It was, at best, second-rate.
At worst, it was bloody awful.
However, when we consider that this is the BBC's idea of a Christmas special, it can be described only as an absolute disgrace.
And I am (or was) a big fan of VW.
Before this debacle, she might have thought it (i.e.her career) was all over.
It is now, Vic.
It is now.
Well, my mum loved it.
And seeing as it's very specifically stated it's for the middle aged maybe Victoria needn't care what we think.
Quote: zooo @ December 24 2009, 11:11 PM GMTWell, my mum loved it.
And seeing as it's very specifically stated it's for the middle aged maybe Victoria needn't care what we think.
My mother is 62 and described it variously as "awful", "boring", "stupid" and "not going anywhere". 
Well we all know how cutting your mother can be about comedy. 
Quote: zooo @ December 24 2009, 11:36 PM GMTWell we all know how cutting your mother can be about comedy.
I keep telling her she's just a bitter, frustrated, wannabe writer...
She loved NGO last night and is mostly looking forward to The Royle Family and Outnumbered this Christmas.
Wood is a very 80s style comedienne with material that hasn't changed a jot since her first show. She may have created an original and very influential act back then but she seems to want to drag it out every other year and expect us to laugh just as much as we did in 1985; and wants the critics to heap as much fawning praise on her as they did then! A dozen different fashions in comedy have come and gone since then but Victoria still wants us to fall about laughing at her 25 year old act.
I didn't see her unpopular sounding Christmas special; I glanced at the trailer and pitied those who would be watching it. Is she going for a damehood, or is she just bitter that she doesn't get the TV airtime she used to get? She's long struck me as quite smug, vain, self important and jealous of other more successful comediennes - I always sensed a massive rivalry and a distinct frostiness between her and the female comedy duo that totally eclipsed her in the late 80s and 90s - not only was VW at her peak then, and suddenly couldn't get a look in with French & Saunders' saturation of TV comedy, but she was reminded that this younger more dynamic team of middle class bred girls had got into the drama dept at the university that she, an earthy, local lass had been rejected by. Ever seen a picture of them all together? I never have, and yet they're always being trotted out at some sycophantic TV award ceremony. There must be a TV directive that says producers must never put them in the same frame or room or stage together. I reckon fists would fly if that ever happened.
Quote: Griff @ December 23 2009, 1:53 PM GMTOn the other hand,
She's worth ten times more money than that greedy, bossy bitch, Vorderman got, and I expect she get's only a small percentage of the sum. And she's probably better at sums as well. I wonder if Vorderman ever watches the show now. Somehow I doubt it. Good riddance to her.
Quote: Alfred J Kipper @ December 25 2009, 10:50 PM GMTAnd she's probably better at sums than she was.
She's not only good at the sums, she often comes up with very good suggestions on the word rounds as well.
Alfred, did someone burn your parsnips today?
In that case I must get round to watching her/the show.
Quote: zooo @ December 25 2009, 10:55 PM GMTAlfred, did someone burn your parsnips today?
On the contrary, my parsnip hasn't has a good friction burn for for quite a while. perhaps this is why I'm grumpy?
Quote: Alfred J Kipper @ December 25 2009, 10:50 PM GMTjealous of other more successful comediennes -
Yeah, Wood has had a pretty unsuccesful career, hasn't she?!?
I didn't watch this special, even though I very much like some of her past work; for some reason the idea of watching new work by her just doesn't appeal.
Well she hasn't been as successful as French and/or Saunders, and her beloved Dinnerladies was panned by many. Her Queen of TV comedy crown was clearly usurped by F&S and her stand up act was made to look ancient by the likes of Jo Brand. She is a past success, not a present one, and I reckon she hates it.
Well, your reckonings about her possible feelings and your reckonings about a programme you didn't watch have been very interesting.
But she can always console herself with the fact that thousands of young drama students who fancy themselves as comediennes have modelled themselves on her. So maybe she is the true queen of comedy after all, if not the most successful one.
Not just comediennes. Reece Shearsmith too! 
I don't get any of this "smug", "vain" (etc) stuff from her at all. I wonder if you've been watching different programmes.
