I was in a coma after five minutes of this drivel!
Coma Girl
You, Charlie Boy, have a negative view of a comedy show? 
And you've come to make a pat put down, lacking in any real, useful criticism? Stop the presses!
As I said on the TV thread, I enjoyed this. I'd love to see what they'd do with a series. I thought it was pretty upbeat and enjoyable, despite the potentially bleak content.
Brilliant cast as well.
I didn't think much of it.
I didn't dislike it, but it felt very slight. You could, however, see that the individual characters had stories and lives that could be explored in future episodes. I thought more could probably have been done with the coma girl's inner world.
For me it would need to be expanded somewhat, perhaps if there were more characters? The Smoking Room, for example, had a restricted set-up, but it had more characters to play with.
I agree with Matthew - there's the potential for something a little more complex here - even though this was a rather faltering start.
The girl in the coma could have Alice-esque adventures that mirror/complement what's going on with the other girls.
They had a shared past and this would, I guess, feature in the 'dreamings' of a coma victim...
I get the feeling, though, they're not going to get a chance to take this further.
I wouldn't want them to spend more time in the coma girl's head, really. I enjoyed the real-life scenes more. I think they had the right balance of time spent in 'fantasy world'.
But yes, they could probably do some interesting and different things with those scenes. If they get given the chance.
I liked it, quite a lot. It was a premise pilot though, making it difficult to judge how a series would work as it was bogged down in setting everything up and so not a typical episode.
So much time was spent establishing each of the characters, it was more than half over before they had all finally met up and it actually began telling a story. I also think the way they introduced Solemani was a mistake. The scene in the taxi and walking in was far too long just to say she is a TV host who just got fired. With the relationships between the leads, all in different places in life, clearly being a fundamental aspect of the show it seemed strange to introduce her separately.
Given the setting and premise it will need to be very well written for a series to work, but I can see plenty of potential and I think it definitely deserves the opportunity.
I found it really disappointing. The cast are top notch and gave wonderful performances, but it was just too ploddingly slow. Nothing much happened and it wasn't particularly funny, which 'reacted' badly with the already slightly depressing hospital setting and coma scenario to create really quite a bleak feel by the end of it. It wasn't unremittingly downbeat, but it certainly didn't feel particularly "upbeat" as Channel 4 claimed.
Nothing outstanding, no laugh out loud moments, very average, but seen far worse. Has potential, but as I understand one show from Comedy Showcase will get a series, I think 'Chickens' has a lot more potential so far.
Quote: Jack Massey @ September 10 2011, 11:37 PM BSTbut as I understand one show from Comedy Showcase will get a series...
...and then get cancelled.
Quote: Tim Azure @ September 11 2011, 9:16 AM BST...and then get cancelled.
Wasn't PhoneShop, which is coming back for a second series, a Comedy Showcase show?
It was, yes.
Quote: Jack Massey @ September 10 2011, 11:37 PM BSTbut as I understand one show from Comedy Showcase will get a series
Only one? But what if two had been unbelievably awesome?
Quote: zooo @ September 11 2011, 12:48 PM BSTOnly one? But what if two had been unbelievably awesome?
More than one will be picked up if it's decided more than one deserves it.
Ah, good good.