British Comedy Guide

Episodes - Series 1 Page 17

As I said earlier, there were enough laughs for me in the second episode to say that I genuinely enjoyed it.

As for come-uppance and plot development, it's a 7 part series. Where presumably, the only overall plot arc is the show gradually being transformed against the writers will. There's alot of time for "stuff" to happen, including Merc to be shown up in a much more blatant way than quiet disapproval.

In fact, due to this likely slow plot development, I have a feeling this could well be much better received once it hits DVD and the whole series can be watched in 1 or two sittings?

Quote: chipolata @ January 19 2011, 5:53 PM GMT

And the dinner party for me was a mixed bag. When they were sitting around the table I kept thinking, "Curb Your Enthusiasm does this sort of thing so much better."

I agree. I think this was Crane and Klarik trying to adapt to the more adult comedy field post-Curb

Is Merc really supposed to be the big, bad villain here? He doesn't seem that 'monstrous' to me, not in any sense of the word.

As for mocking his wife at the dinner table, though ill-advised, it was nowt more than a bit of gallows-type humour.

Quote: Griff @ January 18 2011, 9:46 PM GMT

This is definitely tipping over from sitcom into comedy drama

Is it? Because I haven't noticed any drama yet. To paraphrase Matt Le Blanc, "It's sort of comedy meets...not comedy."

Quote: Griff @ January 20 2011, 10:04 AM GMT

Or one of my other favourite lines from Friends, "Hey look! It's Funny's cousin, Not Funny."

Nice swerve to avoid telling me where the drama is. ;)

Quote: Griff @ January 20 2011, 10:07 AM GMT

Fair point. No it isn't very dramatic. I don't really care about any of the characters. But I kind of like the performances, Mangan and Greig are delivering good stuff with a not-that-great script. And there's a few laughs in each episode even if they're rarer than they ought to be.

I'd agree with that. I think the cast - including Le Blanc - are making this far more watchable than it deserves to be. And although I pretty much know where it's going, and don't expect any surprises along the way, I'll stick with it to the end now.

18 pages long?! Bloody hell.

I'm not sure about this show, it's got gags in it but so has a box of Christmas crackers. Coincidentally (or not) been watching a few episodes of Friends recently, which is probably not helping me find Episodes any funnier as Matt is hilarious in Friends and not really likable in this. I think Matt has a certain charm, or he can portray that or at least he did with Joey and I don't want to dislike him. I don't think he should be a Joey but, as in the show, I have to force myself to believe this role too. They could have easily got someone with a more dis-likable rep' and cleverly worked something around that.

Has this been mentioned?

http://sites.google.com/site/tvwriting

The script's up. I like the show so hasn't changed any of my opinions but it may change others...doubt it though :)

For some reason I found it really watchable, but it's not really very funny. So for a sitcom/drama it doesn't realy work. I'll stick with it though for no other reason than Daisy Haggard, I hope she comes into it more though, she was hardly seen in the last episode.

Didn't the whle thing start with Tamsin Greig driving off angry and what we are seeing now is all a flashback leading up to that point? This seemed to have got lost in the second episode.

This whole show seems very 'careful'. Some of the humour is very pedictable, i.e. bath taking ages to fill up and "...she has tourettes". The gate guard is tedious.

The person making the best of their part in this is Katheleen Rose Perkins as Carol from the network.

I really can't decide if I like it or not...I'm indifferent.

Quote: freddie gagtella @ January 23 2011, 10:27 AM GMT

Didn't the whle thing start with Tamsin Greig driving off angry and what we are seeing now is all a flashback leading up to that point? This seemed to have got lost in the second episode.

They aren't going to do the flashback every episode. I think it was just meant to hook people's interest in the long term.

They should have done it like Damages and told the story in two distinct time frames.

Laughed a few times tonight, mostly at the knob stuff, so a slight improvement. Still not convinced though.

There's nothing particularly memorable or outstanding about the show. And the Grieg character is an annoying whiny victim. That said, it's effortlessly watchable.

This only comes alive when Matt Le Blanc is on screen, but he is not exactly sending himself up. In fact he seems to be using the show to enhance his reputation...

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