Quote: chipolata @ December 7 2011, 9:46 AM GMTSteve Carrell literally phoned his in.
Life's Too Short Page 32
It's a real curate's egg of a show. The last episode was the worst so far. Warwick as has been said is a natural in the role but each situation he finds himself in is becoming more and more ridiculous and not in a comedic way. It lacks a flow in my opinion, which of course means nothing as I have yet to write my first BBC sitcom. Yet I tells ya!
Just read the Independent article, where Warwick Davis said:
"For people who judge the show for mocking short people, they're just not getting it."
Which seems to be the stock response from anyone involved in the show's production to any criticism. In the last episode, a woman filmed Davis on her mobile just to take the mick out of him. When asked why, she said "a dwarf holding a box, it's funny."
Maybe we're supposed to laugh at the ignorance of the woman. Yet the woman gets no comeuppance. So surely we are indeed invited to laugh at the concept of a dwarf holding a box. Which goes hand in hand with laughing at his height.
Clearly I don't get it.
Quote: Millsy @ December 8 2011, 12:19 PM GMTMaybe we're supposed to laugh at the ignorance of the woman.
Of course we are.
It seems that almost ALL the comedy in this show comes from ignorant people being rude to dwarves. It happens umpteen times each and every episode.
It's an exaggerated version of what someone like Warwick may face everyday. People can and will be outright rude. Lady nurse Leevils tells me all the time that when she takes one of her patients out in a wheelchair people actually gawp, stare, point, ridicule. It's f**king unbelievable the way people still treat other people.
I enjoy watching this show. I enjoy the slapstick within. It may not be Laurel and Hardy but it's a rare sight these days and Warwick does it quite well. He's using his height to an advantage. BBC, along with any other public broadcaster should be sensitive to their viewers but I really don't think this show is a problem.
Quote: zooo @ December 8 2011, 1:03 PM GMTOf course we are.
But what she's saying isn't inherently funny. The joke is Warwick getting humiliated by being mocked and then falling over.
As an aside, have you ever found any show, or indeed any person, unfunny, ever, in your life?
Interesting question. I have one for you, have you understood a show without needing it explained, ever, in your life?
Quote: Millsy @ December 8 2011, 3:28 PM GMTBut what she's saying isn't inherently funny. The joke is Warwick getting humiliated by being mocked and then falling over.
As an aside, have you ever found any show, or indeed any person, unfunny, ever, in your life?
Leevil's just explained it for you.
Quote: Vader @ December 8 2011, 3:47 PM GMTLeevil's just explained it for you.
No he didn't. He pointed out there were a lot of ignorant people in the world and dwarves undoubtedly encounter a lot of prejudice. Sticking that prejudice on screen doesn't equal comedy gold.
Yeah, so nerr! 
Quote: Leevil @ December 8 2011, 5:00 PM GMTYeah, so nerr!
Quote: chipolata @ December 8 2011, 4:57 PM GMTNo he didn't. He pointed out there were a lot of ignorant people in the world and dwarves undoubtedly encounter a lot of prejudice. Sticking that prejudice on screen doesn't equal comedy gold.
I never said that it does. I meant that Leevil explained the point of the scene, in that we weren't being invited to laught AT Warwick, but that it was holding a mirror up to peoples prejudices.
Quote: Millsy @ December 8 2011, 3:28 PM GMTBut what she's saying isn't inherently funny
No, it's not funny. That's the bottom line. Stop over analysing it and trying to work out whether you should be offended or not.
People are getting so bogged down in the argument about whether it's offensive or not, that the argument of whether it's funny or not is being pushed a side. I know it's cool to be offended on somebody elses behalf nowadays but the real problem is the quality. In my opinion it's a painfully unfunny and predictable watch. It has no plot, it doesn't flow and only has one character with an ounce of depth. People aren't laughing at Warwick, there also not laughing with him....they're just not laughing.
Quote: Hyde150 @ December 8 2011, 6:19 PM GMTNo, it's not funny. That's the bottom line. Stop over analysing it and trying to work out whether you should be offended or not.
People are getting so bogged down in the argument about whether it's offensive or not, that the argument of whether it's funny or not is being pushed a side. I know it's cool to be offended on somebody elses behalf nowadays but the real problem is the quality. In my opinion it's a painfully unfunny and predictable watch. It has no plot, it doesn't flow and only has one character with an ounce of depth. People aren't laughing at Warwick, there also not laughing with him....they're just not laughing.
I'm not offended, apart from when Warwick's doing a David Brent impression. My whole point (I did have one) was that it's getting a bit tiresome to hear Gervais and Davis saying "don't like it? Must be easily offended or plain don't get it" when the show receives any sort of criticism.