Miranda - Series 1 Page 42

Much as I enjoyed it (lots!), I agree with roscoff about the old-school friends being non-characters. Katy Wix and Sally Phillips are both great actresses but their characters here have little (no!) depth.

Admittedly, I would have blasted this fact if I was critiquing it as a script. Same with the coincidences being a bit far-fetched. However, I was having such a good time watching every episode, that I forgave both of these facts. All this proves is that if it's funny, you can get away with other 'vital' sitcom-writing aspects. Certainly to me and (dare I say) the majority posting, but evidently not to other people.

Maybe the second series could do with fleshing out these characters and getting rid of the all-too-coincidental coincidences, but not if that's at the expense of all the fun.

The end credits bit is great fun. Love it! Keep it!

Dan

Oh Good God, please let's not go down that route! Silly coincidences are at the heart of a show like this. You said it yourself; it doesn't matter because it's still funny. As much as I enjoy both, PLEASE let's not have another intricately everything-for-a-reason plotted Thick Of It or Peep Show clone. There's enough serious sitcom around, let's keep the few we have, fun and silly.

As for the friends, I agree that they're sort of "non-characters", but similarly, are we not able to have people who are just occasional guests and comic foils anymore? I'm not overly fond of the characters, but they serve their purpose and I don't see any need to remove them from the show.

And who put you in charge of the forums!?

Oh, I see...

Dan

The way Katy Wix said "What's all this leaving business, we're going to miss you actually" on the final episode made me laugh so much I rewound and watched it again about six times.

The supporting cast are all excellent, even though they only have a couple of scenes.

The last thing a show like this need is too much "depth" to its characters (or plots). They're likeable and fun, that's all they need to be.

Quote: Aaron @ December 16 2009, 1:06 PM GMT

There's enough serious sitcom around

View original

Is that not a contradiction?

Quote: Aaron @ December 16 2009, 1:06 PM GMT

Oh Good God, please let's not go down that route! Silly coincidences are at the heart of a show like this. You said it yourself; it doesn't matter because it's still funny.

View original

It wasn't funny for the very reason it was just dumped in there without any thought to how it plays in the story line. However if she had brought attention to it such as

To camera-

'My only three friends in the world out for a walk in the middle of nowhere as I get caught topless in a park gate. What's the odds?'

I'm a writer me

I shall now ban myself from posting in this thread due to artistic differences I know you'll miss me you misguided fools

Been watching it all again on iPlayer, still funny.

I like sitcoms that don't take things too seriously.

If I wanted character "depth" I'd watch piggin Holby City! Her school friends are funny stuck up airheaded bimbos. I took it that she was taking the piss out of posh people on purpose. It works well.

It reminds me a bit of sitcoms that relied on stupid situations such as One Foot In The Grave, Keeping Up Appearances or 2point4 Children mixed with a bit of slapstick in the same way as So What Now? with Lee Evans.

roscoff is just saying that, as a writer, you'd get negative feedback for creating characters that are so two-dimensional. And he's right -- it wouldn't get very far with a lot of prodcos just for that reason, regardless of how funny it is.

One of my points was (again, re: writing) does it matter than the characters were two-dimensional, as it's still laugh-out-loud funny? Prodcos probably won't take such two-dimensional characterisation despite the success of Miranda which, I reiterate, I enjoyed very, very, very much.

And you shouldn't watch Holby at all! It is half a step up from full-on soap. If you want proper characters watch some American drama.

Dan

Quote: David Carmon @ December 17 2009, 9:54 AM GMT

If I wanted character "depth" I'd watch piggin Holby City!

View original

Good grief! really??!

It reminds me a bit of sitcoms that relied on stupid situations such as One Foot In The Grave, Keeping Up Appearances or 2point4 Children

The big difference is that on those shows, particularly One Foot In The Grave the stupid situations are cleverly set up. If someone walks in on someone at an embarrassing moment there is a reason why the person is in that particular place at that particular time. There is a satisfying logic as the plot elements come together that makes it funny.

No, really I give you 2point4, but One Foot in the Grave was a clever and funny written sitcom, one of the best in history.

I just watched the first episode of Miranda, and am compelled to disagree on some "experts" members of this thread. Maybe you guys are desperate for a GOOD sitcom to surface, one that is at par with the British historic tradition. Maybe your eyes just want this to be one of "those". I noticed this will even when Big Top was about to be aired.

No matter what, Outnumbered has kids, and there's a rule in entertainment "shows with animals or kids don't count". The Thick of It took editing and filming elements from The Office and a local politic based plot so that won't count either.

No. Miranda is not one of those historic "grands". She is big, certainly funny in a market of few women that actually can write or act cleverly funny. But its too naive, too cute, predictable, I-ve-seen-that-joke-before, self-pitty, uses her big body to make fun too much, nice watching it in thses poor times of little talent around, but not even as good as the recent The IT Crowd.

Miranda's text is far from the clever and funny bits of Caroline Quentin in Kiss Me Kate of the nineties, taking a woman sitcom as example. Or the girls in Smack The Pony. For Miranda, there's still a long road in comedy to trail.
Luis

Quote: luis kmentt @ December 17 2009, 11:49 AM GMT

No, really I give you 2point4, but One Foot in the Grave was a clever and funny written sitcom, one of the best in history.

I just watched the first episode of Miranda, and am compelled to disagree on some "experts" members of this thread. Maybe you guys are desperate for a GOOD sitcom to surface, one that is at par with the British historic tradition. Maybe your eyes just want this to be one of "those". I noticed this will even when Big Top was about to be aired.

No matter what, Outnumbered has kids, and there's a rule in entertainment "shows with animals or kids don't count". The Thick of It took editing and filming elements from The Office and a local politic based plot so that won't count either.

No. Miranda is not one of those historic "grands". She is big, certainly funny in a market of few women that actually can write or act cleverly funny. But its too naive, too cute, predictable, I-ve-seen-that-joke-before, self-pitty, uses her big body to make fun too much, nice watching it in thses poor times of little talent around, but not even as good as the recent The IT Crowd.

Miranda's text is far from the clever and funny bits of Caroline Quentin in Kiss Me Kate of the nineties, taking a woman sitcom as example. Or the girls in Smack The Pony. For Miranda, there's still a long road in comedy to trail.
Luis

View original

I don't think Miranda is trying to reinvent the sitcom, nor do anything particularly earth shattering. She's a huge fan of seventies sitcoms and has created a modern sitcom in the image of her favourites. With a post-modern twist in the form of breaking the fourth wall to address the audience.

Quote: chipolata @ December 17 2009, 11:53 AM GMT

I don't think Miranda is trying to reinvent the sitcom, nor do anything particularly earth shattering. She's a huge fan of seventies sitcoms and has created a modern sitcom in the image of her favourites. With a post-modern twist in the form of breaking the fourth wall to address the audience.

View original

In that perspective you are right. It is an enjoyable sitcom.
I will try and watch more episodes, maybe I'm being too narrow-minded
luis

Quote: luis kmentt @ December 17 2009, 12:07 PM GMT

In that perspective you are right. It is an enjoyable sitcom.
I will try and watch more episodes, maybe I'm being too narrow-minded
luis

View original

You've joined the BCG! We invented narrow-mindedness!