British Comedy Guide

General Chris Morris Thread Page 4

Quote: chipolata @ March 2 2009, 10:20 AM GMT

You and about two other viewers. Everybody else thought it was a bit shit.

Nathan Barley was good, but it could have been fantastic.

Nicholas Burns was miscast as Barley- he is too old and too nice. Although it may be that you can't find an actor sufficiently braindead to illuminate the role.

Morris must take a lot of criticism for it being less than glorious since he supervised the edit and the grading and that was a disaster. The fact that the show looked like it had been made by Barley was the kind of metatextual joke that only Barley would laugh at and find clever. The show should have been graded as if it had been made by Ashcroft.

Just noticed this thread and had to add my two pennies worth in that I loved it and just thinking back on it makes me smile. I've met so many of those Shoreditch twats which it nailed so well. I don't know whether it's sad that many of them probably enjoyed it too, there's some kind of irony there which bears analysis. 15 Peter 20 is just an ultra thin Rizla from reality. Interesting to read all the varied opinions on it, let's all keep it dusty.

Quote: Matthew Stott @ March 2 2009, 8:59 AM GMT

In what way is he a spent force? Because he hasn't done much lately, though of course he has been working on getting a film made, or because you didn't like Nathan Barley? (Assuming you didn't like it and that's one of the reasons you think he's a spent force; I thought Barley was brilliant.)

A spent force in that his GLR shows, On The Hour, The Day Today and Brass Eye are superlative whereas Paedo Spesh, Jam, and The Other One range from not-quite-as-good to Nathan Barley. Diminishing returns?

I actually enjoyed Nathan Barley despite having never been to London let alone Somethingorotherditch or even read TVGoHome. I laughed at the inane bits. They were funny. Pingu diving through the window made me do a roflmao.

The glossal frag is the real star of the show, I think.

As a comedy it achieved its aim of making me laugh but not much beyond that. Not as clever as it believed itself to be - BUT THEN MAYBE THAT'S THE POINT...

I think you're jumping the gun a bit.

I want you to be right.

Quote: Gregor Shamsa @ March 3 2009, 1:38 AM GMT

A spent force in that his GLR shows, On The Hour, The Day Today and Brass Eye are superlative whereas Paedo Spesh, Jam, and The Other One range from not-quite-as-good to Nathan Barley. Diminishing returns?

In your opinion, not in mine. Loved Blue Jam and Jam, and the Brass Eye Special.

Quote: chipolata @ March 2 2009, 10:31 AM GMT

If the Julian Barratt character hated the world he lived in so much, get another f**king job somewhere else.

It's not real life! It's a sitcom!

Quote: Wildjesusfishkid @ March 3 2009, 9:52 AM GMT

It's not real life! It's a sitcom!

Yes, but maybe the writers should have developed the idea better as to just why the Julian Barratt character was trapped in this world.

For example, Alan Partridge found himself trapped in Travel Tavern hell, yet it was completely believable as to why he'd ended up there. With Dan Ashcroft, I just thought, "Quit whining and get another job. End of story."

Quote: Matthew Stott @ March 3 2009, 9:46 AM GMT

In your opinion, not in mine. Loved Blue Jam and Jam, and the Brass Eye Special.

I think Jam suffered from being overly daaaaarrrk. It worked much better on radio.

I never liked Nathan Barley and still don't on rewatches, the characters were just too twattish, maybe the satire was too accurate and in turn sucked away all the funny.

I'm looking forward to what Morris does with this film about suicide bombers though. Always the light hearted topics that Morris touches on isn't it?

Quote: Martin Holmes @ March 3 2009, 12:08 PM GMT

I think Jam suffered from being overly daaaaarrrk.

That's why I liked it!

Well I liked Nathan Barley. I didn't know TV Go Home and don't know they type of character he was taking the piss out of but I enjoyed it anyway. It was even better on second watching.

I thought Jam was great, I love the dark stuff and there were some classics in there, like the guy throwing himself to his death out of a first floor window and the dead baby plumbing.

I also thought the Brass Eye special was spectacularly good (I loved the rest of the series too).

Hopefully Morris will be back on our screen soon doing something hilarious that winds up idiots.

I believe his next thing is a film about war. So that'll be a film that winds up idiots.

Quote: john lucas 101 @ March 3 2009, 1:01 PM GMT

So that'll be a film that winds up idiots.

Here's hoping!

Oh yes, it's about terrorists isn't it?

Yep, that's the fella. Of course, we've got the Iannucci film 'In the Loop' to look forward to before that. Think that's out pretty soon.

Quote: chipolata @ March 3 2009, 11:02 AM GMT

For example, Alan Partridge found himself trapped in Travel Tavern hell, yet it was completely believable as to why he'd ended up there. With Dan Ashcroft, I just thought, "Quit whining and get another job. End of story."

Verrrry good point!

Quote: john lucas 101 @ March 3 2009, 1:01 PM GMT

I believe his next thing is a film about war. So that'll be a film that winds up idiots.

Quote: Martin Holmes @ March 3 2009, 12:08 PM GMT

I'm looking forward to what Morris does with this film about suicide bombers though. Always the light hearted topics that Morris touches on isn't it?

Listened to the Radio 4 profile about Morris. A bit odd that the last sentence of the piece is given to Michael Grade calling Morris a one trick pony! Whether or not you think he is, that just seems an odd choice to end on. It's also something that could be levelled at most comedians; so what?

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