He might not get offered all that much silly comedy. He probably gets all serious, dour stuff now.
The Royal Bodyguard Page 5
Quote: Ian Fryer @ December 28 2011, 8:36 PM GMTHaven't seen this yet, but didn't David Jason do something very similar in the seventies: The Top Secret Life of Edgar Briggs?
I wouldn't call it very similar. Bit of slapstick to it, but a very different tone.
(And yes, 1974.)
Quote: William Purry @ December 28 2011, 12:35 PM GMTPerhaps Rik Mayall could have made it better.
A good choice for the role, I'd have thought. Or Lee Evans, who can easily do all the flinging himself around, without us worrying if he'll be alright afterwards. DJ just looks too old for this role to be even slightly plausible.
There's a bigger problem in the script writing though, where silliness vies with unoriginality as the biggest crime. Silliness is okay if it hadn't been done to death in recent sitcoms but the set ups look so close to Johnny English that the writers of that may want to think about suing for plagiarism if they hadn't've nicked them all themselves. I'm just left wondering how a sitcom script like this gets anywhere near a commissioner's hands, let alone a prime sitcom slot on BBC 1. 
As they've made a series of it, the viewing figures will tell the tale. Unlike the 'one off' Royle Family Christmas specials, you watch in hope that they will be good, figures for episode 2 will be the ones that matter.
Have not seen much of this so far. David Jason has a solid gift for comedy, but I worry that they will have to pull their punches where the physical stuff is concerned because of his age - and it seems to want to trade off being wonderfully slapstick. Surely they can satirise all of the protocols et cetera to give it another angle - that could make for some humourously absurd banter.
Someone said that Rik Mayall would be good in this - yes he would! His skillls are probably best used in something else, however - hopefully he and Adrian Edmonson will get to that!
There are a lot of young actors out there from shows like "Shameless", "PAs", "The Inbetweeners" and "Teenage Kicks" - why aren't they being drafted into things woith a bit of slapstick, instead of just having the same people who were doing it when they were young and physically able continuing to do it now?
Speaking of slapstick, will someone read my treatment for "Spiralling Out of Control" and give me some feedback on the ideas? 
Did somebody actually write this drivel?
I lasted about 10 minutes.
Mixed feelings on viewing Episode One, with no reflection on DJ whatsoever. Throwing DJ into this role is almost like "Maggie" in Extras, if that makes any comparative sense?
So, let's see how Episode 2 unfolds and we will all be better equipped to judge this little series.
All the best,
Cal 
Lame jokes poorly executed. I laugh at most comedies but this was no joke. The concept was far fetched and therefore needed a strong script. Unfortunately it turned out to be a 7 stone weakling.
Quote: YetanotherPaulLewis @ January 2 2012, 9:44 AM GMTLame jokes poorly executed. I laugh at most comedies but this was no joke. The concept was far fetched and therefore needed a strong script. Unfortunately it turned out to be a 7 stone weakling.
From a far fetched concept you get a far fetched script. You can only ever be as good as the concept, surely?
Quote: Tim Azure @ January 2 2012, 4:05 PM GMTFrom a far fetched concept you get a far fetched script. You can only ever be as good as the concept, surely?
Depends on the writing.
Posh East coast doctor has to return home to look after his blue collar father. Sounds dire but became Frasier.
Tea drinking Brit in a dressing gown travels the universe. Hitchhiker's is legendary.
But I stick by my OP on Royal Bodyguard. Dodgy premise, miscast and I won't be watching.
Episode one was witless pointless and embarrassing, like the Naked Gun mixed with Mr Bean and the Pink Panther without any of the wit imagination or comedy. So essentially an old short bloke with too much hair dye whose stunt double was adept at falling over. I will be watching the second episode because I want to make sure it was as bad as I remember. There has been a lot of sherry and mince pies consumed since then.
I have a feeling that this series will stay with me for a long while, despite all that heavy drinking. Seeing a elderly comic actor of David Jason's stature in something as excruciating as this is like walking in on your grandad while he's having a wank. Perhaps time to get the Do Not Adjust Your Set DVDs out for an airing.
As a newbie, late to this thread, I would just like to register my opinion of this waste of time.
Like a very, very bad, very, very old Norman Wisdom escapade (no offence to Norman as he would've turned it down flat)! OMG! WHAT is wrong with the world???
Lame predictability, gut-cringing and pointless antics, unbelievable.
It's easy to criticise, but come on TV professionals (and David Jason) who are you kidding???
Quote: lofthouse @ December 28 2011, 1:19 PM GMTDidn't watch this as I predicted it would be dreadful
Seems I was right
It's Christmas, let's bung David Jason in any old rubbish and it will get big viewing figures
Well not me matey
I can't add any more to this.
What utter tripe this is - it's even worse than last weeks and God knows that's saying something.
Yeah it got worse. A lot worse.