I really wanted to like this but didn't even smile once. The two posh old women were just like the two posh old women that French and Saunders created years ago, except not as funny (and I'm no fan of French and Saunders). It was like a cobbled together crossover of Little Britain meets Alan Partridge. Worst of all was Rhys Thomas - Too dull and wooden to even make a convincing straight man. Maybe it'll pick up.
Well it's been masquerading as a radio programme for quite some time too then.
The cheeky buggers.
Quote: YesNo @ January 21 2010, 11:56 PM GMTI really wanted to like this but didn't even smile once. The two posh old women were just like the two posh old women that French and Saunders created years ago
They reminded me of French and Saunders characters too! In a good way, like.
I really wanted to like this but it was a bit disappointing. I'd never listened to Down the Line but I'd heard rave reviews. This was abit messy and didn't seem to have a structure. There were some good bits but overall it wasn't that funny.
Then, as luck would have it, awaiting Newsjack on BBC7 tonight I stumbled on a repeat of Down the Line. It was ace - so so so much better than the TV version and with more laughs in a few minutes than the whole episode on the box.
So, on the strength of that I'll tune in next week expecting it to get better.
Quote: Godot Taxis @ January 21 2010, 11:53 PM GMTThe sketch with the fat guy and his mum wasn't very nice.
I liked those characters a lot, one of the funniest of the first episode, along with the sisters.
I liked this. I didn't find it patronising and (as in the radio show) think Bellamy has just the right radio DJ voice.
I had a similar idea, about a Louis Thereux type going around the UK meeting British 'characters', a couple of years back but no one was interested; but then I'm not Paul Whitehouse or Charlie Higson, or have had a successful radio show to spin-off from. 
Quote: Dolly Dagger @ January 22 2010, 9:28 AM GMTI had a similar idea, about a Louis Thereux type going around the UK meeting British 'characters', a couple of years back but no one was interested; but then I'm not Paul Whitehouse or Charlie Higson, or have had a successful radio show to spin-off from.
I actually, now I think of it, also had a similar idea, only my guy was going round talking to different sports people. I was told that it would be too bitty and would confuse people as it was structured like a sketch show, but there were no sketches, and so I should change it so we only concentrated on one sports person per week. Shows you that no one really knows anything for sure; you're told not to do something, then something similar-ish ends up on TV.
Quote: chipolata @ January 21 2010, 10:40 PM GMTThe radio show felt tighter and more focussed. And Bellamy seemed a far richer character in that.
Totally agree. Bellamy seemed a bit 2-D I nthe TV version.
Overall, it was OK and will hopefully improve to reach the standard of the radio series, which I love. I still think the final episode of the second series of Down the Line was one of the creepiest things ever - and I have read a lot of horror books and seen a lot of horror films.
Quote: Godot Taxis @ January 21 2010, 11:53 PM GMTI'd feel better if Bellamy was likely to encounter a 40+ impressionist trying to put a show together from a load of character vignettes in the course of his travels across Britain but I don't think he will. It will be hilariously unaware working class people and middle class nutters - ie not anyone remotely like Whitehouse and Higson.
God help you if you ever watch an episode of Little Britain, you'll explode in fury!
It's too early to judge Bellemy's People (anyone remember the critical reaction to the Fast Show after the first episode?) but I'm thinking this could be one of the comedy highlights of the year.
Quote: Dolly Dagger @ January 22 2010, 9:28 AM GMTI had a similar idea, about a Louis Thereux type going around the UK meeting British 'characters',
Which is a decent idea. But the show should have had more focus. Perhaps a thematic link each episode? Rather than just a random collection of characters. With the radio show each episode had a couple of themes (credit crunch, crime and punishment, etc) which were developed over half an hour. This was too random for my liking.
Having said that, it's a pilot. And I like these guys too much to not stick with it.
Quote: Jinky @ January 22 2010, 9:54 AM GMTIt's too early to judge Bellemy's People (anyone remember the critical reaction to the Fast Show after the first episode?) but I'm thinking this could be one of the comedy highlights of the year.
Well it had me chuckling out loud. I hope they don't reprise the same characters in every episode to have them doing/saying the same things.
Quote: chipolata @ January 22 2010, 9:55 AM GMTWhich is a decent idea. But the show should have had more focus. Perhaps a thematic link each episode? Rather than just a random collection of characters. With the radio show each episode had a couple of themes (credit crunch, crime and punishment, etc) which were developed over half an hour. This was too random for my liking.
I did think that too. I thought a theme was emerging and then it would change. As Bellamy's hair was different in lots of the scenes I imagine it's been edited into random clips.
It could be satarising how TV doc shows are made with jumping back and forth to different people and stories?
Quote: Matthew Stott @ January 21 2010, 11:04 PM GMTI liked it, but I thought they could have concentrated on less characters per episode, it was shooting all over the place!
I totally agree, I found it a bit underwelming but with a couple of laugh out loud moments (the Deptford beach scene in particular with Simon Day's criminal character). In my view they should've had the courage to stick with one character for a few minutes rather than keep jumping backward and forwards between them.
I reckon it'll get better as it goes on though so I'm willing to stick with it.
Quote: Tony Cowards @ January 22 2010, 10:01 AM GMTI totally agree, I found it a bit underwelming but with a couple of laugh out loud moments (the Deptford beach scene in particular with Simon Day's criminal character). In my view they should've had the courage to stick with one character for a few minutes rather than keep jumping backward and forwards between them.
I reckon it'll get better as it goes on though so I'm willing to stick with it.
All of this.
As we see the characters again and again, the humour will undoubtedly grow, but if they had concentrated on a few less per episode it would have had that more from the start.
Still, I enjoyed it a lot and imagine it will get funnier and funnier.
Quote: Dolly Dagger @ January 22 2010, 9:59 AM GMTIt could be satarising how TV doc shows are made with jumping back and forth to different people and stories?
It is a specific parody of all those 'Famous person wanders around the UK' shows that seem to crop up between 7pm and 9pm on the BBC.
http://www.broadcastnow.co.uk/production/bellamys-people-bbc2/5005781.article
With regard to the two posh ladies does anyone know if they are based on real people?
I've got a nagging feeling that there were a couple of sisters in the news a while back who'd made up their own language and lived together in a perpetual feuding state.
Quote: Tony Cowards @ January 22 2010, 10:09 AM GMTWith regard to the two posh ladies does anyone know if they are based on real people?
I've got a nagging feeling that there were a couple of sisters in the news a while back who'd made up their own language and lived together in a perpetual feuding state.
The Mitford sisters.
