Quote: Godot Taxis @ May 20, 2007, 3:16 AMI think people remember it fondly because they liked the characters, not because it's particularly well made, because it isn't.
In what respect(s)? Scripts? Production standards (set quality, sound effects, etc.)?
Quote: David Chapman @ May 20, 2007, 12:47 AMSo we're all agreed then.
The others may have been popular but they were crap.
Dad's Army rules. (I typed that after a few pints and noticed (I couldn't have been that pissed) that it said Sad's Army).
Dads Army is definetly the greatest (my favourite sitcom of all time), but It Aint Half Hot Mum and You Rang M'Lord were also full of excellent moments. Fair enough Hi De Hi wasn't brilliant. I'm sure if you watched IAHHM and YRML again, your views would change.
No - I'm sorry. It's probably Paul Shane. I find him really annoying and don't like anything he's done. Wasn't he in "Oh Mr Porter" as well?
Quote: Aaron @ May 20, 2007, 7:05 PMIn what respect(s)? Scripts? Production standards (set quality, sound effects, etc.)?
Sorry Aaron, didn't see your question.
Dad's Army has a massive feel-good-factor. I only posted on this thread because I'd just watched the three shows as I said. Only one was good – one where Pike was stuck in some barbed wire on a beach with mines. This had some good lines, a convincing story, and pretty good acting. The other two – whilst immensely enjoyable, suffered from weak plotting, fairly uninspired dialogue and some slips from the actors, which made it harder to maintain the illusion I watching a WWII story rather than a group of under-rehearsed professionals.
I know there are many more of them, and it started earlier, but if one compares DA with a contemporary show like Porridge, the latter does not (arguably, of course) suffer from these problems. Both shows are of course technically nigh-on perfect, but DA suffers from the laws of diminishing returns. There were more than a hundred episodes – is that right? The longer you bat, the lower your batting average becomes.
I'm not knocking Croft & Perry though. I'd watch another three DA at the drop of a hat. They sometimes wrote on autopilot, but they deserve to be highly regarded, along with Lowe and LeMesurier etc..
Quote: David Chapman @ May 20, 2007, 8:14 PM. Wasn't he in "Oh Mr Porter" as well?
No, Oh Mr Porter was a 1930's film, but he starred in a 1990's sitcom that was also about trains, had the same theme tune as Oh Mr Porter but with different lyrics called "Oh Doctor Beeching". David Croft wrote ODB. Oh Mr Porter was also the insperation to "Dads Army"
Yes thanks Jack. I remembered that when someone mentioned it on another thread.
Another so-so comedy I think.
Personally, I don't think Dad's Army is that funny anymore. Yes, it's endearing and the performances are great. It's just that when comedy goes beyond thirty years it's quality seems to deteritrate. For instance, who laughs at Charlie Chaplin now? All that slapstick has been done by Tom and Jerry for goodness sake!
I still laugh at Chaplin, Keaton, Laurel, Hardy, Marx Bros, screwball comedies of the thirties and forties, etc etc. Most of the best film comedies are pre 1960 if you ask me.
And those classic Tom and Jerrys are pretty ancient too - from the forties and fifties.
No - Dave is right.
Once something goes past the 40 year mark it ceases to be amusing immediately. It's like a sell by date.
Therefore Steptoe & Son and The Likely Lads are officially unfunny.
You're taking what I said out of context - and David Chapman, sarcascm is the lowest form of wit. This is meant to be a site to celebrate the highest forms. I didn't say anything about a sell by date. And I love The Likely Lads. All I'm saying is jokes become more dated as the years pass and things that were relevent at the time might go over the heads of the viewers of today. And the Chaplin thing - I like Laurel and Hardy, incidentally. What I mean is, when it was first shown in the 1910s etc, perhaps it was funny as people hadn't seen that kind of Chaplin-kicks-someone-up-the-rear comedy outside of the music hall, so it was largely unseen. Now, on the otherhand, that material has been seen in kids cartoons when we were four or five so it no longer feels original.
Comedy can date. To the Manor Born has dated, Watching has dated (though is still flippin' good).
Quote: Dave @ May 25, 2007, 9:57 PMYou're taking what I said out of conetext - and David Chapman, sarcascm is the lowest form of wit.
Yeah - but it's fun though isn't it.
Quote: David Chapman @ May 25, 2007, 10:14 PMYeah - but it's fun though isn't it.
Yeah, I suppose it can be! 
Yeah, comedy dates and when we return to things after some years, sometimes we've changed and we don't accept the same humour, but kicking someone up the arse will always be funny.
Remember 'Kicking Bishop Brennan up the arse' in Father Ted?
"It`s a miracle, an oil painting of the virgin Mary on the skirting board."
Kicking Bishop Brennan Up The Arse is one of the funniest episodes of Ted! I love it! And I love the fact that Dougal always calls Bishop Brennan by his first name, Len. And when Bishop Brennan said that he needed to go to An Audience with the Pope, Dougal said, "I love those programmes. Did you see the one with Elton John?"
Hilarious!