Quote: Tuumble @ August 4 2010, 11:32 AM BSTAnyway, will watch this as this it has the Henman seal of approval
Seriously though Tuumble - don't go listening to me 
Inn Mates Page 2
Some promising aspects but also the deja-vu second hand feeling of a comedy blender show...echoes of Two Pints, Friends, even Phoenix Nights. Jury's out as far as I'm concerned. No laugh-track was a plus and some good sight/sound jokes. I'd say commission six episodes and see how it goes.
Thanks for that, Phil. The point of a pilot is obviously to think about what works, what doesn't, what might work better etc, so comments are useful and welcome.
Quote: Micheal Jacob @ August 5 2010, 9:58 AM BSTThanks for that, Phil. The point of a pilot is obviously to think about what works, what doesn't, what might work better etc, so comments are useful and welcome.
Would you rather pilots weren't broadcast, Michael? I got the impression from an earlier Writersroom blog that you sometimes don't find one off pilots that useful.
Go on, Michael, give him a series - you know you want to...
Quote: David Bussell @ August 5 2010, 10:01 AM BSTGo on, Michael, give him a series - you know you want to...
He wishes he had the power! I don't think it's MJ's decision.
If it was up to me, I'd have ordered a series by now, but other people make that decision.
I've been thinking a lot about pilots recently - for obvious reasons. This is a bit of a generalisation, but a long time ago, shows were commissioned on the basis that someone liked a script, the writer had a reputation, or there was a star involved. Then, 15 years ago or so, people started to make illustrative pilots, with a few props and no scenery. Perhaps three years after that, someone found the money to make a full-fat, transmittable pilot, and since then they have been the norm,though not all were actually transmitted. Now the level of investment is such that they almost invariably appear in public.
There are two aims really - one to get a series commission, and the other to think about what to change. Putting something out there can be a bit double-edged, and while I'm proud of The Inn Mates and glad that people are watching and commenting, part of me thinks a non-transmittable version would have enabled us to look at and think about what we've got out of the spotlight.
Whether or not there's a series, it's a great achievement for John.
Quote: Micheal Jacob @ August 5 2010, 10:52 AM BSTWhether or not there's a series, it's a great achievement for John.
Absolutely! Well done John.
Quote: Phil Cottrell @ August 5 2010, 5:40 AM BSTSome promising aspects but also the deja-vu second hand feeling of a comedy blender show...echoes of Two Pints, Friends, even Phoenix Nights. Jury's out as far as I'm concerned. No laugh-track was a plus and some good sight/sound jokes. I'd say commission six episodes and see how it goes.
Not sure I agree with the lack of a laugh track. My first thought was that the show would've been enhanced by one, especially near the end with the farcical electrified dance cage and flying colostomy bags.
Actually that would be my one gripe about a really promising show. The tone of that last scene jarred a bit with the rest of the episode. Everything was fairly naturalistic up until then. I understand though that they had to use scenes from an earlier incarnation of the show to save on budget so I can see what happened there.
Still, I've seen good pilots and bad pilots, and this was a good 'un.
Not quite sure I understand that Lee. This is the only thing we shot, so there was no previous material to knit in.
Interesting points about tone, and audience versus non-audience, though.
Isn't Henman best mates with the writer though? No disrespect to either of you, of course.
I shall watch it later. Let's hope it trumps Lunch Monkeys as best sitcom written by a BCGer.
Quote: Micheal Jacob @ August 5 2010, 12:25 PM BSTNot quite sure I understand that Lee. This is the only thing we shot, so there was no previous material to knit in.
Interesting points about tone, and audience versus non-audience, though.
I thought Warby said on the BBC blog interview something about having to re-use scenes from an earlier incarnation.
Quote: Lee Henman @ August 5 2010, 12:54 PM BSTI thought Warby said on the BBC blog interview something about having to re-use scenes from an earlier incarnation.
Just re-read the interview, he was actually talking about using scenes from the first script, in particular Neil Morrisey's and Joe Tracini's. My bad. http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/comedy/2010/08/inn-mates.shtml
Ben - John is also friends with the writer of Lunch Monkeys - it's all very chummy in the north.
Lee - he meant taking the Brian and Josh elements from the first script and knitting them into the one we shot - which was the second one. I go on a bit about that in my writersroom blog.
Quote: Ben @ August 5 2010, 12:41 PM BSTIsn't Henman best mates with the writer though? No disrespect to either of you, of course.
I shall watch it later. Let's hope it trumps Lunch Monkeys as best sitcom written by a BCGer.
I wouldn't say best mates. Part time lovers perhaps. Ooo. I feel a "This post is off topic" hurtling my way.
Quote: Micheal Jacob @ August 5 2010, 12:57 PM BSTLee - he meant taking the Brian and Josh elements from the first script and knitting them into the one we shot - which was the second one. I go on a bit about that in my writersroom blog.
Yep, I red it rong. 
I didn't want to give too much away in my previous post in case it put people off watchiing it but as there's already been some discussion, I'll chip in my two penneth.
On the whole, I enjoyed it and laughed a good deal more than at some shows.
I thought that Neil Morrissey stuck out a bit as the only 'big name' actor. In something like this with so many characters I'd rather come to it fresh and get to know them all. I wasn't convinced his 'son' was old enough to drink either so it seemed a bit unlikely they'd go to the pub (I'm sure that's just me being ancient and thinking everyone looks young). Some really good gags between this pair though.
I agree with Lee that, towards the end, the tone seemed to slip towards a baser level. The electrified cage didn't work for me. I think it was enough to have him humiliated by being in it, the rest didn't really add anything. I thought the officer and a gentleman parody was a bit weak too, it didn't feel as 'right' as the one in Miranda. Although when Morrissey pulled out the invoice I felt it just about managed to redeem itself.
I thought the inclusion of the threesome with the lesbian seemed like it was someones fantasy that somehow slipped through the net. Maybe it seemed out of place because it's just never happened to me.
This is all hyper critical stuff and as I said previously, I'd watch more if there was a series.