Needs a bit of story in it really.
Lead Balloon - Series 4 Page 6
Quote: Frantically @ June 9 2011, 8:04 PM BSTGoing postal? Perhaps with the daughter and her tw*t of a boyfriend.
These two steal the show for me.
I was expecting a denouement on the shopping channel plot. You know, Rick screws it all up in the last two minutes of the show as usual. It felt really odd to see him doing something well and getting on! Perhaps they're going all Dr Who with a fancy 'series arc'.
Almost everything is right about this show, production, supporting actors, and I like Dee a lot elsewhere... yet I don't laugh*. I can't warm to Spleen's problems, given that he lives in a nice house and seems to want for nothing. Spleen, you've even got a maid; stop complaining. Also, the wife is insufferable, (not in a funny way) and a lot of the gags are too obvious; what else was going to happen if he pushes a pig's arse? Actually, some of the plot is also predictable, but it could still be funny if, say, the inevitability of him borrowing a book on writing novels had a good pay-off. But it didn't.
And I'm getting annoyed by the pregnant pauses whenever Rick says something embarrassing to someone. Oh, we were supposed to laugh there, were we? Really? Why not just flash up a neon sign with 'laugh now' on it?
* There are a few nice gags.
Quote: Nogget @ June 10 2011, 12:31 PM BSTI can't warm to Spleen's problems, given that he lives in a nice house and seems to want for nothing.
I think the point is that although he's reasonably well off, it's almost all down to his wife's career. He's been semi-successful in the past, but has somehow failed to build on that and is instead just going downhill. No matter how well off they are as a family, that's got to be quite depressing to be a bit of a failure like that.
Quote: Aaron @ June 10 2011, 12:44 PM BSTthat's got to be quite depressing to be a bit of a failure like that.
Sure, especially since as the show pointed out, traditionally the bloke wants to be the breadwinner. But his wife is doing fine, so to my mind, he should be happy for her. Of course, 'my mind' is not Spleen's mind, which is why I don't empathise with him; I can understand his feelings, but not feel them.
Quote: Aaron @ June 10 2011, 12:44 PM BST/... gown downhill.
Gown? Are you from Norfolk?
I appear to be unable to use the letters 'i' or 'g'.
*smacks head on wall*
Quote: Nogget @ June 10 2011, 1:08 PM BSTSure, especially since as the show pointed out, traditionally the bloke wants to be the breadwinner. But his wife is doing fine, so to my mind, he should be happy for her. Of course, 'my mind' is not Spleen's mind, which is why I don't empathise with him; I can understand his feelings, but not feel them.
I think he probably is happy for her, but at the same time is ... well, I'm not sure if 'bitter' is the right word, but certainly 'frustrated', at the direction of his own success and income.
I can't help feeling that 'Lead Balloon' is beginning to outstay its welcome. Series four is certainly not bad by any stretch of the imagination, however the show does seem to be running out of steam to me.
Personally, I would like to see the programme become a little less formulaic, more prominent roles given to Mel and Michael, and less prominence given to Magda, Ben and Sam.
I was thinking that the other day, no one has moved on since the first series. Sam and Ben seem to be edging towards 30 without developing anything a reasonable person might describe as a personality.
I think they're still about 20 aren't they?
God knows. Perhaps they should have won a round-the-world holiday or something for this series though; they're really annoying and don't seem to add anything to the show.
Quote: Gokkun @ June 13 2011, 2:35 PM BSTPersonally, I would like to see the programme become a little less formulaic, more prominent roles given to Mel and Michael ...
Mel's a nothing character. She only exists to let us know Rick isn't gay - and having sex with Marty.
She's also smart and successful, so there isn't much scope to extend her role. Certainly not for comedic purposes anyway.
Quote: Agnes Guano @ June 13 2011, 4:10 PM BSTI was thinking that the other day, no one has moved on since the first series. Sam and Ben seem to be edging towards 30 without developing anything a reasonable person might describe as a personality.
I tend to agree with this so far. As others have said the show has a lot of talent and to my mind the best is wasted with Sam and Ben. They are both seriously good actors but their characters are flat 16 year olds from series 1.
This is poor so far. His wife constantly takes the piss out of him and Marty is insufferably smug but never gets a comeuppance. And as if you'd let that cafe owner talk to you like that without telling him to f*ck off.
Oh no! Hahahaha