They had one fart joke in the "Father Stone" episode...Linehan apologised for it in the audio commentary.
Miranda - Series 3 Page 10
That was one of the most painful sitcom viewings I've experienced. The blaringly obvious was plundered again and again, every contrived pratfall posted by snail mail, the overuse of her lumpy frame for laughs was ridiculous, the uneveness of the narrative horrible, the self indulgence factor disturbing and on and on I could go.
A lot of people are being fooled by this garish hodge podge of a sitcom. 'But it's funny!' Is it? Not to me. I don't want funniness forced on me, I want to be surprised by humourous things, not smashed over the head with them. It's not for me this, but then I'm not a female am I.
Quote: Alfred J Kipper @ December 27 2012, 11:44 AM GMTA lot of people are being fooled by this garish hodge podge of a sitcom.
No, no; no one is being 'fooled', some people just like it.
Some people are, like BAFTA and a few critics. To say it's the best sitcom of the year, when all they've done is turn up and mug the fawning audience with ancient pre 6th form humour and falling over looks to me like they've been fooled by the power of personality and a likeable newcomer. Analyse it against standards past and present and it won't hold up well at all. Or put another way, if an unknown had sent such a script in it wouldn't even get a reply.
It got just under 10M viewers so that's a lot of people being fooled!
It doesn't mean 10 million people loved it either. I reckon a few million men were happy to do the washing up when that came on, leaving the mrs to laugh herself silly in peace.
Quote: Alfred J Kipper @ December 27 2012, 11:44 AM GMTThat was one of the most painful sitcom viewings I've experienced. The blaringly obvious was plundered again and again, every contrived pratfall posted by snail mail, the overuse of her lumpy frame for laughs was ridiculous, the uneveness of the narrative horrible, the self indulgence factor disturbing and on and on I could go.
A lot of people are being fooled by this garish hodge podge of a sitcom. 'But it's funny!' Is it? Not to me. I don't want funniness forced on me, I want to be surprised by humourous things, not smashed over the head with them. It's not for me this, but then I'm not a female am I.
Well I'm a bloke and I liked it.
You're taking it all too seriously.
You have to take it in the spirit it's made - it's just gormless silly daft childish nonsense.
Quote: Alfred J Kipper @ December 27 2012, 11:44 AM GMTIt's not for me this, but then I'm not a female am I.
As he ignores the six or seven males that posted immediately before him expressing how much they enjoyed it...
Quote: Alfred J Kipper @ December 27 2012, 12:12 PM GMTIt doesn't mean 10 million people loved it either. I reckon a few million men were happy to do the washing up when that came on, leaving the mrs to laugh herself silly in peace.
Funny how 8.2m were watching EastEnders then the audience grew to 9.5m for Miranda then back down to 9m for Mrs Brown. People must like having their TV on BBC1 when they do the washing up.
Quote: zooo @ December 27 2012, 12:53 PM GMTAs he ignores the six or seven males that posted immediately before him expressing how much they enjoyed it...
40% of viewers were male.
I enjoy it in the same way I used to enjoy Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em. Your reward for sitting through the general naffness of most of it is some very nicely done slapstick.
The 'getting the shop back' story was crap, but the trouser leg in the lift gag was very funny.
I don't like Miranda as I have said before. I understand that it's meant to be light and daft, but I still feel that it misses the mark. Yes, responses to any kind of TV show are subjective, but I thought that this Christmas show was even less well done than usual. The script and storyline seemed clunky and forced. I understand escapism, the importance of silliness, simple joyfulness etc. but this show always seems so forced and egocentric that it misses being any of those things. To me 
I know a lot of you love it and I see it got massive viewing figures, so maybe I'm missing the 'such fun' chip. I suppose it comes down to one man's meat....
Quote: DougWonnacott @ December 27 2012, 1:51 PM GMTI enjoy it in the same way I used to enjoy Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em. Your reward for sitting through the general naffness of most of it is some very nicely done slapstick.
Well, just to add, I do think the slapstick and physical comedy of Frank Spencer was infintely superior to anything that we see in Miranda. It was much, much better executed and performed, was more varied and used more wisely and sparingly.
Quote: Pip Bond @ December 27 2012, 2:02 PM GMTWell, just to add, I do think the slapstick and physical comedy of Frank Spencer was infintely superior to anything that we see in Miranda. It was much, much better executed and performed, was more varied and used more wisely and sparingly.
I take your point. Although I would say that the naffness in Some Mothers outweighs Miranda by quite some margin, wobbly sets (even for the 1970s), underwritten supporting characters and the fact that it looks like they never did more than one take of anything (actors fumble their lines and it some how ends up in the finished episode).
I would say they come out (almost) even, I guess I prefer Some Mothers, but probably more for nostalgic reasons. Also, without Frank Spencer, Les Dennis would have had nothing to fill all the dead air in Family Fortunes.
I think it's the ironic 4th wall structure combined with a rather sacharine sitcom, that's also got the standard rather adult material that feels like a bit of mincemeat trifle.
Miranda Hart in Call the Midwife and other shows, is a perfectly good comedic actress. This show just feels well lumpy.
Quote: sootyj @ December 27 2012, 2:25 PM GMTI think it's the ironic 4th wall structure
What is this 4th wall thing?
Quote: Shandonbelle @ December 27 2012, 2:34 PM GMTWhat is this 4th wall thing?
Glancing at and talking to us at home
Like Oliver Hardy used to do!