Life's Too Short 2013 Special Page 6

Quote: G180e @ April 1 2013, 4:29 PM BST

Fair Enough. What don't you like about it? I loved it when it was in 2011 and really enjoyed the special on Saturday Night.

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I think it's laughing at failure.
Doesn't make me feel particularly good.

Gervais uses 'irony' to make a lot of what I think is really quite cruel comedy.
When Warick Davies falls off the stool - what are we really laughing at?
Is it anything more than "Oh, look, the funny little man fell over"?
"Cos I'm pretty sure that's what Ricky finds funny.
He's just managed to convince a lot of people that there's more to it than that.

In 'The Office', he played the failure and he played it brilliantly - and I guess you could say the same of "Derek", though I thought that descended into parody...

I'm just not sure this show is much more than making people dance before the camera.

Quote: youngian @ April 1 2013, 4:14 PM BST

Warwick Davis's character works much better as a hapless nice guy optimist.

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Yeah definitely. I liked the series but I think they have shifted the character, maybe because viewers were uncomfortable as to whether you're allowed to laugh at a bad guy dwarf suffering misfortunes or not?

I hope there is another series of this, because this special has set things up nicely. And (irl) Warwick is clearly too nice a guy to pull off the agent-shark character that was created originally.

Quote: Snafu @ April 1 2013, 4:45 PM BST

I hope there is another series of this, because this special has set things up nicely.

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I would love a second series but I don't think the BBC want to give the show a second run after the poor ratings in 2011. You can tell they're not keen on it by shoving it on at 10pm on a random Saturday night. They're just trying to get it over and done with by the looks of things.

It's no more funny when a dwarf falls over than when anyone else falls over. But people falling over is funny.
Especially just after they've been trying to sound important by getting their assistant to big them up.

It'd be a shame, as the Liam Neeson scene is probably the funniest moment in any sitcom for at least 10 years. I'm pretty sure that if they want to make it, write a script, and can round up a similar calibre of Hollywood A listers to cameo then it'll get made by someone.

Quote: Snafu @ April 1 2013, 4:55 PM BST

It'd be a shame, as the Liam Neeson scene is probably the funniest moment in any sitcom for at least 10 years. I'm pretty sure that if they want to make it, write a script, and can round up a similar calibre of Hollywood A listers to cameo then it'll get made by someone.

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I think Ricky and Steve would love to do another series but the BBC and HBO just don't want it. I suppose they could do it as an online thing I they wished to?

I found this more of a documentary than a comedy.

Quote: David Smith @ April 1 2013, 5:12 PM BST

I found this more of a documentary than a comedy.

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It's a mockumentary , david!

Quote: Snafu @ April 1 2013, 4:55 PM BST

the Liam Neeson scene is probably the funniest moment in any sitcom for at least 10 years.

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Yes, and I ended up watching another 5.5 episodes of bad sit com because of that scene.

I quite enjoyed the special. I see Lazzard's point, but I think it's wrong to assume that Cheggers' position in the show is any different from Kilmer's. To be honest, I thought Cheggers and Dennis turned in better performances than Kilmer, if anything*.

Loads of lines end "if anything" in Gervais' projects, I've noticed.

Quote: G180e @ April 1 2013, 4:52 PM BST

You can tell they're not keen on it by shoving it on at 10pm on a random Saturday night.

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Easter is hardly a random Saturday night. But you're absolutely right to suppose they're embarrassed by the show.

Quote: gappy @ April 1 2013, 6:08 PM BST

I think it's wrong to assume that Cheggers' position in the show is any different from Kilmer's.

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You're right - they're both in the same boat..
Neither of them can get work, and they're resorted to making fun out of that.
I don't blame them - it's a job, after all.
But it's all pretty desperate.

If you look at Kilmer's imdb page you'll see he's been in about 8 things this year alone. If they really were desperate for work in real life then I could understand you being annoyed on their behalf.

I must say that on the whole I agree with Lazzard and his opinion of Gervais's theater of cruelty. However I think that in this particular case he is wrong. The change of character from crooked shark to kind hearted loser really worked for Warwick's character; I have a feeling this had little to do with Gervais. As for Cheggers he has built a career on self parody, but to be honest he was hilarious, his acting and deadpan delivery was spot on, as were the other two, it was knowing but with a wonderful sense of innocence that was played beautifully.

Was the first series HBO co-funded like Extras? If not they maybe looking for some which might explain the scene where Davis was explaining who Cheggers, Barry and Les Dennis were.

Quote: Lazzard @ April 1 2013, 6:18 PM BST

You're right - they're both in the same boat..
Neither of them can get work, and they're resorted to making fun out of that.
I don't blame them - it's a job, after all.
But it's all pretty desperate.

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Nonsense. Val Kilmer is working constantly. I suppose you believe that Liam Neeson and Johhny Depp appeared in the show because they can't get work either?