Or she could have breast fed them?
Some times I worry myself.
Has anyone ever laughed at The Good Life? Page 3
They were making a general point about cosy, early 80s sitcoms, it wasn't a specific attack on The Good Life. If you were a kid at the time The Young Ones went out then a lot of what it did (whilst today perhaps looking dated, tired, uncontroversial and not funny) was dangerously unorthodox for its time. It really did touch a generation, who genuinely loved it. Without sounding too grandiose, it was the punk rock moment in sitcom comedy.
Quote: sootyj @ September 13 2009, 10:30 PM BSTOr she could have breast fed them?
Some times I worry myself.
Ha! So basically, if you mix The Good Life and 'edgy', you get the League of Gentlemen.
Quote: zooo @ September 13 2009, 10:32 PM BSTHa! So basically, if you mix The Good Life and 'edgy', you get the League of Gentlemen.
Yes, yes you do. Good point.
Quote: Renegade Carpark @ September 13 2009, 8:33 PM BSTStewart Lee picks on OFAH and it's suddenly cutting edge comedy? Sorry but The Young Ones broke all the rules first and was ten times funnier because it hadn't been done before.
Sorry have to go back and read the rest of the thread now. but excuse
me RCP but X = 10 x Funny because of Y x performance = 0. ????
Yes, I've laughed at The Good Life.
Quote: Ronnie Anderson @ September 13 2009, 1:42 AM BSTa theory I have that sitcom is more about being a good writer than being funny.
It does help if the sitcom scripts you're writing are funny though. Generally.
Quote: Marc P @ September 13 2009, 11:32 PM BST
Sorry have to go back and read the rest of the thread now. but excuse
me RCP but X = 10 x Funny because of Y x performance = 0. ????
That is the forumla. A work based comedy called The Office is ten times funnier then a work based comedy called Lunch Monkeys.
Basically, original cutting edge humour is funnier the first time round and not as funny when aped by less funny people many years later.
It really is very simple. 
Alsoi cutting edge topical humour dates by it's very design.
A tinned tomato may last a 1000 years, but it'll never be sold at The Fat Duck.
The Young One's in its days was punk TV and radical, as well as being hilarious. The Good Life will be bland for ever.
Quote: sootyj @ September 14 2009, 6:21 AM BSTAlsoi cutting edge topical humour dates by it's very design.
A tinned tomato may last a 1000 years, but it'll never be sold at The Fat Duck.
The Young One's in its days was punk TV and radical, as well as being hilarious. The Good Life will be bland for ever.
I think The Good Life must have dated very much, and very quickly, judging from how it became perceived by the early 1980s, and how it is now perceived. It certainly didn't seem bland; sure, it was wrought from ordinary materials, but they were used in an original way.
Quote: Renegade Carpark @ September 14 2009, 12:38 AM BSTThat is the forumla. A work based comedy called The Office is ten times funnier then a work based comedy called Lunch Monkeys.
Basically, original cutting edge humour is funnier the first time round and not as funny when aped by less funny people many years later.
It really is very simple.
Fair play.
I haven't seen Lunch Monkeys but I have read some reviews.
Quote: Marc P @ September 14 2009, 9:35 AM BSTI haven't seen Lunch Monkeys but I have read some reviews.
I like it that you've got your finger on the pulse, Marc. 
As for The Good Life. It's a good show that I've laughed at. Haven't seen it for a while, but I have very fond memories of. Although I much prefer the infinitely darker Ever Decreasing Circles by the same writers. That said, The Good Life did deal with single-minded obsession, so it wasn't quite the fluffy show it's detractors would have you believe.
Yes, I like Ever Decreasing Circles. I have laughed quite a lot of that, however, I still prefer the Good Life. I don't think the Good Life has dated. If anything, it holds up a lot better than the Young Ones.
Quote: Ronnie Anderson @ September 14 2009, 11:03 AM BSTYes, I like Ever Decreasing Circles. I have laughed quite a lot of that, however, I still prefer the Good Life. I don't think the Good Life has dated. If anything, it holds up a lot better than the Young Ones.
Agreed. I cringe slightly when I see The Young Ones nowadays.
Quote: Ronnie Anderson @ September 14 2009, 11:03 AM BSTI don't think the Good Life has dated. If anything, it holds up a lot better than the Young Ones.
Yes and indeed no. The Good Life hasn't dated in terms of it's overall theme thanks to 'green' issues playing such a large role in our day to day lives. The humour hasn't dated that much either, there are plenty of twee, middle class, vaguely amusing sitcoms which don't make you laugh on television today. However, I don't think this is a fact to be celebrated.
I've nailed my colours to the mast in a previous thread about The Young Ones and my opinions haven't changed. If you thought The Good Life was subversive but not The Young Ones, it's only because everything TYO did has been copied by every single successful sitcom since and has now become mainstream.
I agree that The Young Ones was subversive but for whatever reason I don't think a lot of the stuff that was written to be subversive is particularly funny or entertaining now. The bits that are timeless are the brilliant characters such as Ric and Niel.
There are many twee middle class sitcoms that aren't funny today but non of them can hold a candle to The Good Life. It was entertaining and an amazing idea for a sitcom and is the type of show which can really immerse you in it's unique world.