A lot of new stuff hitting the airways at present. And the quality is still variable. (That's me being polite. Actually it's still pretty awful.) I tried Strap in - it's Clever Peter. I lasted eight minutes of a 15 minute show but was baffled for most of them. Didn't get it. Perhaps Rocket Science will be better but a second series commissioned still at 15 min episodes (and only four of those) makes me wonder why it hasn't got a full half hour or six slots.
Quote: KLRiley @ May 17 2012, 12:02 PM BSTI tried Strap in - it's Clever Peter. I lasted eight minutes of a 15 minute show but was baffled for most of them. Didn't get it.
I did wonder how their 'different coloured jumpers' USP would translate to radio.
I made it to 11 (laugh-free) minutes before giving up. That seems rather harsh but the overall feeling I had was that they were on the Radio too soon. We probably don't need to return to the olden days were comedians did shows six times a night for a million years before getting media exposure....but I'd sooner that than hear stuff that sounds like a final year university review.
CP seem a likeable bunch with a lot of energy but if their opening show contains a sub-sub League of Gentlemen sketch about an old woman poisoning salesmen, then I'm not holding my breath for the rest of the series.
It's a crying shame!
Glad it wasn't just me. I do sometimes think I'm turning into a curmudgeon as it seems that radio ain't what it used to be. And then I listen to R4+ and am reminded that in fact the golden age of which I dream is but an illusion.
Quote: KLRiley @ May 17 2012, 2:19 PM BSTGlad it wasn't just me. I do sometimes think I'm turning into a curmudgeon as it seems that radio ain't what it used to be. And then I listen to R4+ and am reminded that in fact the golden age of which I dream is but an illusion.
Quite. One is left imagining a rerun of the 1970s, in which Radio 2 listeners on a Sunday afternoon would be subjected to a double bill of the reek of formaldehyde that was "The Clitheroe Kid" and the stench of laddish bigotry that was "Hello Cheeky". The former had been allowed to run for fifteen years, being stopped only by the eponymous hero's mother's death (he committed suicide the day of her funeral), and was repeated intermittently after that for the old folk. But it must have been anachronistic even when it started in 1957: it's a music hall act, essentially. And Hello Cheeky was a smutty university rag-mag on the air, to the point that I can't imagine that those responsible for it are entirely unhappy about the failure of the BBC to retain recordings of much of it. Golden age? As you say: an illusion.
It's not just that the Burkiss Way often isn't as funny as you remember, although it's still pretty fine. It's that the best way to listen to Round the Horne is to catch the first two minutes and then fast-forward to the music break in the middle, because it's the short sketches in the second half that haven't dated, while the lengthy parodies and stories are very, very old indeed. And The Goons serve as evidence that even genius requires a script editor.
I was going to commend Rory Bremner's Tonight as hitting it's stride but obviously the script editor nipped out for a swift one and while he was gone they shoehorned in the dog sketch. Laugh? I never thought I'd start. And I didn't.
C'mon guys. The rest of the show was good, especially the bit about Murdoch's MIB-type neuralizer.
Count Arthur Strong is transferring to TV ( Story). Considering the thoughts expressed on him earlier in this thread I guess that'll either be good news to hear, or not. I like the character, so looking forward to it.
On another radio related topic, I've just discovered the back catalogue of Desert Island Discs interviews. Over 100 interviews with comedians to download for free via this link: http://bbc.in/J4IkYW
Quote: Mark @ May 19 2012, 3:13 PM BSTCount Arthur Strong is transferring to TV ( Story). Considering the thoughts expressed on him earlier in this thread I guess that'll either be good news to hear, or not. I like the character, so looking forward to it.
I think it's jumped the shark: when comedy series go on holiday the warning bells ring, and the last series of the radio show with Arthur in Spain was pretty weak. But if they ran it on TV, there's no reason not to fish through the old episodes and use the strongest material. And at its best, it's very, very good.
Quote: Mark @ May 19 2012, 3:13 PM BSTCount Arthur Strong is transferring to TV ( Story). Considering the thoughts expressed on him earlier in this thread I guess that'll either be good news to hear, or not. I like the character, so looking forward to it.
Graham Linehan is co-writing, so I think even if you don't like it on radio, this has got to perk your interest and expectations!
Finnemore's writing gets better and better in Cabin Pressure. Gags and plot can be difficult things to juggle and he's doing it rather well.
Quote: KLRiley @ May 17 2012, 12:02 PM BSTA lot of new stuff hitting the airways at present. And the quality is still variable. (That's me being polite. Actually it's still pretty awful.) I tried Strap in - it's Clever Peter. I lasted eight minutes of a 15 minute show but was baffled for most of them. Didn't get it. Perhaps Rocket Science will be better but a second series commissioned still at 15 min episodes (and only four of those) makes me wonder why it hasn't got a full half hour or six slots.
I've enjoyed both so far.
Moopapa...
Births Deaths and Marriages underwhelms. Stock characters and too many seriously dud lines, so dud that the silence from the audience was embarrassing.
But I've been enjoying Believe it!. Stuff and nonsense but entertaining.
Soo0 true, what old fashioned dross that was , so lucky, so lazy- people on here are truly superior! >_<
Perhaps has contacts within; maybe Armado Ianuchie?
Quote: dellas @ May 26 2012, 8:10 AM BST
Perhaps has contacts within; maybe Armado Ianuchie?
Alan Partridge
Tonight was ok but would still expect more from the people involved.
Sure I have heard of David Shnieder before?little jewish chap?
I found Births, Death and Marriages quite good (My expectations were really low). Really liked the bit on the Roller Coaster.