I watched the first episode. It seems like they were trying too much. An audience-based sitcom with half the sitcom shot away from the audience (flashbacks). It was like they were trying to do Modern Family but with an audience and less funny.
I think audience-based comedy slows the pace down as you have to wait for the laughter to stop. But then they would try and ramp-up everything in between. Just didn't work for me.
Just watching the end of tonight's episode as I'm waiting for Graham Norton.
It really is scraping the bottom of the comedy barrel.
Would the hospital tell somebody else about someone's operation?
Shooting the shop keeper was a bit pathetic. I don't like the uncle character at all.
A bad Grounded For Life remake. Think I'll stick with the original.
So far liking this. Bit daft but fun.
Quote: Chappers @ June 17 2011, 2:37 PM BSTNever heard of Grounded For Life. I guess it must be one of those third rate American comedies.
No, it was far from third rate. One of the funniest things I've ever seen and vastly superior to the UK version.
Gave this a proper go last night to see if it had anything going for it. Had seen bits but turned it off before a proper appraisal could be made. So is this the replacement for My Family? Because we've very nearly got three very similar peak time famcoms running together. This doesn't make sense, it adds to the feeling that the Beeb have truly lost the plot over scheduling, for me. I just don't get how we seem to get gluts of certain types of show all at once these days, instead of them doing the obvious thing and spacing them out. They've lost me on this, I just don't get what they are doing.
Others have said here that it's better than LOR. On last night's, I couldn't say that. It seems just as facile, weak and unfunny as LOR, to me. They have cranked up the studio laughter to that ridiculous 'artificial' level, because it doesn't sound genuine at that level, it doesn't, whether it technically is or isn't, it doesn't sound it.
They have added, for our delight those Cbeebie flashy fade aways (what do you call them?) that are both truly irritating and old hat, because they've been around for years now. So they do the show's image no favours whatsover. In what's left of the show, we get blatant Janet and John grade sitcom dialogue. It's here you realise why they've cranked the laughter up, because without it you just wouldn't know it was your cue to laugh.
I think I see what they're trying to do, and that's add a slightly more working class feel to the famcom, but, it sort of doesn't change a thing if you don't like famcoms! If you do, well you have a bit more choice now, but still not one of them will be funny or memorable.
Quote: David2006 @ July 7 2011, 8:16 AM BSTNo, it was far from third rate. One of the funniest things I've ever seen and vastly superior to the UK version.
Agreed, the orignal one was all over this re-made tosh.
It was a damn shame it ended when it did.
Not too surprised as it didnt do too badly during the first series. Wasn't a success either but the BBC are very short of family sitcoms so are having to lower their standards.
Quote: dennispennis123 @ December 22 2011, 2:44 PM GMTNot too surprised as it didnt do too badly during the first series. Wasn't a success either but the BBC are very short of family sitcoms so are having to lower their standards.
By "lower their standards" I assume you are referring to ratings rather than programme quality. At least after seeing Life of Riley I hope that's what you mean.
Quote: Timbo @ December 22 2011, 2:49 PM GMTBy "lower their standards" I assume you are referring to ratings rather than programme quality. At least after seeing Life of Riley I hope that's what you mean.
Yes, ratings wise. The Beeb have so few sitcoms that pull in decent ratings nowaday that they are forced to recommision shows with paltry 3.5m figures.
Quote: Timbo @ December 22 2011, 2:49 PM GMTBy "lower their standards" I assume you are referring to ratings rather than programme quality. At least after seeing Life of Riley I hope that's what you mean.
If this has been recommissioned then they're obviously dropping their standards in terms of quality as well.
Frankly I'd rather watch "Life of Riley" than this tripe.
Each to their own, but I found the Flynns infinitely preferable to Riley.
In With the Flynns is back at a later time of 9:30. Not sure what to expect of Series 2. Series 1 was average. I will be tuning in to see if it's changed, and has come back better!
So they've gone post watershed, how unusual! Almost every new BBC sitcom in the past three years has either started or moved beyond the watershed. This totally goes against what their token mouthpiece controller says in their annual load of crap mission statement about wanting more primetime comedies.
It may be a rareish studio audience sitcom, but it's not going to win praise from the large pool of famcom watchers, at least from the parents. Don't they realise that the only reason they get so many viewers watching their bland famcoms is because they are bland and inoffensive, they are made for the family. If they start involving riskier plots and language then they will not be watched by that devoted subgroup.
How can a post watershed sitcom be a famcom? It's a contradiction. When will the BBC finally get a grip on things and stop blindly following trends because it seems cool to? They are letting a growing posse of substandard writers lead them down a blind back alley.
