Quote: Hercules Grytpype Thynne @ 29th June 2019, 7:17 AMWell done.
LOVE EDC! Will have to dig out my box set to watch again - always said that Howard and Hilda should have had their own sitcom!!
Apologies if this has been flagged up before, but here's a podcast that might be of interest to EDC enthusiasts - from a series created for sitcom fans and/or aspiring comedy writers in general:
Sitcom Geeks - Episode 57 - In Praise Of Ever Decreasing Circles
Quote: Chris Hallam @ 23rd August 2017, 7:09 AMI remember enjoying it. The best role of Peter Egan's career perhaps?
Apparently Richard Briers thought Tom in The Good Life was also a selfish insufferable character.
He's right. Barbara was pretty pleased with herself too. The Leadbetters were way better, especially Jerry, the real hero of the show.
Not sure where this leaves Paul as a species though? Sex mad models of too much perfection who can play hen-pecked husbands?
Quote: Text Lexus @ 1st July 2019, 2:32 AMApologies if this has been flagged up before, but here's a podcast that might be of interest to EDC enthusiasts - from a series created for sitcom fans and/or aspiring comedy writers in general:
Sitcom Geeks - Episode 57 - In Praise Of Ever Decreasing Circles
I'll have a listen to that later, ta for link. I'm wondering if Aaron could set up a podcast for every decent sitcom within reason, on his Pro Thing obviously. By Podcast I mean a proper one involving the writer or a major actor from the show, like a DVD commentary which can be as good as a doc.
EDC is the sort of sitcom broadcasters should be looking for and even encouraging writers to create. A true sitcom with a bit of character conflict going on, giving the lead character a headache now and again. It's narratively involving and interesting. Even repeating this on BBC Four or somewhere would help get the message across to aspiring young sitcom writers that there is more to sitcom than unsubtle post watershed humour, blatant CBB silliness or quickfire gags from a cocky but bland lead character. The sitcom schedule is in desperate need of this sort of sitcom to return. The TV bods just don't get it. They just don't seem to know their stuff like they once did. 
Quite. That would be fantastic.
To be going on with there are some excellent 'Sitcom Geeks' interviews with writers and producers, including Paul Mayhew-Archer, Linehan, Eric Chapell and Clement & La Frenais.
In other news this site also has comedy videos.
Can you recommend any? Are there any relating to EDC?
I've not really looked.
You just seemed to have moved on from EDC, that's all.
I wonder if Martin Bryce would be married if the show was remade today. It could have been seen as a way to normalise him. Fair for its day, I suppose.
Treated myself to the box set after hearing such good things on here about EDC. I found the first series very slow and boring (at times) but from the second series, it definitely gets better. Not laugh-a-minute stuff but very watchable and excellent acting from all of the cast.
Quote: Aaron @ 26th February 2009, 12:02 AMCheaper on Amazon!
I've heard nothing but good things about the show. Tempted to buy it myself.
See Amazon product listing
[p=http://www.play.com/DVD/DVD/4-/3299665/Product.html]
[h=608127]
Just received my copy of this DVD, excellent value at 12 quid but I see it's already gone up to 12.49 so act fast if you want this. Haven't opened it yet but see it's got some interesting extras as well, which I will sample at some point.
I place this interesting 'little' sitcom in the half way house between comedy and comedy drama, the same sub section things like Butterflies and Watching are in but I remember I found this a particularly pleasing viewing experience, for the small town world it inhabited (and mainly Richard Briers). I haven't seen it since so I'm looking forward to seeing this again.
Bought the box set, and watched, many years ago - superb sitcom.
I've said all along, someone missed a golden opportunity there to write a spin off based around Harold and Hilda!
Got to mid ep4 (of s1) before my dvd player froze. I'd been thinking it's my dvds until now, Anyway, very interesting to watch again after 30 plus years and was surprised how slimy Paul is, he really is trying to pull Martin's wife (who is hard to take as his wife tbh, you'd almost think she was his carer).
It's very watchable while at the same time, slightly uncomfortable viewing, not your typical peak time domestic sitcom of the period. It's more the sort of thing done in one off serials or films. I'm guessing this 'darker' element of Paul pursuing her gets watered down as it goes on, it just feels a tad too heavy or creepy for a mainstream sitcom from the 80s. But we shall see, possibly via a new dvd player.
One little side observation is of the colour of the liquid in the titles sequence. I wrongly remembered it as clear water on a pond or lake but it turns out to be tea. Which does make good metaphorical sense.
Quote: G180e @ 23rd January 2021, 3:15 PMI found the first series very slow and boring (at times)
I didn't find this myself, I found it to be a bit 'darker' for want of a better word than I remembered it to be but also fairly riveting, for the often toe curling characterisation of Martin. And for a first series of a sitcom I found it to very well formed and established looking.
God it's good, better than I remembered through rosy specs, and darker, but without going too far with it. One of the strongest first series I've seen, in fact. There's so much depth to the Martin-Paul-Ann triangle it's more than a sitcom while still being a proper and funny sitcom. It has shades of Butterflies and the later Derek is a sort of post-Ann running away with Paul breakdown Martin while being way funnier than either. On to s2 now...
Quote: Alfred J Kipper @ 15th February 2021, 9:57 PMGod it's good, better than I remembered through rosy specs, and darker, but without going too far with it. One of the strongest first series I've seen, in fact. There's so much depth to the Martin-Paul-Ann triangle it's more than a sitcom while still being a proper and funny sitcom. It has shades of Butterflies and the later Derek is a sort of post-Ann running away with Paul breakdown Martin while being way funnier than either. On to s2 now...
Yeah, I think of it in the same vein as Butterflies too. Both have a quality of being able to mine some "deep" stuff quite a lot, albeit / especially in a sort of grounded way - they feel real. The pathos is unignorable, you have to engage with it on that level, but it's very "silly" / funny too.
