British Comedy Guide

Watson & Oliver - Series 1 Page 4

Quote: AJGO @ February 22 2012, 12:25 AM GMT

Haven't seen this yet, but my Mum said they came across as having no chemistry, the eyebrow sketch got dull after two examples, and that the Myleene Klass bit was the most convincing sketch but could've been done by anyone and that it is lazy to mock celebs, especially obvious ones. She thought Barrowman came across well but that the idea was hackneyed. My Mum is not allowed on forums because she will rip the internet to shreds :D

Your mum sounds great!

So, just watched this and didn't outright hate it. Its biggest problem is an obvious lack of a cohesive identity.

I'll start with the positives -

The girls are talented and can do comedy, the lady leaving work early Spooks sketch made me giggle, the Sense and Sensibility sketch made laugh out loud, the Playboy Bunnies were amusing, the Barrowman interaction was very Morecambe and Wise in tone and Barrowman's 'I make dreams come true' line had me chuckling.

Now the negatives -

The Myleene Klass stuff reminded me too much of Katy Brand's schtick, the darling cafe and prison sketches were going nowhere fast, the eyebrow sketch went on too long and had an unsatisfactory ending. Topped off with the usual godawful song and dance number at the end. (chicks eh?)

In conclusion -

Watson and Oliver are the female Armstrong and Miller without the strength, depth or humour, and the poor writing and the lack of likeable / identifiable characters will limit the growth of this show. They need to step outside their posh bubble world and engage the audience with more recognisable and sympathetic situations.

A promising start nonetheless and at least they have somewhere to go in the future with this vehicle.

The Barrowman bits of the song were good. He's got a lovely pair of lungs on him.

My Mum says Barrowman was good but it's daft to get someone else in on your sketch vehicle because he rescued the show and so shows up the rest of it. And she wasn't even sure who he was.

(I promise I'm not going to be a voicepiece for others' opinions from now on! Just thought I'd share the views of a non-BCGer)

Quote: Harridan @ February 22 2012, 12:28 AM GMT

Your mum sounds great!

She says ta :)

:O How has your mother escaped knowledge of the Barrowman!?

(Many people would probably be quite jealous.)
(Silly people.)

Quote: zooo @ February 22 2012, 12:46 AM GMT

The Barrowman bits of the song were good.

He is a good singer and I don't mind him when he does light hearted fluff.

Quote: AJGO @ February 22 2012, 12:51 AM GMT

(I promise I'm not going to be a voicepiece for others' opinions from now on! Just thought I'd share the views of a non-BCGer)

Your Mum better be alive, I won't stand for any of this 'channelling of the spirits' nonsense on the BCG.

Quote: Badge @ February 21 2012, 11:12 PM GMT

Perhaps Aaron or Mark will know, but this does seem to have had a long gestation period. Wasn't it mooted as a big new sketch show for last autumn?

If it was, that was very early on. It was piloted in 2010, and the series recorded to the end of September 2011. I was being told, probably back in August, that TX would be early this year.

Quote: Aaron @ February 22 2012, 1:34 AM GMT

If it was, that was very early on. It was piloted in 2010, and the series recorded to the end of September 2011. I was being told, probably back in August, that TX would be early this year.

Maybe I'm getting confused with the pilot being two years old.

There was an ITV pilot (on one of the digital things) a few years back, I think.

I wasn't massively keen. Like Oliver, but I find Watson a bit face-pully. But regardless, I think they feel a little lightweight to carry a show on their own and could do with being part of a larger ensemble. A shame, as I've adored their Edinburgh shows I've seen.

Barrowman was really good though, and I rarely say that.

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