Do you like anything Dave?
Not Going Out - Series 2 Page 8
Oh god, I think some people missed the point of it. The jokes are meant to be pretty bad, that's why they are funny. And those who say its just like a stand-up routine, thats because its just Tim Vine and Lee Mack doing their stand-up style jokes in a sitcom. Tim Vine, by the way, is hilarious as a stand-up, as long as you watch expecting cringe-worthily bad jokes, with some genius ones stuck in too.
Well, I saw it live and loved it. Missed it on TV. The character of the cleaner continues (Miranda Hart with a nice line in deadpan humour) and is a running joke, as far as I could see, having seen this first episode being filmed and attending the rehearsed reading of the last two episodes.
From these three episodes, I thought it was meant to be a conventional sitcom format - layabout ice cream man with vulnerable side and his accountant mate (with vulnerable side but different) and Lee's crush on upwardly mobile flatmate (she gets a boyfriend as well) but at the same time with a touch of the surreal plus lots of wordplay and gags which don't always go in the expected direction.
But interesting to read the varied views. I wonder if any of the series viewed as "classics" now got their first airing in these more fragmented times, how they would do on these forums (not that I know whether "Not Going Out" will ever be viewed as a "classic" ...)? 
Something was bugging me while I watch this. Wasn’t Miranda Hart in the first series as a one of those people who stick pins in you (couldn’t spell the right word or be bothered to look it up)?
Or I’m I just wrong, no mention on IMDB, I couldn’t understand why there was not reference to this.
Yes she was.
You are supposed to have forgotten that. Wipe it from your mind, fool!
I swear at the read through there was some mention of that.
And to the haters of Friday's episode, to be fair, it was far from being the best of the lot IMO. Pretty substandard actually, if I'm honest.
I've now looked at it on the BBC iPlayer. I agree with Aaron about it not being the strongest (although admittedly my experience of this series is limited). Even at the time, seeing it live, it didn't seem quite as funny as the rehearsed readings of the last two episodes I went to because the jokes didn't always seem so integrated and the plotting wasn't as clever.
I guess it's very much an episode introducing the situation and the characters.
But one of the things I felt very strongly on seeing it on the iplayer is how the edited laughter breaks up the rhythm of the piece. I've never been to a live sitcom recording before but it's made me rethink my attitude to other sitcoms which have laughter which sounds canned but is actually from a live audience and how it affects the sitcom (and yes, I think at the read through I was at Lee Mack mentioned about Miranda Hart having been in an earlier episode).
Quote: Britcom Barry @ September 9, 2007, 8:58 PMSomething was bugging me while I watch this. Wasn’t Miranda Hart in the first series as a one of those people who stick pins in you (couldn’t spell the right word or be bothered to look it up)?
Or I’m I just wrong, no mention on IMDB, I couldn’t understand why there was not reference to this.
I forgot about that. I mean, first you get one of the main characters leaving and having to set up the seventh episode like you did the first and now a woman plays two characters within the seven episodes 
I hadn't watched this before and, knowing it was a pet favourite of the BSG's powers that be, was expecting a lot. I thought it was distinctly average. There were some nice lines and performances in it, and the principals are all very engaging, but for me there was no spark. And certainly nothing to make me become a regular viewer. It also suffered from going out the same night as the vastly superior IT Crowd, which does have a spark of genius about it.
Stick with it, Chip. Whilst I don't think that I love it quite as much as Mark does, it was definitely a weak episode in comparison to the previous. Hopefully it'll pick up this week.
Quote: Jeremy Smith @ September 9, 2007, 6:38 PMOh god, I think some people missed the point of it. The jokes are meant to be pretty bad, that's why they are funny. And those who say its just like a stand-up routine, thats because its just Tim Vine and Lee Mack doing their stand-up style jokes in a sitcom. Tim Vine, by the way, is hilarious as a stand-up, as long as you watch expecting cringe-worthily bad jokes, with some genius ones stuck in too.
People do get it but these two have done this stuff before in their stand-up routines and in a sketch show where it is better suited. Sitcoms are about character and the ones in this are paper thin.
Quote: Jeremy Smith @ September 9, 2007, 6:38 PMOh god, I think some people missed the point of it. The jokes are meant to be pretty bad, that's why they are funny. And those who say its just like a stand-up routine, thats because its just Tim Vine and Lee Mack doing their stand-up style jokes in a sitcom. Tim Vine, by the way, is hilarious as a stand-up, as long as you watch expecting cringe-worthily bad jokes, with some genius ones stuck in too.
I LOVE Tim Vine's stand up, got the live DVD. Only caught the last ten minutes of this, and am looking to track down the previous series based on that. I am a huge fan of jokes that make you groan.
I'm a huge fan of the show, and finally got around to watching last week's episode. I must admit, it seemed a little unpolished compared to the last series, but I put that down to there being new characters and it being the first show of the series. I should imagine there were a few nerves too, after the first series got such good reviews.
I'd have been content with the characters they already had, and I didn't think the cleaning character "fit" somehow. The lines were OK, but I don't think Miranda Hart was the right person for the job.
It still had some very funy gags - I'll reserve judgment for the next episode.
Quote: Britcom Barry @ September 9, 2007, 8:58 PMSomething was bugging me while I watch this. Wasn’t Miranda Hart in the first series as a one of those people who stick pins in you (couldn’t spell the right word or be bothered to look it up)?
Miranda Hart did indeed have a guest spot in the first series as an acupuncturist. The writers liked her performance so much that they wrote the part of the cleaner specifically for her.
The acupuncturist was never given a name so technically the story could be that she quit sticking pins in people to setup her 'international cleaning company'. In reality though the writers have left it up to the observant viewers to decide if there is a connection there - they won't be mentioning it in the show.
Quote: Rustle T Davis @ September 10, 2007, 12:08 PMI'd have been content with the characters they already had
Sadly they didn't have that option, they had no choice but to tinker with the show's dynamics.
Quote: chipolata @ September 10, 2007, 10:20 AMI hadn't watched this before and, knowing it was a pet favourite of the BSG's powers that be, was expecting a lot. I thought it was distinctly average. There were some nice lines and performances in it, and the principals are all very engaging, but for me there was no spark. And certainly nothing to make me become a regular viewer. It also suffered from going out the same night as the vastly superior IT Crowd, which does have a spark of genius about it.
Chipolata, and the others that have posted average reviews - do stick with it for another week. I agree with some of the comments above - the episode wasn't the strongest compared to the first series but, in the show's defense...
1. They've had the least time to prepare that episode (the filming of it was brought forward)
2. They had lots to establish in the episode (no more explaining required from this point on)
3. The original creators didn't collaborate on this episode (Andrew Collins and Lee Mack came back together to write this week's episode onwards - Simon Evans, Paul Kerensa and Peter Tilbury wrote the first).
4. That's the first time the cast have all worked together in front of a live studio audience. As Rustle T Davis says, there must have been a few extra nerves. (e.g. Lee Mack didn't seem quite as relaxed as he normally does)
In summary: I thought they did a pretty good job considering what they were up against. There was still lots of great wordplay - milling wind, hundreds and thousands, custard thicker than blood, the dotting Ts, crossing Is gag etc etc.
I'm not trying to overly defend the show - I appreciate for some people it's really not their cup of tea. All I'd say though is if that was the first episode you've seen do stick around for at least one more as it's likely to get stronger and the run goes on and they re-discover the spark that made the first so much fun.
Quote: Leevil @ September 9, 2007, 5:54 PMDo you like anything Dave?
Yep, I like an unbelievable amount of things. And a good percentage of them are sitcoms. Only Fools and Horses, Frasier, 8 Simple Rules, Blackadder, Rising Damp, Porridge, The Likely Lads, One Foot in the Grave, The Vicar of Dibley, Father Ted, Bean, The Thin Blue Line, Becker, The Dectectives, The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin, M*A*S*H, Hancock, Less Than Perfect, As Time Goes By, Goodnight Sweetheart, Taxi, The Good Life, Dear John, The Worst Week of my Life, Watching, I'm Alan Partridge, Just Good Friends, Yes Prime Minsister, Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em and To the Manor Born. And the list doesn't end there.
I love those shows. And I'd like to point out to fans of Not Going Out, that the programmes I've just listed are called comedies. A comedy is a TV programme that makes you laugh. Just though I'd mentioned it ... just in case any of you are in doubt.