Quote: zooo @ October 26 2009, 2:37 PM BSTWhich one was Jamie again?
Malcolm's fellow Scottish ball-buster, but shorter, slightly younger, dark-haired etc. It was he who made the famous 'iPod' threat. 
The Thick Of It - Series 3 Page 6
Ohhhh yes!
He was ace.
No Jamie is, indeed, a 'boo' time.
Quote: Cheesehoven @ October 25 2009, 7:42 PM BSTWhat an awful programme. I really don't see where it gets its reputation from.
I had to switch off after 10 minutes, it was so grating.
It sadly shows the decline in British comedy and satire since say, Yes Minister. That had wit and subtle characterisation. This merely consists of copious use of the f-word and similar terms, and believing that is inherently funny (it's not) does not bother to set its sights any higher. The alleged comedy consists of the characters aggressively and obnoxiously attacking each other at first sight, something that would never happen in real life and precludes any of the subtler aspects of human interaction, which is what sitcom is supposed to be about. One character will walk up to another passing him in the corridor and scream something like:
"HEY YOU BALDY! Yes you, you bald twat. Why are you so f**king bald? Your head looks my left bollock only mine's got f**king hair on it. Now go and f**k yourself some hair, baldy."
Add to that the vertigo-inducing camera work, and you have one of the worst programmes I've ever seen.
British humour RIP.
I don't agree with that bit in the slightest, aside from that I don't find it quite as obnoxious a programme as you evidently do, but do understand and agree with your general point.
Quote: john lucas 101 @ October 26 2009, 2:08 PM BSTYeah British comedy is dead, which is why we've had Stewart Lee...
A pretty good indicator, to be fair.
Quote: john lucas 101 @ October 26 2009, 2:08 PM BSTYeah British comedy is dead, which is why we've had Stewart Lee, Inbetweeners, Peep Show, How Not To Live, Thick of It, to name but a few this year. Sheesh, indeed!
(And Off The Hook, HIGNFY, Armstrong and Miller...)
That list proves my point. Why is all British comedy now late-night, nerdy and unpleasant? There's certainly plenty of need for comedic diversions in these sorrowful times, but switch on your TV during the evening, and it is bereft of any Brit comedy with the sole exception being Harry Hill. All evening long we get depressing and miserable soap operas followed by "dark and edgy" comedy after the watershed.
British comedy has painted itself into a very small corner and ghettoised itself. All we get now are nasty and unsympathetic characters hurling insults at each other with extraordinary spite. I daresay this appeals to people who watch X-factor and Jackass and enjoy seeing ritual humiliation being meted out, but its not my cup of tea.
Quote: Cheesehoven @ October 26 2009, 9:41 PM BSTThat list proves my point. Why is all British comedy now late-night, nerdy and unpleasant? There's certainly plenty of need for comedic diversions in these sorrowful times, but switch on your TV during the evening, and it is bereft of any Brit comedy with the sole exception being Harry Hill. All evening long we get depressing and miserable soap operas followed by "dark and edgy" comedy after the watershed.
British comedy has painted itself into a very small corner and ghettoised itself. All we get now are nasty and unsympathetic characters hurling insults at each other with extraordinary spite. I daresay this appeals to people who watch X-factor and Jackass and enjoy seeing ritual humiliation being meted out, but its not my cup of tea.
Some of these points are very fair, but the lion's share of the blame lies with the networks and commissioners. They have (to a degree) given up on upbeat pre-watershed comedy. ITV produces only comedy-drama pre-watershed (at most) and the BBC seems to have a very narrow view of what makes a family comedy. Speaking as a writer, it is more difficult to get interest in a warm-hearted comedy than a "dark and edgy" one. There are people out there who are writing the type of show you might want to watch, but such shows are not making into the development process and onto screen. (And I'd mention Outnumbered which, despite being post-watershed, is a great example of a realistic but warm hearted family sitcom.)
Can we try to reign the conversation back in to The Thick Of It please?
Thanks.
OK, so no Jamie. (Booo!!! again). What about Julius? Please someone tell him we're going to see him again.
Quote: Tim Walker @ October 26 2009, 10:54 PM BSTOK, so no Jamie. (Booo!!! again). What about Julius? Please someone tell him we're going to see him again.
Julius, Big Ben and Robyn will return this series.
Quote: Marooned @ October 27 2009, 12:18 AM BSTJulius, Big Ben and Robyn will return this series.
Yay for Julius and Big Ben. Robyn was OK... perhaps underused in the original series (then again she was a bit of stand-in character due to the unavailability of the actress playing Terri, wasn't she?)?
How do you remember the names of people so easily?!
Quote: zooo @ October 27 2009, 12:24 AM BSTHow do you remember the names of people so easily?!
Because I live through them.
The Thick Of It -- Episode 1 -- Red button content (scroll down page)
Thanks to Chris Addison's Twitter feed!
Dan
Quote: zooo @ October 26 2009, 10:40 PM BSTCan we try to reign the conversation back in to The Thick Of It please?
Thanks.
Yeh, wake up everyone and smell the cock
Guardian review: http://www.guardian.co.uk/tv-and-radio/2009/oct/26/thick-of-it-casualty-emma
Dan