I thought there was some intriguing and clever stuff in the first episode - and that's not something you can say about many BBC sketch shows - but unfortunately it just didn't make me laugh. I smiled ryely a few times, and even nodded my head approvingly at one point, but no belly laughs. The juries out on whether I'll watch any more.
Watched the whole show and chuckle muscle was not exercised at all. Shame, maybe it's an acquired taste.
I'm slightly perplexed as to why they've shown the bell sketch in the trailers AND in the 'to come' montage. Surely noone will be interested by the time it actually appears in full.
Quote: Cinnamon @ October 31, 2007, 2:04 PMI'm slightly perplexed as to why they've shown the bell sketch in the trailers AND in the 'to come' montage. Surely noone will be interested by the time it actually appears in full.
I'm a bit worried that it might be the only funny thing in it as its the only thing shown. Wasn't impressed with this and I was a huge TMWE fan. I only found the cynical man serving tea funny. Put it this way, if a new writer wrote that it wouldn't see the light of day.
Bit disappointed.
Still not sure what to make it of, visually it was brilliant, looked really different from other sketch shows, instantly had its own style and the premise is good, but it just lacked on actual laughs. There were some funny sketches like the Freud Fruit & Veg but then some crappy ones like that Beatles parody.
I'm definitely sticking with it because it wasn't completely awful and I have huge admiration for Newman, hopefully it will get better.
Quote: Martin Holmes @ October 31, 2007, 3:01 PMI'm definitely sticking with it because it wasn't completely awful and I have huge admiration for Newman, hopefully it will get better.
Same, i'll give it one more go but I am not hopeful. You could see where the attempts at humour were and they just weren't funny so that doesn't bode well.
I really liked the style. It looked and sounded amazing. But I must admit I got a bit bored in parts and started reading heat magazine(!) Sorry Rob. (it was mainly that interminably long Beatles sketch.)
I thought about half of it was funny, the other half... clever and informative?
I don't think he wrote it to make people laugh out loud all the way through.
It wasnt exactly hillarious, but I did enjoy it, and liked the fact that it was so different. Clever and, at times, funny.
Quote: zooo @ October 31, 2007, 7:43 PMI don't think he wrote it to make people laugh out loud all the way through.
Definitely agree with this. I think a lot of it is meant to more make you stop and think, rather than just be funny.
Oh, and I definitely disagree with the notion that this is a sketch show.
Definitely.
Just watched it.
Awful. God awful.
and what's with the northern accents?
Every time he's doing someone who's a bit thick he dos a northern accent.
That's funny, I always do a Somerset accent.
I love the way people have so much respect for Rob Newman than instead of saying they don't find the show funny, they say its not supposed to be funny, its not really a comedy, its supposed to make you think. 
I watched the 2nd episode just now and you can quite clearer see that its trying to be funny in every sketch. Jokes and punchlines are attempted every time. I actually found this one better than last week and thought it was funny in parts. But some bits don't work, there's nothing wrong with saying that.
I think it is a sketch show as all the scenes are standalone and have jokes in them. Yes, all the scenes are vaguely linked by the narration but so is Little Britain and that is a sketch show. Anyway, its still got my interest. I love the cynical landlord and landlady.
I'd just like to point out at this point, that I'm too young to have any prior knowledge or have any pre-established respect for him. So I stick by my original review. (Until I see another episode at least.)
You should try to find the old Mary Whitehouse Experience shows Aaron they are fantastic. I was too young to be caught up in the hype but Newman and Baddiel was the start of all the 'comedy is the new rock n roll' stuff, Newman was 'the man' in the world of comedy.
Still not really sure with this show, there were a couple of laughs in episode two but it still makes me think "oh that's quite clever" rather than have me in fits of laughter, so that's not very good.
Oh, I have them all. Just not got around to watching yet.
(As with so many other thousands of programmes.)
