"Miranda" occurs to me as a slightly subtler female variant on "Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em" - not intentionally. I have only seen a little of it though. Does anyone else see the similarity between the two?
Miranda - Series 3 Page 3
I hadn't noticed before, but I suppose that there are certain similarities in the underlying themes, and of course it's true to say that they both utilise physical comedy... But central characters and plotlines are pretty different: where Frank Spencer is a failure at, well, everything, Miranda is merely clumsy and awkward, particularly in social situations.
Frank Spencer is, to all intents and purposes, a fairly severely educationally and emotionally retarded man. What the hell his rather shell-shocked and depressed wife is doing having a child with him - when he clearly needs some form of supervisory social care - is anyone's guess. Yes, apparently some vicious bastards find this sad state of affairs excruciatingly funny. Be that as it may, it's a bit unfair to compare Miranda with such dribbling effluent.
At last - someone else who finds Frank's utter hopelessness and wild stupidity a little saturating and, in its real world setting, unbelievable.
If he is indeed meant to be intellectually impaired, it is more believable and, in fact, revolutionary. It still does not, however, make sense that in all his interractions with educational institutions, his family and with medical profesionals, that this disability is not touched on even lightly.
Some comedic premises, but all in all I groan at this more regularly than laugh.
I should like to see a little more of Miranda. It doesn't seem to be to my taste, but I have not seen enough to know it. It seems that it is about another awkward, misfit - but a little subtler than something like "Some Mothers...". It seems a little old fashioned, but whether it is in fact a comment on the older sitcoms is yet to be seen (by me anyway).
If it's any kind of comment on older sitcoms, it's one of celebration.
"Miranda" has started airing in Australia now - much to my happiness. I don't think it will make it into my top ten, but I am rather enjoying it. There is some old fashioned schtick here, but the way it is used is often fresh.
It'll probably grow on you.
Besides, you have to love Miranda, she's been in Ab Fab and several other French & Saunders shows! 
The sad thing about Miranda for me is that it's easily one of the best sitcoms around at the moment. Easily top 5 stuff.
But compare it to sitcoms of 10 or 20 years ago and it looks clumsy and a bit crude.
It's like its showing up the weakness in current sitcoms.
Quote: sootyj @ March 19 2011, 12:12 PM GMTThe sad thing about Miranda for me is that it's easily one of the best sitcoms around at the moment. Easily top 5 stuff.
But compare it to sitcoms of 10 or 20 years ago and it looks clumsy and a bit crude.
It's like its showing up the weakness in current sitcoms.
Sadly too true sootyj.
Quote: KLRiley @ March 19 2011, 12:25 PM GMTSadly too true sootyj.
Miranda's great old fashioned knockabout farce comedy, with some great character acting. Much like Not GOing Out which also has the zingers.
Quote: Marc P @ March 19 2011, 12:28 PM GMTMiranda's great old fashioned knockabout farce comedy, with some great character acting. Much like Not GOing Out which also has the zingers.
Horses for courses Marc. I like Not Going Out but Miranda doesn't work for me. You either get on with a particular individual's schtick or you don't. The constantly mugging to camera only produces an urge for me to take said schtick and beat her with it, but I do admire her efforts to poison David Cameron last night.
Quote: KLRiley @ March 19 2011, 12:37 PM GMTHorses for courses Marc. I like Not Going Out but Miranda doesn't work for me. You either get on with a particular individual's schtick or you don't. The constantly mugging to camera only produces an urge for me to take said schtick and beat her with it, but I do admire her efforts to poison David Cameron last night.
Yes if you don't like the bits to camera I can see how that would derail the comedy for you. It's breaking the fourth wall or somesuch.
Quote: Marc P @ March 19 2011, 12:39 PM GMTYes if you don't like the bits to camera I can see how that would derail the comedy for you. It's breaking the fourth wall or somesuch.
Time and a place for it. I think she overuses it which is a shame because there is the character to take the story forward. But as flattery is the sincerest form of imitation it's spreading because its the in thing.
Quote: zooo @ March 19 2011, 12:06 PM GMTIt'll probably grow on you.
Besides, you have to love Miranda, she's been in Ab Fab and several other French & Saunders shows!
Yes - Yoko in Ab Fab
"I'm Japanese."
"Don't Ask."
The director in the "Mamma Mia" F&S parody for "Comic Relief" last year.
Interesting footnote - when Miranda first pitched a sitcom to the BBC a few years ago, the Trans-Atlantic Queen of Comedy herself was at the reading and laughed throughout. A ringing endorsement from the revered (and, lets face it, pretty comically infallible) La Saunders! 
Quote: ToddB @ March 19 2011, 9:34 PM GMT(and, lets face it, pretty comically infallible) La Saunders
Well, that's certainly one view to take.