PM GMTJust to touch on the comparisons with Charlie Brooker. I like Brooker, he is a funny man, but there isn't real venom behind his attacks on television or not as much as Lee anyway. Because Brooker attacks shows like Big Brother and the like, but he actually likes those shows too, I mean he's best mates with Aisleyne for gods sake.
Lee actually hates the stuff he is deriding. And it may be brave or it may be stupid, but there is no other comedian out there who would so strongly slate all five terrestrial television channels in such a way, especially the channel you are on. These are points that are true and Lee may not always make them as well as he could, but nobody else is doing this. When you see other shows that attempt something similar, it is all "we're all showbiz pals really, we're all in on the joke", you don't get that with this programme, there is proper anger and passion behind what is being said.
Charlie Brooker has plenty of venom behind his deconstruction of the television industry. The difference being that Brooker loves telly and wants it to be better whereas Stewart Lee just sees it as something beneath contempt. (Except when he's offered his own stand up series on BBC2 obviously).
As for the 'we're all showbiz pals' ascertion, doesn't every episode of Comedy Vehicle contain a number of Lee's showbiz pals, all in on the joke? Even the red button stuff with his chum Armando smacks of 'hey, look at us, we're slagging off telly, but we're cool'.
I agree that there is proper anger and passion behind what is being said, but it's misdirected and his targets are lazy. I love Stewart Lee's brand of comedy and can't wait for the next episode, but I'm not going to play 'Emperor's new clothes' with everything that falls out of his mouth.
Mr Carpark, hating this episode so much, after apparently liking episode one to such a high degree, really baffles me. Anyone would think you were talking about two different shows!
Quote: Matthew Stott @ March 24 2009, 11:35 AM GMTOne of the things I liked about the bit where Lee was on the floor, having a little conversation with himself about Del Boy, was how much the other character voice sounded like Richard Herring!
Yes! That made me very happy.
He did a tiny bit of a Rich voice last week too, when he was showing us the photos in Asher D's book.
Quote: john lucas 101 @ March 24 2009, 9:49 AM GMTwith the amazing Kevin Eldon performing another outstanding turn.
Quote: Ian Wolf @ March 24 2009, 10:14 AM GMTConcerning Only Fools and Horses, the best visual gag for me was the chandelier.
Isn't that also the one that actually does get the wins?
Quote: Maurice Minor @ March 24 2009, 10:54 AM GMTUnfortunately for Mr Lee, Del Boy falling through a bar was funnier than his routine last night.
Quote: Timbo @ March 24 2009, 11:54 AM GMTSorry I did not see what was so intelligent about his act. Sneering about other people being stupid is not in itself clever.
The basic problem is that there are not enough gags. He gets an idea, and instead of building on it and developing it into a proper routine, he just hammers home the same point until any possible humour has been drained out of it. Yes, I am a little bored of the Del Boy clip, afters seeing it twenty times, but I was bored by Lee's routine about it before he had even finished it. If I had to sit through THAT twenty times I would be chewing my own leg off to survive.
Always nice to have a schism on these threads, innit!
Quote: Maurice Minor @ March 24 2009, 12:06 PM GMTWell that's the key really. I can imagine his act being done with some sort of rapid-fire delivery with a lot of energy and it would really be a different matter. But he lacks energy - deliberately no doubt - and it saps the will of the viewer (this one at least).
He seems to think it's 'braver' to embrace silences and not need to keep the audience going in the same way other comics or sitcoms do. But for me it's a lesson in exactly why comics do need to keep the pace up.
The whole embracing the silence thing is an excuse he's concocted to cover his failure to keep people laughing all the way through. I'm very rarely aware of audience laughter, but noted last night the strains in the laughter of the live audience as they struggled to find something to laugh at.
Maybe you should have been listening to him, instead of watching the audience and Googling Lord Reith. Then you might have found him funny. 
Quote: Martin H @ March 24 2009, 12:15 PM GMTJust to touch on the comparisons with Charlie Brooker. I like Brooker, he is a funny man, but there isn't real venom behind his attacks on television or not as much as Lee anyway.
?!!!??!!?! You must be watching entirely different programmes to me. Brooker is angry and frustrated because TV is often so mundane, but he knows how brilliant it can be when it tries. Lee's material was that TV itself is mundane, but his performance was that he didn't care either way.
Quote: Martin H @ March 24 2009, 12:15 PM GMTAs someone else mentioned, Lee did say his first two topics were a bit more broad and everyday, Books and Television, as a way to hook in casual viewers
Shows just how out of touch with "casual viewers" he is then!
Quote: Aaron @ March 24 2009, 2:36 PM GMTThe whole embracing the silence thing is an excuse he's concocted to cover his failure to keep people laughing all the way through.
That's pretty much balls I'm afraid.
Quote: Renegade Carpark @ March 24 2009, 1:20 PM GMTI love Stewart Lee's brand of comedy and can't wait for the next episode, but I'm not going to play 'Emperor's new clothes' with everything that falls out of his mouth.
<3
Quote: zooo @ March 24 2009, 2:38 PM GMTMaybe you should have been listening to him, instead of watching the audience and Googling Lord Reith. Then you might have found him funny.
At that point, I was watching and listening to him. Might have been when he was crawling around on the floor like an imbecile.
Quote: Matthew Stott @ March 24 2009, 2:44 PM GMTThat's pretty much balls I'm afraid.
It's quite clearly not.
(Not necessarily a bad thing, to be unafraid of failing to make people laugh, mind.)
This is a good discussion. Thanks to everyone who has contributed so far.
I don't really have much to add, apart from that Lee repeating almost every line twice is starting to annoy me.
That sketch with the effluent coming out the TV completely caught me by suprise (not sure why, should have seen it coming). I rarely actually laugh-out-loud anymore (as is the perils of watching too much comedy), however that bit really made me laugh. Sadly, like everything else in the show though, it was repeated later... either that's Lee being clever, or he's being a bit hypocritical.
Quote: Aaron @ March 24 2009, 2:47 PM GMTIt's quite clearly not.
(Not necessarily a bad thing, to be unafraid of failing to make people laugh, mind.)
No, it clearly is; that just shows a lack of understaning/appreciation/like/any or all of those three for his style and technique.
Quote: Mark @ March 24 2009, 2:49 PM GMTI don't really have much to add, apart from that Lee repeating almost every line twice is starting to annoy me.
Has anyone who points this out watched/liked any of Lees previous work?! Because he always does that. I'd say it's a pretty good tool, the repitition builds the laughs for me.
Quote: Mark @ March 24 2009, 2:49 PM GMTThis is a good discussion. Thanks to everyone who has contributed so far.
I don't really have much to add, apart from that Lee repeating almost every line twice is starting to annoy me.
You're not the only one, Sam Wollaston in The Guardian commented on it too.
The trouble with the repeating business is that on TV - especially on download or DVD - is thaty constant rewatching will make it more and more noticeable.
