I thought it was the best episode yet. The funniest scene for me yet was the Bonham Carter scene from ep 3, up there with some classic Office scenes, IMO.
Life's Too Short Page 27
Quote: Will Cam @ December 3 2011, 10:26 AM GMTHaven't watched any of these yet.
It needed to be said.
Quote: sootyj @ December 3 2011, 8:33 AM GMTThe Steve Carrell think was weirdly underpowered.
Agreed. And also, rather bizarrely, he appeared to be standing outdoors. Like he was presenting a news report.
I can understand some of the criticisms of this show but it does still make me laugh more than most comedies on TV. The big issue I have with it though is that there is no heart and frequently no plot. The Office had the Tim and Dawn relationship, Extras had Andy and Maggie but Life's Too Short has none of that. If there were more humanity and his wife was dutifully sticking around (rather like Ever Decreasing Circles) then it might have worked better.
It's kinda the polar opposite of The Cafe which has loads of interesting, likeable characters but no plot or jokes.
Some bits are funny, Warwick's trip to the school and Right Said Fred were amusing. But so much else is just nasty and I don't see what's so funny about someone being small?
NB Watched Peter Kay yesterday with the midget scene from Phoenix Nights and that was properly laugh out loud funny.
Quote: Nick @ December 3 2011, 12:14 PM GMTI can understand some of the criticisms of this show but it does still make me laugh more than most comedies on TV. The big issue I have with it though is that there is no heart and frequently no plot. The Office had the Tim and Dawn relationship, Extras had Andy and Maggie but Life's Too Short has none of that. If there were more humanity and his wife was dutifully sticking around (rather like Ever Decreasing Circles) then it might have worked better.
Good points made, but I personally feel there is plenty of humanity in the show, it comes from us feeling sorry for him. Yes, he's a pathetic character, much like Brent, but because of his size, and all the humiliation scenes he's in, we feel for him. That's my own take on it.
You feel for someone because they're humiliated and physically small?
That's a tad distrubing.
Quote: Alfred J Kipper @ December 3 2011, 12:28 PM GMTGood points made, but I personally feel there is plenty of humanity in the show, it comes from us feeling sorry for him. Yes, he's a pathetic character, much like Brent, but because of his size, and all the humiliation scenes he's in, we feel for him. That's my own take on it.
I can understand that. And there is an element of Frank Spencer in the Warwick Davis character. But Frank Spencer had Betty who at least supplied some sense of reality (maybe a better choice of word that humanity).
If you are short you face different challenges in life and the comedy, particularly the physical comedy should reflect this. Warwick has said he enjoys doing slapstick. It works when the physical scrapes he get in are the result of his refusal to accept the limitations of his stature, which is all about his character, the bookcase scene being a case in point.
I recall a mate of mine saying he thought David Blunkett was a good thing because he had made it socially respectable to dislike a blind person. I think that is what Warwick is doing, he is saying dwarfs* are just like other people - arseholes.
There is a big difference between laughing at your own limitations and having others laugh at you out of ignorant prejudice. When you can laugh at yourself and let others laugh with you, you have gained a place in society.
* the correct English plural of dwarf; 'dwarves' is a Tolkien linguistic invention, intended to distinguish his mythical people from humans of short stature.
Worst episode of the lot so far - the celebrity cameo which is usually the highlight of the episode was just so terrible this time round. Thinking you've hung up and slagging off the person in question, before it turns out they're still listining? Is that really the best that Gervais could come up with to do with someone who you assume he knows better than these other stars?
And then to repeat the joke about 3 times as well - was that supposed to make it funnier, or just fill up an extra 5 mins? I'm erring towards the latter as it's pretty clear they didn't have many ideas for this episode.
They managed to fill up about a quarter of the episode by having Warwick see the high-up trophy, talk about getting it and then hang off the shelves for a while - again, cutting to that shot and then away again, as if I'm supposed to find it funny and surprising each time I see it?
A real massive let-down of an episode, even more so after the previous two had me laughing out loud a few times.
I'm a short arse, don't see any fun because of my size? I am ok, so don't see tons of humour from a dwarf.
Not sure how many times Ricky has to say the humour isn't supposed to be derived from laughing at him because he's small...
There is no comedy if you take away his height. What would we be laughing at? A six foot man stuck in the lavatory/dustbin/lavatory again/falling out of a car/dressed as a child?
It's really only a step up from laughing at a man with cerebral palsy body popping or a down's syndrome girl wearing make-up.
A best it's a bit sad at worst, well... it's genuinely contemptible.
In my opinion, that's rather like saying The Office was just people laughing at an overweight white man for being overweight and white.
Warwick's character has an idiotic personality and I think that is where most of the comedy comes from. Also the world is not made for a short person and that's where some of the other comedy comes from.
But if people are insistent on beng offended on behalf of all the poor, sad, upset dwarfs (none of whom seem to be offended), so be it. 
Quote: zooo @ December 4 2011, 12:11 PM GMTThat's rather like saying The Office was just people laughing at an overweight white man for being overweight and white.
It isn't in any way. There are a few jokes that depend on Brent's bulk or appearance - but not many. There aren't any that depend on his ethnicity. Most of the comedy comes from undercutting the pomposity of Brent and Gareth and highlighting the listlessness of the office environment through the eyes of Tim.
Quote: zooo @ December 4 2011, 12:11 PM GMTWarwick's character has an idiotic personality and that is where most of the comedy comes from. Also the world is not made for a short person and that's where some of the other comedy comes from.
Some of the comedy is based on the gulf between between Warwick's perception and the reality we're shown - like Brent, but most of it is based on the fact that small people look funny when placed in bins, dancing etc.
Quote: zooo @ December 4 2011, 12:11 PM GMTBut if people are insistent on beng offended on behalf of all the poor, sad, upset dwarfs (none of whom seem to be offended), so be it.
As far as I can see, people are generally offended because the comedy is cheap and childish and a little bit nasty. It offends their values, not some imagined desire to protect the dignity of dwarfs.
You continue to defend Gervais' writing as always having an invisible, satirical subtext. The only logical conclusion is that his views are your views.