Quote: bigfella @ July 20 2010, 9:08 PM BSTJust watched all the back episodes on IPlayer.
It's great. Can't understand the "its a comedy drama" thoughts on here though. I didn't think the gag count was that low either.
Excellent stuff.
I still say it's a comedy-drama. It looks like one, feels like one, sounds like one to me. It's even quoted as a comedy-drama on this very site's Press page. (Somewhere - buggered if I can find it again) https://www.comedy.co.uk/tv/rev/press/
Quote: Godot Taxis @ July 21 2010, 2:52 AM BSTEr... it became this. It's by the same writer and producer.
Oh, didn't realise! 
Quote: Godot Taxis @ July 21 2010, 2:52 AM BSTThe point I was making is just that we've all been told not write stuff like this. I'd much rather write single camera than studio comedy. I guess a lot would.
I wasn't disagreeing with you, GT. I 100% agree with what you said about what 'we've been told'. Maybe it's merely a case of 'lag' where what we've been told to write won't make it to screens for another year or so and this is from 'the last batch'
Quote: Lee Henman @ July 21 2010, 3:38 AM BSTI still say it's a comedy-drama. It looks like one, feels like one, sounds like one to me. It's even quoted as a comedy-drama on this very site's Press page. (Somewhere - buggered if I can find it again) https://www.comedy.co.uk/tv/rev/press/
Disagree. It's entirely sitcom to me!
Dan
Quote: Nogget @ July 20 2010, 8:58 PM BSTWhat is the significance of the two 'needy' characters, Colin and this other black guy? Colin seems to be something of an 'angel', finding solutions to things in mysterious ways; and the Rev quite likes him, but 'other guy' is treated with far less sympathy, to the point at which he is even denied use of the toilet. What's going on?
It's an urban vicar's lot that homeless people, drug addicts, etc will come to the vicarage asking for money and help. Colin is a member of the church and apart from maybe asking to sleep on the sofa, he doesn't seem to ask the vicar for anything. In fact I sometimes wondered how Adam can cadge cigarettes from him and take his drink, when Colin is obviously so poor.
I believe the 'other guy' is a crack addict and Adam knows he's just using him as a soft touch for money to buy more crack - hence Adam isn't prepared to help in this way.
Quote: Dolly Dagger @ July 21 2010, 9:42 AM BSTColin is a member of the church and apart from maybe asking to sleep on the sofa, he doesn't seem to ask the vicar for anything.
Well he does do things like letting himself in and eating all their breakfast.
Quote: Dolly Dagger @ July 21 2010, 9:42 AM BSTIn fact I sometimes wondered how Adam can cadge cigarettes from him and take his drink, when Colin is obviously so poor.
It does seem that the part of Colin is being written as the one who looks after things.
Quote: Dolly Dagger @ July 21 2010, 9:42 AM BSTI believe the 'other guy' is a crack addict and Adam knows he's just using him as a soft touch for money to buy more crack - hence Adam isn't prepared to help in this way.
That makes perfect sense, yes. I didn't 'get' the fact that he was a crack addict, I assumed he had mental problems.
I too find suggestions that this is comedy-drama a bit puzzling. To me, it's 100% sitcom, and strikes me as very similar in tone to recent BBC2 sitcoms Lead Ballooon and Saxondale. In fact watching Monday's episode I was reminded of the Saxondale episode where Mark Williams stays with Coogan and they get drunk together.
Part of me wishes it would amp up the drama aspects, because I think the times when it's really stood out have been in the few moments of drama, such as in the episode where Smallbottom squared off against the trendy priest. If they let Hollander cut loose more like this, I think you'd have a potentially great show. As it is, it's merely a good show.
Sitcom Mission's blog on the subject: https://www.comedy.co.uk/sitcom_mission/blog/
Dan
Watching it for first time on iPlayer and quite enjoying it
Best episode of the series so far. Hope Jonathan Harvey writes more in the second series. Colin Salmon was surprisingly good. And great to see Smallbone's steel again. Him telling Leon he was a wanker was very funny.
Good fun. Didn't laugh, but good fun.
Yes enjoyed it once again.
How can it be "fun" but you don't "laugh" Aaron?
Sex is fun but you don't generally laugh.
Quote: Aaron @ July 26 2010, 10:35 PM BSTGood fun. Didn't laugh, but good fun.
Agree wholeheartedly. It's easily the best thing on TV at the moment; the lack of LOLs doesn't bother me too much. Laughing is overrated.
I thought it was really powerful last night - the acting was better than ever.
This really is develpoing into something special.
The 'wanker' line alone would have got a cheer in the cinema.
The fact that people are flailing about trying to categorize this is evidence of it's impact.
Hard to categorise? Then maybe it's created its own new category - sitcom-drama or sitma.
For me it is not a sitcom but nor is it a true comedy drama.
It's more a comedy drama in content and style, but the half hour schedule and snappy pacing give it the structure and feel of a sitcom. It doesn't have the depth of a true comedy drama, but then the issues it raises are totally untypical of sitcom. The humour rating is high for a true comedy drama but too subtle for sitcom, its humour is not sitcom style at all, no punchline stuff.
For me the category it most resembles is satire, remember that? Dramatic satire.
I think most will agree that it is unique.
Still puzzled why people are struggling to catergorise this. It's in exactly the same mould as Saxondale and Lead Balloon, which are obviously sitcoms.
