The second one was alright. An improvement on the first anyway. It's not a brilliant show though, really just that there's feck all else on at the mo.
Cowards Page 4
Sums it up perfectly.
I enjoyed it again. It's not amazing, but there's some funny stuff in there. The swimming pool one I liked, The caravan stuff is good too.
Quote: Matthew Stott @ January 29 2009, 9:11 AM GMTI enjoyed it again. It's not amazing, but there's some funny stuff in there. The swimming pool one I liked, The caravan stuff is good too.
Oh yeah, the swimming pool one was good.
Although the rest of the sketch was a bit long, I also liked when the nude model checked one of the guy's canvas and he was painting a ship.
Quote: ContainsNuts @ January 29 2009, 9:25 AM GMTI also liked when the nude model checked one of the guy's canvas and he was painting a ship.
Yeah, that was good.
I still like it. It's kind of a 'nice' comedy. Not hilarious but keeps you very much entertained.
Dan
Well that was distinctly humour-free.
I liked the one with the 6 year old married daughter. It didn't make me laugh though, I just liked the style of it.
Quote: Aaron @ February 3 2009, 10:29 PM GMTWell that was distinctly humour-free.
You're clearly not a fan of surreal and absurd humour then. Admittedly this third one was the weakest of the three, but I thought it still had a lot going for it.
Yep, I enjoyed it too. I thought the caravan bits were great. This is also the first episode where I found the cave man bits funny. Overall I'd like to see more from them, they have a lovely odd sensibility.
I thought that over the three episodes this show was pretty decent, just about more hit than miss which IMHO is a well above average ratio in recent times. I think however it's in thrall to Big Train without coming near in terms of brilliance. The Cavemen premise grew and grew for me, getting better each time and I also loved the caravan stuff. Last night's café sketch was good as well for me but only the first one. The joke was then stratched thinner than an old woman's hair. On the whole though I liked this and think the 4 performers each have something to offer. Oh yeah, I liked Clunes too, the animation style was lovely, another hit for the stupidly talented Peep Show collective who I interviewed for Channel 4 a while back, lovely people. Rambling now...
Watched it again with my missus last night. She kept wanting to switch channels but I insisted on watching it till the end. Her comment at the end was "It's just blokes talking and being slightly embarrassed about things, isn't it?"
Have to say that on a second viewing, it still does nothing for me. I love surreal, absurdist humour but this is just too low-key and unimaginative for me. It's all very clever and cool etc but God...where are the laughs?
This is why sketch shows like Little Britain, Catherine Tate and Harry Enfield capture huge audiences whereas shows like Cowards go nowhere. They're appealing to a small minority of the viewing public who enjoy very dark, uncomfortable, nihilistic stuff with no real gags. I believe most people, (especially in these shitty times) want to escape into a world of big comic characters and laugh-out-loud stuff, and that includes me.
On the plus side I thought the performances were spot-on, and I especially rate Tim Key as a comic actor - I'd love to see him in something where he could really spread his wings.
Quote: Lee Henman @ February 4 2009, 2:15 PM GMTvery dark, uncomfortable, nihilistic stuff
I don't really get that from this show. To me it just seems understated and silly. Interesting to see how the same thing appears differently to different people though!
Quote: Matthew Stott @ February 4 2009, 2:19 PM GMTI don't really get that from this show. To me it just seems understated and silly. Interesting to see how the same thing appears differently to different people though!
Well for instance the guy being mauled to death by a bear, complete with highly-realistic facial wounds. And the sinister people in the shop who terrorised the guy for dropping his change. The League Of Gentlemen used to to "dark" too but it was tempered with over-the-top, big character performances that really balanced it out. Cowards deals with similar material but it's played much too poe-faced for me.
Quote: Lee Henman @ February 4 2009, 2:15 PM GMTHave to say that on a second viewing, it still does nothing for me. I love surreal, absurdist humour but this is just too low-key and unimaginative for me. It's all very clever and cool etc but God...where are the laughs?
Quote: Lee Henman @ February 4 2009, 2:15 PM GMTI believe most people, (especially in these shitty times) want to escape into a world of big comic characters and laugh-out-loud stuff, and that includes me.